116th BCT Delivers Refurbished Weapons to Northern Oil Company Security Officials

Courtesy Photo | A Northern Oil Company instructor teaches security personnel the proper use of the Russian-made BKC machine gun August 2 at the NOC Training Center near Kirkuk.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

08.15.2005

Courtesy Story

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FOB WARRIOR, Iraq -- Soldiers from the 116th Brigade Combat Team's civil affairs section delivered three refurbished machine guns August 2 to Iraqi forces near Kirkuk to be used in protecting vital oil infrastructure.

The weapons had been confiscated from insurgents and refurbished by coalition troops before being delivered to members of the Northern Oil Company's Oil Protection Force (OPF) who will use them to guard against terrorists trying to destroy pipelines and other critical oil infrastructure.

"They're Russian-made machine guns," said Sgt. 1st Class Alcario Chapa, a 116th BCT civil affairs non-commissioned officer who helped with the delivery. "They'll be using them to secure the oil pipelines."

The BKC machine guns delivered to the Northern Oil Company's OPF Training Center fire both linked and unlinked 7.62mm ammunition'the same caliber fired by the U.S. Army's M-60 machine gun. OPF leaders conducted pre-marksmanship training on the BKC for their personnel the same day the weapons arrived and then allowed each security guard to fire 30 rounds on their training range.

Weapons qualification is not the only type of training conducted at the center.

"They've made a lot of progress," said Chapa who also helped with a recent refurbishing of the training facility. "They've done EMT training, weapons training, emergency response training, computer training and firefighter training."

According to Chapa, the center is really shaping up not only by sporting renovated facilities, but new equipment also. For example, soldiers from the 116th BCT recently helped the center acquire computer equipment. But even if the equipment isn't new, OPF personnel ensure it is put to good use'the BKCs are a good example of that.

Helping secure critical infrastructure in the province of Kirkuk is part of the 116th Brigade Combat Team's mission while deployed in north central Iraq. The unit's mission also includes assisting Iraq's new government, supporting economic development, facilitating communications and improving general security.

The 116th BCT is comprised of headquarters and staff sections, two armor battalions, a mechanized infantry battalion, a support battalion, a field artillery battalion, an engineer battalion, and various intelligence, signal, and specialized units. The 116th BCT is one of several Army National Guard units deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.

• Date Taken: 08.15.2005
• Date Posted: 08.15.2005 17:44
• Story ID: 2732
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ