Rakkasan Cavalry trains Iraqi Army to disrupt terrorists

ARNEWS ^ | Feb 7, 2006 | Staff Sgt. Jesse C. R

[SandRat]

AD DAWR, Iraq (Army News Service, Feb. 7, 2006) - Iraqi soldiers just finished a seven-day training cycle with the 2-9 Cavalry’s Military Transition Team.

The “Hunters” of 2-9 Cavalry provided the course curriculum and Iraqi Platoon Leader Lt. Abdulla Kasim Shallow led the training.

Iraqi soldiers are gradually taking the place of coalition Soldiers and “putting an Iraqi face on security,” said Lt. Col. Louis Lartigue, 2nd Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment commander. “They are Iraqis doing it for Iraqis.”

The Soldiers of 2-9 Cav. are co-located with Company D, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division at Forward Operating Base Wilson, about 10 miles south of Tikrit. The Cavalry’s mission is to provide security, disrupt terrorist activities and train the Iraqi Army to do the same.

“Anything that we can do - combined operations, training them, supplying them within our limits and teaching them to do that for themselves - is what is going to eventually win Iraqi freedom,” said Lartigue.

“The communication was good,” said Abdulla. “The training was a good mix of U.S. and Iraqi tactics.”

The training schedule mimicked U.S. Army training standards: physical training at 6:30 a.m., classroom instruction 9:00 am to noon and teach-backs after lunch followed by practical exercises.

Throughout the seven-day course, the IA soldiers learned and executed standard U.S. Army battle drills and close-quarter battle techniques.

Unlike U.S. Soldiers, many Iraqi troops see combat well before they ever receive advanced training. There is no Iraqi Joint Readiness Training Center to prepare them for combat, and the combat is in there own backyard.

The majority of Company D conducted live missions having received only basic combat training much like that of the U.S. Army. They have not had the opportunity to train as extensively as the Rakkasans, but they bring a wealth of knowledge to the fight.

“They bring knowledge of the terrain, knowledge of the people and the knowledge of what it takes to provide security for this area,” said Lartigue.

For Pvt. Malik Karin Hussain the war in Iraq is a chance to right the wrongs of Saddam’s Regime. His uncle was killed by soldiers from the former regime and his brother died while serving in their army. Malik and his family never received an explanation for his brother’s death.

Malik says he joined the IA for three basic reasons: “I want to defend my country, I hate the old system (Saddam’s regime), and I need the money to support my family.”

Not all have the same history as Malik, but most feel a common call to duty.

“If I don’t join the Army, who will? Who will fight for my country?” said Cpl. Sharif Athob Tarish.

The soldiers serving in the IA carry many scars from the pastbut reamin hopefulfor the future of their country.

"I am hopeful that the future will be peaceful,” said Malik, “and one day Iraq will have friendly relations with all the nations of the world.”

(Editor’s note: Staff Sgt. Jesse C. Riggin serves with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault.)

[SandRat]

Rocking Rakkasan

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault.)

[E.G.C.]

BTTT