Courtesy Photo | Sgt. 1st Class Winston Gasu, IP Academy instructor, tallies the score for a shooter at...... read more read more
Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, Iraq - Iraqi police trainees competed at a small arms marksmanship range as part of a three-week course of training April 13 at the IP Academy here.
The competition was the culmination of the marksmanship section of training. Instructors gave points for movement techniques performed correctly and hits scored.
The Iraqi police shot AK-47 Kalashnikov rifles and GLOCK 19 pistols at paper targets in iterations of five men each. In the first line, one policeman achieved the maximum number of points, 67.
Many of the policemen already know how to shoot before they enter the course, although some have never used the weapons, said Cpl. Kevin Young, an artilleryman from Bravo Battery, 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment.
The competition determined who in the class would earn the marksmanship award for the cycle, explained the Collins, Ga., native. If there were a tie, the top shooters would fire again.
Before the Iraqi police go to the range for the firing portion of the course, the instructors teach them the basics of marksmanship and give them time to practice, according to Sgt. 1st Class Winston Gasu, an instructor from the 71st Corps Support Battalion.
Gasu, from Providence, R.I., deployed with the 317th Maintenance Company as an engineering equipment technician. The 71st CSB chose him to volunteer as an instructor at the course, partially due to the fact he completed the Small Arms Master Marksmanship Course at U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr before deploying.
"We teach [the Iraqi policemen] how to maintain and handle the weapons they'll be using," said Gasu. He added, the instructors teach that this defense will be what the Iraqi police will use to deal with "bad guys."
In addition to classroom instruction, the police also conduct dry drills to familiarize themselves with the weapons. They return to the classroom one more time before heading out to the range to qualify.
"We're helping them build up [their confidence] so that they'll be able to take over when we leave," said Gasu. "We're putting them in a position to defend themselves and their country."
Gasu, who has served in the Army for 13 years, was an instructor for three and a half years at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.
In addition to the range, students at the Academy also learn basic police skills, such as how to search a person, search buildings, handcuff a suspect, make an arrest and conduct riot control, said Gasu, who is currently teaching his second cycle at the Academy.
"It's a lot different, working with a whole different culture," said Young. "You have to take your time [due to] the language barrier."
Working through the interpreters, Young demonstrated various movement techniques as a refresher before starting the competition. Movement techniques include searching an area with the weapon to make sure a policeman has eliminated all targets, moving at the low ready position for safety and searching with the eyes, e.g. looking back over one's shoulder to make sure no one is sneaking up from behind.
"Basically they're all just checks and rechecks of the surroundings," said Young.
| Date Taken: | 05.01.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2006 14:34 |
| Story ID: | 6195 |
| Location: | QAYYARAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 71 |
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