Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

(e.g. yourname@email.com)

Forgot Password?

    Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Logo

    Nearly 1,900 Iraqi soldiers graduate basic training

    Nearly 1,900 Iraqi soldiers graduate basic training

    Photo By Sgt. Michael Tuttle | Iraqi army soldiers salute during a pass and review at a basic training graduation...... read more read more

    By Sgt. Michael Tuttle
    5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

    KIRKUK, Iraq – The Iraqi army added 1,895 soldiers to its ranks upon their graduation from basic combat training during a ceremony at the K-1 Iraqi Army Base's Regional Training Center.

    The soldiers will help to form the new 4th Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, which will officially stand up in late May. Commonly known as the Samarra brigade, their area of responsibility will include the north of Baghdad up to Samarra.

    The same soldiers who have trained together during basic combat training will also train with their future brigade officers and noncommissioned officers.

    "Today's graduates learned and trained together which will help them be successful," said Iraqi army Lt. Col. Yashar Medhat, RTC operations officer. "Since they arrived to K-1 to join the new brigade, they've been happy to train and ready to go wherever they are needed."

    It's the first time that Iraqi soldiers will have completed basic training as a unit and then gone on to train with their brigade leaders before officially standing up, according to Lt. Col. Gerald Snell, RTC officer in charge.

    A military transition team from the 82nd Airborne Division will advise the brigade during the rest of its RTC training and after it officially stands up.

    The eight-week basic training included daily physical training, AK-47 qualification, first-aid, checkpoint operations, cordon and search, and convoy training.

    LEAVE A COMMENT

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.23.2007
    Date Posted: 04.23.2007 09:00
    Story ID: 10041
    Location: KIRKUK, IQ

    Web Views: 1,271
    Downloads: 1,242

    PUBLIC DOMAIN