Quote Originally Posted by Cliff View Post
As for the USAF caring, I'm sorry you feel that way. I know the folks who I work with are well aware and all do care- almost every unit has someone deployed to the AOR. One of my two NCOs got mortared twice yesterday at Balad.
You make my point about the USAF "not caring". The USAF has put those NCOs into a position to get mortared not because their core mission required it, but because they are trying to make a "statement" by putting personnel in harms way.

There is not a single place on Anaconda where an USAF personnel should legitimately be, doing a valid USAF mission where mortars should be an issue. I calculated the sightlines myself, back in 2003, when we occupied it. (Rockets, on the other hand, can range the airfield, but not accurately)

While we're at it, the USAF fought tooth and nail not to even be IN Balad. They wanted to occupy BIAP, and intentionally bombed Balad SE runways(which was abandoned pre-war) in order to deter the Army from occupying it. I saw the freaking target lists, both before, and after we attempted to coordinate with the Air Force to form Balad SE as the Corps air hub.