Photo By Master Sgt. Jerry Saslav | An Iraqi army soldier shakes the hand of U. S. Army Lt. Col. Bob Hatcher, a native of...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Jerry Saslav
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Approximately, 40 Iraqi army engineers from the 11th IA Division, graduated from the Iron Claw Academy at Camp Taji, Iraq, Oct. 17, 2008. The Iron Claw Academy run by Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from A Company, 40th Engineer Battalion taught the Iraqi's the basics of route clearance.
"Our job is going to be looking for IED's [improvised explosive devices] and work on them without any damage or injuries," said Iraqi Capt. Mamood Jabir, platoon leader, Route Clearance Platoon, 11th Field Engineer Regiment, 11th Iraqi Army Infantry Division.
The mission of the MND-B engineers at the Iron Claw Academy is to share their skill and techniques with IA engineers at clearing critical routes of IED's and other hazards that criminals and terrorist use to attack Iraqi and coalition forces and to incite fear and intimidation in the Iraqi people.
"All of the jundi's [Iraqi enlisted soldiers] have been grasping on to the individual and crew drills that we've been trying to teach them; the leaders are actually participating in the leading," said 1st Sgt. Brian Schoonover, Co. A, 40th Eng. Bn., attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
The course consists of both classroom work and hands on training. The Iraqi's are taught battle drills, how to look for and recognize IED's and what to do when they think they've encountered one, methods of structuring their route clearing convoys and how to keep the public safe from IED's. The final test is clearing a simulated route riddled with simulated IED's.
"There was nobody training the soldiers before. This training makes my soldiers very professional," said Iraqi Lt. Col. Hatem Hameed Jahwy, commander of the 11th Field Eng. Reg.
Schoonover said 100 percent of the Iraqi's passed their final test.
"It is very good that we have everything now, that we have the coalition forces team over here teaching us how to work on it," said Jabir.
While the Iraqi's still need equipment that the U.S. would consider standard, they recently acquired their own mine resistant armored protection vehicle equipped with an interrogator arm, capable of reaching out and inspecting suspected IED's from a safe distance.
"A lot of officers and jundi got killed because we did not have that much equipment or technology. It makes a lot of difference today," said Jabir.
Previously, without their new equipment, the Iraqi Army would have to send out a soldier to investigate and potentially disarm an IED. Schooner said that is simply too dangerous.
"The very last thing we do is send a Soldier on the ground," Schooner said.
Jabir quickly added, "The last thing is going to be that," he said.
The training was intensive but the Iraqi's were very eager students.
"They're going through the drills.....their telling us, 'Hey, this is the next thing we would do, this is the next step.' They're grasping everything very well," Schoonover said.
The graduation ceremony itself was short, a few words from each command's respective leaders, culminating with each of the graduates being recognized and receiving their certificate of completion.
"As I pass you on the streets of Baghdad, I will have great confidence in where I'm traveling," said Lt. Col. Bob Hatcher, a native of Montgomery, Ala., and commander of the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., speaking to the graduates during the ceremony. "Your route clearance is what gives all the combat formations the confidence in knowing that they can move down these roads to get the job done."
The next step is for the Iraqis to work with MND-B Soldiers on actual missions until the Iraqis have gained enough knowledge for the U.S. Forces to assume a support only roll.
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2008 07:52 |
| Story ID: | 25435 |
| Location: | TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 221 |
| Downloads: | 115 |
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