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By Spc. John Crosby
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
ORCHARD TRAINING AREA, Idaho - Over the course of the last two decades and two wars fought in the Persian Gulf, many displaced persons have found their way to America, many of which are Iraqi. Iraqi-americans displaced from Operation Desert Storm are stepping up to make a difference in their native country more than a decade later in the midst of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Iraqi Sunnis, Shias and Kurds, Muslims and Christians are working together with one common goal in a program integrating the knowledge, customs and culture of Iraqi nationals with the experience of the U.S. Military in Iraq. The program is aimed at preparing the U.S. Armed Forces for service in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
Contractors and Iraqis, working together under Blue Canopy, are assisting the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team in training to prepare for a deployment to Iraq, slated for 2009.
"The benefit of the Iraqi participation here is indescribable," said 1st Lt. Spencer Cookson, engineer platoon leader, Company A, Special Troops Battalion, 41 IBCT. "The training here is not like any I have ever seen. They speak authentic and fluent Arabic, making the training that much more realistic."
Most of the Iraqis involved in the program have served side-by-side with coalition forces in Iraq as interpreters.
"The Iraqis always have something to add during our [after action reports]," Cookson said. "They have lived many of the things we are training for first hand in Iraq."
More than five years into Operation Iraqi Freedom and more and more Iraqis are standing up across the United States to fight for their motherland.
"We are all Iraqis," said Azad Yousef, an Iraqi refugee who moved to the U.S. in 1996. We live together and work together. We joke with each other about being Kurdish, Sunni or Shia. People make it a big mess, it's all propaganda. We are all Iraqi. We are all family."
In 2004 Yousef deployed with the U.S. Army as an interpreter to Iraq for a one year tour. He has worked with Blue Canopy ever since readying Soldiers for what they may face in deployed life.
"I love my job," said Alaa Al Janabi, a former Iraqi republican guard soldier turned refugee in 1991 after Desert Storm. Aljanabi spent five years in a refugee camp in Saudi Arabia until reaching the U.S. in 1996.
"I really love it," Al Janabi continued. "I feel that the Soldiers really need us and we are here for them. We teach them our culture and our customs, and give them insight into our way of living."
Al Janabi's brother, Jalal Al Janabi was a student in Iraq before Desert Storm. He also became a refugee in 1991 and came to the U.S. in 1996.
"The Americans helped us in 1991," Jalal said. "They helped us get from Iraq to the refugee camp in Saudi Arabia. They really did everything they could for us. Like the Americans we are fighting for what we believe in.
"We all want the violence to end," Jalal said as his brother agreed.
"It takes sacrifice to build something great," Alaa said. "I think we have sacrificed enough. We are ready for a new, free Iraq. That is why we are here."
Blue Canopy moves across the U.S. training Soldiers, Marines and Seamen. They help familiarize new service members with what they are up against, and remind seasoned service members to train as they fight.
"Their experience and skill sets are invaluable to the war fighter," said Dave Pawlus, a Blue Canopy employee that works with the Iraqi-americans.
Pawlus, like many of the Blue Canopy contractors that work with Iraqis, served in Iraq as a Soldier and contractor.
"Using true Iraqis for the exercises allows them to make more realistic and more intense training for the Soldiers, and enables them a chance to evaluate how they act and react, Pawlus said.
"Basically anything that is happening in Iraq, we try to recreate here," Pawlus said.
Lt. Col. Ken Nygren, STB commander agrees.
Nygren said it gives his Soldiers a chance to interact with the Iraqis in a role-playing environment as well as a relaxed classroom. It allows them to get one-on-one time with the Iraqis.
"It gets us in the mindset that the bad guys and the good guys will look alike," said Nygren. "It helps show us that the Iraqis are people just like us with the same wants and same needs as we do."
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.02.2008 01:38 |
| Story ID: | 23101 |
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| Web Views: | 447 |
| Downloads: | 337 |
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