Published: April 20, 2011
U.S. Soldiers Mentor Kurdish Regional Guard At Fire Base Manila
By Spc. Andrew Ingram
FIRE BASE MANILA, Iraq - A cool breeze blew through the valley below as Kurdish Regional Guard riflemen stalked down the hill, weapons at the ready.
As they approached the objective, soldiers of 1st Regional Guard Brigade began firing on the unsuspecting enemy while advancing two by two, quickly overrunning their adversaries.
"Okay, good job," said Staff Sgt. Carlo Viqueira. "Let's run the next squad through it."
The Kurdish soldiers trekked back up the hill past the silhouette targets representing their defeated enemy, and watched as their comrades ran through the ambush scenario.
FIRE BASE MANILA, Iraq - Pfc. Ali, an infantryman with 1st Regional Guard Brigade, tosses a dummy grenade into a mock bunker during assault drills led by U.S. Soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1stID at Fire Base Manila in Kirkuk province, Iraq.
Photo: Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO)
|
Viqueira and other noncommissioned officers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, deployed to Kirkuk province, Iraq as a part of U.S. Division-North, mentor the Kurdish soldiers as part of their advise, train and assist mission at Fire Base Manila, near the city of Chamchamal.
"The squad and team leaders seem to have a good grasp on what they need to do," Staff Sgt. Timothy Snyder said of the ambush drills conducted April 14. "Now we need to get the soldiers comfortable in their role as a part of a fire team and squad."
The ambush training took place 11 days into a four-week training cycle, which includes combat drills, classroom training on map reading and land navigation, and basic medical training.
"Most of what we teach them, American Soldiers learn in basic training," Snyder said.
Snyder said training the KRGB soldiers presents interesting challenges beyond just the language difference.
FIRE BASE MANILA, Iraq - Pfc. Haresh, an infantryman from 1st Kurdish Regional Guard Brigade, studies assault tactics during the classroom portion of training led by U.S. Soldiers.
Photo: Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO |
"Their culture is a lot different from ours," he explained. "In my class of 28 there are probably 11 who cannot read or write, but they respect us and are eager to learn what we have to teach them."
The Company B Soldiers do more than train the KRGB soldiers, they strive to set an example of what a competent and professional soldier looks like, said Snyder.
Snyder said he believes training the Kurdish soldiers and all the security forces in Iraq serves a vital role in the successful completion of Operation New Dawn.
"I love training Soldiers, and the mission we are doing right now is essential to the future of Iraq," said Snyder, who spent two years as a drill sergeant before joining Company B. "If we don't train the Iraqi Forces to protect their people then nothing we have done since 2003 will have mattered, so we take this job very seriously."
Soldiers of Company B did an outstanding job of showing the Kurdish troops what it means to be a good soldier, said Pfc. Juanyyoo Kayeem, a rifleman assigned to Regional Guard Brigade.
"When we started this training, it was like when we started school," Kayeem said. "When you get to school you can't even read or write, but by the time you graduate you are an expert-working with the Americans is the same."
Kayeem said there are three major things he hopes to gain from his training with Company B.
"I want all of my fellow soldiers and I to show our leaders that we are real soldiers who can accomplish any mission," he said. "I also want to learn well enough to train others because when the Americans are gone, we will be the teachers. But the most important thing is that I want to serve my people and protect them well."
FIRE BASE MANILA, Iraq - Staff Sgt. Carlo Viqueira, squad leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 1ID supervises and mentors soldiers from 1st Kurdish Regional Guard Brigade as they practice ambush drills with silhouette targets at a troop movement range.
Photo: Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO |
FIRE BASE MANILA, Iraq - Staff Sgt. Carlo Viqueira, squad leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, explains procedures for ambush drills to soldiers of 1st Kurdish Regional Guard Brigade at a range near Fire Base Manila in Kirkuk province, Iraq. Photo: Spc. Andrew Ingram, USD-N PAO
|
Search News
