Bomb Company

Photo By Spc. Anna-Marie Risner | KIRKUK, Iraq (Dec. 9, 2005) -- Iraqi Army soldiers with IED Platoon, Bomb Company, 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division stand in formation during their graduation today. The soldiers recently completed a three-week training course with engineers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky., on counter-IED operations.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

12.19.2005

Courtesy Story

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Spc. Anna-Marie Risner
133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

KIRKUK, Iraq (Dec. 10, 2005) -- Improvised explosive devices are quickly becoming one of insurgents" deadliest methods of attack in Iraq. But one group of Iraqi Army combat engineers has been working with 1st Brigade Combat Team Soldiers to combat this problem.

Sapper Soldiers with Company A, 326th Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky., spent three weeks training select members of Bomb Company, 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, on the finer points of IED hunting. Iraqi troops were taught how to recognize not only placed explosive devices, but also materials used to make the bombs, so they could better fight insurgents and anti-Iraqi forces.

Soldiers in the platoon were hand-selected for the mission by Lt. Col. Fuad Jihad Reda, Bomb Co. commander, and Capt. Jay Cook, commander, Co. A, 326th STB. Many of those selected for the unit had personal experiences with IEDs and all were highly motivated to work with coalition forces, Cook said.

"One [Iraqi] soldier was on his day off and saw someone planting an IED," Cook said. "He took his own weapon, chased down the individuals â?¦ disabled their vehicle â?¦ and ended up apprehending the [insurgents]."

Iraqi soldiers were trained on basic IED awareness and driving several vehicles, which will aid in counter-IED missions. Troops also practiced mounted and dismounted patrols with U.S. forces.

One concern both sides faced during training was the language barrier. However, Cook said they overcame these issues through the use of hand-and-arm signals -- many standard, some created on the spot.

Another challenge was the fact that this team of Iraqi Army soldiers hail from several different ethnic backgrounds. Sunni and Shiite Muslims as well as Turkmen and Kurdish troops are thrown together in this northern city.

According to Cook, despite having different backgrounds, the soldiers worked together to complete their training missions.

"We have Turkmen, Arabs and Kurds in the unit," he said. "But despite the different backgrounds, they all came together to form this platoon."

Bomb Company soldiers are now ready to take one more step down the road toward control of their country.

• Date Taken: 12.19.2005
• Date Posted: 12.19.2005 14:32
• Story ID: 4141
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ