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By Sgt. Raymond Piper
Soldiers Magazine
September 2005
An Iraqi girl throws confetti as Iraqi soldiers from 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, pass in review during an activation ceremony at Muthana Airfield.
Training for the “Defenders of Baghdad,” as the new troops of the Iraqi army’s 5th Brigade, 6th Division, call themselves, had begun some two months earlier. During those eight weeks they learned new tactics and procedures to help them defend their country against any threat.
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“This is an important day for the people of Iraq. These men before you are all volunteers and have sworn to defend Baghdad,” said Task Force Baghdad commander MG William G. Webster Jr. at the unit’s activation ceremony.
“All of the country’s TV stations are here filming the event so the people can see the ceremony in their homes,” said Col. Mohamed Hashim Al-Musawy, an aide to the 5th Bde. commander. “As our training goes on, the citizens, houses and streets of Iraq will be safer. If the U.S. forces keep helping us in our training, we will control the Iraqi streets, and we’ll protect the citizens from the explosions the terrorists carry out against the Iraqis.”
The newest Iraqi army brigade is responsible for defending the Green Zone and surrounding areas in Baghdad.
“I think they will play a vital role in the freedom of Iraq, especially around Baghdad. These soldiers will show the American and Iraqi people that they are up to the task,” said CSM Robert Taylor, of the 8th Cavalry Regiment.
The 5th Bde., composed of more than 2,500 Iraqi soldiers, received training from Soldiers of the 8th Cav. Regt. and Headquarters and HQs. Co., 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regt.
The Iraqis were trained on a variety of tasks, including reflexive fire, basic marksmanship and room clearing.
“I feel proud that the Iraqi soldiers can defend Iraq. I hope God will make them brave and keep them safe,” Al-Musawy said. “We have soldiers who are very young, and we thought that they might fail, but because of the Americans who gave us good training, they made it.
“In the past, men didn’t join the Iraqi army for fear that terrorists would kill them, but now, there are many volunteers,” he said.
“I learned from our training that the new soldiers are very eager to be trained and they’ve proved it during the operations they’ve conducted in various areas around Baghdad,” Al-Musawy added.
“They may not be as good as American Soldiers today, but one day they will be just as good,” Taylor said. “They put their lives on the line every day, either at checkpoints or on patrols, and they are right beside us doing the same things we’re doing.”
Al-Musawy said that the Iraqi troops have been successful because of their training and they will continue to get better. “I hope the same unit will train the next brigade, so the new soldiers will receive the highest level of training.”
© 2005 Soldiers Magazine. All rights reserved. |
