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Sather SFS take IqAF training to next level

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Levi Riendeau
  • 321st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq --  The Iraqi air force will be a step closer to providing personal security for high-ranking officials after completing advanced security forces training with 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron instructors later this week.

The advanced training involves three days in the classroom and 12 days out in the field practicing what the students have learned. The course is a precursor to personal security detail training.

"The advanced course is an effort to move toward the next phase of instruction, which is a joint effort with the Office of Special Investigations," said Master Sgt. William Romes, the 447th ESFS non-commissioned officer in charge, Iraqi security forces training.

"These guys are return customers. They have been through our 18-day train-the-trainer basic security course," said the Fort Jennings, Ohio, native.

The 447th ESFS pulled from a plethora of experience within the unit to ensure the training was a success. They had experience ranging from prior Marines to local law enforcement from cities within the states.

The instructors went over theory and examples in the classroom with their Iraqi air force partners, then took the training a step further by taking the students outside for some hands-on experience.

"You literally have to make them practice stuff until it becomes muscle memory... that's how we train ourselves," said Tech. Sgt. Tyler Elliot, 447th ESFS assistant NCOIC, Iraqi security forces training.

The students built up their "muscle memory" on mounted operations, combat patrols, dismounted operations and military operations in urban terrain.

"We've made huge jumps so far, but they have a long way to go still," said Sergeant Elliot, a Springfield, Ohio, native deployed from the Ohio Air National Guard.

But while a lot of what was taught was based on training and experience the instructors possessed, they had to adjust their training to account for the Iraqi's equipment shortcomings.

"Operating in vehicles is foreign to them," said Sergeant Romes, who is also deployed from the Ohio Air National Guard.

The Iraqi security forces don't have enough vehicles for patrols, so they familiarized themselves with 447th ESFS vehicles used during the training sessions.

Despite equipment shortcomings, the instructors taught them everything they could to prepare their Iraqi partners for increasing responsibilities as U.S. forces transition out of Iraq.

"Whatever skills that come out of this class, whether they use it or not, will go into their tool box. It's always a tool that's there to be used at a later time," said Sergeant Romes.