Air Force, Army advisors train Iraqi defenders

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chuck Broadway
  • 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force
KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq --  Iraqi security forces members at Kirkuk Regional Air Base recently completed base defense training taught by U.S. Air Force and Army advisors. The training helped build a strong, successful squadron of Iraqi defenders and taught them how to better provide base security.

Air Force Master Sgt. Daren Kelly, a Butler, Pa., native deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and Army 1st Lt. Andrew Marshall led the training, which included lessons on base defense, vehicle search and small weapons training.

"The underlining theme was not just teaching the Iraqi air force how to do these tasks, but why," said Marshall, an access control platoon leader deployed from Fort Riley, Kan. "We wanted them to understand why it was so important to (perform) the different skills correctly and the background to why (the U.S.) would do them. That way, when the Iraqis are teaching, they can understand why certain aspects of the training need additional emphasis."

According to Kelly, the 321st Expeditionary Mission Support Advisory Group security forces adviser, this class was the first time these Iraqis security forces members received formal weapons training. After three days of training with AK-47s, Kelly said the Iraqis showed significant improvement.

The Iraqis even demonstrated successful completion of a weapons qualification course.

"We had a 100 percent qualification rate and 70 percent shot at the expert level," said Kelly. "It was a tremendous success to go from never touching a weapon to shooting expert."

The two-week training course graduated 15 instructors who are now capable of teaching other Iraqi security forces members.

Both Marshall and Kelly feel the Iraqis are now able to perform perimeter security as well as flightline and gate security.

"The security forces here will do a great job manning the perimeter and entry points (when we're gone)," said Kelly. "We've laid the foundation now for the Iraqis to provide a strong force and secure the base."

Building this foundation was Sergeant Kelly's goal from the moment he arrived at Kirkuk. As the only U.S. Air Force security forces member at Kirkuk, he was single-handedly responsible for advising the Iraqi security forces commander on establishing a full squadron of defenders.

"I have a great sense of pride and accomplishment," he said about the Iraqi security forces training program. "I've been here from the ground up, advising the Iraq security forces commander on what he needs to operate effectively. I've got a great working relationship with the Iraqi commander and it's been a great experience."