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IA 5th MTR driving toward success Print E-mail
Monday, 20 November 2006
By Spc. Amanda Solitario

A line of Humvees parade around the unit's motor pool during a Nov. 1 transfer of authority ceremony in Kirkush. The unit is made up of heavy and light-wheeled vehicles along with ambulances and tow trucks. Official Department of Defense photo.
A line of Humvees parade around the unit's motor pool during a Nov. 1 transfer of authority ceremony in Kirkush. The unit is made up of heavy and light-wheeled vehicles along with ambulances and tow trucks. Official Department of Defense photo.
KIRKUSH — The Iraqi 5th Motor Transport Regiment is rolling right along.

On their own for the first time, the soldiers in the 5th MTR stood with heads held high as the Iraqi Army regained control of its regiment during a Nov. 1 ceremony.

“It has been a tremendous privilege and honor for me and my team to be here,” said Maj. Todd Offill, a 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soldier assigned to the Military Transition Team, as he addressed the soldiers.

The ceremony marked completion of their rigorous training with Coalition Forces, and a new addition to the Iraqi Army.

Under U.S. control for the past eight months, the 700 Iraqi Soldiers lived and worked with the MiTT as they trained and prepared for missions on some of the most perilous roads in Iraq.

“Hats off to all of these guys,” said Capt. Thomas Smith, advisor, MiTT. “They go over some of the most dangerous highways, and many have seen their family members killed by terrorist groups. They still come back, put on their uniform, and serve their country proudly.”

The 5th MTR’s primary job is vital to the continuity of the Iraqi Army, Smith said. The Soldiers in the unit operate heavy and light-wheeled trucks and can move personnel and equipment throughout the country.

Iraqi Soldiers bearing their country's flag lead the way in a pass and review after regaining control of 5th MTR. Official Department of Defense photo.
Iraqi Soldiers bearing their country's flag lead the way in a pass and review after regaining control of 5th MTR. Official Department of Defense photo.
Although Diyala province is the main area of operation for these Soldiers, their missions are not limited to the confines of one place, said Smith, a native of Raleigh, N.C.

In addition to the transportation of the Iraqi Army’s logistical support, the regiment maintains the serviceability of all the vehicles and provides the security for convoys.

During the ceremony, the unit showed off vehicular assets by circling the motor pool, slowly making their way past the stage, which was lined with Iraqi officers.

Smith said the MiTT faced many obstacles throughout the training process. Besides language and cultural barriers, he said it was a challenge to get the Iraqi Soldiers to transition to better ways of doing things.

He said the U.S. Soldiers did not necessarily want to impose their ideas, but just wanted to show the Iraqis that there are different ways of accomplishing a task.

One principle they tried to enforce was the concept of the noncommissioned officer corps.

Smith said the 10-man embedded transition team tested the unit on everything from basic soldier skills to logistical management, and invested endless hours in the development of the regiment.

“The 5th MTR was the only MTR to validate their Soldiers in the amount of time we had and with very limited resources,” he said.

Smith said he is confident in the abilities that he helped to instill in the Soldiers of the 5th MTR, and the unit will stand up next to any other MTR in the Iraqi Army and shine.

“They are all natural leaders and are very good at what they do,” Offill said.

Many of the Soldiers in the 5th MTR were recognized for their hard work and dedication to the fight.

Col. Megan P. Tatu, commander of the 164th Corps Support Group currently deployed to Camp Anaconda, and an Iraqi officer handed out certificates of achievements to those Soldiers before the close of the ceremony.

Smith said the next step for his team will be to sit as advisors for the Iraqi unit, giving advice, making suggestions and monitoring the progress of the MTR.
 
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