Posted on 11/19/2005 7:06:12 AM PST by mdittmar
BALAD, Iraq, November 19, 2005 3:43
Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Paliwoda are able to depend more and more upon the steadily improving Iraqi Army garrisoned here.
Troopers with 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Division headquartered at Fort Stewart, Ga., come in daily contact with their counterparts in the Iraqi Army and can see great improvement from when the troopers first arrived in country.
"When we first got here, they needed equipment, uniforms, training, you name it, but they’ve really come a long way," says SGT Rick McNamara of Winter Park, Fla., who works in the civil affairs office at FOB Paliwoda.
Training the new Iraqi Army along lines similar to the United States Army was one of the early focuses for Coalition forces. The old Iraqi Army had been organized comparable to the antiquated Soviet-style Army organization where there was not a strong Non-commissioned Officer corps.
"You were either an officer or enlisted, and for the officers, their leadership style was very different from what we are accustomed to," explains Capt. Eric Haynes of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., leader of the Military Transition Team, whose mission it is to train and equip the new Iraqi Army.
Capt. Haynes proudly shows off the first aid station, the Tactical Operations Center, the motor pool, and the Joint Coordination Center where members of the Iraqi Army work closely with the Iraqi Police.
As Capt. Haynes talks a platoon of Iraqi Army soldiers marches past, and on command executes a sharp about face and continues their drill. "It will take time, but they’re getting better and they are proud of what they do."
The training and equipment are becoming invaluable in the field and on the streets of Balad.
"They are good at setting up checkpoints, setting defensive positions, good at a cordon," comments Staff Sergeant Dustin Kearfott of Sacramento, Calif., who frequently leads patrols through the streets of Balad and has come to respect the work done by the Iraqi Army soldiers.
According to 1LT James Bithorn of Rockville Center, N.Y., the IA (Iraqi Army) are good at finding IEDs as well. "They’re saving lives, US lives, Coalition lives," he says.
Bithorn leads a platoon of cavalry Soldiers who work side by side with an Iraqi Army company and he sees first hand the progress the Iraqis have made and respects their sacrifices.
"They really take pride in what they are and what they do, "he explains, "and often they are personally targeted for being a member of the Iraqi Army."
Undaunted, these new Iraqi soldiers are taking more and more responsibility including leading their own patrols, manning checkpoints, and hunting IEDs.
"We’ve seen an outpouring of civilians coming forward with information, wanting to help us and wanting to help the IA, "Bithorn adds, "The people are really getting behind them. Without the Iraqi Army, US success in this region would be nil."
The GOP should make an argument about troop withdrawal with an analogy to welfare pullout and energy independence. We pull welfare benefits and we start drilling our own oil. It is about self reliance after all. You'll never hear a dem saying this.
I love that we're giving them compliments. I watch the pictures of the IA and they are trying so hard to look like American soldiers. They are carrying themselves with such pride, I've even seen them taking on that far away, hawk look our guys always seem to have.
When Iraq becomes it's own nation, with it's own laws, methinks the terr perps will come to look back at the American panties on the head & dog leashes around the neck times as the happy years.
The Viet Cong didn't need uniforms, and they didn't have much training, but they put up a hell of a fight.
these new Iraqi soldiers are taking more and more responsibility including leading their own patrols, manning checkpoints, and hunting IEDs
All too often, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam looked the other way rather than challenge the VC. The Iraquis may be leading their own patrols, but are they really looking hard, or are they trying hard not to find anything?
I'm not in Iraq. I don't know the situation. But I spent two years in SEA, and am really disappointed that there's little or nothing to show for my efforts and those of my buddies. I hope our guys in Iraq aren't going by superficial appearances like clean uniforms and sharp drill on the drill field, and are focusing on real ability and willingness to fight on the part of the Iraqis.
Good comparison. The principle is the same though the situations aren't connected. The reason Dems would never think of that is they are against the principle of self-reliance.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.