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2007-09-21 Iraq
US Now Embedding Iraqi Soldiers In US Units
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Posted by Anonymoose 2007-09-21 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11132 views ]  Top
 File under: Iraqi Insurgency 

#1 This is something they should have been doing on day one!

Yes, this will result in some serious Mojo for the participants. Not just for the Iraquis, tho. An armed 'terp will have a somewhat different take than the colledge boys we were stuck with. Discuss.
Posted by N guard 2007-09-21 05:51||   2007-09-21 05:51|| Front Page Top

#2 They should also do it with junior officers.
Posted by Fred 2007-09-21 07:46||   2007-09-21 07:46|| Front Page Top

#3 Professional, empowered NCOs are a revolutionary idea for a ME army.
Posted by lotp 2007-09-21 07:52||   2007-09-21 07:52|| Front Page Top

#4 I don't think anyone was ready for this on day 1, N guard. We had as much learning to do as the Iraqis to get to this point. The embeds will be the bones of the Iraqi Army NCO, corps, but also of civil society as they rear their children with the ethos they've learnt here, then themselves retire and get involved on the civilian side.

Truly wonderful!
Posted by trailing wife 2007-09-21 08:08||   2007-09-21 08:08|| Front Page Top

#5 From your lips to God's ear, TW. I hope there is time for this to come to pass.
Posted by SR-71 2007-09-21 08:31||   2007-09-21 08:31|| Front Page Top

#6 Perhaps not on Day 1 but not 4 years later, either. Thank goodness Petraeus is running the show and soon the New Army.
Posted by Nimble Spemble 2007-09-21 09:52||   2007-09-21 09:52|| Front Page Top

#7 More about Staff Sgt. Shane Glowcheski and his unit here with a pic for the ladies.
Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins  2007-09-21 09:57|| http://northshorejournal.org]">[http://northshorejournal.org]  2007-09-21 09:57|| Front Page Top

#8 Been doing it in Korea since the war. They're known as KATUSAs (Ka-tous-ahs), Korean Augmentees to the United States Army. You have a few in each section or platoon. There's a KATUSA officer and Senior NCO at the Brigade level to assist [to include discipline - the augmentees really didn't want a little one on one discussion with the senior NCO]. Helps alot with working with locales and coordinating with other Korean authorities. Normally, it was one year of national military service for every Korean male or two years as a (volunteer) KATUSA.

Over the decades, its sort of evolved in a good o'boy net for those who completed their time. Meant getting good job offers, good positions within corporations, many other perks. So, there evolved a bit of old world bribery to get one's kid into the program.
Posted by Procopius2k 2007-09-21 10:06||   2007-09-21 10:06|| Front Page Top

#9 Never cease to be amazed.
Posted by gromgoru 2007-09-21 10:30||   2007-09-21 10:30|| Front Page Top

#10 as lotp notes, NCOs are a new concept for most Arab armies...yet the backbone of ours! (having been part of the backbone! :) )

Most Arab armies want Officers from "reliable" sources (religious, political, etc), and a bunch of cannon-fodder on the other end...with little in between.
Posted by Justrand 2007-09-21 10:46||   2007-09-21 10:46|| Front Page Top

#11 Great story, Chuck. Our people in Iraq are just amazing.
Posted by Steve White">Steve White  2007-09-21 11:49||   2007-09-21 11:49|| Front Page Top

#12 Most Arab armies want Officers from "reliable" sources (religious, political, etc), and a bunch of cannon-fodder on the other end...with little in between.

From what I can tell, the authority we push down to junior officers and NCOs in particular is pretty much unprecedented. It goes along with a whole lot of other things, including "no soldier left behind".

Not to mention "my men, my mission, then myself".
Posted by lotp 2007-09-21 12:07||   2007-09-21 12:07|| Front Page Top

#13 Well, when you start with the greatest country in the world, what else would you expect? Democrats?
Posted by Bobby 2007-09-21 12:20||   2007-09-21 12:20|| Front Page Top

#14 I found as I lived with and advised the Iraqi Army, the Iraqis actually have a number of good NCOs. The trick is getting the old guard to let go and empower them. We never had a problem with the guys doing the right thing once the officer let go. Me and my NCOs learned from them how to deal with the mindset and they learned from us to be in charge. When well led (just like most cases in history)the IA will perform well, and since most of their senior NCOs are on their 4th war they know how to fight, you just have to refine them.
Posted by TopMac 2007-09-21 13:29||   2007-09-21 13:29|| Front Page Top

#15 By now there must be a vast understanding of their language on the part of our troops, and a vast understanding of our language on the part of the Iraqis. This helps and is essential for this type of inter service operations.
Posted by wxjames 2007-09-21 14:10||   2007-09-21 14:10|| Front Page Top

#16 That's quite comforting, TopMac.
Posted by trailing wife 2007-09-21 23:17||   2007-09-21 23:17|| Front Page Top

23:54 Zenster
23:52 JosephMendiola
23:50 Barbara Skolaut
23:50 JosephMendiola
23:49 Zenster
23:47 Barbara Skolaut
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