Dangerous convoy duties prompt expanded training for truck crews.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: Transforming Training

The Army is intensifying the training drills required for truck drivers and maintenance crews heading to Iraq.

Exercises that simulate Iraq's treacherous combat environment are intended to better prepare officers and soldiers assigned to logistics and supply duties, said Maj. Gen. Brian I. Geehan, commandant of the U.S. Army Transportation Center and School, at Fort Eustis, Va.

Live-fire convoy training became mandatory for transportation officers in 2003, and recently was extended to soldiers and non-commissioned officers who will be driving trucks in Iraq.

"Convoy experience is critical for drivers," Geehan said in a recent interview. "We are looking at increasing the variety of trucks we train drivers on."

Trainees have to learn much more than just operating a vehicle. They must qualify, to fire an M-16 rifle and a variety of crew-served weapons.

With the Army stretched thin by ongoing conflicts, the Transportation School no longer has the luxury of sending graduates back to their units to gain experience. They may leave the school and go off to Iraq a week later, where they will be expected to run convoys. That puts additional pressure on the trainers to ensure that soldiers acquire a broader base of skills.

"The mindset has changed," Geehan explained. "We are preparing officers, NCOs and soldiers to graduate and go straight to Iraq. That's a whole different paradigm."

Maintenance crews also will get additional instruction. They will see more emphasis on preventive maintenance of vehicles and "technical inspections," Geehan said.

Live-fire drills for drivers take place at Fort Bliss, Texas., and Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Crane operators and other support personnel get their training at Fort Eustis.

Most recently, the Army launched a live-fire training program at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., that is designed for Transportation Corps officers and NCOs.

Fort A.P. Hill has a 3.8-mile, undulated convoy course with advanced instrumentation, Geehan said.

As part of the exercises, officers must be able to identify and engage targets, while simultaneously making command decisions, such as determining whether to bypass a barricade or stop and fight. They also must learn how to cope with roadside bomb attacks--what to do if a vehicle is damaged and how to secure the area and deal with casualties.

Groups of up to 25 officers spend two days on the live drills. "The leadership training is realistic," Geehan said.

Transportation School instructors also teach the Air Force...