Courtesy Photo | Sgt. 1st Class Thaddeus Ikner explains one of the tools used during the CLP Academy...... read more read more
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- As the missions and rules of engagement have changed in Iraq, so have the dangers facing Army motor transport operators, commonly known as drivers, deployed in support of Operation New Dawn. As the Army’s mission in Iraq has changed from combat missions to advise and assist, drivers are no longer facing the same adversities as in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The turbulent and unstable environment soldiers were accustomed to in Iraq has slowed to a more peaceful, monotonous scene.
Soldiers now struggle with challenges like complacency and traffic congestion rather than insurgents and fire-fights.
The command team of 7th Joint Logistics Task Force, from Fort Bragg, N.C., recognized the need for updated training to ensure all incoming units were prepared to operate under the new conditions in Iraq. Lt. Col. Alfredo M. Versoza, 7th JLTF commander, wanted soldiers and airmen within the battalion to be fully prepared for forward movement in theater and understand the battalion’s standards for operations and discipline.
The 7th JLTF established the Convoy Logistics Patrol Academy August 2010 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, where Soldiers receive training on various aspects of transportation operations throughout Iraq and Kuwait.
“The CLP Academy’s mission is to set the battalion standard across the board for each company and basically promoting safety at the same time,” said Staff Sgt. Gunkano S. Luo, driver and CLP Academy cadre, 64th Transportation Company, 7th JLTF, 1st Sustainment Brigade.
The CLP Academy is a five-day course that includes classroom lectures and hands-on experience. Convoy commanders teach the course. Day one teaches the basic standards of a convoy, rules of engagement, escalation of force, share the road policies and battle drills. Instructors cover communication and vehicle electronics on day two. Days three and four consist of hands-on training with military vehicles, driving on Kuwaiti roads and review. Day five is designated for Soldiers who have questions and seek additional training.
Convoys are constantly running missions to Iraq from Kuwait in support of OND, providing supplies to units in Iraq and withdrawing U.S. equipment from Iraq. Soldiers from different companies within 7th JLTF manage the convoys, a mission which requires a lot of coordination and communication. It is important for convoy commanders to follow the same standard operating procedures in order to successfully complete each mission.
“When I arrived in country, I arrived under a different command, and there was no one standard and everyone was doing it the way they knew how,” said Luo. “That caused a lot of friction and the new command recognized the need for setting one standard across the board.”
The CLP Academy sets the standards for battle drills and tactics, techniques and procedures; the standards ensure everyone is on the same sheet of music, so one company isn’t operating in one way while another company operates differently, said Luo, who also deployed in 2003 in support of OIF.
“There’s nothing worse than going from point A to point B to drop off equipment, and we get there and the guy you’re suppose to link up with is nowhere to be found,” said Staff Sgt. Gabriel T. Croker, driver and tank commander, 416th Trans. Company, 7th JLTF, 1SB. “You spend three hours trying to find him when you’re suppose to leave in four hours so it only gives you an hour to get ready to go.”
Veterans who served during OIF are accustomed to the rules of engagement and escalation of force used during combat missions. With the end of U.S.-led combat operations, soldiers must be retrained and updated on the new rules, currently in effect.
“Some things are the same and some things are different in terms of RoE and EoF,” said Croker. “My first deployment, we had the 1151 Humvees with signs in the back that said ‘keep away 50 meters. If a vehicle came within 50 meters, we were authorized to go through EoF, but you were more inclined to shoot warning shots, deter vehicles. Now we’re sharing the road. Vehicles are allowed to drive through your convoy, vehicles can drive right next to you almost, and it’s a lot more Iraqi friendly.”
He feels it’s important that soldiers who have deployed before understand how things have changed and learn the new policies. He said the CLP Academy clarifies the new rules.
“The worst thing to have is a soldier who is afraid to use the force that he is given because he’s afraid to get in trouble,” said Croker, who is on his third deployment in support of OIF and OND. “So the class is a good class to distinguish what’s right and what’s wrong, and that you can do this and you can’t do that. That’s the best thing about it. The more information you get, the more you know what you’re doing, the faster you can act accordingly and mitigate the situation.”
This is Luo’s first time being a convoy commander, and he is responsible for the entire convoy.
“I did a lot of training back at Fort Lee based on other people’s deployment,” said Luo, a 10-year veteran, whose unit is originally from Fort Lee, Va. “Every deployment is going to be different from your last, so we were doing things based on the past with no current training put in place. This CLP Academy prevents that because you have people that actually conduct missions who are currently in theater giving the class. It’s like first-hand information given to incoming units. We try to get them out of that old mindset.”
Now that U.S. convoys are sharing the road with Iraqis, traffic has also become an issue for convoys. The CLP Academy trains soldiers how to handle congested roads and dangerous drivers.
Luo said the CLP Academy teaches vehicle and road safety such as proper procedures for going through security check-points, following speed limits and avoiding complacency. He said Soldiers are also taught the same standards that one driver will not drive 40 mph while another drives 50.
“This class gives them a lot more information so they can act accordingly,” said Croker. “The biggest thing is not only being able to look and react, but look and react and know what you’re supposed to do. They learn what the battalion standard is. They learn from other convoy commanders what they encountered on the road and how to mitigate different situations dealing with each mission.”
“We try to prevent accidents and promote safety,” added Luo.
When driving through Iraq, soldiers are required to wear all of their personal protective equipment such as eye protection, helmet and bullet-resistant vests. Soldiers are often tempted to remove all or some of the heavy and uncomfortable gear while on convoys, which can last for hours with heat in excess of 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
“In the past, there was no actual standard so people felt they could use whatever they wanted to use,” said Luo. “But now we try to tell them that the Army issues the equipment for a reason so it helps save your life if you end up in an accident. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining those standards and not taking their gear off.”
Luo said anyone within the 7th JLTF battalion can attend the CLP Academy; however, it is a requirement for all incoming 7th JLTF units. He said he thinks similar training would benefit other battalions and brigades leading to all units within Kuwait eventually operating under the same standards.
| Date Taken: | 11.15.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2010 14:01 |
| Story ID: | 60174 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 409 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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