Courtesy Photo | Sgt. 1st Class Wendell Mitchell, instructor and adviser, watches how one Iraqi student...... read more read more
Soldiers in the Iraqi army completed the first ever supervisory cook train-the-trainer program at the Iraqi Army Service and Support Institute (IASSI) in Taji, Iraq on Jan. 24.
Two Soldiers from the 4th Sustainment Brigade assisted with the 19-day course that was designed to teach students to prepare daily meals in a field location.
The idea is to teach as many people as we can in order to reduce the cost of feeding our army, said IASSI Chief Officer Assistant Kazal. Kazal is an equivalent to a command sergeant major.
Classes dealt with choosing a good spot for the field kitchen, safety, sanitation and potential fire hazards. Students set up the field kitchen and created meals the last three days as their final exam.
"We produced the same traditional meals," said Raad with the Iraqi army's 8th Division. "We prepare the food the same way civilian people prepare their meals."He added, "The food we cook will help the quality of the food and the morale, especially those coming from different backgrounds."
Some Iraqi soldiers come from a poor background, and they were not exposed to this type of good cooking in the past, said Raad.
The final meal prepared was lamb, rice and corn with hot tea.
Students grasped course material and showed enthusiasm throughout the instruction process.
"I am proud and thankful for having the opportunity to learn something like this," said Sgt. Samon with the Iraqi army's 4th Division. "I am thankful for those allowing us to cook for ourselves."
"I enjoyed the warm relationship with our American partners," he added.
"They learn very fast and are resourceful," said Sgt. 1st Class Wendell Mitchell, instructor -advisor and food service sergeant from the 542nd Maintenance Company, 189th Corps Support Battalion. "They do a lot with very little. The overall experience was good," he said.
"I was honored to get this opportunity and it was a challenge to take on," said Sgt. Michael Jackson, trainer/instructor and food service sergeant with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade. "The soldiers were very quick to respond to suggestion and keep implementing the suggestion throughout the course. Some are cooks and some are not cooks, but this is their first time cooking in a field environment."
Once completed with the class, students will become the trainers themselves.
"The overall goal is to go back to our units and we will be tasked to form a small team to operate a kitchen like this," said Raad. "When they send these soldiers back they become the seed to train others."
Every division in the Iraqi army is sending soldiers to the class, said Kazal.
A total of 10 more classes are planned.
| Date Taken: | 02.02.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 02.02.2006 07:39 |
| Story ID: | 5284 |
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| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 78 |
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