# JTF-A Air Wing - Thanks



## Towards_the_gap (22 Jun 2010)

I know this post will be pretty vague, but it has to be for a reason. 

As a confessed G3/Combat Arms snob, I'm usually one of those guys taking snipes at the Air Force. Not anymore. 

To anyone who helped us out on 21 June, and made a long day last a little less longer, thank you. It meant alot to the guys on the ground.


----------



## Jammer (22 Jun 2010)

Hear hear!
JTF-A Air Wing....thanks for the assist on 3-08.


----------



## vonGarvin (22 Jun 2010)

I know what you mean, Towards_the_gap.   20 March 2009 was a long day made less so as well.


----------



## Towards_the_gap (23 Jun 2010)

In fact can anyone tell me what squadron is out here now, flying the griffons? Or is it opsec. Or is it a composite sqn of dudes from all over Canada.


----------



## krustyrl (23 Jun 2010)

Always good to hear......


----------



## Jammer (23 Jun 2010)

If I'm not mistaken the core is made up of the fine folks from the Cartier Valley Airport and Poutine Stand...wink wink


----------



## Strike (23 Jun 2010)

Towards_the_gap said:
			
		

> In fact can anyone tell me what squadron is out here now, flying the griffons? Or is it opsec. Or is it a composite sqn of dudes from all over Canada.



The Chinook guys are from all over the place but the majority of the CH146 people are from 408 THS.  There are always augmentees from other units as well since this is the 2nd deployment of 408 and only the 3rd for CHFA.  You do the math.   ;D


----------



## Good2Golf (13 Jul 2010)

Towards_the_gap said:
			
		

> I know this post will be pretty vague, but it has to be for a reason.
> 
> As a confessed G3/Combat Arms snob, I'm usually one of those guys taking snipes at the Air Force. Not anymore.
> 
> To anyone who helped us out on 21 June, and made a long day last a little less longer, thank you. It meant alot to the guys on the ground.



Msg passed.  It was their pleasure.  

Cheers
G2G


----------



## Infanteer (15 Jul 2010)

I remember my first tour to the Balkans, we were flown on a Challenger into Zagreb airport, stranded there and then took civilian busses to the base - quite underwhelming, but such were the times.

The next time around, I took a Canadian Challenger to CM, then a Canadian C-17 into KAF, then a Canadian Chinook out to the FOB and then drove a LAV to my patrol base where we were sustained, in large part, by slingloads brought in by Canadian birds.

The Airforce is definately on top of things.


----------



## vonGarvin (15 Jul 2010)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> I remember my first tour to the Balkans, we were flown on a Challenger into Zagreb airport, stranded there and then took civilian busses to the base - quite underwhelming, but such were the times.
> 
> The next time around, I took a Canadian Challenger to CM, then a Canadian C-17 into KAF, then a Canadian Chinook out to the FOB and then drove a LAV to my patrol base where we were sustained, in large part, by slingloads brought in by Canadian birds.
> 
> The Airforce is definately on top of things.


How did you get a Challenger?  You didn't mean Polaris, did you?

But I agree, our Air Force sure has gone through adversity to the stars!


----------



## SeanNewman (15 Jul 2010)

The Air Force has impressed me a lot, lately.  Not just flying out of theatre to un-named location in a C17 instead of a Herc (making the flight faster and more comfortable), but even better the CF18 escort coming back home.

I was really touched by that detail and it was very appreciated.  Thanks AF!


----------



## rampage800 (15 Jul 2010)

They've made some huge strides in the CAS department as well, its a damn shame Hornets haven't been deployed to theatre as they'de be a huge asset to any organization over there.


----------



## vonGarvin (15 Jul 2010)

rampage800 said:
			
		

> They've made some huge strides in the CAS department as well, its a damn shame Hornets haven't been deployed to theatre as they'de be a huge asset to any organization over there.


I don't know why they aren't there; however, there's no shortage of stuff in the sky.


----------



## Jammer (15 Jul 2010)

I'm guessing the insane cost.
The deployment to Aviano during Kosovo was approaching near a billion clams, and that was a small one.


----------



## greentoblue (15 Jul 2010)

There were a bunch of reasons at a Strategic level that prevented the Hornets from deploying.  I won't get into those for OPSEC reasons but on the more practical, operational side there were two major factors against deploying them.  First was infrastructure; Kandahar Air Field is packed as it is with aircraft from all over the world and even when 408 deployed on Roto 6 they had to borrow space from the US Marines and NATO.  Second, what the battlegroup guys asked for was helos to move around the AO.


----------



## eurowing (16 Jul 2010)

There are Hornets in KAF, just not ours.


----------

