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CAMP TAJI, Iraq, March 27, 2006 — Like parents waiting for their children to return from the first day of school, members of the Military Transition Team assigned to work with the Iraqi 1st Motorized Truck Regiment waved and cheered as their protégés returned from a supply-delivery mission to the 6th Iraqi army division March 23.
"With the two teams I work with, we have been working as one team. We feel like we are brothers and forget that we are Iraqi or American. We both worry about each other."
Iraqi Col. Ea’ad
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But this was not just any mission. This venture marked the first time the Iraqi unit operated independently from the 4th Sustainment Brigade, its American de facto higher headquarters. “We’re very proud of them,” said U.S. Army Maj. Earl Mack, team chief, 1st Motorized Truck Regiment Military Transition Team, assigned to the brigade. “They trained hard. They were so excited, I don’t even know if they slept last night.” “I am really proud about my unit’s progress and, at the same time, I feel happy,” said Iraqi Col. Ea’ad, commander of the 1st Motorized Truck Regiment, speaking through an interpreter. “My mission is so that my people and I can do this more in the future.” “There was very minimal U.S. input,” said U.S. Army Capt. Anthony DeStefano, Military Transition Team liaison officer with the brigade’s Special Troops Battalion, speaking of the mission. “They did the route selection and planning, determined their start-point time, and coordinated for a link-up with the Iraqis on the other end.” The operation was the culmination of months of efforts from the 4th Sustainment Brigade’s Taji-based battalions: the Special Troops Battalion and 189th Corps Support Battalion. Working in tandem, the Special Troops Battalion and 189th Corps Support Battalion both work in separate areas to develop the 1st Motorized Truck Regiment into a competent force. “Our role as the [Special Troops Battalion] is to assist in mission planning and coordination,” said Lt. Col. William Schiek, Special Troops Battalion commander. “The [Military Transition Team] is under our tactical control and we’re providing the function as the [motorized truck regiment's] higher headquarters, assigning missions and helping with maintenance.” “The 189th helps with driver’s training and provides intel to the [Military Transition Team],” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Lenny Kness, 189th commander, speaking of his role with the motorized truck regiment. “The other thing we do is the uparmoring of the [Iraqi] vehicles.” Using a combination of Mercedes cargo trucks, donated U.S. five-tons, and Russian “Kraz” trucks, the motorized truck regiment has a fully uparmored fleet at its disposal, including M1151 humvees the Iraqis use for gun-trucks. Working with their American counterparts, the Iraqi soldiers have worked alongside mechanics and welders here on Camp Taji to learn how to support these vehicles. “We continue to help teach them how to maintain their vehicles,” Schiek said. “They’ve even taken two Mercedes five-ton trucks and turned them into maintenance contact trucks, complete with generators, air compressors and tools. “They could probably machine parts in the middle of the highway,” he added, laughing. |
