Cavalry Regiment demonstrate the fundamentals of detainee searches to 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division soldiers at a combat outpost in Tal Afar, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo courtesy of 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# 051707-63
May 17, 2007

By Sgt. Paula Taylor
4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

TAL AFAR, Iraq—For the first time, members of 1st Platoon, B Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division conducted training together.

The training event, which allowed the cavalry to travel to several Iraqi Army area patrol bases, lasted two weeks and covered several types of searches.

“The searches that were taught were the search and seizure, cordon and search, vehicle search, and personnel search,” said Pfc. Kenneth Malone, cavalry scout. “These searches are important because they are vital to the success of their mission.”

Just after the initial class of students had finished learning proper search techniques, a call alerting the group was received of a possible foreign fighter being spotted in the immediate area.

“The call was from a source that identified a foreign fighter hiding out in the house across the street from where we were training,” said 1st Lt. David Boelens. “The IA went across the street and captured the foreign fighter, using many of the techniques our Soldiers had taught them a couple of hours earlier.”

Throughout the two-week period, Coalition Forces said they trained about 40-50 Iraqi soldiers per day.

“We trained at least 300 IA from first battalion alone,” Malone said. “They took the training well.”

Most of the scouts agreed that the IA soldiers learned valuable techniques that could possibly save lives.

“The combined experiences of my noncommissioned officers and Soldiers gave the IA soldiers good search techniques that may someday save their lives,” said Boelens. “Knowing what to look for and how to mitigate the threat is something that the IA have been instilled with. We are just helping to enhance that knowledge.”
Boelens feels the classes were relevant and will directly impact the Iraqi Army’s missions by making them more effective, and said that his unit will continue the training throughout the HeadHunter’s deployment.



Iraqi Army and Coalition Soldiers assigned to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, take cover behind a cement barrier after receiving small-arms fire in Tal Afar, Iraq. The CF are working with IA in the area to teach, coach and mentor their fighting skills. (U.S. Army photo courtesy of 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment)

Labels: 1-9 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Iraqi Army Division, Iraq, Iraqi Army, Tal Afar, US Army