Sustainers assist the Iraqi Army with a master driver program

Photo By Spc. Luis Irizarry | (Center) Sgt. 1st Class Sergio Balcazar, an El Paso, Texas native, of the 68th Transportation Company, 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade poses with Soldiers from the General Transportation Regiment after they received their master driver trainer badges and certificates on drivers training. The overall objective of the course was to provide guidelines for standardized driving training, testing, and licensing policies for operators within the GTR.  

TAJI, IRAQ

12.19.2008

Courtesy Story

3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command

By 1st Lt. Jasmine Rutherford
10th Sustainment Brigade

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – The Iraqi army's General Transport Regiment, or GTR, under the guidance of the 68th Transportation Company, 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, conducted a master driver's class from Dec. 1-6.

The 68th Trans. Co., from Mannheim, Germany, has trained and advised the Regiment on conducting combat logistic patrols, transportation operations and has most recently assisted the GTR by providing a Master Driver Trainers program.

The mission was to provide a program of instruction that will standardize drivers training by providing master driver trainers, or MDT, with the knowledge and resources necessary to establish and maintain a driver's training program and in the future a driver's training academy for the GTR. The six-day course was conducted in four phases: required classroom training; hands-on training; sustainment training; and additional training.

The classroom training provided the trainees guidance on accident reporting, accident avoidance, risk management and fall/winter driving. The hands-on training provided off-road operation, recovery operations, and ground guiding and preventive maintenance check and service procedures. The sustainment training lessons and additional training provided guidance on dangerous roads, trailer operations, hazardous materials, blocking and bracing, hazardous spills, annual check rides, driving a vehicle in a convoy, vehicle recovery and road test.

The 68th Trans. Co.'s partnership with the GTR has made significant progress of within their four months of existence. They now have six qualified master driver and are on their way to establishing a driver's training academy and achieving logistical self-reliance. The 68th Trans. Co. Has partnered with the GTR since Sept. 2008 and will continue to train with the GTR until their redeployment next year.

• Date Taken: 12.19.2008
• Date Posted: 12.19.2008 09:00
• Story ID: 27888
• Location: TAJI, IQ