Top Japanese airlift commander visits Combined Air and Space Operations

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shawn J. Jones
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  A top leader from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force visited the Combined Air and Space Operations Center here Feb. 9.

Colonel Chiyohiro Akamine, commander of the Iraq Reconstruction Support Airlift Wing, met with senior leaders at the operations center to discuss Japan's involvement in coalition airlift. 

Japanese C-130H's transport coalition personnel, cargo and humanitarian supplies between Iraq and Kuwait. Additionally, there is a small contingent of Japanese airmen assigned to the JASDF Airlift Planning Division at the operations center who help synchronize and integrate Japan's airlift capability into the overall coalition effort within U.S. Central Command airspace.

"They are key contributors to the CENTCOM theater airlift mission and they play a vital role in securing the future of Iraq and winning the war terrorism," said Lt. Col. Mark Hersant, CAOC Air Mobility Division. "I'm glad we have them on our team."

The CAOC is the coalition's command and control center that manages airpower
throughout the Middle East, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Col. Akamine's visit exemplified the diverse fusion of cultures that occurs inside the 10-nation operations center. 

Japanese tradition calls for the exchange of gifts to communicate respect, friendship, and appreciation. Maj. Gen. Maury Forsyth, the operation center's deputy commander, met with Colonel Akamine and presented him the personal coin of Lt. Gen. Gary North, U.S. Central Command Air Forces commander. Colonel Akamine then presented an authentic Japanese vase to General Forsyth.