By Spc. Michael Behlin and Sgt. James E. Brown Jr.

3rd Sustainment Command

TAJI, Iraq -- Approximately 600 Iraqi army sustainers of the General Transportation Regiment  graduated from training in a ceremony here Oct. 23.

On the ground since Sept. 1, the GTR is the first unit of its kind to provide the assets and manpower needed to distribute various classes of supplies to locations throughout Iraq.

The GTR graduation was another step in a growing partnership between the regiment's Soldiers and their mentors from the 1st Sustainment Brigade's 68th Transportation Company from Mannheim. The 68th has spent the past two months training and mentoring the new Iraqi unit. 

The training consisted of three situational training exercise lanes that simulate combat operations and situations that Iraqi soldiers could possible encounter while conducting a convoy logistics patrol.

Soldiers were trained on how to react to sniper fire, conduct hasty vehicle recoveries, evacuate casualties, upload and download equipment and conduct vehicle and supply movements. "It's important for them to be able to go out through the Iraqi countryside and deliver equipment safely and efficiently to the other camps where the rest of the Iraqi army is located," said the 68th's 1st Sgt. Brian Stoops.