FORWARD OPERATING BASE ATRUZ, Iraq – As Iraqi Army units continue to cycle through training centers across U.S. Division-North under the guidance of U.S. mentors, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division’s Mobile Training Team brought training to IA units conducting security operations in northern Iraq.
The MTT, made up of advisors from 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd AAB, travel across 4th Iraqi Army Division’s area of responsibility in northern Iraq to conduct small-unit tactics classes for commando elements within the division, explained instructor Capt. Clem Lochner.
“What makes us unique from other training programs is our ability to move from location to location,” said Lochner, a native of Chicago.
Iraqi soldiers, non0commissioned officers and officers participate in the 11-day training regimen taught at their respective bases, in addition to conducting daily operations in the Salah ad Din province.
The team brings a distinct advantage to the Iraqi soldiers training from the posts, building the confidence of the Iraqi teams conducting partnered security operations in Salah ad Din.
Sgt. Danny Parsons, an instructor with the MTT, and a handful of other mentors divide the commando companies into sections, with one MTT instructor teaching a group of approximately 20 Iraqi soldiers through classroom and hands-on exercises.
Lochner said the program is designed to prepare the Iraqi soldiers to lead the events in an effort to create and enforce the necessity of a sustainable training regimen.
“One of my focuses with the officers is training management, and to see the need for them to conduct sustainment training with their units,” he said. “This program is to instill confidence in the Iraqis and build their capacity.”
After a morning in the classroom rehearsing fundamental infantry movements and tactics, students assigned to Commando Company, 17th Brigade, 4th IA Division moved to the field to practice proper reaction to ambushes and indirect fire attacks.
MTT instructors walked their classes through an initial round of drills before allowing commando leadership to run their platoons through subsequent cycles, with U.S. soldiers observing their actions and providing advice or offering feedback following each practical exercise.
“The importance of this training is so that we can ease back and let them take control of their country again,” said Parsons, a native of Indianapolis.
As the Iraqi squads gained confidence with each practice run, Parsons and other instructors threw smoke grenades and artillery simulators to add realism and noise to the event.
Assessing their situation and the status of their teams, Iraqi squad leaders and NCOs shouted orders to their troops, directing the teams through smokescreens and out of the ambush area, all under the watchful eye of the MTT personnel.
Parsons said the squad leaders and NCOs of Commando Company have grown during the program and will take the training and share it with other units in the future.
“We’ve built leaders, and those leaders are going to build future leaders,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 02.19.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2011 07:40 |
| Story ID: | 66048 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE ATRUZ, IQ |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Mobile Training Team takes classes on the road, by SSG Shawn Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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