Iraqi defenders finish intense training, stand up armory

Published Feb. 27, 2011
By Staff Sgt. R. Michael Longoria
9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force - Iraq Public Affairs

ALI AIR BASE, Iraq -- More than 45 U.S. Airmen and Soldiers watched in excitement as the first group of Iraqi defenders received recognition during a graduation ceremony, Feb. 22, here.

"Today was historic for the Iraqi air force,' said Maj. Mechille Braden, the base transition team officer in charge. "We saw the first Iraqi airmen become defenders."

The 12 Iraqi airmen completed two weeks of security forces training, including written and practical exams, held by Iraq Training and Advisory Mission - Air advisors and members of the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Flight.

"To make Ali Air Base successful, we need professional and expert security training," said an Iraqi air force colonel in attendance. "This is good for the Iraqi air force and our country."

In the continued effort to improve internal security for the Government of Iraq, the training provided the Iraqi airmen with the core competencies needed to be security forces members or defenders.

"This training is the foundation to the Iraqis assuming control of operations here at Ali Air Base," said Major Braden, who is deployed from the Pentagon. "I'm extremely confident when U.S. forces transition and reposture at the end of the year, they will be ready to begin defender duties."

Those duties include running an armory and conducting entry control point duties, as well as airfield and perimeter defense.

"After completing this intense training, they are ready to be security forces members and do everything a defender would do," said Tech. Sgt. Ricky Furrow, ITAM security forces advisor and Houston, Texas, native. "With more practice and experience, they will continue to make progress and will be able to secure their own bases."

For the Iraqi airmen, the training was outside of their comfort zone and the language barrier caused problems at times.

"With the long hours of training and communication difficulties, they had to constantly adapt," Major Braden said. "This was a different experience for them, but when you watch them in action, you can see they have a strong desire to learn and it comes from their heart."

In addition to the individual efforts put forth by the students, another reason the training was successful was the support ITAM-Air received from the 407th ESFF.

"They were a tremendous help," said Sergeant Furrow, who is deployed from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. "Without the help from the security forces flight here, this training would not have been possible."

The 407th ESFF, in addition to training new students, will provide the graduates with on-the-job training to improve the skills they learned in the class.

While the course provided a basic foundation and covered a variety of topics, the main focus was on armory management. These 12 Iraqi airmen will be the armors for Ali Air Base and are scheduled to assume control of 104 AK-47s, which will be stored in their own armory, another milestone for the Iraqi air force.

"This will be the first Iraqi Air Force-run armory in country," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Ross, base transition team civil engineer support specialist and Iola, Kan., native. "It will be completely under their control."