At end of training, Marines say Mongols ready for duty in Iraq

estripes ^ | 9.28.03 | Fred Zimmerman,

[swarthyguy]

U.S. Marines put Mongolian Armed Forces to the test last week during the final training phase of Khaan Quest ’03 in Five Hills, Mongolia.

First Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment Marines set up a simulated logistics base for Mongolian forces to run from Sept. 13-15, according to a Marine Corps news release. They were also put through a mobility exercise to prepare for a February deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“We have specifically been showing the Mongolians how to do vehicle checkpoints and personnel checkpoints,” battalion operations chief Master Sgt. Robert Lowery said in the release. “We have shown them how to establish a checkpoint, set up a checkpoint and how to conduct a checkpoint.”

Mongolian forces were subsequently given a chance to demonstrate what they had learned during the three days of field practice.

“It was obvious that [the Mongolians] paid attention during the classroom portion,” Lowery said in the release. “They went from A to Z in a short period of time. And within that period of time, they excelled at what they did.

“Everything we taught them, they would practice on their own and the last day, when we had our exercises, they handled themselves very well. In my professional opinion, once they get on the ground [in Iraq], they will be able to conduct themselves as a professional army.”

In their training, Mongolian forces ran into roadblocks and ambushes, exercise officer-in-charge Maj. John Osborne Jr. said in the release. He added the challenges tested their ability to work as a team.

“The mobility exercise is meant to draw several of the training aspects together as far as command and control, and units supporting each other,” Osborne said in the release.

Mongolian troops also took an embarkation class as well as a C-130 familiarization flight.

Staff Sgt. Marylyn Sabol, 3rd Transportation Support Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group embarkation specialist, taught the class, which included general C-130 characteristics, the release said. She then showed Mongolian forces a generic load plan and demonstrated how to build an Air Force pallet for embarkation.

“The first group that went was very limited on the training they received,” she said in the release. “I was only able to train them as I was doing the embarking. This second group was able to get physical training, and they are picking it up so fast. They will be able to do it 100 percent without our help next time.”

[swarthyguy]

Shades of Genghis Khan.

Think of what the jihadi tract writers will make of this.

The New Sack of Baghad by the Crusaders and the Mongols!

And you thought you'd seen anger and rage in the Arab world.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[LN2Campy]

Baghdad NEVER really recovered from the last time it was visited by the Mongols.

Can't we just have them patrol Kirkuk instead???

[duk]

Way back when..... The mongols conquered and occupied IRAQ.

"KHAN QUEST" is a very chilling reminder of our mission in Iraq!!

[Cronos]

The Mongol Empire was the greatest in the World, far larger than Alexander's and lasting much longer. It stretched over all of north East Asia, Central Asia and under Tamer Lane and the Moghuls (corruption of Mongol) into the Middle East and India. The Mongols would have gone on to conquer Europe if Genghiz Khan's grandson hadn't died of alcohol poisoning in the Crimea.

[wordsofearnest]

Taras Bulba bump.

[Leroy S. Mort]

I hear those guys are nothing but Hordes...

[Semper Paratus]

When the Mongols laid seige to Baghdad they had the Caliph brought out and asked him to surrender the city and spare the inhabitants death and slavery.

He refused, so they tied him into a leather sack and ran an army of calvary over him. He was the last Caliph of Islam.

[Norse]

I would say that the Ottoman Empire was the greatest....other than our own of course

[swarthyguy]

OK, nitpicking, but wasn't the Caliph restored by the Ottomans until Ataturk abolished it in the early 20's?

Last Arab one, yes.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

"How many boards would the Mongols hoard if the Mongol hordes got bored?"

~Calvin

[tracer]

"Staff Sgt. Marylyn Sabol, 3rd Transportation Support Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group embarkation specialist, taught the class.."

Great. Now they know how to neglect their weapons training and maintenance; become lost in a convoy in the desert; crash their vehicles; be killed or captured by poorly-trained and ill-equipped guerillas; and later cash in on book and movie deals....

[Semper Paratus]

but wasn't the Caliph restored by the Ottomans

Right but his authority was not universely accepted in Islam as was the one turned into horse paste.

[Bedford Forrest]

When the Mongols laid seige to Baghdad they had the Caliph brought out and asked him to surrender the city and spare the inhabitants death and slavery. He refused, so they tied him into a leather sack and ran an army of calvary over him. He was the last Caliph of Islam.

Has anyone told these Mongol types that we want Sodom Hussein alive, not all mushy in a leather sack? Talk about sending in the hard core!!!! To make it really sweet, how about a battalion of Ghurkas.

[Gunner Mike]

Staff Sgt. Marylyn Sabol, 3rd Transportation Support Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group embarkation specialist, taught the class.."

Great. Now they know how to neglect their weapons training and maintenance; become lost in a convoy in the desert; crash their vehicles; be killed or captured by poorly-trained and ill-equipped guerillas; and later cash in on book and movie deals....

You neglected to observe that the training was done by Marines and not army. All Marines are riflemen first and you may be assured that weapons training was not neglected. Rifles are high and holy things to Marines.

[capydick]

Give me a Mongol over a surrender monkey Frenchie any day.

[tracer]

Thanks for pointing out my error. I should read more carefully. I fully appreciate all Marines' facility with their weapons, having be raised by my late father who was a WWII Marine Raider and who taught me what he knew about firearms, their maintenance, and their proper use.......

[SwinneySwitch]

I read that the Brits have some Ghurkas with them! Seems like the article said they were in Iraq in WWII too!

[RussianConservative]

Ottman? Haha, they loose all 5 war to Russia.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Almost missed this story. What a multi-cultural Coalition of the willing and able we're training!

“Everything we taught them, they would practice on their own and the last day, when we had our exercises, they handled themselves very well. In my professional opinion, once they get on the ground [in Iraq], they will be able to conduct themselves as a professional army.”

Mongols will be handling some checkpoints in Iraq come Feb. (^:

 Thanks, Tonkin!

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