Courtesy Photo | Command Sgt. Major Rodney Lewis, center, command sergeant major of 2nd Advise and...... read more read more
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Story by Spc. William K. Ermatinger,
BAGHDAD—Iraqi Army Command Sgt. Maj. Maki Zaid, command sergeant major of the 11th Iraqi Army Division, visited Camp Taji, Iraq, and the senior enlisted leaders with the 1st “Vanguard” Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center for a sergeant major social gathering, tour and luncheon, April 12.
“The purpose of the sergeant major social and tour was to walk around to the companies and show the 11th IA Div. command sergeant major how we operate, and for him to see the way that we carry and conduct ourselves as military professionals,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Evans, command sergeant major of the 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt.
Maki traveled with 1st Sgt. Allen Serrano, first sergeant of B Company, 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt., and several B Company soldiers, from Joint Security Station Old MoD, Iraq, to Camp Taji on the morning of the social.
Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Lewis, command sergeant major of the 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., and Evans greeted Maki upon his arrival.
The three sergeants major—Lewis, Evans, and Maki—along with the first sergeants from each of the Vanguard Battalion’s companies, gathered at the battalion headquarters for introductions before starting the tour.
The first company visited was Company A. First Sgt. Ryan McLane, first sergeant of Company A, 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt, spotlighted their conference room, which the battalion uses on occasion for training, and then showed Maki some of the tools the company’s soldiers trained with.
Maki made gestures of satisfaction with the areas he saw, and then spoke about the condition of the IA and how far they have come in recent years.
The tour crossed the street to D Company’s headquarters area, led by 1st Sgt. William Nater. He talked about his unit’s operations and the move his soldiers made after the closing of Joint Security Station Al Rashid, Iraq, where the company was originally assigned on its current deployment. Nater made it a point to explain to Maki that a movement operation, such as the one made by his company from JSS Al Rashid, was only made possible by the close coordination between his non-commissioned officers, their officers, and the battalion chain of command. Maki nodded his understanding of this insight.
The group then traveled down the street to the engineer company. 1st Sgt. Jason Miller, first sergeant of Company, Special Troops Battalion, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., talked about the different vehicles used by the engineers. Maki showed interest in the different equipment used by the engineers and asked to see the vehicles.
At the end of each company tour, before continuing on to the next company, the group would pause and discuss what was currently going on within the 11th IA Div., including plans for the future. Each time this occurred, Maki expressed hope about what the future may hold for further combined operations.
The tour ended at Headquarters and Headquarters Company with 1st Sgt. Jimmy Turbeville, who explained the headquarters operations to Maki. Turbeville has worked with Maki before.
“(Command Sgt. Maj.) Maki is a great guy,” Turbeville said. “I worked with him extensively at (JSS) Old MoD. He is exceptionally committed and works tirelessly on the development of the Iraqi Army.”
At midday, the senior enlisted leaders continued their discussions over a meal, followed by traditional Iraqi chai tea. During the lunch, the group watched a slideshow with photographs from past joint training operations, including commando, tank, and medic training.
Before Maki headed back to his headquarters at JSS Old MoD, he was presented with a photo of him and the U.S. senior enlisted leaders that had been taken earlier that day.
“I have been in the IA since 2004, working alongside the U.S. Army the entire time, and have come to think of us not merely as counterparts – more like brothers,” Maki said.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.18.2011 09:10 |
| Story ID: | 68905 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 184 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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