Iraqi army in training
Iraqi Army Receives Direction with GPS Training
By Mark Wojciechowski
Tuesday, May 9, 2006
BAQUBAH, Iraq (May 9, 2006) -- Being able to track locations and know where you are at all times is critical to military operational success.
The 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division is being trained on the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS technology has been used for many years by U.S. military and civilian personnel. The concept is based on using satellites to locate and navigate to determined positions on the ground.
GPS technology is essential in today's military operations, and is now being taught to Iraqi army soldiers to aid in their operational success.
Sgt. Justin Buck of the 4th Infantry Division's Brigade Military Transition Team is responsible for training the Iraqi army with the use of the GPS.
"We drive out to a location and have the Iraqi army soldiers plot the position of our location. They then called the coordinates up to their higher headquarters," said Buck who is a Wilson, Okla., native.
"It's good for us to be training on this. It will help us in the future," said a soldier in 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi army.
Buck instructs the Iraqi army through an interpreter and they execute the navigation.
This is one of many training events that will continue to improve the skills of the Iraqi Army and help stabilize the country.
(Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski is a military journalist serving with the Tennessee Army National Guards 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Department in Iraq. Sgt. Wojciechowski, who hails from Chicago, has a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.) | 
