Paratroopers train National Police mechanics on vehicle maintenance

Photo By James Selesnick | Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason Barrett a native of Flint Mich., assigned to Company F., 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad explains the mechanical system of a M1151 up armored Humvee to Iraqi national police mechanics during vehicle familiarization training event, Jan. 5, at Joint Security Station Beladiyat.  

IRAQ

01.09.2009

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro Licea 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

By Staff Sgt. Alex Licea
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

JOINT SECURITY STATION BELADIYAT, Iraq – Maintenance superiority has been a consistent standard in order to keep a military force operational and ahead of its enemies in combat. This fact was stressed when 10 national police mechanics assigned to the 8th Brigade, 2nd NP Division, partnered with paratroopers assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, in a joint vehicle maintenance training event, Jan. 5, at Joint Security Station Beladiyat.

The effort was to familiarize NP mechanics of the 8th Bde., 2nd NP Div., with the general components and maintenance procedures of the M1151 up-armored Humvee. The NP unit is about to receive its initial fielding of the vehicle.

Training events such as these allow coalition forces to pass key lessons learned on vehicle maintenance giving its Iraqi partners the advice they need to stay equipped and prepared to defend its country's security.

"The goal of the training was to help improve the 8th Bde., 2nd NP Div., maintenance program," said Capt. Jeremiah Corbin, a native of Ashtabula, Ohio, and commander of Co. F, 2nd Bn., 505th PIR. "We are providing them with the basic component identification, characteristics, trends and common faults of the Humvee."

Improvised explosives devices continue to be a threat in Iraq. The M1151 up-armored Humvee is a key tool to counter the threat of IEDs, and proper maintenance can go a long way.

"They will be able to care for these vehicles in order to be effective in future military operations," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jason Barrett, a native of Flint, Mich., maintenance technician for Co. F, 2nd Bn., 505th PIR. "The NP mechanics were eager to learn and frequently asking questions throughout the training."

This is the first in a series of training sessions between the two counterparts. NP mechanics will focus on basic troubleshooting and how to properly conduct maintenance on a Humvee transmission in the weeks to come.

• Date Taken: 01.09.2009
• Date Posted: 01.09.2009 11:14
• Story ID: 28658
• Location: IQ