IA soldiers graduate maintenance class

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Houston | An Iraqi army mechanic works on an engine of a Humvee, Aug. 30, 2008, prior to extracting it during a vehicle maintenance course on Camp Taji, northwest of Baghdad. Sixteen IA soldiers graduated a one month repair course, Sept. 4, 2008, that was taught a Military Transition Team serving with Company B, 225th Brigade Support Battalion "Mongoose," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.  

TAJI, IRAQ

09.04.2008

Story by Sgt. Whitney Houston 

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

Sgt. Whitney Houston
2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Sixteen Iraqi army mechanics graduated from a vehicle maintenance course on Camp Taji, northwest of Baghdad, Sept. 4, 2008, following a month of rigorous training.

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled vehicle, or humvee, course was conducted by a Military Transition Team serving with Company B, 225th Brigade Support Battalion "Mongoose," 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team "Warrior," 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, and focused on repair techniques, and ensuring IA soldiers could teach their fellow soldiers. The students' proficiency was evaluated with a hands-on test at the end of each day.

"We've basically taught Iraqi soldiers how to be instructors," said Staff Sgt. Hatsady Siriphokha, a native of Elizabethtown, Ky., serving on the MiTT. "Each day we've taught different topics.
However, the most important part was to make sure they knew how to teach their soldiers. Anyone can turn a wrench, take things apart and put them back together, but teaching is different."

It's necessary to teach IA soldiers to maintain these vehicles because as MND-B forces transition to mine resistant ambush protected vehicles, the humvees are given to IA.

The IA currently has a good stock of humvees and therefore need maintenance training, Siriphokha explained.

Now that the IA soldiers are savvy with humvee maintenance, another batch of IA mechanics will go through the same course next month – but will be taught by the newly trained graduates of this course.

This is the first step forward in assisting the IA to become self-sufficient with their new vehicles, Capt. Jeff Hannah, native of Opelika, Ala., and commander of Co. B, 225th BSB, explained during the graduation speech.

First steps are always difficult ones, especially when you have many cultures coming together Siriphokha explained. The MiTT managed to bridge barriers and become a tightly knit group throughout the course.

"To tell you the truth, it has been nothing short of amazing to watch," Hannah said. "If you had a photo for each week of training, you could see the relationships building. The first day of training, everyone kept their distance and was getting a feel for each other.

"By week two, you could see them standing side by side with the other Soldiers [coalition forces]. By week three, I remember walking up to one of my instructors and two IA soldiers were leaning on his shoulders talking about the task at hand. To see these relationships develop in this class has surely been remarkable."

The IA mechanics were quick to learn their tasks in humvee maintenance, and Siriphokha said he is satisfied the IA students are competent in maintaining the vehicles and teaching others to do the same.

"These guys are very smart," Siriphokha said. "A lot of the things that we've taught them, they already know. I feel they are very efficient and will be able to go back and teach their soldiers. I feel like we've accomplished our mission."

With the first step accomplished, the next challenge is on the IA soldiers when they return to instruct the course.

"The next page in the story is that these soldiers will come together again in a month," Hannah said. "This will be a true test of what they've learned here. I believe this next group, which will be trained by these same 16 IA soldiers, will be as well trained as my instructors."

• Date Taken: 09.04.2008
• Date Posted: 09.06.2008 08:48
• Story ID: 23299
• Location: TAJI, IQ