Soldier’s five from CMATT




By Cpl Damian Shovell

IRAQI troops will get the soldier’s five from Australian soldiers in the coming weeks as the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT) begins its first phase of training near Baghdad.

Lt-Col Ian Cruickshank, CO Iraqi Army Brigade Training Team (IABTT), says that the contribution of 53 Army trainers is one of the most important in the Australian effort to reconstruct and rehabilitate Iraq.

“The Iraqi army wants to get up on their feet again and defend their nation, and in the six months we spend here I think we can contribute to that significantly,” he said.

“The thing that we’ll be doing initially is mentoring some of the Iraqi NCOs and officers and then we’ll assist and advise them in recruit, field, small arms and weapons training.

“We’ve got a very experienced group of NCOs and officers. They have a base of skills that includes recruit training, through to collective training and we are the right group of people to undertake this.”

The Australian contingent in CMATT ranges in rank from sergeant to lieutenant colonel and is drawn from 1 Bde, 7 Bde, 3 Bde, 131 STA Bty, 1JSU and DJFHQ. Out of the 53 personnel, 44 will conduct the hands-on training.

Lt-Col Cruickshank said he’s confident that CMATT will be well accepted by the Iraqis and is looking forward to working with them.

“I’ve spoken to the SECDET. They get on very well with the Iraqi nationals and I think we’ll do exactly the same.”

CMATT will first conduct initial training near Baghdad, where instructors will study the doctrine, and some Iraqi weapon systems, they will instruct on.

The doctrine used is a combination of Commonwealth drill, and US tactical doctrine.

Lt-Col Cruickshank said CMATT will then go to another base, where they will spend two months training Iraqi officers and NCOs in the skills necessary for them to conduct their own recruit training.

CMATT will then move again to assist and oversee the Iraqi army in recruit training and collective training up to an Iraqi brigade. This will consist of three infantry battalions and a brigade headquarters that will remain based at An Numaniyah.

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