Soldiers Get Lessons as New Commandos

Soldiers Get Lessons as New Commandos

By U.S. Army Pfc. Brian Schroeder / 10th Mountain Division

CAMP VICTORY NORTH, BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 8, 2004 — Soldiers spend countless hours packing, planning and preparing before deploying to a combat zone. Once they arrive, the learning continues. More information is given to the soldiers to keep them informed of their unit’s current situation.

For new soldiers attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team Commandos, this information is given to them as soon as they arrive in Baghdad through the School of the Commando.

“The School of the Commando is an orientation program for individual replacement soldiers coming into the Commando Brigade,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Kinzie, team command sergeant major.

The school, which runs three to four days, instructs new soldiers how to properly perform personal maintenance checks and services on equipment such as Humvees, night vision goggles, radio systems and weapon systems.

“We make sure they receive proper instruction on how to handle the systems here,” Kinzie said. “For soldiers coming from stateside, this is a little different environment.”

Combat lifesaver certification is one of the areas covered in the class. Kinzie said a large population of qualified combat life savers will be a huge benefit to each unit.

“It doesn’t matter where you are in country,” he said. “There is always a threat.”

Pvt. Chris Bailey, an infantryman from Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, arrived in Iraq less than a week ago and is attending the School of the Commando combat life saver course. He said the training he and his fellow soldiers are receiving is invaluable.

“The combat life saver material we are learning is needed to help save somebody’s life in the field,” he said. “This is also a good refresher for those who already know this stuff.”

U.S. Army Pvt. DaJuan Spears ties off a bandage he wrapped around Pfc. Jonathan Player during the triage portion of a combat life saver course. The course one of many classes new soldiers to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team "Commandos" will attend during the School of the Commando. Spears and Player are assigned to the 1st Brigade, 41st Infantry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Brian Schroeder

One class shows where they will be operating and the demographics of that area. This class also informs soldiers of the other units who will be fighting along with the Commando brigade.

“The school familiarizes soldiers to their area of operations and brings them up to date on the current threat within the area,” Kinzie said. “We give them a general overview of the religious groups and demographics in the area, such as what section is Suni, Shi’ite and former Ba’ath Party members. We not only deal with people from the city, but with a lot of farmers as well.”

The goal of the classes is to jumpstart the new soldiers to the same level as the soldiers currently in country, Kinzie said.

“The information and training they receive will be beneficial to the new soldiers because it will put them on the same sheet of music as the currently deployed unit,” he said.

Pfc. Jonathan Player, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, said the classes are not only good for new soldiers, but for those who may need to brush up on their skills.

“The school is a good refresher,” he said. “There are a lot of new soldiers coming in that don’t know a lot of the material we are learning. These classes are making sure they are prepared for any situation while out in the field. Besides, you can never get enough training.”

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