Dear Interested Reader,
There is an in-depth story about the successful use of UAVs, as well as a story about an important business development conference to provide contract registration training. Iraqi Air Force graduates the largest training class to date. Our troops, as well as IA soldiers are kept busy detaining many insurgents and criminals, while seizing many weapons and munition caches.
Joanna
_________________________________________
Aug. 18, 2008
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
Iraqi Air Force Graduates Largest Training Class to Date
By Senior Master Sgt. Trish Freeland
An Iraqi Air Force warrant officer waves a flag on top of a human pyramid at the conclusion of the basic military graduation at Al Taji Air Base, Aug. 11, 2008.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Paul Villanueva II
TAJI — The Iraqi Air Force training school graduated its third and largest basic military training class here, August 11. Nine Iraqi officers and ten warrant officers led 283 of their fellow countrymen through a rigorous physical and academic regimen that transformed them from ordinary citizens to professional Airmen.
The instructor cadre is assisted by a group of 65 U.S. Air Force advisors from the 370th Expeditionary Training sqdrn., part of the overall Coalition Air Force training team. Lt. Col. Michael Dilda, deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., commands the team. He said in addition to graduation, the school can celebrate reaching some key goals within the basic military training program. “When CF stood up this school they worked with the Iraqis to set up goals they wanted to achieve within a certain amount of time,” said Dilda. “Some of the goals reached include the ability to run 4 training programs at the same time, having fully renovated facilities with the ability to house 500 students, and the availability of qualified Iraqi instructors to lead the courses. Today’s class represents the attainment of those goals in the BMT [basic military training] program.”
Lt. Saef Ali, a lead trainer/supervisor, has been working as a trainer for 6 months. He’s encouraged by the commitment of his trainees.
“These guys are not afraid of anything. They come to training and don’t let anyone stop them. “They want to serve their country,” he continued. “I feel proud to say I’m a lieutenant in the Iraqi Air Force.” The lieutenant also displayed gratitude for the guidance received from the USAF advisors. “Sometimes, we had problems with water or uniforms and our advisors helped us work it out,” he said. “We are very grateful for their help.”
The Air Force training school also operates an Air Force academy, basic technical training and English language training. In just over a year, the school’s cadre and advisors have trained and graduated 526 warrant and commissioned officers from the school’s various training programs.
“In the next BMT class, the Iraqi instructors will have even more responsibility as the USAF advisors transition from a full teaching function to equal parts advising and instructing,” said Dilda.
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Blackanthem Military News
UAVs role key ingredient to success of MND-B operations
By Sgt. Jason Dangel
Spc. Raymond Poltera, Tactical UAV operator, 1st BCT, 4th ID, launches an RQ-7B Shadow 200 TUAV from a pneumatic launcher at the aircraft's primary launch and recovery site on Camp Taji, Aug. 11. As the leading provider and provisional authority for the MND-B's airspace, the 4th ID's CAB, which is based out of Fort Hood, Texas, provides and maintains the launch and recovery site for the entire fleet of Shadow TUAVs.
(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jason Dangel)
CAMP TAJI - Since the initial development of the UAV approximately ten years ago, its use in the Global War on Terror has increased tenfold and provides vigilant recon for almost all combat ops in MND-B, thus helping to provide troops an added edge against the enemy.
With sophisticated optics, cameras and communications equipment, the Shadow provides cmdrs. on the ground the ability to quite literally see the entire battlefield in real time.
"For the most part, we have a UAV on station for the majority of missions that involve the capture of high-value targets or terrorists," explained Maj. Jonathan Shaffner, brigade aviation officer and chief of ops, 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID. Shaffner gave an example of the Shadow's ability, citing an op recently conducted by his Soldiers north of Baghdad. Soldiers were required to find and capture a suspected militant responsible for hostile acts against CF and the Iraqi people. Upon entering the residence of the suspect, Soldiers found that the criminal wasn't there. At the same time however, the Shadow was honed in on a suspicious vehicle nearby the scene.
With the camera fixed on the vehicle, the TUAV operator reported to the ground cmdr. of the situation at which time 2 male subjects fled from the vehicle and attempted to hide in a nearby canal. With precise accuracy, the Shadow operator reported the location of the 2 individuals to the ground Soldiers, who then apprehended the suspects - one of whom was the criminal they were looking for.
The event is just one off the hundreds of examples of how brigade's all over MND-B use the TUAVs, Shaffner said.
Launch and Recovery:
All launch and recovery ops are strictly the responsibility of Co G, 2nd Bn, 4th AR, CAB, 4th ID. The co. is unique in that unlike a conventional unit, Co. G, which is also known as the "Guardian Angels," is collectively made up of Soldiers from all across the MND-B area of ops. UAV operators are assigned to their respective BCTs throughout theater, but one platoon from each unit is sent to Camp Taji for a predetermined amount of time to help operate the launch and recovery site.
"All the aircraft are prepared and launched from here," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Horwath, who is the senior NCO of the co. "Our guys fly them out, hand them off to the BCTs in theatre and, at that time, the specific brigade TUAV elements actually fly the missions.
"At the conclusion of a Shadow mission, the brigades route the aircraft back into our airspace and the UAV operators here pick the aircraft back up and land them. Once they land, we conduct maintenance and prep them for another mission."
The air vehicle uses a pneumatic launcher on take-off and is recovered by a tactical automatic landing system - with no pilot intervention on the runway. The aircraft is then stopped using an arresting hook and cable system similar to the ones used on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
"We never overlook anything when it comes to maintenance," explained Spc. Cesar Castro, a UAV operator with 2nd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. "Everything we do, in terms of maintaining the aircraft, is annotated by inputting info into our computer system. We keep track of just about anything you can think from actual flight hours to required services and inspections."
Cost Effective, Fuel Efficient and Safe:
On a comparative basis, the Shadow is relatively cheap when you compare it with conventional U.S. Army aircraft. Each system includes 3 to 4 aircraft, 2 ground stations, a launch trailer and support vehicles for equipment and personnel. Each system costs roughly $10 million depending on equipment dynamics and accessories.
When compared to an AH-64D Apache Attack helicopter, which many times are used for some of the same recon missions as the Shadows, the price differential and fuel consumption is astronomically lower. "The UAVs can provide at least 70% of the support you would get from an attack helicopter - minus the armament," Shaffner said. "The operators can observe, perform route recon and report immediately over voice what they see to the ground forces, very similar to conventional aerial recon methods. It's very helpful."
"The simple fact is this technology saves lives," said Sgt. 1st Class David Norsworthy, a UAV platoon sgt with 2nd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. Norsworthy, a former infantryman, knows better than most how effective the TUAV technology is when it comes to conducting full-spectrum ops in Baghdad. "The Shadow provides coverage for a lot of raids. We do road scans for roadside bombs and have actually caught terrorists in the act of implanting these bombs in the road. The UAV mission is imperative to today's combat ops," said Norsworthy. "When the infantry troops are going into a certain area to clear buildings, we'll go in ahead of time and scan the area, and we'll be able to report to them exact grids of potential enemies in the area. "Keeping Soldiers safe on the battlefield is number one. This is definitely a technology that will always be part of the fight," he said.
Staff Sgt. Daniel Lovell, who serves as a Tactical UAV operator, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn Div, wheels an RQ-7B Shadow 200 TUAV off the runway after the conclusion of a recon mission over MND-B airspace Aug. 11.
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Blackanthem Military News
Business Development Conference to Provide Contract Registration Training
By A. Al Bahrani, Gulf Region South district
Lt. Col. James Bamburg, chief of Contracting Basrah Joint Regional Contracting Center and Dr. Khedher, Host Nation Business advisor welcome the Basrah Contractors at the Basrah Int'l Airport. (USACE photo by A. Al Bahrani)
BASRAH - To help Iraqi contractors meet the U.S. government's scope of work requirements, proposals and other aspects of the bidding process, Basrah PRT along with Joint Contracting Command Iraq / Regional Contracting Center Basrah, successfully conducted a one-day business development conference at the Basrah Int'l Airport.
The Aug. 12, 2008, event presented the contract acquisition process for obtaining a construction contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engrs and the JCCI-RCC Basrah, said Army Maj. Daniel George, a PRT engr. from the Gulf Region Div, Gulf Region South district (GRS).
About 95 Iraqi contractors representing more than 75 companies from Basrah Province were given info to help them understand the contracting process used to award new projects that will provide services to the Iraqi people.
"We welcome you to the first, but not the last, business development conference," said Chief of Contracting Lt. Col. James Bamburg from the Army Basrah Joint Regional Contracting Center. "The aim of the one-day business development conference was to provide contract registration training to local Iraqi contractors and teach them how to access business opportunities that are offered by JCCI-RCC Basrah and GRS. Also provided in the presentation were how to prepare responses to solicitations and how the proposals are evaluated," Bamburg said. "There is a clear difference in the quality of proposals from contractors that receive this type of training versus contractors that have not had training; the contractors and the proposals also become competitive."
Al Baraa Technical Company Director in Basrah Province, Ali Al-Baghdadi said, "I consider today's conference one of the most important events. There were lots of mistakes made in our previous proposals that we didn't know about. Now we are able to avoid those mistakes and compete to win more projects to help build the future of our country."
Ali Khreeb, a representative of Al Sairafi Company for General Construction said, "We got very useful and valuable guidance that will help us make successful proposals."
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Suspected terrorist leader detained in al Hillah
FOB KALSU - Iraqi SF detained a suspected terrorist cell leader during an early-morning raid in al Hillah, Aug. 13.
The op resulted from intel developed by al Hillah SWAT Team and CF, and was carried out with assistance from the local IP. The suspected terrorist is believed to be a supplier of weapons to special groups. With his capture, ISF aimed to disrupt the flow of weapons to special groups in the area.
This was the first time the Hillah SWAT conducted a mission in cooperation with the IP, according to Capt. Hasam, the asst. bn cmdr. for Hillah SWAT. "We planned and conducted a successful op," Hasam said.
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Iraqi forces take over Georgians' missions in Wasit
FOB DELTA - Iraqi SF will partner with the 41st Fires Bde and occupy several checkpoints and patrol bases previously manned by the 1st Georgian Bde.
"We want to train and work with the U.S. Army," said Iraqi Sgt Watak. Namel is with a contingent of soldiers who are working together with soldiers from the 2nd Bn, 20th FAR at checkpoints in Wasit to keep the province stable and secure. "We like our job here of running the traffic control point and providing security at the entrance of the patrol base," he said.
The plan is to have a complete partnership with the Iraqi Soldiers, said 2nd Lt Charles Hines, with the 2-20 FAR., and the IA liaison at the patrol base. "Right now, the Iraqi soldiers have taken over the responsibility of the traffic control point, but we are going to train them to be able to take over the entire patrol base, go and do presence patrols and set-up temporary traffic control points in our area."
The 41st Fires Bde. established a very good working relationship with both the IP and the IA, said Col. Richard M. Francey, Jr., 41st Fires Bde cmdr. "We are integrating with the ISF to make us a better fighting force," he said. "They have stepped up to the plate, and their partnership is why we are able to take over the mission that the Georgians had to leave behind, with no change in the security and safety of the Iraqi people."
For Namel, working with the Americans is a chance to get better training, and learn as much from the U.S. Soldiers as he can. "I want to fight fiercely alongside the U.S. Army," he said. By working with the Americans, "I get more training to be able to do the job."
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ISF, MND-B Soldiers seize weapons caches throughout Baghdad
BAGHDAD - At approx. 3 a.m., Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker BCT, 25th ID, during a combined op with IA soldiers found 5 AK-47 rifles, 3 AK-47 magazines loaded with ammo, 2 Siminov rifles and a hand grenade near the Amir JSS in Baghdad Aug.15.
Approx. 4 hours later, while conducting a mounted patrol of the East Rashid area of Baghdad, Soldiers with Co D, 1st CAB, 22nd Inf Regt, 1st BCT, 4th ID, acting on a tip from a local resident, seized 2 155 mm mortar rounds and a 60 mm mortar round.
At approx. 11:50 a.m., IP working in the New Baghdad area of Baghdad, seized 3 rocket rails from the bed of a truck at a security check point.
While conducting a forces patrol with the local SoI in the West Rashid area of Baghdad, Soldiers with Co A, 1st CAB, 22nd Inf. Reg. found 4 Chinese-manufactured 87 mm mortars, 3 60 mm mortars, 2 57 mm mortars and 3 Chinese-manufactured 107 mm mortars at approx. 12:05 p.m.
In the Al-Mansuriyah area of Baghdad, just after 2 p.m., IA soldiers were escorted to a weapons cache by a local resident.
The cache consisted of 2 120 mm mortar rounds, an 82 mm mortar round, 5 25-pound amounts of propellant, a PG7 rocket, 1.5-liters of TNT explosive material, 15 electrical blasting cord caps and 18 feet of detonation cord.
In an abandoned house in the West Rashid area of Baghdad, IA soldiers found 6 60 mm mortar rounds with detonation cord attached to the top of each round at approx. 3 p.m.
At approx. 7 p.m., Soldiers from Co C, 1st Bn. 27th Inf Regt, 2nd SBCT, 25th ID, acting on a tip by a local Sheik, seized an IED that had been attached to the Sheik's car. While the Soldiers were investigating the incident, they also seized a 57 mm rocket and a rifle.
On a search for weapons caches based off a tip from a local resident, Soldiers with Co. B, 1st Bn, 502nd Inf Regt, 2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div, found 4 boxes of .51-cal. ammo in the Ghazaliyah area of Baghdad at approx. 12:30 a.m., Aug 16.
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ISF arrest terrorists, criminal in separate operations
BALAD - Iraqi SF arrested 2 suspected terrorists and one criminal on Ministry of Interior warrants during separate ops in central Iraq, Aug. 13.
Baghdad ERB arrested 2 suspected terrorists in Baghdad allegedly responsible for killing 4 IA soldiers, conducting extra judicial killings and executing IED attacks on Iraqi and CF in the region.
In a separate op, Hillah SWAT team, and Hillah IP arrested a suspected criminal believed to be a weapons cache cell leader.
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MND-B Soldiers detain suspected criminals in Al-Amin
BAGHDAD - MND - Baghdad Soldiers attached to 4th BCT, 10th Mtn Div (Lt), detained 4 suspected criminals in eastern Baghdad, Aug. 16.
Soldiers from 1st Bn, 66th AR, 1st BCT, 4th ID, conducted ops in the Al-Amin area of the New Baghdad district resulting in the detainment of the 4 individuals, one of whom is considered a key suspected criminal.
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Turning Wrenches
Spc.Christopher Forbus, of Co B, 589th BSB, and an Iraqi mechanic inspect an Iraqi Army Humvee as part of Grease Monkey, a project designed to increase the skill of Iraqi maintenance personnel, Aug. 11, 2008 at FOB Delta.
Photo by Sgt. Daniel West
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