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 Maryland Airmen contribute to Iraq's recovery By Courtesy Story
 BASRAH, Iraq, - As the drawdown in U.S.  military forces in Iraq proceeds, remaining troops - including members of the  Maryland Air National Guard's 175th Wing - continue to aid the country on its  road to economic recovery. Awards of Iraqi oil and natural gas contracts in Al  Basrah Province are dramatically increasing regional commerce and resulting in  a significant boost to the local civil air traffic at Basrah International  Airport. As a result, more robust and reliable airport systems  will be necessary to function safely and efficiently as the primary air  logistics center and passenger travel hub for southern Iraq. Lt. Col. David Burgess and Maj. Kipp Thompson, both  members of the Maryland Air National Guard's 235th Civil Engineer Flight, are  professional engineers working to make this happen. Both are part of a staff augmentation team, which is  commonly referred to as an S-team, maintained by the Air National Guard. These  teams consist of architects, engineers and technicians with the technical  knowledge and engineering management experience to tackle just this sort of  job. One of the biggest assets of the Air National Guard is  the civilian experience its members bring to the military. Although Burgess is assigned to Contingency Operating  Base Al Asad in Anbar Province, he was asked to support Thompson at COB Basrah,  because of his specialized technical background. At his civilian employment,  Burgess runs an international airport electrical engineering firm in northern  Virginia. At Basrah International Airport, several previous  assessments identified discrepancies with international airport standards and  proposed solutions. Burgess and Thompson's engineering team provided cost  estimates and a logical strategy for prioritized repair of the airport lighting  and navigational aid systems with safety hazards and repairs required to  operate in all visibility conditions receiving the highest priority. The establishment of a stable government and the  reopening of air transport is not only a springboard for economic recovery, but  also for cultural rediscovery. Basrah was once a key location connecting the land routes  from Europe to the sea routes to the Orient. This cultural and intellectual  center is birthplace of the fabled Sinbad the Sailor. While complete restoration of Basrah International  Airport is still years away, the recent establishment of a U.S. consulate at  the airport reinforces its importance as a key transportation facility. Air transportation will be crucial to attracting and  supporting investment in reconstruction and development of economic resources.  The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority and the Basrah International Airport have an  enormous task ahead to plan and execution their reconstruction.
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