# Iraqi 36th Commandos, trained by USSF advisors.



## JJOIFVET (Jul 7, 2009)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_36th_Commando_Battalion 

So today, I go to work and on my desk are orders to wear the Iraqi Commando badge. Six years earlier in November of 2003, my team and a couple of other teams stood up the first Iraqi Commando BN. We took a bunch of rag tag Iraqis and made them into the premier fighting force in Iraq. Today they are known as the ISOF, (Iraqi Special Operations Forces). I don't know what took so long for us to get the orders or the Commando Badge, but I am glad we finally got it. We put a lot of blood and sweat into making that unit. The great thing about being SF is back when we started up this unit, I worked really close with a Kurdish LT named Tariq. This man was a great Soldier and had a lot of experience. Well the great thing is, I ran into him almost three years after the fact and he was a Major. The man worshiped the ground I walked on, and anytime we needed anything, which was rarely, he was able to provide it. This just goes to show you that Rapport matters because almost three years later Tariq remembered my first name as soon as he saw me, and we had met 300 miles north of where we first began our training in 2003. Above is a link if anyone is interested in their short history. I am glad to have been a part of it.


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## Rock42 (Jul 7, 2009)

Thats Awesome!!! congrats on such a huge accomplishment.


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## racing_kitty (Jul 7, 2009)

Thanks for posting this, JJ.  To this day, that kind of brotherhood among warriors never ceases to amaze me.


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## 08steeda (Jul 7, 2009)

JJ you should be damn proud!!! Congrats on the recognition! Sounds like it was very hard earned and well deserved!!!!


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## tjwest (Jul 7, 2009)

Impressive list of operations, not to mention a sweet looking badge.  Great work.


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## 18C4V (Jul 8, 2009)

Nice!!! I got the Commando badge also. Great bunch of guys especially the company that I TAed!!!!


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## Ravage (Jul 8, 2009)

Awsome ! Thanks for sharing that :)


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## Ajax (Jul 8, 2009)

That's pretty cool JJ.  I think an important point of this experience is that the awarding of the badge by US forces adds some official validity to the unit you trained.  I've got some fine mementos from Afghani commandos from back in the day, but the conventional fags, in their infinite wisdom, chose to disband the battalion sized unit and send these SF-trained guys back to their poppy farms.  Way to think 2nd and 3rd effects, right?  It's good to hear a story with a happy ending.


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## Rapid (Jul 8, 2009)

Very cool. It must feel great to have been a part of that.


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## Boondocksaint375 (Jul 8, 2009)

Congrats bro, you are a part of history.


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## 7point62 (Jul 8, 2009)

JJOIFVET said:


> This just goes to show you that Rapport matters...





Word. Probably _the_ most important aspect of FID which, thankfully, SF operators have practiced for decades but which regular forces--when pressed into working with foreign troops--often tend to disregard to their eventual regret.

Congratulations on a job well done.


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## JJOIFVET (Jul 8, 2009)

18C4V said:


> Nice!!! I got the Commando badge also. Great bunch of guys especially the company that I TAed!!!!




I like working with them and ICTF.


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## JJOIFVET (Jul 8, 2009)

Ajax said:


> That's pretty cool JJ.  I think an important point of this experience is that the awarding of the badge by US forces adds some official validity to the unit you trained.  I've got some fine mementos from Afghani commandos from back in the day, but the conventional fags, in their infinite wisdom, chose to disband the battalion sized unit and send these SF-trained guys back to their poppy farms.  Way to think 2nd and 3rd effects, right?  It's good to hear a story with a happy ending.




Yeah man, if you take jobs away from the guys, they will go where than can make the money. And in their case back to the poppy fields and the money probably went right to Al queda.


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## JJOIFVET (Jul 8, 2009)

7point62 said:


> Word. Probably _the_ most important aspect of FID which, thankfully, SF operators have practiced for decades but which regular forces--when pressed into working with foreign troops--often tend to disregard to their eventual regret.
> 
> Congratulations on a job well done.




Speaking or Rapport, I was with my team training some locals once and we had some guys with us that had never done FID. They were non SF type guys. I walked up on the range and these guys helping train, Americans mind you, had these locals carrying massive rocks for punishment for screwing up on the range. They were yelling at them, cussing and calling them names and I am pretty sure the guys being punished didn't understand a thing coming from their mouths. That is not a good way to build the rapport and get these guys to train and train like you want them to. You have to find other ways to communicate to them what you want out of them. Needless to say, we had a big meeting that night and I was furious. It didn't happen again, and it took a little longer to build rapport with this platoon than it did the others. 

Not every country has Soldiers that are up to the standards of our Soldiers. We are the best military in the world hands down. So we can not just walk into a country and expect our counterparts to be as good as we are, and you don't get them up to speed by making them carry big ass rocks and blowing your rapport. We have to work with these guys, live with them, eat the same food as them, drink the same chai as them or red wine even if you don't like the shit. Talk to them, find out about their families, interests, their culture. Trust me, doing these things will help out when it comes to training them. Don't be a lazy Soldier and not do these simple things. In the long run they are eager to learn and you will learn something to.


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## 08steeda (Jul 8, 2009)

Great Post JJ!


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## Gypsy (Jul 8, 2009)

Congrats to you, well deserved and you should be proud of your accomplishments.  We are.


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## Scotth (Jul 8, 2009)

A proud accomplishment.  Well done


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## JJOIFVET (Jul 8, 2009)

Thanks guys, but I didn't do anything alone. It was a team effort of several teams, I am just glad to have been a part of it.


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## Ravage (Jul 10, 2009)

Since we are on the topic:

http://news.soc.mil/releases/News Archive/2009/June/090629-01.html

*Iraqi Special Operations Forces arrest 5 suspected terrorists in Baghdad *

BAGHDAD (Courtesy of MNC-I Public Affairs Office, June 29, 2009) – An element of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, along with Coalition force advisors, arrested five suspected terrorists during an intelligence-driven, early-morning operation in the Iraqi capital June 27.

During the Iraqi-led operation, the Soldiers of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces were operating under the authority of warrants issued by the Criminal Investigative Court of Iraq-Karkh.

The suspects are allegedly responsible for conducting improvised explosive attacks, kidnapping Iraqi citizens and murder.

“The capture of these ruthless men who are linked to sectarian murders demonstrates that Iraqi Security Forces are committed to providing security for Iraq and the Iraqi people,” said Maj. April Olsen, a spokesperson for Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula. 

In other Operation Iraqi Freedom news:

*Iraqi Special Operations Forces arrest 3 suspected terrorists in Baghdad *

BAGHDAD – An element of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, along with Coalition force advisors, arrested three alleged terrorists during an intelligence-driven mission in the Iraqi capital June 26.

During the early-morning operation, the Soldiers with the Iraqi Special Operations Forces were operating under the authority of warrants issued by the Criminal Investigative Court of Iraq-Karkh. 

The apprehended individuals are suspected to be responsible for conducting attacks against the Iraqi Security Forces operating in the Baghdad area. 

“Once again, the elite Soldiers of the ISOF have highlighted their commitment to providing the people of Iraq with the safety, security and stability they deserve by taking three more terrorists off the streets,” said Maj. Robert Bockholt, a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula spokesman. 

*Iraqi Special Operations Forces arrest 2 suspected terrorists in Baghdad *

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Special Operations Forces, along with Coalition force advisors, arrested two alleged terrorists during an intelligence-driven, Iraqi-led operation in the capital June 27.

The Iraqi Soldiers were operating under the authority of a warrant issued by the Criminal Investigative Court of Iraq-Karkh. 

Military reports indicate that the suspects are allegedly responsible for kidnapping and killing Iraqi citizens. Reports also state that They are also believed to be linked to an insurgent network that has conducted small-arm fire attacks against Iraqi Security forces operating in the greater Baghdad area. 

According to ground forces, the successful capture of these individuals may disrupt terrorist operations in the Iraqi capital.

“The successful arrests of these terrorists testifies to the people of Iraq that Baghdad is not a safe haven for terrorist networks and that the Iraqi Security Forces are dedicated to making Iraq a more secure and stable nation,” said Maj. Robert Bockholt, a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula spokesman. 

*Special Forces train Iraqi personal security detail*

MOSUL, Iraq – In order to provide added capabilities for Iraqi Security Forces in Ninewa Province, U.S. Special Forces trained two Iraqi personal security details to protect elected officials in the province May 24 and June 7.

The five-day course, conducted on Forward Operating Base Marez, covered personal security techniques, immediate medical care and basic marksmanship skills.

“The overall intent is to teach the detail to protect and secure their democratically elected officials,” said the primary course instructor, who preferred to be called “Sergeant Lex” due to operational security reasons.

The students had a wide range of experience in military and PSD service. By the end of the course, however, every student had learned intricate techniques and concepts.

On the first day of training, Sgt. Lex gave the students an overview of the course and introduced them to his drill sergeant training style to instill discipline in the team.

“We inculcated a ‘one-team, one-fight’ environment from the very beginning,” said Sgt. Lex. “We had to ensure they understood that every individual effort affects the total outcome. This really paid dividends by the end of the course, just like it will when they conduct operations in Ninewa.”

The hands-on portion started the next day, beginning with medical training. SF medics taught the students how to provide medical treatment for battlefield wounds in order to keep each other and their official alive following an attack.

The teachers ensured the students understood the basics of maintaining an airway, assistance in breathing, ensuring circulation and controlling breathing, said a medical instructor.

Two SF instructors taught the marksmanship portion, which involved safely loading, unloading and clearing their weapons. They also focused on applying the fundamentals of basic rifle marksmanship while firing from the standing, kneeling and prone positions.

Once the students had a handle on the basics, the marksmanship instructors taught the detail more advanced techniques, such as correcting weapon malfunctions, magazine changes and how to shoot and move.

Following marksmanship training, Sgt. Lex taught the team how to move in a protective formation and evacuate their official out of danger. The students drilled on the security techniques until it became second nature for them.

With the routines lodged firmly in their minds, Sgt. Lex gave the students scenarios to run through, such as safely escorting an official to a meeting and reacting to crowds or threats. The detail did these scenarios until each squad knew how to react to each situation.

“It’s virtually impossible to expose the students to every possible scenario they’ll face, so we focused the training to the likely threats and conditions they’ll encounter in their area of operations,” said Sgt. Lex. “More important than learning hundreds of techniques, we wanted to focus on principles and teamwork with the intent of them learning how to think and not what to think.”

The final day began with a practical exercise in which the detail escorted mock officials to meetings and had to react to threats against the officials they were assigned to protect. After the exercise, the detail graduated and each student received a certificate of completion.
“I’m extremely proud of this protective detail. We’ve introduced them to several scenarios not covered in training and they’ve responded like seasoned veterans,” he said.


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## 7point62 (Jul 13, 2009)

JJOIFVET said:


> Speaking or Rapport, I was with my team training some locals once and we had some guys with us that had never done FID. They were non SF type guys. I walked up on the range and these guys helping train, Americans mind you, had these locals carrying massive rocks for punishment for screwing up on the range. They were yelling at them, cussing and calling them names and I am pretty sure the guys being punished didn't understand a thing coming from their mouths. That is not a good way to build the rapport and get these guys to train and train like you want them to. You have to find other ways to communicate to them what you want out of them. Needless to say, we had a big meeting that night and I was furious. It didn't happen again, and it took a little longer to build rapport with this platoon than it did the others.
> 
> Not every country has Soldiers that are up to the standards of our Soldiers. We are the best military in the world hands down. So we can not just walk into a country and expect our counterparts to be as good as we are, and you don't get them up to speed by making them carry big ass rocks and blowing your rapport. We have to work with these guys, live with them, eat the same food as them, drink the same chai as them or red wine even if you don't like the shit. Talk to them, find out about their families, interests, their culture. Trust me, doing these things will help out when it comes to training them. Don't be a lazy Soldier and not do these simple things. In the long run they are eager to learn and you will learn something to.




Young soldiers/Marines tend to get very frustrated and impatient working with foreign troops. I've always been against putting reg infantry in FID or combined ops roles with only a few weeks work-up. I've seen poorly trained young Americans die because of bad blood between them and their counterparts. My team ran react one night to the poz of a combined ops platoon that had gotten into a Mexican standoff after one of their counterpart NCOs shot down a young Marine, pointblank, full-auto, full-mag 5.56. I called in his medevac. (It took him a month to die.) My Actual and an Army Ranger captain somehow managed to diffuse one of the most intense situations I've ever been in. But the relationship between these troops had deteriorated to the point where they resented and distrusted each other. I've also seen it done right, where rapport is built up gradually, respect given is respect recieved and where foreign troops will die for you. I've known a few who have.


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## car (Jul 13, 2009)

Outstanding post JJ! And congrats.


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## JJOIFVET (Jul 13, 2009)

I say outstanding to 1st BN 5th group. To all of them men who put hundreds upon hundreds of hours in to accomplish this. Several of these guys have been KIA and one has died of a heart attack at 31 years old. Those are the guys I thank for making the ultimate sacrifice.


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## Ravage (Jul 22, 2009)

Dunno if it's Your guys JJ but:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9ihqdfHGmg[/ame]

Photage from Sadr City


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## Crusader74 (Jul 22, 2009)

awesome Vid Ravage!!


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## JJOIFVET (Jul 22, 2009)

That wasn't the 36th Commandos who are now just ISOF. That was the ICTF which is Iraqs Teir 1 unit which we also train. That fight happened on one of my rotations I believe. I can't remember them all, but anywho, the ICTF are damn good now.


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## 275ANGER! (Jul 22, 2009)

I have mad respect for you SF guys working along side them, I only worked once with the Iraqis on an operation along with their SF handler and they were ok, a little unnerving to be around but they seemed to have their shit together.  Don't no what unit they where from though. I do remember it was a day we infilled with SWCC and they seemed excited to have just experienced a ride in the SOC-R


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngDwYaah4GU&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jC0YMNCGiA&feature=related[/ame]


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## SAWMAN (Jul 22, 2009)

I've also heard those guys have gotten pretty darn good. I commend the good work on getting them tuned up to carry on the good fight in our absence. I haven't dealt with them directly, yet, but apparently they've gotten dialed in quite well. So, good on you guys for that.

I'm always conflicted to see us train foreign units to a high degree, though. It seems we always have them to fight against about a decade later, due to no fault of those who trained them. 

So, even though I have concerns some of that training may eventually be used against us, I do recognize the hard and effective work. That's all you can do. If it backfires on us later, that'll be on the politicians and whichever agencies break deals with them. 

Like my boy, I'm training him to fight, but I won't teach him everything..at least not until I'm too old for it to matter.


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## Ravage (Jul 23, 2009)

275ANGER! said:


> Don't no what unit they where from though. I do remember it was a day we infilled with SWCC and they seemed excited to have just experienced a ride in the SOC-R



SOC-R is awsome 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdRfbjIigIM[/ame]


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## x SF med (Jul 23, 2009)

Outstanding series of posts all... especially JJ...  reminding all of us the true strength of SF FID/UW.


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## Florida173 (Jul 31, 2009)

JJOIFVET said:


> I like working with them and ICTF.




Shoot house they use is really impressive, and those 36th Commandos have some seriously psychodelic building cammo.


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## Ravage (Aug 4, 2009)

> Soldiers from the Iraqi special operations forces abseil down from a helicopter to raid a building during a parade at a military base near Baghdad's airport, August 4, 2009.















> Soldiers from the Iraqi special operations forces take up positions during an exercise at a their base near Baghdad's airport, August 4, 2009.


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## Ravage (Aug 4, 2009)

> Iraqi special operations forces soldiers detain a "suspect" during a mock raid at a military base near Baghdad's airport, August 4, 2009.









> Soldiers from the Iraqi special operations forces secure a building during a mock raid at a military base near Baghdad's airport, August 4, 2009.


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## Ravage (Aug 4, 2009)

> Soldiers from the Iraqi special operations forces secure a "detainee" during an exercise at a military base near Baghdad's airport, August 4, 2009.







> Soldiers from the Iraqi special operations forces dressed in ghillie suits take part in a parade at a military base near Baghdad's airport, August 4, 2009.







> Iraqi special operations forces soldiers patrol during a parade at a military base near Baghdad's airport, August 4, 2009.


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## Ravage (Aug 4, 2009)

Ravage said:


>



http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=54862&page=6


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## fmrMTNsoldier (Aug 4, 2009)

nice pics rav...

I had a couple oportunities to work alongside these guys and their USSF counterparts, they were well trained, well equiped, and motivated unusual for that part of the world, says something about their mentors. :2c:


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## Ravage (Aug 13, 2009)

Question: what do you guys think will happen after the US/NATO troope fully withdraw from Iraq ? Will Iraqi SOF keep doing the good work they do, or will they just become another tool in interstruggles for power in Iraq ?


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## Florida173 (Aug 13, 2009)

Ravage said:


> Question: what do you guys think will happen after the US/NATO troope fully withdraw from Iraq ? Will Iraqi SOF keep doing the good work they do, or will they just become another tool in interstruggles for power in Iraq ?





I believe they will be put on lock down and then disbanded for fear of a coup.  The lock down part has already happened before for them.


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## fmrMTNsoldier (Aug 13, 2009)

I hope that they will continue their successful operations, time will tell. I think however history usually repeats itself and they will be resigned to doing VIP/bodyguard work.  The Republican Guard had to start out somewhere. Again we shall see. :2c:


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## JJ sloan (Aug 13, 2009)

I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.
Unbelievable...


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