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  Story by U.S. Army SFC Matthew Chlosta ISAF HQ PAO KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan National Army Commandos, patterned after United States Army Rangers, led the assault on Marjah in the early hours of the February operation to take back the Taliban stronghold. Partnered with their Special Forces trainers, ANA Soldiers from the 3rd Commando Kandak, 205th Corps were the first unit on the ground to secure territory for the U.S. Marines coming in behind. “The Commandos fill the Ranger asset, minimizing civilian casualties on the battlefield because they’re so familiar with the people and the people we’re interacting with,”...

  Story by Pfc. Roy MerconCombined Joint Task Force - 82PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The scene was a spectacle for the children: Afghan commandos – the same ones in their comics and coloring books – came to their village, Lagmani Kuna in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, in Afghan helicopters in a precise and organized fashion, March 18. For most of these kids, this was the first time they had ever seen a helicopter up close, but not the first time they had seen soldiers. They knew what the arrival of soldiers meant – they were getting some presents today. The...

COS GARRYOWEN — The citizens of Iraq took a more independent role in securing their country with the signing of the Security Agreement, June 30. In support of this goal, U.S. Scouts are conducting joint operations and training with Iraqi Army Commandos. The Scout platoon, from Headquarters & Headquarters Co., 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, is developing the 38th Iraqi Army Brigade Commando leadership through instruction on how to be more effective trainers for their Jundee (Soldiers). This will help the Iraqis to continue quality training after the drawdown of U.S. forces. "I believe this is a great opportunity to...

Pvt. 2nd Class Cheston K. Bun, 1st Battalion (Air Assault) 377th Field Artillery Regiment, Bravo Battery Air Reactionary Force, leads a group of Iraqi commandos through a helicopter loading drill during recent training at Camp Wessam in Basrah. Photo by Spc. Maurice Galloway, 17th Fires Brigade. BASRAH — A group of 14th Iraqi Army commandos recently underwent an intense week of training here at Camp Wessam, honing their helicopter familiarity.  The course, taught by U.S. Soldiers with the 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment, "B" Battery (Bulldogs), Air Reactionary Force (ARF), was more of a refresher, as many...

Iraqi Special Operations Soldiers conduct fast-rope training into a mock village during the recent Commando-Selection Course on an Iraqi military compound in Baghdad. The 47-day Commando Selection Course is similar to the U.S. Army's Ranger School. Photo by Sgt. Jeffrey Ledesma, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula. BAGHDAD — Symbolic of the blood – both of fallen fighters and slain foes – that has been shed in the fight for freedom and democracy, the words "fighting the insurgency for a secure and stable Iraq" were written in a dripping red font on a poster affixed to one...

Iraqi Commando Battalion Soldiers exit a U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopter during recent helicopter and air assault familiarization training aboard Al Asad Air Base. Photo by Cpl. Meg Murray, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd). AL ASAD AIR BASE — Different types of military operations call for specific methods of insertion. Since the advent of helicopter-borne insertion during the Korean War nearly 60 years ago, air assault has become an extremely viable method of troop insertion. To refine their air assault skills, Iraqi Soldiers with 1st Company, Commando Battalion, 7th Iraqi Army Division, took to the skies in the...

AL ASAD — An elite group of Iraqi Soldiers stand ready to spring into action against terrorism and insurgency here. Al Anbar's 9th Battalion, Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) have one mission; to keep the people of Iraq safe. To stay prepared for this mission, they spend their days training and working with U.S. Special Operations Forces advisors to continually sharpen their skills. "Iraq is so spread out you can't control it from one location," said an Iraqi lieutenant. "Each province has teams to execute high value missions." These missions can range from presence patrols to fast-roping during pitch-black night...

KABUL, May 18, 2009 – The Afghan National Army’s top leaders convened here May 12 and 13 for discussions and teambuilding. Afghan National Army commandos of the 6th Kandak conduct a welcoming ceremony for the ANA chief of general staff before the start of a two-day ANA Corps and Commando Commanders’ Conference held May 12-13, 2009, in Kabul. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Anna K. Perry  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Corps and Commando Commanders’ Conference marked the first time leadership from the elite commando brigade and kandaks -- battalion-size units -- met with leadership from the...

TIKRIT — Iraqi Special Operations Forces, with Coalition advisors, arrested ten suspected terrorist cell members during a combined operation in Diyala province recently, based on warrants issued by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. Within two hours time, the 8th Regional Commando Battalion successfully conducted their mission against a violent terrorist cell operating in the Hamrin Dam area, leading to the capture of the suspected terrorist cell leader and nine of his associates. According to Iraqi intelligence sources, the detained individuals were suspected of conducting numerous acts of murder, kidnapping and roadside bomb attacks against Iraqi Security Forces and innocent...

COB ADDER — After an intense eight weeks of training, 65 Commandos from the 10th Iraqi Army (IA) Division marched across the Camp Dhi Qar parade field near here signifying the completion of training, May 2. "Training's been hard from the beginning," said Maj. Gregory Stroud, a Military Transition Team chief with the 1st Cavalry Division. "But they worked just as hard and it definitely shows." Stroud worked closely with the Romanian Special Forces from the 26th Infantry Battalion to train the Iraqi Commandos on various tactical skills such as small unit tactics and patrolling. "The U.S. Special Forces have...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq , April 28, 2009 – Romanian soldiers are helping train Iraqi commandos on Camp Ur, near Contingency Operating Base Adder in Iraq. Soldiers assigned to the 26th Romanian Infantry Battalion teach Shotokan karate to Iraqi troops during hand-to-hand combat training, as part of commando training on Camp Ur near Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq, April 26, 2009. (Photo courtesy of Multinational Division South)  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Soldiers of the 26th Romanian Infantry Battalion mentored Iraqi soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 39th Iraqi Army Brigade, through the first four weeks of tactical,...

BAGHDAD — More than 80 Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) Soldiers recently completed nearly 50 days of dawn-to-dusk training to join the ranks of Iraq's most elite Soldiers. "You are taking up a place of honor in this organization," said Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abdu Ghani, commander of the Counter-Terrorism Command (CTC) and guest speaker for the graduation. "It's up to you to carry out the missions that will provide our country with security. Terrorism will not be the future because of you." The ISOF brigade has Soldiers based throughout the country to provide the Government of Iraq a premiere counter-terrorism...

Local Sons of Iraq security volunteers greet Lt. Col. Ayoob (right), commander, Commando Battalion, 17th Iraqi Army brigade, during Operation Al Sakar in the Owesat area, April 12. Photo by Pfc. Evan Loyd, 1st Armored Division. BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Army (IA) took the lead in conducting Operation Al-Sakar, a combined Iraqi/U.S. counterinsurgency operation in the Owesat area southwest of here, April 12. The purpose of the operation was to clear weapons, find any hidden explosives and capture insurgents in the area. "The Owesat area is void of a Coalition forces presence and is a potential location to move accelerants...

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — Different types of military operations call for specific methods of insertion. Since the advent of the helicopter-borne insertion during the Korean War nearly 60 years ago, air assault has become an extremely viable method of troop insertion. To refine their air assault skills, Iraqi soldiers with 1st Company, Commando Battalion, 7th Iraqi Army Division, took to the skies in the back of two Marine CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters as they participated in familiarization of helicopter and air assault operations. “What we’re trying to do is get the commandos used to getting on helicopters,...

While four pirates armed with AK47s bobbing in a lifeboat hold a US Navy destroyer at bay, a French commando team storms a sailboat held by pirates and rescues French citizens. The world truly has gone mad. According to the BBC, President Sarkozy's office released a statement saying a French sailboat, seized Saturday off the coast of Somalia, was the target of a French commando raid Thursday. The French sail boat had four adults and one child on board. According to the release, two pirates and a hostage were killed in the operation and three others taken prisoner. This is...

Room clearing in an urban environment is dangerous. Marines have trained extensively on this subject, applying lessons learned from tough battles in such places as Seoul during the Korean War, Hue in Vietnam, and most recently, Fallujah, Iraq. Now the Marine Corps wants to make sure its Iraqi Army brethren are skilled in close quarters battle as well. To that end, Reconnaissance Marines with 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 8, have been training Iraqi commandos with the 7th Iraqi Army Division on fundamental infantry tactics during a month-long training evolution. As part of the course,...

CAMP MEJID — Military Transition Team (MiTT)-7, working with the Reconnaissance Platoon of Regimental Combat Team (RCT)-8, recently launched a month-long training course designed to hone the skills of the 7th Iraqi Army Division’s Special Operations Battalion. The training program began with a five-day marksmanship refresher, which reminded the Iraqi commandos how to properly zero their weapons, fire at extended distances, and rapidly assess and engage close-range targets with their assault rifles. “I’d say they’re giving everything they’ve got,” said Robert Wise, MiTT-7’s special operations foreign internal defense specialist. “They come out here, and in their own way, they try...

Iraqi Commandos rush to action during a recent joint training event in the Maysan province of southern Iraq. Photo by Chang J. Ahn, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. FOB HUNTER — Another chapter on operations in southern Iraq was written as Iraqi Commandos recently honed their combat skills with the ‘Black Dragons’ of the 4th Brigade Combat Team during a three-day training operation in the Maysan province. The Iraqi Army (IA) Soldiers learned various skills required to become an independent security force. The first day of joint training consisted of classes on weapons safety, vehicle maintenance and proper room-clearing procedures....

FOB DELTA — The second half of the 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, Department of Border Enforcement Region commandos graduated from a two-week training course on mounted and dismounted techniques, urban and close quarter combat, medical training and snap traffic control points at the Karmashiyah Border Fort, Jan. 13. All the border security commandos of 1st Company have now completed the two-week training course and are ready to conduct border security operations at the Karmashiyah Border Fort, less than 2 miles from the Iraq-Iran border. The first half of the company graduated from the same course, Dec. 29. “Thank you to...

The Royal Navy described the boarding as 'compliant' Michael Evans, Defence Editor and Rob Crilly Pirates caught redhanded by one of Her Majesty’s warships after trying to hijack a cargo ship off Somalia made the grave mistake of opening fire on two Royal Navy assault craft packed with commandos armed with machineguns and SA80 rifles. In the ensuing gunfight, two Somali pirates in a Yemeni-registered fishing dhow were killed, and a third pirate, believed to be a Yemeni, suffered injuries and subsequently died. It was the first time the Royal Navy had been engaged in a fatal shoot-out on the...