Success through training: Spartan armorers train Iraqi Federal Police

Photo By Dustin Gautney | Pfc. Elvis Marte(right), 26th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team 3rd Infantry Division, instructs armorers from the Iraqi Federal Police on proper maintance and repair of a 50-caliber machine gun during a weapons repair class held at Contingency Operating Site Marez, May, 18.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, IRAQ

05.18.2010

Story by Spc. Dustin Gautney 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq – Soldiers from 26th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division conducted training with Iraqi Federal Police on weapon maintenance and repair at Contingency Operating Site Marez, May 18.

The training taught by 26th BSB's armorers, covered basic weapons maintenance and repair to Iraqi police armorers to better maintain their weapon systems once U.S. troops transition to stability operations.

"The goal is to have the Iraqi Security Forces' armorers capable of maintaining and repairing their weapons systems on their own," said Sgt. Larry Long, 26th BSB, and Ozark, Ala., native. "Once U.S. forces depart it is solely up to the Iraq forces, and armorers to keep their weapons mission capable."

The Iraqi police armorers were taught maintenance procedures for the .50 caliber machine gun as well as proper cleaning liquids and materials required to keep the weapon systems working, said Long.

Also taught during the class was weapons repair and how to diagnose weapons malfunctions.

"We had the Iraqi armorers take apart the weapon systems and show them how to use gauges to check that each individual machine part was properly gauged and working, and how to fix the discrepancies themselves," Long said.

To Long's surprise the Iraqi armorers took to the training very quickly, and had more questions about advanced weapons repair and maintenance then he originally thought the armorers would have.

"I was really surprised, the Iraqi armorers really wanted to know every detail on repairing the weapons systems," said Long. "They wanted to know exactly what we do with our systems, and to show us what they do with theirs, so we both could compare and work with them to learn what details they could improve on; the cooperation between our armorers and theirs showed the level of camaraderie both services have for each other."

• Date Taken: 05.18.2010
• Date Posted: 05.28.2010 02:33
• Story ID: 50405
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, IQ