BAGHDAD - Paratroopers provided their Iraqi Army partners with maintenance training on the humvee in order to keep the vehicle fully mission capable at Joint Security Station Zubaida March 28.
Light-wheeled vehicle mechanics from Company E, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, met with mechanics from the 1st Battalion, 55th Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army Division in order to assist and support their IA partners with becoming more proficient in the area of maintenance through training.
Since 2004, Coalition forces have been transferring hundreds of military tactical vehicles to the Government of Iraq which in turn distributes the vehicles to IA units. The humvee is the most widely used tactical vehicle in the IA and commanders need mechanics with proper training to perform required maintenance for unit readiness.
The IA Soldiers who attend these combined training exercises have good knowledge on the humvee due to MND-B Soldiers translating the technical manuals from English to Arabic for IA mechanics to use when they complete scheduled vehicle maintenance.
"This is my first time working with mechanics in the IA on a combined training assignment and they understood the basics of weekly preventive maintenance and the instructions in the technical manual referring to removal and installation of vehicle parts," said Point Pleasant, W. Va. native, Staff Sgt. Denis Mcfall, a mechanic with Co. E.
The instructors for the combined training exercise, Mcfall and Sgt. Robert Knotts, also a Co. E mechanic, used an interpreter to conduct classes and a practical exercise covering the removal and installation of an engine starter solenoid.
"After working with the IA soldiers they have expressed their concerns and needs for new tools and replacement parts to maintain the IA military vehicles that have been supplied to their unit," said Sgt. Robert Knotts, who hails from Marietta, Ohio. Knotts is working with his battalion maintenance officer to assist the Iraqis on ordering supplies and having supplies on hand for vehicles.
The Iraqi Army mechanics have good experience working with the humvees after years of driving them said Iraqi Army Sgt. Jasim Malik.
The Paratroop mechanics have conducted similar combined training exercises with the IA at Forward Operating Base Falcon and plan to continue assisting Iraqi mechanics with resolving their logistics and maintenance problems.
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