OALITION Volume 3, Issue 13 January 2009 CHRONICLE Air Force Firefighters Move, Expand Iraqi Training MARINE CO mm ANDANT VISITS TASK FOR C E NINEWA Forces Command Top NCO Gets Firsthand Look at Iraqi Enlisted Training Improvements Soccer Tournament in Taji Helps create Bond With Community U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Ralston Clarke, Personal Security Officer, I Marine Ex- peditionary Force, and native of Bronx, OALITION N.Y., stays warm as the sun sets behind the sandy horizon at a small U.S. Marine camp near the Saudi Arabian border and HRONICLE Sahl Sinjar, Iraq, Dec. 5. C The Official Magazine of Photo by Lance Cpl. Lindsay Sayres Multi-National Corps — Iraq On the Cover January 2009 Volume 3, Issue 13 MNC-I Commander Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III MNC-I Public Affairs Officer Col. Billy J. Buckner MNC-I Public Affairs Sergeant Major Sgt. Maj. Sharon Opeka Layout and Design Ms. Renea L. Everage page 1 Questions, comments and concerns about The Air Force firefighters make improvements Coalition Chronicle can be addressed via email at to Iraqi training program mncicoalitionchroniclegroupmailbox@iraq. centcom.mil. The Chronicle accepts articles, photos and letters for submission. Send submissions to [email protected]. mil. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit for security, page 6 accuracy, propriety, clarity and space. Forces Command’s The Coalition Chronicle is an authorized monthly publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of this top NCO visits monthly publication are not necessarily the official views Iraqi enlisted of or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the Department training academy of Defense. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office of the Multi- National Corps-Iraq. Departments Feature up Front page 1 Freedom’s Focal Point page 10 Photo Feature page 16 page 18 Taji soccer tournament helps create lasting In Memoriam relationships page 21 FEATURE UP FRONT UP FEATURE Air Force firefighters expand, relocate... Tech. Sgt. Brian Partido explains the different features of the mobile live fire training unit in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 24. Partido is a fire and rescue advisor, and is deployed from the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Story by Senior Master Sgt. Trish Freeland Photos by Staff Sgt. Paul Villanueve II AFCENT, Baghdad Media Outreach Team 1 Master Sgt. James Brody creates a simulated car fire for a live burn exercise in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 24. Brody is an as- sistant firefighter instructor, and is deployed from the 174th Fighter Wing, Syracuse Air National Guard, N.Y. ....Iraqi fire training course raqi firefighters were more than at one location for training. This half-way through the firefighter particular training session marked Iapprentice course being trained the first time the two ministries in Baghdad’s International Zone worked together at this level. before being moved. The class was “It was easy to show how beneficial originally taught at Taji Military the training would be. The Iraqi air Base just north of Baghdad, but the force firefighters weren’t getting location lacked advanced live-fire the training they needed at Taji,” trainers and had limited capacity for said Maj. Trenton Roney, a training students. advisor deployed from Langley Air “The maximum class size at Taji Force Base, Va. was 10. In the IZ, we have five extra “Combining the course not only instructors from civil defense who helped the MoD, but also the MoI. enable us to teach an additional 24 They were granted access to the Iraqi students for just one class,” said air force fire truck and firefighter Tech. Sgt. Brian Partido, a fire rescue suits that are being used for the advisor deployed from Little Rock training,” said Roney. Air Force Base, Ark. The 60-day course was designed The new location allows and conducted by the Coalition Air firefighters from the Iraqi Ministry Force Training Team, a division of of Interior and the Ministry of Multi-National Security Transition Defense, which includes the Iraqi Command-Iraq and augmented by air force and army, to come together U.S. Air Force firefighters from the 2 Coalition Chronicle “The maximum class size at Taji was 10. In the IZ, we have five extra instructors from civil defense who enable us to teach an additional 24 students for just one class.” Tech. Sgt. Brian Partido Fire Rescue Advisor An Iraqi firefighter double checks his partner’s personal protec- tive equipment before participating in a live fire training scenario in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 24. The firefighters are taking the firefighter apprentice course being taught by members of the U.S. Air Force. Department of Public Works and Partido, an El Paso, Texas native. the last four years. He said the class nearby Sather air base. The course consists of six training was a good refresher. “We took the fire apprentice blocks that cover various areas “I’ve had rescue and firefighting course from the U.S. Air Force including medical issues, basic fire training before, but this class offered and adapted it to the way Iraqi principles, fire control, hazardous a lot of new information,” he said. firefighters operate here and then materials, structural training and “I never worked with airbags before had it translated into Arabic,” said aircraft firefighting. this.” “We took them through a 1st. Lt. Ra’ed Hussein Alwan is a structural trainer that is a brand 16-year Iraqi air force veteran. He new state of the art propane driven previously served as a mechanic but trainer,” Partido said. “We gave transferred to firefighting after the them the baseline knowledge of war started in 2003. being able to enter a facility safely, “I chose to be a firefighter because extinguish a fire and operate on a it’s a humanitarian thing, just like fire and emergency scene.” doctors helping sick kids,” he said. “Since the MoI and MoD will often “Even if I’m on vacation, I can use have to work together to fight fires, my skills to help with car accidents, it’s best for them to receive the same volunteer at hospitals or put out level of training so they’ll be able to neighbor’s fires.” accomplish this more easily,” Roney Upon graduating in early this said. month, the firefighters will return to The class brought together stations throughout Iraq to put their firefighters with different levels newly sharpened skills to use. of firefighting experience. The “We started with the basics Iraqi firefighters don their personal experience levels ranged from those and worked our way to the more protective equipment before participat- with none at all to veterans with 20 advanced techniques,” said Partido. ing in a live fire exercise in Baghdad, years experience. “It’s amazing to see how far they’ve Iraq, Dec. 24. The firefighters are part of Col. Juher Jumhor Al Azawi, come in such a short amount of time. a 60-day firefighter apprentice course. director general of the training I think they’re going to do excellent.” academy, has been a firefighter for January 2009 3 Soldier stands out among fellow Infantrymen Story and photo by Sgt. Grant Okubo 10th Mountain Division Spc. Christopher Halski stands tall as his battalion commander Lt. Col. Gregory ne standout infantryman Baine presents him with an Army Commendation Medal during an award ceremony, earned six individual Dec. 10. While deployed, the Omaha, Neb. native earned two Purple Heart Medals, two ARCOMs, an Iraqi Campaign Medal, and a Combat Infantryman Badge. Halski recognitions as 4th Brigade O serves as an infantryman with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, Combat Team, 10th Mountain 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. Division, Multi-National Division - Baine is a native of Beaumont, Texas. Baghdad, infantry leaders honored Soldiers for their heroism and Halski. "He's really a credit to the deployment, said Smith. He earned bravery, recently. Army and our unit as a whole." the Combat Infantryman's Badge for Spc. Christopher Halski, an Jordan said if anyone deserves the his actions in active ground combat Omaha, Neb., native, assigned to awards, it is Halski. while assigned to an infantry unit, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 30th "One thing about Specialist Halski and the Iraqi Campaign Medal for Infantry Regiment, stood out among is that even though he was wounded his service in the country of Iraq. his peers as his company awarded on two separate occasions, with his "Whenever anyone needed help him, and the comrades with whom wounds, he was still able to fight with anything, Halski was the catch he shed blood and sweat the past the fight," said Sgt. 1st Class Gordon phrase 'go to guy,'" said Smith. "I year, multiple commendations. Smith, Halski’s platoon sergeant and think it's an honor for us to be able Halski earned two Purple Heart a Plano, Texas, native. to honor a Soldier of his caliber." Medals, two Army Commendation He said that although injured, Although being presented the Medals, a Combat Infantryman Halski continued to fight until his awards may be one of the high points Badge and an Iraqi Campaign comrades had to pull him out of "the of Halski’s deployment, he said the Medal. fight" so a medic could administer occasion marked a good time for Halski remained quite humble medical treatment to him. reflection about everything the Co. C after the ceremony, stating he only During his tour of duty, Halski infantry Soldiers have accomplished did what leaders asked of him - earned two Purple Heart Medals for during this deployment, which is simply performed his duty as an wounds he suffered in combat.