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Sgt. Rachel Brune
101st Sustainment Bde
Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, Iraq (July 20, 2006) - Fifty-two Iraqi Army Soldiers graduated from the first full iteration of the 71st Corps Support Battalion's IA logistics training course July 20 in a ceremony at the MWR Theater here.
Courses of training included: automotive maintenance, power generation maintenance, armament repair and drivers training.
"The essence of what we're doing here ... is to link ourselves with the Iraqi army," said Lt. Col. Russell Livingston, commander, 71st CSB. "It's been rewarding to share the logistics mission with the Iraqi Army."
The 71st CSB Soldiers assumed the training mission on the request of 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, also stationed on Q-West, according to Staff Sgt. Erik Duiker, a section sergeant with 53rd Quartermaster Company. Duiker, a native of Mesa, Ariz., served as NCOIC of the logistics training program.
When the 71st CSB agreed to accept the training mission, "it was purely a concept," said Warrant Officer (1) Dennis Jones, OIC. The 71st Soldiers developed points of instruction, appointed instructors, located interpreters and found the physical space for the training to take place.
The battalion started the program with a two-week pilot training program, teaching Iraqi Army Soldiers to drive deuce-and-a-half trucks, said Jones, who is the 53rd Quartermaster Company unit maintenance technician. He called the pilot "a huge success" and said it "set the tone for the rest of the training."
The courses of training varied in length, from six weeks for the maintenance training to three weeks for the power generation training.
Each section of trainees came up separately to receive the colorful diplomas.
The Soldiers were "all outstanding students who far exceeded my expectations," said Spc. Ricardo Martinez-Paz, armament training instructor. Martinez-Paz, 317th Maintenance Company small arms repair specialist, said that weapons maintenance was important in the American Army, and that "Iraqis can now keep their warriors fighting."
To prepare to teach the class, Martinez-Paz trained on four different weapons systems, including the AK-47 Kalashnikov rifle and rocket-propelled grenade launcher. He and his fellow instructors taught the Iraqis weapon operations, functions and how to repair the weapons systems.
Although he did not have familiarity with the weapons before learning them for the training, Martinez-Paz said the material was easy to master.
"Once you know one weapon, you can figure out the rest," said the Dallas, Texas, native.
Many of the instructors spoke warmly to their graduating trainees. Staff Sgt. Peter Martin, 425th Transportation Company, gave a short speech to his trainees as they prepared to receive their diplomas.
The training evolved into a "cultural exchange of ideas, thoughts and lifestyles," said Martin, who taught the drivers training section of the course. He described how the American and Iraqi Soldiers would take breaks to play soccer and kick around a hackey sack during their down time.
"I will be proud to serve alongside these Soldiers in the fight for peace," said Martin.
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 07.25.2006 15:18 |
| Story ID: | 7310 |
| Location: | QAYYARAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 356 |
| Downloads: | 284 |
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