Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Phoenix Base
APO AE 09348

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. 081120-02
November 20, 2008
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DSN:  318-852-1332
IRAQNA:  0790-194-0270

Iraqi Army 7th Infantry Division training center opens (Al Asad)

AL ASAD, Iraq – The Iraqi Army’s 7th Infantry Division celebrated the opening of its new Division Training Center at Camp Mejid here today.

The training center supports the Iraqi Army training system and builds on the institutional training base by adding home-station training capability within the 7th Infantry Division.

The new Division Training Center in Al Asad consists of a combat assault course, range facilities, outdoor training facilities and two live-fire shoot houses.

The combat assault course has more than 20 obstacles to improve fitness and skills in negotiating physical challenges Soldiers might be confronted with while building a sense of teamwork and camaraderie within the unit.

Range facilities include 200 individual firing points with ranges at 100, 300 and 600 meters for Soldiers to learn and hone their marksmanship skills.

The two live-fire shoot houses provide an opportunity to learn tactics and techniques necessary for operations in cities and towns, known as Military Operations in Urban Terrain.

The facilities were dedicated to two fallen Iraqi Army soldiers, Pvt. 1st Class Ali Hussein Said Loeiby and Pvt. Khamis Ali Abid Ajaj.

Remarking on the impact of the new Division Training Center, Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Abdullah, commander of the 7th Infantry Division, said it would help “to prepare our Soldiers in a way that will enable them to finish their mission completely and difficult missions in the future, especially the special forces – Soldiers that will have an excellent role in the fight against terrorism, making Iraq safe and enforcing the rule of law.”

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS RELEASE, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL SECURITY TRANSITION COMMAND – IRAQ PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE BY E-MAIL AT This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it OR BY PHONE AT DSN: (318) 852-1332 OR IRAQNA: 0790-194-0270.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION VISIT:  WWW.MNSTCI.IRAQ.CENTCOM.MIL.