By U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Frost
KIRKUK, Iraq – By age 15, his destiny was already set by Saddam Hussein’s regime – he was to become a fighter pilot, a necessity in the bloody war with Iran. He took the controls of a Bravo, a single engine, propeller-driven training aircraft, and performed his first solo flight before most Americans could even drive.
Today, Iraqi Air Force Maj. Abbas, his name changed in this story for security reasons, serves once again in the Iraqi Air Force, but he’s no longer asked to fly for the dictator but to fly for his country.
Abbas is an instructor pilot with the Iraqi Flying Training School in Kirkuk, Iraq, where he teaches initial pilot training to future Iraqi pilots. Like many instructor pilots who have returned to the school to teach, he was a fighter pilot under Hussein’s regime with a great deal of experience and training.
“My education was only for flying,” said Abbas, while he kept watch over a pitche
HandBanana001
The Patron Saint of Lost CausesLooks Like Trouble
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Newest Deviations
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Peaceful Up Here ...
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Over Iraq
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Loading
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Unloading
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Literature
Iraqi Pilot Returns - Story
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Vehicle Search
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Deadly Force Authorized
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Happy to Bust Them
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Looks Like Trouble
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What does THIS do?
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Shot in the Dark
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Fear This Guy
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... waiting ...
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'Fire. Fire. Fire.'
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Fake Flight
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One More Flight
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The Child and the Stairs
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Taking Photos
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upsidedown portrait
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Harrier Engine
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Window of Enlightenment
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Climb
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deviantID
HandBanana001
The Patron Saint of Lost Causes
Artist | Photography
Artist | Photography
United States
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Current Residence: International Zone, Baghdad deviantWEAR sizing preference: XXXXXXXL Print preference: Color Favourite genre of music: Punk / Rock Favourite photographer: The guy from Reuters who Photoshops all his pictures Favourite style of art: Photojournalism, portraits Operating System: Vista / XP on my laptop MP3 player of choice: Zune Shell of choice: DOS - Old School Wallpaper of choice: Boring blue. Skin of choice: Boring. Favourite cartoon character: Hand Banana, Frylock, Shake, Meatwad Personal Quote: The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care. |
- Listening to: 311 - Creatures
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Thanks for the fav, I love you all. I'd like to get through these messages sometime tonight, though, so I'm going to start skipping the social norm of DA and do a mass thank you to everyone who helped boost my ego in the last 24 hours .... If you befriended me, you shall be befriended. If you'd like to talk -- comment on something or leave a note.
If I had more than an hour a day to go through this stuff I would probably be in a better position, but such is life.
Thanks for the fav, I love you all. I'd like to get through these messages sometime tonight, though, so I'm going to start skipping the social norm of DA and do a mass thank you to everyone who helped boost my ego in the last 24 hours .... If you befriended me, you shall be befriended. If you'd like to talk -- comment on something or leave a note.
If I had more than an hour a day to go through this stuff I would probably be in a better position, but such is life.
Friends
Comments
Rest in peace, thank you for being there when you where, I hope you live on in many peoples hearts and are in a happy place.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I don't even know why I keep coming back to this page after six years. I don't even know you.
I hope you're enjoying your rest.
I hope you're enjoying your rest.
Thank you so much for your bravery and courage to help the people in Iraq. You will be missed my friend. 
