Israeli Air Force Delegation Visits Wright-Patterson AFB

  • Published
  • By Jonathan Tharp
  • Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Recently, Brig. Gen. Brian Bruckbauer, director of the Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate (AFSAC) escorted a foreign delegation of Israeli Air Force (IAF) Officials on a two-day visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The IAF delegation consisted of Brig. Gen. Shimon Tsentsiper, Director of the IAF Materiel Directorate, and his staff including Col. Ariel Dvorjetski and Lt. Col. Eitan Levy.
The jam-packed trip itinerary included bilateral engagements with Air Force Materiel Command senior leaders and updates on Israel’s foreign military sales cases, weapon system issues, and research work conducted with the Air Force Research Laboratory.

“Foreign Military Sales (FMS) engagements like the Israeli Air Force visit exemplify the individualized relation-building AFSAC performs with Partner Nations behind the scenes,” reflected Bruckbauer. “Too often, people can overlook the unique international relationships that form the foundation for successful FMS agreements between countries to occur. Building trusting relationships is key, and it’s a skill AFSAC excels at, and that differentiates us, because we do it every single day.”

At AFSAC, you will hear people reference ‘country teams.’ A country team is a group of people dedicated to support the partnership between the U.S. defense forces and a particular country (e.g. International Allies like Israel). On a daily basis, AFSAC personnel meet with foreign officers for strategic military interoperability engagements, but we also engage regularly on fun activities—on relationship-building events. It can be summed up in the “Work Hard, Play Hard” motto.

“There’s an international saying: Tea together seven times then talk business,’” added Bruckbauer. “AFSAC country teams work hard to develop and execute international agreements, and they also regularly host fun activities including an annual “International Partner vs USA Soccer Game,” barbeques, kickball games, and more to nurture unique international relationships with FMS partners.”

In the AFSAC offices at Wright-Patt, close to a couple dozen foreign officers from twenty countries, like IAF Officer Lt. Col. Yossi Naor, work in-person at the base as Foreign Liaison Officers or FLOs. They represent their home country’s government and work with the AFSAC team to successfully execute requirements on FMS cases. Dedicated AFSAC FLO coordinators help the FLOs with anything they need: moving to the U.S. with their families, learning the culture, navigating U.S. Air Force FMS processes, identifying the right points of contact, and more.

Next time you interact with a foreign officer from one our international partners, take a moment to chat about that person’s life, learn more about who he or she is, and nurture the unique international relationship.