WEBVTT 00:08.540 --> 00:10.484 on this special edition of Freedom 00:10.484 --> 00:12.651 Journal Iraq . A look back at 2000 and 00:12.651 --> 00:14.540 eight with the MQ nine reaper and 00:14.540 --> 00:16.651 service members enjoying Airborne day 00:16.651 --> 00:18.762 celebration these stories and more on 00:18.762 --> 00:19.762 today's FJ I 00:26.640 --> 00:28.918 Hello , I'm Tech Sergeant Sarah Bishop . 00:28.918 --> 00:30.862 Welcome to this special edition of 00:30.862 --> 00:33.029 Freedom Journal Iraq . As we look back 00:33.029 --> 00:34.807 at highlights from 2008 and the 00:34.807 --> 00:36.862 successes of coalition forces in the 00:36.862 --> 00:38.973 country over the past year . We start 00:38.973 --> 00:41.140 by looking back to earlier in the year 00:41.140 --> 00:43.740 in Baghdad . The Air Force's MQ nine 00:43.740 --> 00:45.770 reaper proved it is combat capable 00:45.770 --> 00:47.770 during an airstrike against an anti 00:47.770 --> 00:50.120 Iraqi target . The river dropped a 00:50.120 --> 00:52.990 £500 bomb on a vehicle borne I E D , 00:53.000 --> 00:55.167 which marked the reapers first weapons 00:55.167 --> 00:57.056 engagement in Iraq since it began 00:57.056 --> 00:59.650 flying combat sorties in mid july Petty 00:59.650 --> 01:01.872 Officer Aaron Hotchner tells us how the 01:01.872 --> 01:04.039 MQ nine reaper , formerly known as the 01:04.039 --> 01:06.094 Predator B is protecting soldiers on 01:06.094 --> 01:09.470 the ground . In july of 2000 and eight , 01:09.470 --> 01:11.640 the Air Force began flying the new MQ 01:11.640 --> 01:13.807 nine reaper over Iraq . The reaper can 01:13.807 --> 01:15.807 be flown over combat zones for long 01:15.807 --> 01:17.862 periods of time providing persistent 01:17.862 --> 01:19.640 intelligence , surveillance and 01:19.640 --> 01:21.862 reconnaissance . Or is our operations ? 01:21.862 --> 01:23.640 The MQ nine reaper is a perfect 01:23.640 --> 01:25.640 platform for a lot of the work that 01:25.640 --> 01:28.010 we're doing here in Iraq . It provides 01:28.020 --> 01:31.860 a S . R . Capability for long duration 01:31.870 --> 01:34.760 and yet it is still armed enough so 01:34.760 --> 01:36.982 that we can prosecute and do the things 01:36.982 --> 01:39.038 we the ground to help integrate with 01:39.038 --> 01:40.927 the army . The reapers design has 01:40.927 --> 01:43.260 evolved from the combat proven predator , 01:43.260 --> 01:45.482 but it's a very different machine where 01:45.482 --> 01:47.427 the 66 ft wingspan , the reaper is 01:47.427 --> 01:49.482 roughly the size of an 8 , 10 attack 01:49.482 --> 01:51.427 aircraft . Its payload capacity is 01:51.427 --> 01:53.538 £3,000 and makes it more of a hunter 01:53.538 --> 01:55.649 killer than a killer scout as was the 01:55.649 --> 01:57.371 predator . All of this . While 01:57.371 --> 01:59.538 minimizing the amount of airmen needed 01:59.538 --> 02:01.649 in the combat zone , we will deploy a 02:01.649 --> 02:01.480 small forward team to launch and 02:01.480 --> 02:03.591 recover the aircraft to maintain it , 02:03.700 --> 02:05.700 to arm it to do the things that you 02:05.700 --> 02:07.978 have to do with an aircraft physically . 02:07.978 --> 02:09.867 But when we start flying the long 02:09.867 --> 02:11.978 duration missions of 16 hour missions 02:11.978 --> 02:14.144 or so , a lot of that can be done from 02:14.144 --> 02:16.367 back in the United States , the MQ nine 02:16.367 --> 02:18.533 reaper can fly up to 300 MPH and reach 02:18.533 --> 02:20.700 altitudes of 50,000 ft . Petty Officer 02:20.700 --> 02:24.060 Aaron Hotchner Baghdad As Iraqi forces 02:24.060 --> 02:26.116 expand their presence throughout the 02:26.116 --> 02:28.338 country . The support they receive from 02:28.338 --> 02:30.116 the coalition logistics team in 02:30.116 --> 02:31.893 Southern Iraq helps drive their 02:31.893 --> 02:33.838 progress . In august Petty Officer 02:33.838 --> 02:35.949 Patrick Dilly visited the port at Umm 02:35.949 --> 02:38.004 Qasar for a look at coalition forces 02:38.004 --> 02:39.727 and their impact on logistical 02:39.727 --> 02:42.590 operations in the logistics business . 02:42.600 --> 02:45.010 It's known as rolling stock vehicles . 02:45.020 --> 02:47.850 As far as the eye can see cargo ships 02:47.850 --> 02:50.110 bring new trucks from the US to Iraq's 02:50.110 --> 02:52.300 bustling Southern port of Umm Qasar . 02:52.740 --> 02:55.073 They're unloaded by multinational force . 02:55.073 --> 02:58.010 Iraq contractors and end up here . This 02:58.010 --> 03:00.210 100,000 square meter area can hold 03:00.220 --> 03:02.980 upwards of 3000 trucks and hundreds of 03:02.980 --> 03:05.091 millions of dollars worth of vehicles 03:05.091 --> 03:07.230 move through here every month . Um , 03:07.230 --> 03:09.310 Kassir's strategic location allows 03:09.310 --> 03:11.830 rapid transition of cargo from ships to 03:11.830 --> 03:14.640 a nearby warehouse and staging lot over 03:14.640 --> 03:16.473 90% of the trucks will go to the 03:16.473 --> 03:18.530 multinational security transition 03:18.530 --> 03:20.350 command , Iraq or mince sticky 03:20.350 --> 03:23.060 logistics facility at Abu Ghraib . From 03:23.060 --> 03:26.440 there , they'll have a similar process 03:26.440 --> 03:28.607 with staging . They have a larger area 03:28.607 --> 03:31.380 than we do and then With mistake e 03:31.380 --> 03:33.491 involvement , they will go to the end 03:33.491 --> 03:35.491 user in Iraq generally , that's the 03:35.491 --> 03:37.491 Iraqi Army and police who refit the 03:37.491 --> 03:39.491 trucks to fit the specific needs of 03:39.491 --> 03:41.610 their local missions , roughly . 400 03:41.610 --> 03:43.670 local national employees handle the 03:43.670 --> 03:47.600 cargo , operate the warehouses and 03:47.600 --> 03:49.540 facilitate shipment of all the 03:49.540 --> 03:51.762 multinational force cargo at the port . 03:52.140 --> 03:54.330 And that's one of our big elements as 03:54.330 --> 03:56.497 far as being down here is to boost the 03:56.497 --> 03:58.650 economy not only with the port itself 03:59.440 --> 04:01.384 having the vessels coming here and 04:01.384 --> 04:04.640 offload cargo sentence for our 04:04.640 --> 04:07.620 customers , but also In the employment 04:07.620 --> 04:10.910 of the local nationals , increased 04:10.910 --> 04:12.910 employment and security . Since the 04:12.910 --> 04:14.966 Iraqi government took control of the 04:14.966 --> 04:17.100 port from militias in early 2008 has 04:17.100 --> 04:19.044 allowed commerce to flow virtually 04:19.044 --> 04:21.400 uninhibited . We'll be able to launch a 04:21.400 --> 04:24.570 more convoys . Yeah , clearer . Even 04:24.570 --> 04:26.903 more vehicles . That's what our goal is . 04:26.903 --> 04:29.200 Now , several convoys depart . Come 04:29.200 --> 04:31.750 closer each day with less than 1% 04:31.760 --> 04:33.704 encountering any sort of insurgent 04:33.704 --> 04:35.960 attack Petty Officer Patrick Dilly . Um 04:35.960 --> 04:39.370 QasR port Iraq , The world renowned U . 04:39.370 --> 04:41.640 S . Airborne Corps is a vital unit in 04:41.640 --> 04:43.529 the Army's Arsenal with a history 04:43.529 --> 04:46.300 spanning back to the 1930s . In august 04:46.300 --> 04:48.260 paratroopers deployed to Iraq came 04:48.260 --> 04:50.371 together at camp victory to celebrate 04:50.371 --> 04:52.590 their Airborne heritage . Air Force . 04:52.590 --> 04:54.479 Sergeant Brandon smith begins our 04:54.479 --> 04:56.312 special look at the Airborne Day 04:56.312 --> 04:58.940 celebrations . 68 years ago the U . S . 04:58.940 --> 05:01.180 Army parachute test platoon pioneered a 05:01.180 --> 05:03.236 new method of warfare . Today . It's 05:03.236 --> 05:05.236 one of the most elite forces in the 05:05.236 --> 05:07.890 army . The 82nd Airborne has a proud 05:07.900 --> 05:11.430 history and just like today , our very 05:11.430 --> 05:13.708 first paratroopers were all volunteers . 05:14.240 --> 05:16.240 They were all physically fit . They 05:16.240 --> 05:18.760 were all hungry for a challenge with 05:18.760 --> 05:21.093 the global threat posed by nazi Germany . 05:21.093 --> 05:23.260 It was clear that we needed to develop 05:23.260 --> 05:24.980 an airborne dimension to our 05:24.980 --> 05:27.510 warfighting cable and it was a 05:27.510 --> 05:29.399 relatively new concept that other 05:29.399 --> 05:31.660 countries were experimenting with . and 05:31.660 --> 05:34.460 so in July of 1940 , the U . S . 05:34.460 --> 05:36.950 Airborne test platoon was created and 05:36.960 --> 05:38.870 here at the Al Faw Palace in camp 05:38.870 --> 05:40.981 Victory service members from all over 05:40.981 --> 05:42.814 came to celebrate the birth of a 05:42.814 --> 05:45.240 crucial piece of modern warfare . We 05:45.240 --> 05:47.660 can never forget who we are or the 05:47.660 --> 05:50.160 values that we cherish . You know , we 05:50.160 --> 05:53.180 can win any gun fight . But in order to 05:53.180 --> 05:56.090 win in Iraq we have to maintain our 05:56.090 --> 05:59.000 reputation as honourable and 05:59.000 --> 06:01.760 respectable soldiers and paratroopers 06:02.340 --> 06:04.229 At an event attended by some high 06:04.229 --> 06:06.180 profile guest . It was the 82nd 06:06.180 --> 06:08.380 Airborne Zone course from Fort Bragg 06:08.390 --> 06:10.501 that stole the show as they symbolize 06:10.501 --> 06:12.750 the preparation for a jump . 06:15.840 --> 06:17.740 Mhm mm . Yeah , 06:20.040 --> 06:22.207 prepare troopers . The love of jumping 06:22.207 --> 06:24.640 out of airplanes exceeds rank four star 06:24.650 --> 06:28.160 and PFC and both paratroopers , that's 06:28.840 --> 06:30.951 nobody cares . It's all about being a 06:30.951 --> 06:33.250 paratrooper , willing to stand up and 06:33.250 --> 06:35.250 jump out and what drives someone to 06:35.250 --> 06:37.361 jump out of an airplane . Every movie 06:37.361 --> 06:39.361 I've ever seen , We've had the 82nd 06:39.361 --> 06:41.417 airborne and they're always the ones 06:41.417 --> 06:43.306 that you hear the stories about . 06:43.306 --> 06:45.472 That's what I joined for . I wanted to 06:45.472 --> 06:47.694 be one of the ones that have a story to 06:47.694 --> 06:49.528 tell for their proud history and 06:49.528 --> 06:51.417 promising future . These soldiers 06:51.417 --> 06:53.250 appreciate what it means to be . 06:53.250 --> 06:55.250 Airborne 68 years later the U . S . 06:55.250 --> 06:57.472 Army has a mighty force of over 100,000 06:57.472 --> 06:59.639 paratroopers and the sky's the limit . 06:59.639 --> 07:01.806 That's especially true for one soldier 07:01.806 --> 07:03.750 whose courage defies his age . Air 07:03.750 --> 07:05.861 Force Sergeant Kevin Nicholls has the 07:05.861 --> 07:08.028 story hopefully three decades ago . He 07:08.028 --> 07:10.139 was a second lieutenant on one of his 07:10.139 --> 07:12.028 first jumps . Now he's the oldest 07:12.028 --> 07:14.083 current qualified jump master in the 07:14.083 --> 07:17.410 army . Colonel Ronald 07:17.410 --> 07:19.770 Gallimore flashed back , watching a 07:19.780 --> 07:21.960 video of where the Airborne corps came 07:21.960 --> 07:24.170 from during the Airborne Day 07:24.170 --> 07:27.200 celebration at a fall palace to be able 07:27.200 --> 07:29.770 to celebrate airborne birthday in 07:29.770 --> 07:32.960 combat is very hard to describe . 07:33.540 --> 07:35.707 There's not a day in Iraq that I don't 07:35.707 --> 07:37.873 get up and think about those young men 07:37.873 --> 07:41.180 and women Who preceded me who who just 07:41.180 --> 07:44.650 did monumental combat experiences and 07:44.660 --> 07:47.180 and I try to make sure every day that 07:47.190 --> 07:49.060 as a leader that I give my young 07:49.060 --> 07:51.282 paratroopers everything they need to do 07:51.282 --> 07:53.460 their work and through 31 years of 07:53.460 --> 07:55.630 jumping out of planes , his experience 07:55.640 --> 07:58.750 is extensive , so how they train , 08:00.040 --> 08:02.710 she works , passing on knowledge to 08:02.710 --> 08:05.920 those around him , option , the speed 08:06.140 --> 08:09.150 of the he loves jumping so much and 08:09.150 --> 08:10.928 he's going to be a part of this 08:10.928 --> 08:13.094 heritage so much so that he had to get 08:13.094 --> 08:15.150 permission from the Secretary of the 08:15.150 --> 08:17.000 Army to deploy to Iraq . For me 08:17.000 --> 08:19.520 personally to be able to complete my 08:19.520 --> 08:21.576 career in the army , which is now in 08:21.576 --> 08:24.860 its 31st year To be able to do that 08:24.860 --> 08:26.804 with the 18th Airborne Corps , the 08:26.804 --> 08:28.916 greatest military organization in the 08:28.916 --> 08:30.971 history of the world , to be able to 08:30.971 --> 08:32.860 ask the Secretary of the Army and 08:32.860 --> 08:35.680 received the waiver to finish in combat 08:35.690 --> 08:38.120 with paratroopers just represented the 08:38.120 --> 08:39.620 icing on the cake for me . 08:41.940 --> 08:44.570 His 31 year career came rushing back 08:44.580 --> 08:47.160 while the Airborne Chorus sang songs of 08:47.160 --> 08:49.730 Yesteryear , reminding him of where he 08:49.730 --> 08:51.841 got his start as a young lieutenant . 08:52.040 --> 08:54.490 Yeah . You know , uh when I came in the 08:54.490 --> 08:57.400 army , I had World War Two veterans 08:57.410 --> 09:00.680 with combat stars from jumping into 09:00.680 --> 09:04.570 Normandy or Sicily or Belgium and we 09:04.570 --> 09:07.280 held those guys in in high esteem and 09:07.280 --> 09:09.860 we listen to everything they said and 09:09.870 --> 09:13.590 31 years later I almost wake up 09:13.590 --> 09:15.870 every morning and think how can I give 09:15.870 --> 09:17.870 back , how can I pay those soldiers 09:17.870 --> 09:21.170 back for what they taught me now in 09:21.170 --> 09:24.450 Iraq . It's here where the job is done 09:24.650 --> 09:27.250 continuing his career paratroopers who 09:27.250 --> 09:29.580 uh continuing the airborne tradition 09:29.780 --> 09:32.660 and that's what makes me do it airborne 09:33.140 --> 09:33.950 all the way . 09:37.440 --> 09:39.607 Colonel Gallimore also noted that Iraq 09:39.607 --> 09:41.829 once had a paratroop force of their own 09:42.040 --> 09:44.600 now extinct . He feels that Iraq will 09:44.600 --> 09:46.767 once again be airborne in the future . 09:47.140 --> 09:49.140 Air Force Sergeant Kevin Nicholls , 09:49.140 --> 09:51.250 Baghdad Iraq . That wraps up this 09:51.250 --> 09:53.472 special edition of our program . Thanks 09:53.472 --> 09:55.472 for watching and we'll see you next 09:55.472 --> 09:55.260 time .