BAGHDAD - The ability to rapidly respond to a time sensitive target (TST) is something Paratroopers stressed to their Iraqi counterparts during a training event, June 10, in east Baghdad's 9 Nissan district.
Scouts assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, and their Iraqi partners assigned to the 8th National Police Brigade, 2nd NP Division, trained on the proper procedures of a time sensitive operations in a pre-constructed house in the Beladiyat suburb of Baghdad.
The scouts specialize in raid and search operations against criminal activity in the 9 Nissan district. Many of their missions are time based and can come without a moment's notice. Paratroopers must respond in a timely manner in order to detain a suspect or seize a potential weapons cache.
As the U.S. presence continues to decrease in Iraq's capital, due to the June 30 mandate calling on U.S. Forces to move out of Iraqi's urban areas, Paratroopers of the "Hurricane" company want to ensure their Iraqi partners are ready to take the lead when it comes to this rapid and sometimes complex operation.
For this training event, instead of doing the exercise on a joint security station, the training was done in a city neighborhood in order to add realism to the exercise.
"We are training them on how to conduct a raid and search operation from start to finish, from the planning and organization process, to the link-up and execution of the mission," said 1st Lt. Eric Donahue, platoon leader for the scout platoon. "We are seeing improvement everyday and during this training event, they took the lead and executed the mission well."
The Fayetteville, N.C. native also said that prior to the training event; the combined forces had several classroom sessions learning the procedures of entering and clearing a building.
During the scenario, National Policemen responded to a TST in a neighborhood home. When they arrived to the target house, the NPs quickly set up a perimeter. They began to clear the home and search each room for anything suspicious as the Paratroopers supported, observed, and encouraged their Iraqi counterparts.
"They are stepping up and taking on a bigger role now, and it will get to the point that we can have a ratio of three Iraqi NPs to one U.S. Soldier during an operation," said Staff Sgt. Mike Johnson, of Centreville, Va., scout platoon sergeant.
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