Joint Task Force Eagle Non-Commissioned Officers 'Span the Gap' with Iraqi Partnership Bridge Training

IRAQ

07.13.2009

Story by Capt. Vanessa Bowman 

37th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne) - Joint Task Force Eagle

✔ ✗ Subscribe

2

A Joint Task Force Eagle Non-Commissioned Officer, who was raised in Iraq, embodies the Army 'Year of the NCO' spirit during third partnership bridge training iteration held July 3-13 at the Iraqi Army Engineer School.

The 50th Multi-Role Bridge Company, 555th Engineer Brigade, NCO Sgt. Mootaz Al-Sultani combines initiative, experience and unique personal history to orchestrate the latest 10 day partnership bridge training course with Soldiers of the 4th, 5th, and Headquarters IA Field Engineer Regiment.

Al-Sultani along with Staff Sgt. Fernando Villa from Tucson, Ariz., and Staff Sgt. Jason Peace from Felicity, Ohio, are the primary 50th MRBC partnership bridging trainers. Villa, 2nd Platoon 1st Section Sergeant, who has seven years of experience as an Army Bridger, is partnered with the 5th IA FER. Peace, 1st Platoon 2nd Section Sergeant, who has nine years of experience, is partnered with the 4th IA FER.

Currently serving as crew chief and Bridge Park NCO in charge, Al-Sultani has four years of military bridging experience. His upbringing in Iraq gives him a unique advantage that makes him invaluable to his counterparts Peace and Villa say they could not have been as successful without Al-Sultani.

"This training would not have happened without Al-Sultani," said Villa.

Arlington, Texas, is home now, but Al-Sultani was born and raised in Baghdad, immigrating to the United States with his parents in 2000. Al-Sultani said he is glad to serve his adopted country by using his Military Occupation Specialty technical experience to help build the capacity of his IA Engineer counterparts.

"I always wanted to join the Army. I enlisted at seventeen, as soon as I could," explained Al-Sultani. "In the beginning I was mostly just translating, but that turned into making coordination with the Iraqi security forces and other Iraqi elements. Eventually it developed into setting up and conducting these bridge training events."

Al-Sultani's fluency in the language, customs and culture of Iraq, combined with his experience-based technical understanding has made him integral to arranging and synchronizing 50th MRBC partnership training. He secures logistic support and facilitates coordination between the 50th MRBC, IA FER command elements and Iraqi ministry of defense contacts. Additionally, Al-Sultani procures and translates technical manuals and teaching materials.

"I coordinated with the Mabey and Johnson Bridge Company, which has the contract to provide their bridge to the U.S. Army, to request copies of any manuals they already had translated," explained Al-Sultani. "I took those, went back and then changed them a little so they made more sense to the operators."

Al-Sultani clarifies instructions and provides additional explanations to make it easier for the students to understand. This is especially important as many of the IA FER soldiers do not have strong reading and writing skills.

"The classroom portion is the hardest because so many have trouble with reading and writing," explained 2nd Lt. Hader, an IA FER platoon leader and co-instructor at the IA Engineer School partnership bridge training.

The manuals that Al-Sultani translates are not just appreciated by the IA FER Soldiers. The Iraqi Army FER Headquarters, Engineer School and ministry of defense also use the manuals and have requested Al-Sultani help update and translate additional technical manuals.

"NCOs are accomplished military professionals that have earned the description 'Backbone of the Army,'" said Capt. John Davis, 50th MRBC commander. "The tremendous commitment and initiative of Sergeants Peace, Villa and Al-Sultani to service in training, leading and mentoring Soldiers of both U.S and Iraq exemplifies 'Army Strong' leadership."