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

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. 090128-03

January 28, 2009

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DSN:  318-852-1332
IRAQNA:  0790-194-0270

Besmaya Combat Training Center initiates Iraqi M1A1 tank training

BESMAYA, Iraq - The Besmaya Combat Training Center initiated M1A1 tank training for the first 30 Iraqi Army M1A1 tank crewmen on Jan. 25.  The newly-arrived Iraqi Army instructor candidates arrived from their home units to train at the BCTC.

The IA tank crewmen quickly transitioned from their usual counter-insurgency environment role to that of new students, eager to be trained on the combat-proven U.S. M1A1 Abrams tank.  The students will train for up to 3 months with the U.S. instructors from the Besmaya Combat Training Center. 

The instructor candidates will train on all aspects of the M1A1, including all four crew stations, crew maintenance, machine guns, SINCGARs radios, and daily use of the M1A1 gunnery simulator.  The training will culminate with tank gunnery range operations and a tank crew gunnery live-fire. 

Upon successful completion of their training, the instructor candidates will serve as assistant instructors when the initial crews begin arriving in April 2009, building basic M1A1 skills prior to the arrival of the 140 Iraqi M1A1 tanks in the fall of 2010.  The fielding of the M1A1 tanks will bolster Iraq’s capability to defend its sovereignty and serves to highlight the U.S. commitment to strengthening the Iraqi Security Forces.

Iraqi Army Col. Jawad, Armor Directorate Chief for the Iraqi Joint Headquarters, stated, “We (Iraq) have come a long way to be trained on the M1A1 tank, with much still to be done to prepare for the fielding of the Iraqi M1A1s.”

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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 .

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