Doha International Air Base - Mission

Mission

Camp Snoopy in Doha, Qatar was at its height the largest pre-positioning base outside the United States. A considerable amount of this equipment had been moved from Qatar to Kuwait during the last months before the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Camp Snoopy had stockpiled enough equipment to accommodate a brigade set with two armored and one mechanized battalion, as well as equipment for combat service support units. The troops to use it could be airlifted and ready for action in 96 hours. Unlike Kuwait, advance parties will fly to Qatar, draw the equipment and use commercial heavy equipment transporters to move it to port to be loaded onto ships for transport to the combat zone. It also served as home for the U.S. Air Force's 64th Air Expeditionary Group, which was enlarged to become the 64th Air Expeditionary Wing prior to the invasion of Iraq. The 64th primarily operated the then brand new C-17 Globemaster III. Snoopy served as the finial departure point for personnel and equipment headed for Afghanistan. In late 2002 due to its location, near enough to Iraq to make for quick turn around but far enough away to not be an easy target, Camp Snoopy was selected to host a detachment from AFSOC operating MC-130 Combat Talon. The addition of the MC-130's and their supporting crews along with a general increase in over all man power led to the redesignation of the 64th from a Group to a Wing in December 2002. Due to limited ramp space the air lift mission was largely shifted to nearby Al-Udeid by January 2003 with the main focus becoming the operation of the Special Operations force located there. This would continue until the base was closed in 2004. The base also served as the central mail distribution point for bases in Afghanistan with all mail being delivered to the base, sorted then placed on aircraft for delivery to individual bases in Afghanistan. During December 2002 this postal hub processed an average of 3,000 pounds of mail a day and operated 24 hours a day. During its operation Doha IAB mailing address was APO AE 09310.