Life guards
Patrols and blasts routine for ADGs protecting our people in Baghdad

Aircraftman Darren Watsham on a patrol of Baghdad International airport. Photo by LCPL Neil Ruskin

Sergeant John Levi, of No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron, patrols a truck graveyard at Baghdad International airport. In the face of mortar and rocket attacks, Airfield Defence Guards are providing protection to the 60 personnel that make up the Air Traffic Control detachment at Baghdad International Airport. Photo by LCPL Neil Ruskin

By CPL Damian Shovell

INCOMING mortars and rockets are an expected part of the job for the Air Traffic Control detachment at Baghdad International Airport. Protecting the 60 personnel are Airfield Defence Guards from No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley.

Aircraftman Darren Watsham, in his third month in Iraq, said the experience of being on the receiving end was commonplace.

“When I first arrived it was quiet, and then a week after getting here all hell seemed to break loose and we had a couple of weeks of fairly relentless bombardment,” AC Watsham said.

“For me there haven’t been any close calls. If there’s rockets or mortars coming then we take cover as an actions-on and err on the side of caution. So if there’s inbound, we’re racked-up somewhere in a hard structure.

“Some of the other guys have been a lot closer to it, in that they’ve had artillery land fairly close to them. Essentially we take the same actions whether it’s going to fly over or land near you. We’re all well trained and we’re just going to get ourselves into the safest place out there, which is usually a hardened structure.”

The BIAP control tower offers an obvious aiming mark to anti-coalition forces, but thankfully much of the hit-and-run attacks have landed outside of their effective range.

“It didn’t take long for us to take it for granted that they were just flying past. And the bangs, you just sleep through them or wait for someone to call stand to, but if it doesn’t come then you just keep sleeping,” AC Watsham said.

He said “even though you always remain vigilant in what happens around you ... the sound of them going off” was something the ADGs were used to.

He and his colleagues provide force protection by patrolling the AO and mounting the vehicle checkpoint (VCP) at the entrance.

“We do a three-day cycle. One of our days is a day shift spent on the VCP at the front gate and in the watchtower,” AC Watsham said.

The ADGs do day and night shifts, including patrolling the AO with coalition colleagues. They combine mainly with the US Air Force Security Force (SF), which works in a similar role to the RAAF Security Police. AC Watsham said although their way of doing things could be a little different, working with the coalition had not posed any problems.

“Essentially they provide us with an insight into how they do business, which is somewhat different to us in a few areas,” he said. “I’ve only been here for a couple of months, but as it was explained to me the SF guys are conducive to pretty much following suit and I’ve experienced that. Even though we work collaboratively, they’re keen for us to take the reins.”

He said working with the coalition patrols had “kept our morale up as we get exposure to a number” of different personnel.

The ADGs also conduct regular defence and tactics training and have range practices every week to maintain skills. Some specialist skills such as Close Protection Officer, tracker and sniper qualifications are held by some ADGs.

“On our time off we train. All of the guys have maintained a strict fitness regime here ... in fact most of us have increased our fitness level,” AC Watsham said.

.