Getting There

Photo By Master Sgt. Adam Phelps | Staff Sgt. Robert Young, 1-112 Inf., guides members of the Provincial High Crimes unit in taking on enemy targets around buildings.  

TIKRIT, IRAQ

09.09.2005

Courtesy Story

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Story by Spc. Adam Phelps, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DANGER, Tikrit, Iraq -- Task Force Liberty Soldiers continually work to better train Iraqi Security Forces here to take over when Coalition Forces withdraw from Iraq.

Infantrymen with 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry train some of Iraq's Provincial High Crimes (PHC) unit to properly search buildings for some of Iraq's high target individuals wanted by Coalition and Iraqi forces.

"We will control everything here if we continue to get more training and more information on how to do the missions and do our job the right way," said Capt. Ishmael Muhammed, PHC unit commander in Tikrit.

"I think they're getting there," said Staff Sgt. Robert Young, a police liaison with Company A, Task Force 1-112, and native of Monaca, Penn. "The motivation is there with a lot of the Iraqis. For now, they still need our help, but in time, I believe they will function quite well."

The training that Task Force 1-112 is giving the PHC is set up to simulate a real mission.

"Their missions are to conduct raids for high-value targets -- people wanted by Coalition Forces and Iraqi forces," Young said. "This prepares them to go out and conduct these missions more safely and be more effective to obtain their mission."

Iraqi forces find the training useful in obtaining their objectives, Muhammed said.

"The training is very useful for us because we get more information on how to treat the people and on how to deal with the terrorists and also how to deal with problems around our sector and our community," he said.

Young said one of the reasons the 1-112 is successful with their training is their work in the civilian world.

"One thing that really helps is I'm a civilian police officer at home and I introduce myself that way to these guys, so I think they find that common bond in policemen all over the world," he said. "They understand I'm here to help a brother in blue. They are very receptive to that rather than a normal Coalition Soldier."

This training will also help Iraqi forces train themselves and spread what they have learned, Muhammed said.

"The training helps me out a lot because by this I'll be able to give the training to my guys anytime I want," he said. "I will be able to train other people from other departments and that will help us out a lot to control our situation."

Young said that training the Iraqi police force better tactics is one of the most important missions in Iraq.

I believe it's the most important in Iraq at this time, Young added. It is a policeman's job to walk the streets.

• Date Taken: 09.09.2005
• Date Posted: 09.09.2005 19:13
• Story ID: 2963
• Location: TIKRIT, IQ