One of the more interesting experiences I had on my last rotation in Iraq was working with the Iraqi Air Force. Through a complicated series of events we managed to set up a training mission with Iraqi pilots, flying the older US-made Huey helicopters, followed by an actual combat operation.
During the training mission, I was the only American on the aircraft…a hair raising experience to say the least. As it turned out the pilot knew his stuff and my fears were unfounded. He had been flying for decades, all the way back to the Iran-Iraq war where he had been a fighter pilot. In this picture we (a small group of US Special Forces troops with a Iraqi SWAT contingent) are inbound to our objective area.
One of the boys.
A picture I took, looking down, as we sped a hundred feet or so above the desert.
Twin Iraqi Huey’s coming in for exfil.
Reflexive Fire 