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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Feb 8, 2012 - 5:19:58 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| Iraqi national police trainees practice room-clearing procedures at a training center near Numaniyah, Iraq, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy) |
NUMANIYAH, Iraq - The commanding general of the Iraqi Assistance Group, along with his Iraqi National Police counterparts, observed the last of the original eight National Police brigades to go through specialized training in Numaniyah, Iraq, last week.
Brig. Gen. James Yarbrough, Iraq Assistance Group Commanding General; Maj. Gen. Hussein Jasim Muhammad Mus al Awadi, NP Headquarters Division Commandant; and Maj. Gen. Karim Ali Jabr Jewad al Khazraji, the Second National Division Commandant, witnessed the training first hand.
"This course serves as another building block in strengthening the NP's abilities to conduct counterinsurgency operations independently," said Yarbrough, "As the NP train, they will improve combat effectiveness, grow quality leaders in all ranks and develop a quick-reaction force that will be able to provide a safe and secure Iraq."
More than 1,800 members from the Fifth Brigade, Second Division National Police are attending the four-week collective training which covers everything from basic weapon handling and search operations to detainee handling.
"The training, the location and the teachers are very good," said Karim. "Most of the NP members have not received training like this before, so they will benefit from it. If you want anyone to do something, and you don't train them, then they will fail."
Hussein emphasized that training would be one of the keys to their success. "I wish we could extend the time to train them more," he said. Hussein also compared their training to U.S. soldiers who "trained a lot before they became good soldiers."
 The NP specialized training, also known as the "rebluing course" is the second phase of a four-phase NP development process. As NP members, known as shurtas, graduate from this training, they receive a new uniform with a different shade of blue, signifying their completion of the specialized course.
For the more than 40 members of the National Police Transition Team, who not only serve as NP advisors, but who also teach the trainees tactical procedures during the course, their job can be both difficult and rewarding.
"It is not an easy job," said Sgt. 1st Class Richmond Slan, who is a 5-2 NPTT Fire Support non-commissioned officer. He stressed patience as the most important element in overcoming the language and culture differences. "But when I see them getting something, like clearing a building - rather than just running into a building, but actually selecting targets, I can stand back and say ‘I taught them that.'"
"Progress is slow, because it takes time to build relationships with your Iraqi counterparts," said Sgt. 1st Class AJ Pettus, the 5-2 NPTT Operations NCO. "Building relationships is essential to developing the NP, especially the NCO corps."
According to Maj Scott Koast, the 5-2 NPTT Operations Officer, in addition to training the brigades, NPTT members teach Iraqi instructors, who will eventually take over training at the academy.
"We have Iraqi instructors who have already been through the course, shadow NPTT instructors now so they can take the lead."
NP will soon enter the next phase of development, a 7-week Carabierni-like training facilitated by the Italian Carabinieri Team which will emphasis counter-insurgency operations and public order response, investigations, forensics and fighting in built up areas.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| An Iraqi national police trainee provides covering fire during training on Military Operations in Urban Terrain at a training site in Numaniyah, Iraq, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007. Conducted by Military Transition Teams made up of U.S. servicemembers, the training teaches squad and team movement techniques.(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy) |
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| Playing the role of a suspect, a U.S. Soldier is detaineed by Iraqi National Police trainees during training in Numaniyah, Iraq, Wednesday, Oct. 17 2007. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy) |
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| Brig. Gen. James Yarbrough, commander of the Iraq Assistance Group, talks with Iraqi Army and National Police leaders during a visit to a training base for Iraq National Police in Numaniyah, Iraq, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007. The Iraq Assistance Group overseees the Military Transition Teams who are responsible for assisting the burgeoning Iraq Security Forces. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy) |
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