Photo By Staff Sgt. Daniel Stoutamire | Soldiers with the 17th Iraqi Army Division, Commando Battalion react to a simulated...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD — Soldiers with Company D, 1st “Dragon” Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, traveled out to the Qa’qaa range near Baghdad the week of June 14 with their counterparts in the 17th Iraqi Army Division’s commando battalion, to conduct vehicle-mounted gunnery training, aiding the 17th IA commandos’ ability to fire while on the move in armored vehicles.
The mounted gunnery training is part of a linked group of training modules that also include scout/sniper training, which is scheduled to be showcased at a combined live-fire exercise in July, said Maj. Henry Malinverni with the Stability Transition Team attached to Company D, 1st Bn., 63rd Armor Regt. at Joint Security Station Deason and a Fort Dix, N.J., native.
After driving to the Qa’qaa range, the 17th IA Div. commandos began to prepare their crew-served weapons, prior to receiving a brief on their duties from their leaders. One of the goals of the training was to increase the IA’s self-sufficiency by walking them through the entire training management process, Malinverni said. Training management includes all the preparations that must be undertaken prior to the final phase of a training mission – for example, obtaining the supplies, weapons and ammunition along with prerequisite training, like driver’s training and weapons maintenance.
The live-fire range at Qa’qaa on June 15 was the culmination of those efforts. Humvee after Humvee went through the range. After firing while on the move with the crew-served weapon in the turret, soldiers in the Humvee got out and fired at a simulated enemy ambush from behind the cover of the vehicle. After "suppressing" the enemy fire, the soldiers re-entered the Humvees and continued on, as the vehicle gunner continued to fire the crew-served weapon at other targets.
“The IA trained to United States forces standards, pulled from the Scout Gunnery Tables (Field Manual 3-20.8), modified somewhat to fit the range restrictions at Qa’qaa and match the IA’s input for their overall operational training objectives,” Malinverni said.
Malinverni added that this was the first time that the 17th IA Div. has done a wheeled gunnery training event, and that while no follow-on ranges are scheduled yet, there is a strong possibility for more in the near future.
Leaders with the 17th IA Div. were happy with the outcome of the training, and their soldiers’ performances during the range event.
“Basically we are learning for the gunners to shoot from a moving vehicle, how to respond to an ambush, defensive and offensive tactics,” said IA 2nd Lt. Muhannad Saadi Tayeh with the 17th IA Div. commando battalion. “The soldiers are ready to handle any ambushes or direct fire [after this range].”
Tayeh said that due to the IA’s inexperience things moved more slowly at the beginning of the three-day training, but toward the end the soldiers had gotten the hang of things, allowing the range to run much more smoothly.
“Iraqi soldiers have improved because they are gaining the experience from the U.S. Army, and they have shown us how to move and shoot from the vehicle,” Tayeh said. “[This training has been] very helpful and very productive.”
| Date Taken: | 06.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2011 10:18 |
| Story ID: | 72596 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 144 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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