Army to Deploy 101st Airborne Soldiers to Oversee Iraqi Army Training. Is this some more wasted money and time?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 19:40:50 -0500

"Operation Inherent Resolve"
No Boots On The Ground! That's what Obama said. Now, in 2016, 500 soldiers are going to Iraq to "Train Iraq's Military." How long does it take to train Iraq's military? As long as it takes evidently. I'm not sure they can be trained to fight. They remind me of the ARVN's in Vietnam. Some were good soldiers and fighters, and some liked how they looked in a uniform, but would run at the first crack of a weapon. Either that, or go to the other side if they were losing. You decide. It ticks me off.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (Red Currahee), 101st Airborne Division, lay down suppressive fire Oct. 5, 2015, during a ground assault training exercise in New Mexico. (Defense Department photo/Corey Baltos)
Nov 06, 2015
Military.com, by Matthew Cox

The U.S. Army is sending 500 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to Iraq and Kuwait in early 2016 to advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces.
The 101st headquarters element will assume the role of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command-Iraq, replacing the 82nd Airborne Division headquarters, according to a Nov. 6 Army press release.
During the nine-month deployment, the division headquarters will provide command and control of coalition troops that are training, advising, and assisting Iraqi forces as part of Operation Inherent Resolve to combat militants affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.
About 1,300 paratroopers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division recently returned from a nine-month mission of training Iraqi army units as part of the advise-and-assist mission. During that deployment, the 3rd BCT formed in teams and helped to train about 12,400 new Iraqi army soldiers. The teams also worked every day with Iraqi Ground Forces Command.
Iraqi army units are currently fighting in the counterattack to retake Ramadi from militant fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
The 101st HQ began preparing for the 2016 deployment in late summer.
"Operation Inherent Resolve has been the focus of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Headquarters for the last three months," said 101st commander Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky.
"Going back to 1942, Screaming Eagle soldiers have always answered our nation's call to duty with pride and tenacity," said Volesky. "This tough mission is our next 'Rendezvous with Destiny' - and we are ready for

Army to Deploy 101st Airborne Soldiers to Oversee Iraqi Army Training

The service is sending 500 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division to Iraq and Kuwait in early 2016 to advise Iraqi forces.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Nov 7 at 2015 7:42 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 19:42:29 -0500

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Gods Speed to all the troops!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2015 7:43 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 19:43:15 -0500

Short answer, yes

Response by SGM Mike Barbieri made Nov 7 at 2015 7:44 PM

SGM Mike Barbieri — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 19:44:08 -0500

Yes. America does not have the money nor the patience to truly fix the problems that exist in the middle east.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2015 7:47 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 19:47:13 -0500

100% without a doubt a TOTAL waste of money! Plus, another deployment? Really? Hasn't our armed forces had enough for awhile?

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Nov 7 at 2015 7:52 PM

MSG Floyd Williams — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 19:52:14 -0500

What happen to pulling out of Iraq?

Response by Cpl Brett Wagner made Nov 7 at 2015 7:53 PM

Cpl Brett Wagner — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 19:53:01 -0500

Yes it is a waste of time & money. Nothing over in that part of the world is worth the sweat off our soldiers backs.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Nov 7 at 2015 8:46 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 20:46:13 -0500

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Additional training might work! If the US trainers retain custody of the payroll dollars for participants included somewhere in this 'deal' and pay those US funds directly into the hands of the participating trainees. Certainly not into Iraqi Army hands!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2015 9:27 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 21:27:44 -0500

When you want it done....call the 101!!!

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Nov 7 at 2015 9:31 PM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 21:31:47 -0500

If I'm not mistaken, this deployment is actually part of their normal deployment rotation... These troops were already there "advising and training", right?

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Nov 7 at 2015 11:15 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 23:15:22 -0500

It will only work if the soldiers they are training have a desire to see their country succeed and I doubt that they actually do

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2015 11:18 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 23:18:57 -0500

http://kfor.com/2015/10/29/pentagon-were-in-combat-in-iraq/

Pentagon: 'We're in combat' in Iraq

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon conceded Wednesday that U.S. troops are in combat in Iraq after days of dancing around the characterization following the first death of U.S. service member in the campai...

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2015 11:24 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 23:24:49 -0500

Is a lack of training really what the problem was/is with the Iraqi Army? I'm all for it if it will actually help but I don't think it will. It's difficult if not impossible to change a culture.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Nov 8 at 2015 12:16 AM

Capt Richard I P. — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 00:16:30 -0500

Why wouldn't it work this time?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2015 12:21 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 00:21:26 -0500

This is a picture I took when I deployed to Baghdad for the surge in 2007, and I think it summarizes my thoughts really well. America can send men like this fine American soldier (who I've deliberately photo-edited out identifying info for the sake of his privacy) I served with to train the Iraqis, but we face(d) two challenges in doing so. First, you can't train a will to fight, and second you can only work with the quality of the people given to you to train. Fat lazy slobs like the Iraqi soldier pictured seemed to be the norm for those I encountered as my local "counterparts." When the Mahdi Army revolted in early 2008 the Iraqi Army didn't fight back. They abandoned their positions and ran like cowards despite possessing superior firepower and numbers. They lacked the will to fight, and it was a problem then as much as it's a problem now. When Iraqis start giving a shit about their future and come together to fight for it is when I'll support sending American troops to go over and train and assist them. That day isn't today, and I don't foresee it coming any time soon.

Response by MSgt John Carroll made Nov 8 at 2015 3:19 PM

MSgt John Carroll — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 15:19:30 -0500

It is an absolute waste of time and money. We can teach them and they will learn. That isn't the issue. The issue is their culture. They don't do anything, Allah does. Everything there is "Inshallah".

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Nov 8 at 2015 11:40 PM

SGT Rick Ash — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 23:40:59 -0500

What a huge waste. At the first sign of ISIS the IRAQI Army will jump out of tanks and trucks and RUN. You can't train for COURAGE.

Response by SFC Richard Lee made Nov 9 at 2015 3:04 AM

SFC Richard Lee — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 03:04:15 -0500

I totally feel that it's wasted time and money. If the citizens of Iraq love their freedom as much as we love ours, they would do all in their power to safeguard it as strongly as we do. Just like I believe that if they want democracy they would do the same.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 9 at 2015 3:32 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 15:32:37 -0500

yes but i do believe its needed, to bring some stability, hopefully.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 10 at 2015 9:26 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 21:26:28 -0500

We are training school girls how to fight.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Nov 11 at 2015 11:31 AM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 11:31:33 -0500

Ummm, haven't we spent over 10 years "training" them already? What possible other training can we provide that they haven't picked up in the past decade? I guess there goes the whole 'I ended the war in Iraq' and 'no boots on the ground'...I will just continue to pray for my brothers and sisters and hope that they all come home!

Response by SFC Marcus Belt made May 11 at 2016 2:05 AM

SFC Marcus Belt — Wed, 11 May 2016 02:05:53 -0400

It depends. If you view OP INHERENT RESOLVE as a mission to secure liberty for Iraqis, then yes, of course it is.

However, that is not really much of a factor. Our current operations in Iraq and Syria are almost entirely to achieve our OWN foreign policy objectives. We are trying to reduce the ability of a persistent and motivated enemy (ISIS/ISIL/Da'esh) to project power against our homeland. History has shown us that those large ungoverned spaces are dangerous to us, but since the US essentially created such a place by toppling Saddam Hussein, it's mostly our problem to fix.

After 13 years of very expensive warfare, we have a greater threat to our homeland from that region than we did before.

However, make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, it was, and always is, about accomplishing our own objectives in the region.

Response by LCpl Daniel Mcenespy made Feb 3 at 2017 12:57 AM

LCpl Daniel Mcenespy — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 00:57:51 -0500

What in God's good name are we doing???!! But I guess if we don't train and arm them, we would have nobody to fight.