December
1, 2005: Sometimes, you can't teach an old soldier new tricks. In Iraq, the
training of the new Iraqi army has moved onto another level, with Iraqi troops,
who have already been trained by Americans, now serving as instructors. That
eliminates the language and cultural barriers. Earlier, American instructors
used a translator to tell their trainees what they were saying. American
soldiers (often visiting Special Forces troops), who spoke Arabic, noted that
sometimes things were lost in translation. This was because the translators
were usually unfamiliar with American military terminology and practices, and
used the wrong words. Sometimes the American instructor would catch this,
sometimes not.
The
new Iraqi instructors are still coached and observed by American trainers, to
make sure nothing is missed. The American training is quite different from the
Russian style stuff used for decades. Actually, the Russian style was not much
different than the "Arab" style of training, which also relied on rote
learning. The American style aims to get troops to not only perform vital tasks
automatically, but also think for themselves. Not all Iraqi trainees accept
this concept, and it takes some work just to explain what it is and why
it is good. Both the Iraqi trainers and trainees have to accept this new style
of soldiering. But since most Iraqis can see American troops in action, they can
better understand how this style of operating produces better results.
Unfortunately, for older officers and NCOs, the old ways often prove impossible
to discard. Thus the new Iraqi army is noticeably "younger" than the one that
served Saddam, especially when it comes to officers and NCOs. Of course, a lot
of Saddam era officers are not allowed to join the new army because their
loyalties are still with the old government. If that doesn't come out during
initial interviews, it is usually revealed when these veteran officers interact
with the younger "new army" officers.
