MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Iraq's security forces must be prepared to handle any situation as Iraq grows more independent.
That's why a select group of Marines are chosen to train and mentor Iraqi Security Forces as Iraq moves forward.
3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment’s Military Transition Team practiced its marksmanship skills at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms as part of their pre-deployment training to assist the Iraqi Security Forces.
“Living with, training, and mentoring the Iraqi military is our mission,” said Maj. William F. Wahle, MTT leader for 3rd Bn., 8th Marines.
Their goal is to give the ISF ownership and the ability to provide its nation’s security and to be self-sustaining, said Wahle, 37, from Tampa Bay, Fla.
Iraq is fighting to become a peaceful country. However, the insurgency is preventing this by targeting civilians.
“When we get to an Iraqi battalion, we can focus on teaching their officers on how to become (independent) so that they can drive their own operations,” Wahle said.
The battalion’s MTT was formed on Dec. 1, 2005, and is made up of Marines from different military occupational specialties.
The team consists of infantry, intelligence, logistics, communications and artillery Marines, along with a corpsman, Wahle said.
They are also crossed trained in a variety of fields such as marksmanship, foreign weapon systems, combat lifesaver techniques and the Arabic language.
“I’m used to doing just medical stuff, now I’m a jack of all trades,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua W. Leventhal, MTT corpsman.
Leventhal, who also previously deployed with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment as a senior line corpsman in charge of three other corpsmen, will now work alone.
The MTT focused on the M-203 grenade launcher, anti-tank rockets and the Enhanced Marksmanship Program (EMP).
“We don’t have lance corporals to fire these weapons for us. We need to know how to do it ourselves,” said Wahle, who deployed as Headquarters and Service Company commander for 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, last year.
“Marksmanship is the biggest thing we focus on, from EMP to machine-gun techniques, grenades and rockets,” said Wahle.
The training the MTT are focused on comes from the direct experiences of teams deployed before them.
“This EMP training is new to me… I’m definitely getting more of a Marine aspect from it,” said the 27-year-old Leventhal from Salem, Oregon.
The MTT Marines believe the success of the Iraqi Security Forces is their victory.
“It’s a necessary mission because we want to make them as qualified as possible to protect their country against insurgents and make them good enough to be on their own,” said Gunnery Sgt. Deangelo R. Williams, communications chief for the battalion’s MTT. “This is a group of professional Marines and we all want to contribute and we all have a positive attitude about it.”
Wahle, who was previously in charge of a company-size unit, now enjoys the closely-knit life as the leader of a small group of Marines.
“We all live in the same space and eat chow together. We’ve been a tight team since the beginning. It’s rare to have all these guys from different parts of the country and different MOS’s come together so well,” Wahle said.