For the past 2 1/2 years, there have been several evolutions in building the new Iraqi Army. It first started as the ICDC, then became what is now the Iraqi Army. All over the country, this army has been being built from the ground up. It started with basic training, where new soldiers were forged with better training than was given to the "Commandos" of the old regime. By the standards of the former regime, every American Soldier would be considered to be "Special Forces" trained.
These new soldiers have been built into squads and platoons, then eventually into battalions. (A battalion is about 500-800 men.) These battalions were just starting to come on line when I arrived in Iraq back in January. Since then, several of these battalions have been combined into brigades. Each of these battalions and brigades are at varying levels of proficiency and competence. Some are running their own sectors of Baghdad with only a small American adviser team to continue coaching them. Others are still in their infancy, disorganized, and unable to conduct operations without being carried through it by American units riding along and doing most of the "heavy lifting." All of these units were started at varying times and therefore have not had equal amounts of time to get their act together, so at this point, comparing any two Iraqi Brigades to each other is unfair. I am currently on a team attempting to gather several of these brigades to form the 6th Infantry Division which will soon be the first operational division in the new Iraqi Army. Our oldest brigade is our 1st Brigade, which has become quite the success story. The other brigades are not up to their level yet, but I look forward to the day that they are.
Right now we are in the midst of an MRX - Mission Rehearsal/Readiness Exercise. It is basically a simulation of actual "battle management" to exercise the command and control abilities of the Division Headquarters and Staff. I am currently running the LOWCON - Lower Control cell, where a group of soldiers and interpreters calls in events and submits status reports to the division HQ so that they can react, manage forces, and support the logistical requirements of their subordinate units on a simulated basis before having to do it the first time for real, a dress rehearsal of sorts. There are plenty of bugs to be worked out, but they are doing better than when we started two days ago. We had a visit yesterday from a British Lieutenant Colonel who was getting ready to do the same thing with the Iraqi 10th Division south of here. There are many disadvantages and frustrations in being the first ones to do this for the first division. I hope he will benefit from our errors and snafus. "Rome was not built in a day..."
Hey Major K,
Hope all is going as good as it can go over there. Just stopping by to read yet another interesting post. Thanks for keeping us informed on what the media here lacks to comment on. I'll be checking you site often! Prayers to you and the others.
Posted by: Adrienne | August 31, 2005 at 12:51 AM
Sir:
Thank you for making this post. I do not have cable and can no longer stomach the nutwerk news so I rely on Soldiers like yourself to post news like this on the Internet.
It sounds like things are taking a positive direction. I am glad, so very glad, that an Iraqi Army is being trained and assembled.
I salute you!
Thank you for your service.
---Dan
Posted by: Dan | August 31, 2005 at 03:45 AM
Just a couple of questions; Do the Iraqian soldiers cover their faces when out on patrol, etc.? I've read the police do.
Next question, if I may ask, are you and our soldiers allowed to have Bibles in Iraq? Again, I've read that you aren't and even go so far as, are forbidden to talk about God in front of Iraqians. Misinformation abounds I know, just have to ask. If that's not putting you on spot.
Posted by: Chevy Rose | August 31, 2005 at 03:58 AM
It depends, but a lot of the Iraqis I've worked with DO cover up their faces when they go outside the wire. They receive threats to their families when they're found out to be working with Americans. They certainly don't want to be identified.
And of course we can carry Bibles. I've talked to several Iraqis about Islam and Christianity, also.
Posted by: Ben | August 31, 2005 at 09:51 AM
Sir:
...About learning a foreign language:
I knew a guy named Joe once. He was from Ireland and spoke (sic)Gallic as well as English.
His lesson to me was phonetic. See (hear?), when the children, in nursery school, entered the classroom, the teacher told the last one in to close the door...in Chinese. After a few days, they learned this phrase. Well, you understand.
LEARN ARABIC, DAMMIT! A commander should learn the native language!
Thamk you.
---Dan
Posted by: Dan | August 31, 2005 at 09:53 AM
Thanks Dan, for the answering.
God bless.
Posted by: Chevy Rose | August 31, 2005 at 05:42 PM
correction: Thanks BEN....
Posted by: Chevy Rose | August 31, 2005 at 05:44 PM
Have the officers [in] the units you are involved with been able to grasp the Idea of NCOs'?
Other milblogs say that the ex-saddam Officers don't get it.
Posted by: Papa Ray | September 01, 2005 at 05:07 AM
Major K - do you ever hear what is said by various politicians on the Sunday Talking Bobblehead shows? Like Joe Biden saying there's only 4k Iraqi's trained or I think Hagle has been blowing smoke lately. There's definitely been more but I can't remember all the naysayers. How right or wrong are they (if you are aware of this)?
Posted by: Toni | September 01, 2005 at 05:45 AM
You know my dad is over there working to help train Iraqi security forces. He's ex-military, currently in a civilian role. I find myself wondering if you've encountered him? I suppose I should ask in email though, I don't want to give his name in public (it's not the same last name as mine).
Posted by: Dean Esmay | September 01, 2005 at 08:07 AM