Military Transition Team - Transition Team Training (Iraq)

Transition Team Training (Iraq)

Since October 2006, the U.S. Army's 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas, is responsible for training all transition teams for service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Previously, transition teams had been trained at several U.S. Army installations, most notably Fort Carson, Colorado; Camp Atterbury, Indiana; Fort Hood, Texas; and Camp Shelby, Mississippi. However, in early 2006, the U.S. Army decided to consolidate all training at Fort Riley in order to standardize and improve training for that critical mission.

In August 2009, the 162nd Infantry Brigade, based at Fort Polk, Louisiana, will be responsible for providing tough, realistic, combined arms and services joint training for Foreign Security Forces-Transition Teams in a mid-to high-intensity environment. Teams will participate in a 60-day rotation for United States Army Personnel with classes operating on a six-day a week schedule. United States Air Force and United States Navy teams will endure a 45-day rotation with a six-day a week schedule.

The first teams began training in Fort Carson Colorado, September, 2005. The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division took over command and control of the TT mission in October 2006. The brigade is responsible for the formation and training of the TT teams. This training operation is centered on Fort Riley's Camp Funston, where thousands of U.S. soldiers once trained before shipping off to World War I. The Marine Corps trains their teams at Camp Pendleton, California.

In 2009, the 342nd Military Police Company out of Ohio, became one of the most historical company's taking place in the PTT process. These soldiers were present while the Al Alam district in Tikrit, Iraq was successfully handed over to the Iraqi Police. Their hard work and effort is just one of many in the success of OIF.

The United States Marine Corps approach toward training consists of 2 components. The first is conducted a home station locations at either Camp Pendleton, CA or Camp LeJeune, NC. The second component is 3–6 weeks at 29 Palms Marine Corps Base, CA referred to as Enhanced Mojave Viper (EMV). While at EMV, Marines conduct scenario, immersion, and tactical training in their final phase to training before deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan.