Fort Bliss Monitor

Spc. Shea Butler

Maj. Ken Carlson, with the 136th Military Training Team, and an Iraqi soldier question a local of Bakariya after an improvised explosive device was detonated in the area Jan. 17.

Military training teams boost Iraqi troops

Spc. Shea Butler
7th Mobile Public Affairs

BAKARIYA, Iraq – The military training teams have worked hard to teach the Iraqi’s to run operations with little help from coalition forces, and their efforts are starting to pay off.

Iraqi troops from 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Division searched homes and fields in Bakariya Jan.17.
Soldiers from 2nd Bn., 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Bde. Combat Team, 1st Cav. Div. provided outer cordon while the 136th Military Training Team supervised the Iraqi operations on the ground.

“The mission was planned by the Iraqis. They made all the calls on the ground and used most of their own intelligence to complete the mission,” said Maj. Ken Carlson, 136 MTT team chief.

“In 10 months of working with this particular battalion of Iraqi soldiers we have watched them grow,” said Sgt. 1st Class David Jenkins, 136 MTT. “We have gone from driving all of their missions to just tagging along, because they are running things without much help from us.”

The military training teams have an important role in turning Iraq over to the control of Iraqis. They are teaching them to handle problems on their own.

“We are here as advisors to the Iraqi army so they can run things for themselves,” Jenkins said.

Part of the Iraqis being able to conduct missions successfully on their own is Iraqi leadership.
The army has grown leaps and bounds since the start of the war, but their weakness is not having a strong noncommissioned officer corps, Carlson said. “We are teaching them about what it means to be an NCO and how important it is. They are not lacking leadership completely though. They do have some strong officers.”

The Iraqi’s 1st Bn., 3rd Bde., 6th Div. commander, Lt. Col. Jaber, uses tough love and it works to get things done.

“I watched him today as his Soldiers were getting tired and trying to retreat to their vehicles,” Carlson said. “The mission wasn’t complete yet and he wasn’t ready to go home until it was, so he got over the radio and screamed. Magically, many soldiers appeared out of thin air and were ready to finish the mission.

“They were able to complete the mission. Nothing significant was found but nobody was hurt and they were able to communicate with the locals, so it was still successful,” Carlson said.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	Jan. 25, 2007

	Spc. Shea Butler Maj. Ken Carlson, with the 136th Military Training Team, and an Iraqi soldier question a local of Bakariya after an improvised explosive device was detonated in the area Jan. 17. Military training teams boost Iraqi troops Spc. Shea Butler 7th Mobile Public Affairs BAKARIYA, Iraq – The military training teams have worked hard to teach the Iraqi’s to run operations with little help from coalition forces, and their efforts are starting to pay off. Iraqi troops from 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Division searched homes and fields in Bakariya Jan.17. Soldiers from 2nd Bn., 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Bde. Combat Team, 1st Cav. Div. provided outer cordon while the 136th Military Training Team supervised the Iraqi operations on the ground. “The mission was planned by the Iraqis. They made all the calls on the ground and used most of their own intelligence to complete the mission,” said Maj. Ken Carlson, 136 MTT team chief. “In 10 months of working with this particular battalion of Iraqi soldiers we have watched them grow,” said Sgt. 1st Class David Jenkins, 136 MTT. “We have gone from driving all of their missions to just tagging along, because they are running things without much help from us.” The military training teams have an important role in turning Iraq over to the control of Iraqis. They are teaching them to handle problems on their own. “We are here as advisors to the Iraqi army so they can run things for themselves,” Jenkins said. Part of the Iraqis being able to conduct missions successfully on their own is Iraqi leadership. The army has grown leaps and bounds since the start of the war, but their weakness is not having a strong noncommissioned officer corps, Carlson said. “We are teaching them about what it means to be an NCO and how important it is. They are not lacking leadership completely though. They do have some strong officers.” The Iraqi’s 1st Bn., 3rd Bde., 6th Div. commander, Lt. Col. Jaber, uses tough love and it works to get things done. “I watched him today as his Soldiers were getting tired and trying to retreat to their vehicles,” Carlson said. “The mission wasn’t complete yet and he wasn’t ready to go home until it was, so he got over the radio and screamed. Magically, many soldiers appeared out of thin air and were ready to finish the mission. “They were able to complete the mission. Nothing significant was found but nobody was hurt and they were able to communicate with the locals, so it was still successful,” Carlson said.