CAMP AL QA’IM, Iraq (July 2, 2006) – Nearly two dozen Iraqi soldiers serving in Iraq’s western Al Anbar Province graduated a humvee licensing course June 29, 2006.
The soldiers, part of the 3rd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, graduated the course during a short ceremony at the Marines’ outpost here, located just a few miles from the Iraqi-Syrian border.
The two-week course, designed to teach Iraqi soldiers on operating and maintaining their fleet of humvees without assistance from Coalition forces, will increase the operational capability of the Iraqi Army, according to U.S. Marines from the military transition team in Al Qa’im.
The graduates are also now qualified to instruct and license other Iraqi soldiers on humvee operations and maintenance – part of the Iraqi Government’s plan to further equip the country’s Army with more heavily-armored, rugged, and reliable vehicles to conduct security operations.
“These graduates are very well trained and they treat their vehicles with respect,” said Maj. Jarrod W. Stoutenborough, operations officer for 3rd Brigade’s military transition team. “This training is a start for the soldiers who have a mountain of training ahead of them.”
The course was taught by U.S. Marines from Regimental Combat Team 7 – the U.S. military unit responsible for security operations in western Al Anbar Province.
By Cpl. Antonio Rosas
