News>Air Force participates in Marrakech Aeroexpo, strengthens bonds
Photos
MARRAKECH, Morocco -- A C-130J Super Hercules sits between two F-15E Strike Eagles on the flightline at the Marrakech Aeroexpo April 4, 2012. U.S. Air Forces Africa participated in the third biennial Aeroexpo Marrakech to strengthen the partnerships with the nations involved and show commitment to security and stability in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)
MARRAKECH, Morocco – A Royal Moroccan Air Force CL-415 performs for a crowd during the opening ceremonies at the Marrakech Aeroexpo April 4, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)
MARRAKECH, Morocco – The Royal Moroccan Air Force aerial demonstration team, Marche Verte, perform during the opening ceremonies at the Marrakech Aeroexpo April 4, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)
MARRAKECH, Morocco -- A Moroccan family takes photos in the flight deck of a C-130J Super Hercules at Aeroexpo Marrakech 2012 April 7, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)
MARRAKECH, Morocco -- A crowd of people tour the inside of a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules at Aero Expo Marrakech 2012 April 7, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)
MARRAKECH, Morocco -- A crowd of people fill the flightline at Aeroexpo Marrakech 2012 as the Royal Moroccan Air Force aerial demonstration team "The Green March" perform April 7, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)
MARRAKECH, Morocco -- A KC-135 Stratotanker from the 151st Air Refueling Wing, Salt Lake City, Utah, sits on the flightline at Aeroexpo Marrakech, April 5, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)
by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson
U.S. Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
4/10/2012 - MARRAKECH, Morocco -- U.S. Air Forces Africa participated in the third biennial Marrakech Aeroexpo here April 4-7 to strengthen the partnerships with Morocco and more than 15 other participating nations.
About 400 exhibitors from the civil and military aviation communities had the opportunity to display their particular capabilities and technology to more than 50,000 visitors during the exposition.
Airmen at the expo were pleased to give the Moroccan people and others in attendance the chance to view an American aircraft from loading dock to flight deck.
"Our ability to walk them into our airplane and talk to them was outstanding," said Col. Dan Heires, the U.S. Africa Command air boss for the event. "Every one of them is going to go back with a positive image of an America and the Air Force."
The 191st Air Refueling Squadron of Utah's Air National Guard attended with a KC-135 Stratotanker. The Utah National Guard is paired with Morocco in the State Partnership Program, which was established in 1993 to build partnerships with allied nations and promote interoperability.
"We are pretty involved," said Ly. Col. Lisa Berente, a KC-135 pilot with the 191st ARS. "Our TAG (The Adjutant General) has been remarkable on his effort with this program. Both he and the senior leadership here in Morocco have been very engaged with each other and consequently it has really been a rewarding deal for both partners."
Morocco and Utah may have only become state partners in the last 20 years, but the bonds that tie Morocco and the United States together have a long history.
"Morocco prides itself as being the first country to recognize the United States as being an independent country and that's why they celebrate the 4th of July here as well," said Lt. Col. Corey Love, a KC-135 pilot with the 191st ARS.
In addition to the KC-135, a C-130J Hercules, two F-15E Strike Eagles and a U.S. Army UH-72A Lakota helicopter were on display for the crowd. However, the positive image fostered at the event is in large part thanks to the Airmen working at the aeroexpo.
"I have seen every member of this team pull together with a smile and a handshake and demonstrate to the Moroccans how pleased we are to be here building partnership and goodwill," Heires said. "Everyone has done a marvelous job and they have been just fantastic as ambassadors to Morocco."
Sentiments of good ambassadorship were echoed by members of the crowd who interacted with the Airmen at the show.
"I am very happy to see your Air Force here," Abbaoui Hakim said, an aeroexpo attendee. "We are very happy, especially my children."
For many who toured the C-130J, seeing the aircraft up close was a surreal experience.
"The plane is good, I saw it in movies and documentaries, but it is nothing like in real life," said Moulay Hassan, another aeroexpo attendee.
Providing real-life experiences to the crowd was a big undertaking, but, according to one of the lead planners, it was worth it in the end.
"We started planning one-and-a-half years in advance," said Lt. Col. Stephen daSilva, 17th Air Force lead planner for the event. "It was a little easier this year because of the experience I gained planning the 2010 trade show in Marrakech and a similar one in South Africa; but it is always a challenge."
All that preparation goes a long way to building bonds with African nations.
"A core (U.S. Africa Command) mission is building partnership capacity and engagement with African nations and I think this has been worth every bit of effort that was put into this: the friendships and goodwill developed will pay future dividends," Heires said.
Security was another concern. It was addressed by members of the 818th Contingency Response Group security forces team and security augmentees, alongside the Royal Moroccan armed forces.
"We came down early to establish a secure area for the aircraft and get a leg up on security for the show," said Tech. Sgt. Bruce Herrington, the group's force protection flight chief. "We have security response teams on the ground for twelve hour shifts to secure the aircraft and detect and deter threats."
The teams not only secured the aircraft, but also gave curious aircraft-enthusiasts the answers they needed by acting as liaisons between the crowd and aircrew.
According to Master Sgt. Scott Vermeire, the U.S. Air Forces Africa fly-away security team program manager, without this team's presence, Air Force members would lose more than aircraft security. They would lose opportunities to build relations with partnering nations.
"This team is doing a great job of ensuring security is established" Vermeire said. "People are curious and want to see the aircraft, so if the security team wasn't here it would be up to the aircraft crews to mitigate crowd control and that's not their job here. Their job is to answer questions about their aircraft and interact with the local community and military."
"The positive interaction and excitement generated meeting with real live American Airmen as we were told repeatedly was 'just like in the movies,'" Heires said. "Many of the folks that our Airmen met are going to go and home share their experiences with their friends and their families, along with the thousands of pictures in and around our planes smiling arm in arm with our Airmen. What we set in motion was a positive impression of the United States and demonstrated our enduring friendship with Morocco."
(Senior Airman Natasha Stannard contributed to this article)
