Article

2020-04-22 Iraq

Lt. Col. (Ms) Staci Coleman, Al Assad Base Commander and Her Troops Who Braved Iraninan Missile Attack

[USNews.com] A new Department of Defense (DOD) report revealed that U.S. troops stationed in Iraq held their posts at Al Assad and Erbil air bases earlier this year, despite being warned of an impending Iranian missile attack.

The U.S. Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) compiled a 36-page dossier of firsthand accounts from around 80 airmen who stayed behind on the night of Jan. 8.

An intelligence warning gave base leaders only several hours to prepare. Both bases were hit with 12 ballistic missiles that night, but no members of the military were killed, according to the report.

Lt. Col. Staci Coleman, commander of Al Assad airbase, said she told her flight commanders to select who would stay behind, based on ability.

"My flight commanders were responsible for compiling the lists of personnel, and I explained it needed to be divided by combat capability and then by those they believed were emotionally equipped to endure remaining behind for a possible missile attack," she said.

MSgt. Anthony Chacin, superintendent at Erbil airbase, said he ordered all of his "personnel out of their rooms and into their defensive fighting positions."

"The Base Defense Operations Command confirmed rockets were impacting the base," he added. "This was not a drill. For the next four hours, most of my airmen maintained their positions. ... We may be under attack, but we still had a responsibility to maintain operations on the airfield. I couldn’t be prouder of my team that night."

Many of the troops expressed fear at the surprise attack and said they were forced to come to grips with their own mortality.

"I wasn’t ready to die," MSgt. Janet Liliu from Al Assad airbase said. "But I tried to prepare myself with every announcement of an incoming missile. I had to. We all had to."

More than 100 service members were later diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injuries due to the attack, which was said to be revenge for the U.S. drone strike that killed Maj. Gen. Quasem Soleimani.

Posted by Dr. Wheat Faartz007 2020-04-22 00:00|| || Front Page|| [10 views ] Top
File under: Govt of Iran Proxies

#1 "But I tried to prepare myself with every announcement of an incoming missile. I had to. We all had to."

MSgt. "prepares self, self, self, self."

Posted by Besoeker 2020-04-22 01:20|| 2020-04-22 01:20|| Front Page Top

#2 I came into this wanting to believe,
but Ah'm left empty.

Posted by Skidmark 2020-04-22 01:42|| 2020-04-22 01:42|| Front Page Top

#3 Yeah, the Master Sargents I know aren't really into 'Me, Me, Me'.

Posted by Mullah Richard 2020-04-22 10:06|| 2020-04-22 10:06|| Front Page Top

#4 I wasn't ready to die

You are in a hostile theater. People want to kill you. The second you step on the plan to go there you had better be fucking ready.

Posted by DarthVader 2020-04-22 10:10|| 2020-04-22 10:10|| Front Page Top

#5 plan=plane

Posted by DarthVader 2020-04-22 10:11|| 2020-04-22 10:11|| Front Page Top

#6 1) The U.S. Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) compiled a men36-page dossier of firsthand accounts from around 80 air who stayed behind on the night of Jan. 8.

They were told to provide first hand accounts which most always includes personal feelings. We don't send mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters out to die hoping for grief and a lifetime of loss for their families.

But lazy, fat assed, elderly keyboard colonels who have nothing to loose.

The base commander came out of an attack of a dozen ballistic Iranian missiles raining down on her position with no KIA, much to the disgust of leftist dead beats here who clearly hate our young people in uniform.

Posted by Dr. Wheat Faartz007 2020-04-22 14:16|| 2020-04-22 14:16|| Front Page Top

#7 Maybe we aren't Zoomies, Farts.
Maybe you came into this as an agitator with a hard-on.
Maybe USNews pitched the softside for it's readership. We won't know until it's out.

For certain, in some experience, this is not how senior enlisted act under fire, nor Base Commanders.

Maybe a project manager running an airport would ask for a grooming list. A battlefield commander has and has exercised action plans which are explicit in roles, duty stations and timing.

No KIA, GREAT!
Bet they closed the field because everybody had concussion headaches and dirty shorts.

Posted by Skidmark 2020-04-22 14:50|| 2020-04-22 14:50|| Front Page Top

#8 Dang Skid, your comment is almost as long as the 10 line long Titles of your articles...

Posted by Dr. Wheat Faartz007 2020-04-22 16:42|| 2020-04-22 16:42|| Front Page Top

#9 An intelligence warning gave base leaders only several hours to prepare

Enough time for a preemptive strike?

Posted by Woodrow 2020-04-22 19:09|| 2020-04-22 19:09|| Front Page Top

#10 Want me to parse them for you Farts?

Posted by Skidmark 2020-04-22 19:10|| 2020-04-22 19:10|| Front Page Top

01:38 Grom the Reflective
00:17 EMS Artifact