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His
vision, stellar leadership, professionalism and precise
application of airpower doctrine directly contributed to
successful combat operations against the Iraqi regime. Group
Captain Brown’s exceptional performance of duty reflects
great credit on himself, the Royal Australian Air Force
and the Government of Australia.
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Excerpt
from the citation
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Group
Captain Geoff Brown receives the US Legion of Merit
(Degree of Legionnaire) from Vice Chief of the US Air Force
General T. Michael Moseley.
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THE
US has recognised the officer who oversaw the first Australian
fighter deployment into a war zone since the Korean War.
Vice
Chief of the US Air Force General T. Michael Moseley presented
Group Captain Geoff Brown with the US Legion of Merit (Degree
of Legionnaire) at a ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington DC
on July 30.
GPCAPT
Brown was the Commander of the Australian Air Element Headquarters
in the Coalition Forces Air Component Command. He was honoured
for his “exceptionally meritorious service” from February to April
2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
GPCAPT
Brown was responsible for directing the RAAF’s tactical airlift
and fighter attack missions. He was also responsible for Australia’s
contribution to air component planning and management in the coalition
headquarters.
He
was honoured to receive the award, which he accepted “on behalf
of all the Australian airmen and airwomen who worked hard to ensure
the RAAF made an effective and valued contribution to Iraqi Freedom”.
“It
was a privilege to serve as the commander of the Australian element
in the JFACC and work with General Moseley, a true professional
and a great airman,” he said.
His
citation, signed by US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, said
he “deftly balanced participation in coalition headquarters planning
and utilisation functions with his responsibilities as wartime
commander to supervise, control and direct Australian forces engaged
in complex airspace operations”.
The
citation recognised that under GPCAPT Brown’s command, the RAAF’s
C-130s were “a key logistic component of Operation Iraqi Freedom”
and that our F/A-18s flew 300 combat sorties.
