Iraqi soldiers learn to combat improvised explosive devices

Photo By Cpl. Jo Jones | As his fellow soldiers watch, and with his arms in position as if he were holding a rifle, an Iraqi commando from the 1st Company, Special Forces Battalion, 7th Iraqi Army Division, takes his turn during a sweep of a training lane dotted with simulated improvised explosive devices during training aboard Camp Mejid, Iraq, March 26. The IED and unexploded ordnance recognition and lane training course is part of a month-long commando course orchestrated by the leadership of the 7th Iraqi Army Division and Military Transition Team 7 of Multi-National Force - West.  

CAMP MEJID, IRAQ

06.05.2009

Story by Cpl. Jo Jones 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP MEJID, Iraq — For years, the enemy's weapon of choice in Iraq has been the improvised explosive device because it allows terrorist and insurgent cells to target coalition forces with anonymity and without fear of direct confrontation with U.S. or Iraqi forces.

Although violence in Iraq is at an all-time low and new technologies have helped mitigate the threat posed by IEDs and roadside bombs, they continue to appear on Iraq's roads and highways where they pose a danger to Iraqi and coalition forces, as well as the Iraqi people.

To help counter this threat, soldiers from 1st Company, Special Forces Battalion, 7th Iraqi Army Division, recently participated in several days of training designed to help them identify and counter the threats posed by IEDs.

"We want the Iraqis to recognize the IEDs and know what indicators to look for," said Robert Wise, a special operations foreign internal defense advisor with Military Transition Team 7. "The Iraqi army soldiers are becoming targets now because the insurgents know they are the biggest threat."

The IED and unexploded ordnance recognition training was part of a month-long course designed to further the skills of Iraqi commandos assigned to the 7th IA Div., which is headquartered at Camp Mejid aboard Al Asad Air Base.

Instructors from a Counter-IED Training Team taught the Iraqi soldiers how to spot and identify different types of IEDs, as well as the components used in making IEDs and other explosive devices. After a period of classroom instruction, the Iraqi soldiers took to a dirt lane dotted with broken-down vehicles, bushes, trash and assorted debris to help them refine their search techniques.

"I was trying to teach them to not go up to it (a potential explosive device) and then keep their eyes on it until somebody got there to take care of it," explained Spc. Kevin Morren, an Army counter-IED instructor with Task Force Troy.

Other than passing on valuable skills, Morren went on to say that teaching the Iraqis has its own benefits.

"They're a lot nicer than most people would think," said Morren, "and working with them is a lot easier because they are more adept to listening and paying attention so they can impress us."

"It was a very good course," said Pvt. Abbas Jejan, a squad sergeant with Special Forces Battalion, 7th IA Div. "If we went out tomorrow, we might face something we have noticed in this class."

First Lt. Scott Alexander, a reconnaissance platoon commander with Regimental Combat Team 8, whose platoon has been working closely with the Iraqi commandos during the month-long course, said the Iraqi soldiers have progressed significantly in their training and can use the information to train other Iraqi army platoons.

"The Iraqis are eager to train," said Alexander. "They have a vision and are the driving force behind the training program."

Jejan said the training has been helpful and has given the soldiers more confidence.

"We are ready because we have all types of training and are still going through more training," said Jejan.

• Date Taken: 06.05.2009
• Date Posted: 06.05.2009 08:18
• Story ID: 34573
• Location: CAMP MEJID, IQ