By: Sgt. Jennifer Sardam
BAGHDAD — A team of soldiers with B Company, 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division-Center, recently taught riot control techniques, combatives and close-quarter combat drills at Joint Security Station, Iraq, to Iraqi Army soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army Division.
The training was part of a two-week course designed with the input of Iraqi Army leadership, in order to supplement IA soldiers’ basic training.
“They came to us with certain classes they wanted us to teach, and this was based on the needs of the [Iraqi] Army,” said 1st Lt. Kyle Litchfield, the officer in charge of the training.
The skills taught encompasses many of the same ones taught to U.S. Army soldiers. And while the U.S. soldiers provided some of the classroom training, much of the hands-on training was done primarily by IA instructors.
During close-quarter combat drills, instructors repeatedly ran Iraqi soldiers through tasks such as being able to enter and clear a room.
“We’re trying to take them slowly through a crawl, walk, run [phase], to re-emphasize and get it down to muscle memory what they have to do to enter a room, and how different rooms are going to dictate how you clear that room,” said Sgt. Joseph J. Harleman, an instructor with B Company.
According to Litchfield, Iraqi Army leadership designated close-quarter combat drills as one of their most important training objectives.
“It’s imperative—not only because Iraqis are increasingly doing raids and a lot of arrests, but also it’s an urban environment,” said Litchfield. “If they take contact from a building, they need to know how to clear it.”
The goal is for course graduates to further reinforce their knowledge by passing it on through their enlisted ranks.
“Ideally we want to be training the non-commissioned officers, because we’re trying to strengthen their NCO corps,” said Staff Sgt. Sean C. Sweeney, one of the instructors.
Regardless of whether there is an NCO present, said Sweeney, the hope is that the course graduates will go on to train other Iraqi soldiers.
“What we do is just implement these skills into them, so they can take this back to their units and kind of get everybody else up to pace, and that way it’s not just 27 individuals,” he said. “It’s 27 individuals that are going to go back and train another 27 individuals. That way, a year from now, when they are standing on their own, this is already implemented throughout their ranks.”
The enthusiasm the students have for the material being taught will aid in this process.
Their motivation level to learn is evident, said Harleman. “The fact that they want to learn shows in the results we’re getting out of them.”
And as the Iraqi Army takes on more aspects of training from their U.S. partners, it often means training becomes more effective.
“We can teach these classes very well, but when the Iraqis teach these courses, they pay attention a little bit more, and they really just start taking the training to heart,” said Litchfield. “Whenever we see that, that’s when the training is at its best.”
The commitment many IA soldiers have demonstrated in training carries on beyond training time.
“They like to go over things in repetition,” said Sgt. Matthew Straub, a combatives instructor. “I did this class two weeks ago, and since then, they have been training on their own in their barracks.”
This dedication on the part of the Iraqi soldiers, together with the essentials taught, can better prepare them for success in combat.
“I know some of the guys that we’ve had in this class have gone on to be commandos or just basic infantry soldiers, and these are basic soldiering skills that everybody needs to know,” said Harleman. “It’s going to allow them—no matter what kind of situation they get into—to be able to protect themselves and their battle buddies.
And training on tasks such as combatives, helps to establish rapport among the students and instructors.
“It’s a really great opportunity, and they really enjoy it,” said Straub. “It really helps with bonding and building a connection, through being able to ‘fight’ with each other and kind of get physical, but also maintain that friendship and trust with one another.”
Litchfield takes pride in seeing the two armies work together and in overseeing the mission.
“For me, it’s been a great honor to continue to supervise the training, to see the Iraqis continue with their training and to see the partnership between my guys and their guys,” he said. “That interaction for me has been priceless, and it kind of validates our existence being here.”
| Date Taken: | 02.21.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2011 08:10 |
| Story ID: | 66056 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 65 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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