Courtesy Photo | Staff Sgt. Willie Signil, NCOA instructor, watches as Iraqi soldiers conduct a...... read more read more
Sgt. Rachel Brune
101st Sustainment Bde.
Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, Iraq (Feb. 23, 2006) - A few weeks ago, Sgt. 1st Class Ala, Iraqi army, was getting his fellow noncommissioned officers into shape as a platoon guide at the Iraqi Army NCO Academy here.
At that time, Ala's stated desire was to return to the Academy as an instructor. After graduating as distinguished honor graduate from the Primary Leadership and Development Course, or PLDC, he received the invitation to fulfill that goal.
"[Ala] showed leadership potential through the whole PLDC," said Sgt. 1st Class Jomo Anderson, NCO Academy senior instructor, from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 423rd Infantry, 172nd SBCT. "He took charge of the whole company."
Anderson and fellow senior instructor Sgt. 1st Class Wesley E. Derrick, from Van Alstyne, Texas, consulted with Sgt. Maj. Walter Murrell, Academy commandant, and extended the invitation on graduation day, Feb. 10.
Ala is now working alongside fellow Iraqi army cadre Sgts. 1st Class Mohammed and Neshwan on a probationary basis.
"I'm learning very good things and try every day to improve," said Ala, through an interpreter.
One of the challenges was relating to former Iraqi army soldiers he knew before becoming an instructor.
"We were sleeping the same place, we were friends," said Ala. "I had to tell them, I couldn't talk with them or joke with them."
The class currently attending the NCO Academy is a basic combat training cycle, learning the basics of soldiering. The instructors "need very strong character," said Ala.
Ala did well at the rifle marksmanship range and tactical road march, said Neshwan. Now, he must prove himself during the other classes.
"In the long run, the [Iraqi cadre] will end up taking over the course â?¦ so the more Iraqi cadre, the better," said Anderson.
Ala, who is also trying to improve his English-language skills, has performed several different kinds of missions as a soldier, from manning a traffic checkpoint to acting as an escort to government officials.
"I like to change my life, get to know more people," said Ala. Now that he has a chance to train his fellow Iraqi soldiers: "I'd like to stay here for a little bit."
| Date Taken: | 02.23.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2006 12:49 |
| Story ID: | 5539 |
| Location: | QAYYARAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 133 |
| Downloads: | 76 |
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