BASRA, Iraq – So what exactly is an LNO? A “Liaison Officer” has four basic functions: monitor, coordinate, advise and assist.
Col. Jeffrey Lueck is the officer in charge for the 34th Infantry Division LNOs. He has staff in several locations throughout Iraq and Kuwait, and is very proud of the job they are doing.
"They are outstanding Soldiers, doing an outstanding job," said Lueck. A key part of their mission is knowing as much as possible about their unit. In Baghdad, the 34th Inf. Div. LNOs act as a conduit between the Multi-National Division South and the corps headquarters. Lt. Col. Tom Miller has built relationships with the Multi-National Corps-Iraq staff that have helped in the communication between corps and division.
"We tell the story for MND-S," said Miller. "We facilitate the information flow between the commands."
The LNOs in Bagdad maintain continuous operations in the MNC-I Joint Operations Center and situational awareness of the entire MND-S area of operations.
In Kuwait, Lt. Col. Todd Waytashek manages the LNOs at Camp Arifjan, Camp Buerhing and Ali Al Salem Air Base. At the Arifjan office, Waytashek, Capt. Ben Wiener and Chief Warrant Officer Dale Towle serve as the liaisons between the division and the Army Central Command (ARCENT). They also assist units with the movement of equipment during deployment and redeployment. Like all LNOs, a key part of their job is building relationships. "It is important to know who to talk to about making something happen," said Waytashek.
At Camp Buerhing, Capt. Shane Petrie and Staff Sgt. Kevin Simonson assist late deployers for the division and brigades of MND-S. They help Soldiers with housing, transportation, training and issued equipment.
Ali Al Salem is the hub for travel throughout MND-S, especially for Soldiers going on leave or pass. Sgt. 1st Class Tim Preston is there to assist with individual movements.
"The most rewarding part of my job is the dynamics of being a 24/7 operation and being able to troubleshoot and fix Soldiers’ transportation and admin issues," said Preston.
LNOs for the 34th Inf. Div. are also located in Balad, at the medical facilities in Landstuhl, Germany and in Qatar.
The LNOs are often forgotten because they are away from the rest of their unit. However, they all play an important role in the mission of the division.
