Courtesy Photo | Staff Sgt. Jay Shields, Primary Instructor and Spc. Kenneth Stephens, Assistant...... read more read more
JSS INDIA, IRAQ AND AL RASHEED, Iraq - Soldiers with 5th Plt., 70th Engineer Company, 36th Engineer Brigade, recently facilitated geospatial training the Ninawa Province to Iraqi Soldiers from 2nd Iraqi Army Divisions and the Baghdad province to 9th IA Division.
The Army requires digital terrain (geospatial) data to function effectively on the battlefield. Today’s forces use geospatial data in computer systems to garner a deeper understanding of the terrain.
The Soldiers from the 5th Plt., 70th Engineer Company developed a twelve-day geospatial course for the IA Division Intelligence Sections. The course covered advanced computer skills, digital plotter operations, data management, basic map production, shapefile building, and the use of the Military Overlay Editor.
During the two week period Staff Sgt. Jay Shields, Spc. Kenneth Stephens and Spc. Hamlin Corey, trained over twelve, most of whom had no geospatial skills. “I think we definitely made a difference. I believe our mission helped relations between the IA and the U.S. Army. We opened up their eyes to not just making maps, but how a geospatial product can make an impact in their Army,” said Shields.
Throughout their deployment the 70th Engineer Company has been reaching out to the IA Divisions to increase geospatial capabilities while they continue to supporting U.S. Forces. “I’m proud of the way the Non-Commission Officers and Soldiers stepped up to execute the training, they are not instructors by trade, but they have adapted well to a new type of mission”, said 1st Lt. Amie Foster, 5th Platoon Leader and Geospatial Advisor, 70th Engineer Company.
The availability of terrain data is a critical aspect of joint operations in Iraq. Army terrain teams, working with joint and coalition forces, define helicopter landing zones, avenues of approach, and conduct trafficability analysis using geospatial data. As U.S. Forces transition to stability operations, geospatial products will continue to play an important role. Detail mapping of urban regions will be very important, with route analysis and emerging urban terrain products becoming more relevant as lessons learned are incorporated into newer geospatial tools.
The goals for this course were attained largely due to the eagerness of the Iraqi students to make their current data and products more militarily relevant. “The proactive nature of the instructors bled over into the students with student driven practices during breaks and request for night classes,” said an officer advising the 2nd IA Division.
In addition to the opportunity to provide quality training, the trainers were also exposed to Iraqi food, culture and friendship.
| Date Taken: | 06.19.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.19.2010 04:32 |
| Story ID: | 51646 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 605 |
| Downloads: | 395 |
This work, Engineer Provide Iraqi Army Geospatial Training, by 1LT Edwin Melendez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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