Iraqis are moving toward self sufficency

MNFI:

This past June, Iraqi Army Soldiers in Taji recovered two broken down humvees on their own and restored them without any help from Coalition maintenance.

“Probably the most exciting thing for me is I compare (today) to our partnership with the IA in 2006, and it’s night and day,” said Capt. Steve Chadwick, and Iraqi Security Forces coordinator with Multi-National Division – Center, who was stationed in Tal Afar and Ramadi at that time.

Just two years ago, Coalition mechanics took care of the bulk of repairing vehicles and replacing parts. Not anymore, said Chadwick.

Maintenance is not the only area where ISF are more proficient. There are now more Regional and Divisional Training Centers in Iraq than ever before, with classes taught by either Iraqi noncommissioned officers or civilian instructors expert in a specific field.

“The future is the IA taking up training all on its own. It’s already begun,” said Capt Kyle Kirby, an ISF coordinator with the 10th Mtn. Div.

Before, many of these courses were supervised or even taught by Coalition instructors. Iraqi forces units also relied more heavily on training with Military Transition Teams.

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Yesterday I was in Home Depot in Brenham getting some custom mixed wood stain for the most overbuilt office storage closets in the world. While the peach colored stain was being mixed, I learned that the woman doing it was just back from vacation with her husband who just returned from Iraq where he had spend over a year training Iraqi police and military police.

It appears that his work is starting to pay dividends that many thought were impossible and we owe him and the other Americans a debt of gratitude for their hard work. The job that our forces have accomplished in Iraq is remarkable. The Iraqis have come a long way and there is hope for their continued success, that should not be thrown away with a hasty retreat.

The Iraqis are finally getting the NCOs and middle ranks officers that make an army work.