By 1st Lt. Jason W. Napier
JOINT SECURITY STATION MAYSAN, Iraq — The continued successes of the Iraqi army in suppressing the insurgency and asserting Iraqi sovereignty will depend largely on well-trained Iraqi soldiers.
Each week "A" Company, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment assists the unit's Iraqi partners in developing and executing a training regimen, helping the Iraqis to wage an effective counterinsurgency.
Every week, 2nd Platoon's leadership meets with selected officers and soldiers from the Iraqi army's 38th Brigade. Their mission is to train and advise the Iraqis on selected fundamental skills required to operate effectively in the Maysan province. Their classes include GPS/land navigation, mission planning, traffic control points and Military Operations in Urban Terrain.
The success of the training has led the Iraqi officers to request subsequent training.
"I think if you care about what you teach then they will care," said Sgt. Steven Wirthlin, a team leader for 3rd Squad, 2nd Platoon, from Dublin, Calif.
The highlight of the training is toward the end of the day, when "A" Company instructors hand the training over to the Iraqi officers to lead.
"The Iraqi officer corps is very motivated to learn and teach their soldiers," said Staff Sgt. Colby Richardson, squad leader, 3rd Squad, from Nederland, Texas. "They are disciplined in class and require the same of their soldiers."
The successful training continues to improve through after-action reviews conducted between 38th Bde. soldiers and "A" Company instructors.
The Soldiers of "A" Company are hopeful that their work will have a positive impact on the future of Iraq.
"I hope that they take the training and employ what they have learned to protect their sovereign country from external threats," said Staff Sgt. Vincent Manghelli, squad leader, 2nd Squad, from El Paso, Texas.