Security Assistance; and Logistics - Federation of American Scientists

Pre-deployment TrainingAll mentors received approximately 60 days of pre-deployment combat skills training atFort Riley, Kansas and 1 week of additional training in Kuwait prior to their arrival inIraq. This training focused on combat skills and convoy operations. This training hasbeen reported by Coalition medical personnel in Iraq to be insufficient preparation forcross-cultural medical mentoring in the ISF setting.Preparation for Medical Mentoring in IraqShort-term deployments, lack of health systems developmental experience, and lack ofpreparation for cross-cultural medical mentoring will likely limit the effectiveness ofefforts by U.S. military and civilian mentors and trainers in Iraq, as it has in Afghanistan.In addition, the multiple tasking of personnel and the relegation of efforts to build asustainable Iraqi Army health care delivery system to secondary status relative toCoalition support precluded an adequate focus on Iraqi health sector engagement.DoD efforts to support the reconstruction, training, and organizing of the Iraqi Armyhealth care system were complicated by the 6 to 12 month deployment cycles of U.S.military personnel, which limited continuity, effective mentoring, and sustainableprogress. However, additional pre-deployment training and preparation may partiallycompensate for shorter lengths of deployments.The Center for Disaster and Humanitarian Assistance Medicine at the UniformedServices University of the Health Sciences has prepared a draft training curriculum formedical Embedded Training Teams, Police Mentor Teams, and ProvincialReconstruction Team members in Afghanistan as an initial effort to improve the focus forpre-deployment training. This curriculum may be applicable to mentoring practices inIraq, as it includes many aspects of medical reconstruction and development that arecommon to both Embedded Training Team and Police Mentor Team missions.According to the Commanding General, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, this additional pre-deployment training should be provided before servicemembers deploy from the U.S. to minimize the training footprint in theater. Providingsuch training in theater is difficult due to time, travel, force protection, and operationaltempo constraints.Recommendations, Client Comments, and OurResponse20.a.(1) We recommend that the Commander, Multi-National Force-Iraq assignsufficient priority to medical mentoring of the Iraqi Army to effectively developsustainable combat services support capabilities in the medical area; and develop acomprehensive, phased, detailed, and integrated multi-year medical mentoring plan thatprioritizes and synchronizes mentoring efforts and that links together strategic,operational, and tactical mentoring steps required in the mentoring plan.142