IA receives humvees from Coalition forces
Multi-National Force-Iraq
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
www.mnc-i.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20090115-13
Jan. 15, 2009
IA receives humvees from Coalition forces
3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – The Iraqi Army received thousands of armored humvees from the U.S. military as part of an ongoing effort to enhance the IA’s combat effectiveness.
Administered by Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq, the program is a joint-effort between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force with the intent to turn over 8,500 of the vehicles to the Iraqis by July 2009.
Col. Michael Sage, MNSTC-I supply division, manages an approximate $200 million contract to refurbish the vehicles before they are sold to the Iraqis.
“Our aim is to provide the Iraqi Security Forces, military and police, with a proven, reliable, and capable vehicle that will build their forces' capability and enable the ISF to engage in the counter-insurgency fight,” said Sage. “MNSTC-I is tasked to generate, train, and help sustain Iraqi Security Forces so that they become a capable and self-reliant force.”
Humvees destined for service in the Iraqi Army, or Iraqi Police Force start the transition process at the Camp Taji Redistribution Property Assistance Team Yard, a few miles north of Baghdad.
Once at Camp Taji, the humvees face a rigorous validation process.
“The vehicles are cleaned, inspected, and processed through a maintenance program that refurbishes the vehicles from the ground up,” said Sage.
He went on to explain that after the process, every humvee receives a follow up inspection, repainted for the Iraqi Army or National Police forces and finally inspected jointly by the Iraqis and U.S. Government before they are accepted.
Mechanics of the 1538th Transportation Company, 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade conduct the initial inspection..
“It’s a huge mission that involves players all over the country, and the whole thing is focused right here at Camp Taji,” said Sgt. 1st Class Russell Hullaby, who heads up the inspection process. “Every humvee transferred to the Iraqis comes through us. It’s really something that my guys can be proud of.”
The 536th Maintenance Company, 419th Combat Sustainment Support Brigade, 10th Sustainment Brigade is a direct support unit, assigned to the 165th CSSB assists in major repair work.
“We’re equipped to fix minor problems on site,” said Hullaby, “but major jobs like engine or transmission replacement have to be handed over to the 536th.”
The Air Force-controlled RPAT main office validates cleared humvees at a rate of 50 per week, and assigns a batch number for transfer to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense.
“Our program turns over armored humvees only,” said Maj. Sharon Ramp, on-site director of the Iraqi humvee turnover program at Camp Taji.
Ramp said since the program’s inception, it has transferred more than 3,000 humvees to the Iraqis at an average rate of 400 vehicles per month.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL CORPS – IRAQ PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE BY E-MAIL AT: MNCIPAOVICTORYMAINJO@IRAQ.CENTCOM.MIL.
FOR THIS PRESS RELEASE AND OTHERS, VISIT WWW.MNC-I.COM.
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