Inspection visit to Besmaya

The Building Partner Capacity site at Besmaya, which is run by Spain and includes instructors from the US and Portugal, received a visit from the chief of the Rear Headquarters of the Coalition Forces Land Component Command, Brigadier General Ronald P. Clark.

Brig. Gen. Clark included in his tour the Forward Operating Base “Hammer”, headquarters of the US forces in the area; the “Gran Capitán” base, where he examined the facilities and presided over a meeting to review training activities and guidelines for future action; and the training centre “Besmaya Range Complex”, where he observed the exercises of Iraqi soldiers. In addition, in the afternoon he visited the Bomb Disposal School of the Iraqi Army.

Brig. Gen. Clark is responsible for coordinating the Coalition’s training and advisory tasks. The HQ he leads – located at Camp Buehring (Kuwait) and soon to be translated to Camp Arifjan (a few kilometres away) – is charged with supporting the operation.

The members of the Parachute Brigade currently make up the bulk of the Spanish contingent deployed in Iraq, after relieving the Legion Brigade back in July. The members of the Special Operations Command based in Baghdad and Taji complete the 300-strong contingent that the Spanish Army is contributing to this mission.

Brig. Gen. Clark greets one of the instructors (Photo: BRIPAC)