Pre-Iraqi Deployment Training

July 17-21, 2006, Ft. Irwin, California
Contact: Los Angeles Foreign Press Center
Telephone: 310-235-7693; Email: fpcla@cruznet.net

The Los Angeles Foreign Press Center organized two consecutive reporting tours for 21 foreign correspondents on insurgent warfare training at the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin in the Mojave Desert.  Revamped 30 months ago to simulate the combat environment and changing skill sets of ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the National Training Center offers soldiers and commanders real-life scenarios in the 12 mock Irai villages and forward operating bases spread out across 1,000 square miles of rugged desert terrain.

Journalists were impressed with the professionalism of the soldier-trainers, many of whom are 2-3 tour veterans, and the emphasis on cultural sensitivity training, benefited by the participation of Iraqi-Americans who role-play as mayors, police, businessmen, imams, and average citizens of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.  In temperatures above 110 degree F, journalists also walked away with a beter understanding of the harsh physical conditions and hostile human terraoin in which these conflicts unfold.