My name Is Matt Moore. I served in the Air Force from November
1988 until retirement in December 2008. It was a long journey since the US
military have been in conflicts in one form or another since Iraq invaded
Kuwait. I didn’t have to deploy in support of Desert Shield or Desert
Storm. Our unit and most all active duty units switched gears into high tempo
preparations and training. For the most part this tempo continues today at a
faster pace due to a smaller military force.
After the invasion of Iraq and the 100 day war, Iraq refused to
comply with the UN’s redrawing of the Kuwait/Iraqi border. At this point the
Iraqi No-Fly Zones were established and the USAF began its build-up in the
region. These no-fly zone were manned with Operations Northern and Southern
Watch. During this time I deployed to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman,
Qatar, and Egypt. In these FOB’s (forward operating bases) we constructed
and maintained theater airspace and command and control platform to manage the
conflict. This was repeated once again in 2003 when we invade Iraq to “disarm
them”. I deployed to Talill air base, Iraq in 2003 which had been bombed for
denial of use by B-52s in a major four-day bombing campaign from December
16–19, 1998 on Iraqi targets. So I spent time refurbishing this 50’s era soviet
built airfield for US and coalition forces. Cleaning up our own mess. It
reminded me of the bad guy in the movie Fifth Element where he gives the
example of needing a little Chaos to create purpose. I deployed to
Balad airbase, Iraq in 2007 for the same purpose, same scenario. It was like
Ground Hog Day. I still have problems differentiating those deployments in my
memory. In-between the Iraq deployments, in 2005, I was deployed to
Kyrgyzstan to support air operations for the war in Afghanistan with Operation
Enduring Freedom. Our unit was tasked to expand a refurbish Manas
International Airport for military cargo aircraft carrying personnel and
equipment headed for the war on terror in Afghanistan.
Personally, I am proud of my service. So I cannot fault the
services and admire all who I served with and still do. I do pray that the
average citizen and the government will support and do right by the service
members that have fallen or been maimed or damaged if any form, and their
families, to show them the honor they deserve by giving so much.
Now for the philosophical and ideological. Am I a patriot or a
murderer? Some of the airbase platforms we built were for the Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle or UAV. I have issues with the policy and use of the UAV.
While saving pilots lives they take lives. I believe in having skin in the
game. These should not be used without eyes on target. Too many mistakes
have been made, innocents lost. As of now we have used them in 7 countries.
Today UAV’s are infiltrating into civilian policing in the US.
With this perpetual war syndrome, America is experiencing military creep into
policing within our borders. This needs to stop and we need our men and women
back home.
