United States have delivered M16A2 rifles and other small weapons to 76th Iraqi Infantry Brigade 11206153

Defence & Security News - United States
 
United States have delivered M16A2 rifles and other small weapons to 76th Iraqi Infantry Brigade.
Soldiers from the 76th Iraqi Infantry Brigade received M16A2 rifles and infantry equipment sets on May 24-26, 2015, as part of the fielding of combat brigade equipment sets supplied to Iraqi Security Forces from the United States to support the fight against Daesh.
     
Soldiers from the 76th Iraqi Infantry Brigade received M16A2 rifles and infantry equipment sets on May 24-26, 2015, as part of the fielding of combat brigade equipment sets supplied to Iraqi Security Forces from the United States to support the fight against Daesh. Soldiers from the 76th Iraqi Infantry Brigade receive M16A2 rifles and infantry sets as part of the fielding of combat brigade sets supplied to Iraqi Security Forces from Combined Joint Task Force
     
Under the direction of the 3rd Sustainment Brigade Forward Support Element, Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Iraqi soldiers received equipment needed in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
 

The 76th IA Bde. fielded more than 1,000 M16A2 rifles that were distributed to individual soldiers, along with assault packs, ammunition magazines, protective masks and load-carrying cargo pouches. In addition, each company was issued 60 mm-120 mm mortar sets, MK19 automatic grenade launchers, M240B machine guns, M2 .50-caliber machine guns, M249 light machine guns, M14 sniper rifles and M500 12-gauge shotguns.

The British government also donated approximately 60 VALLON hand-held mine detectors to assist in the campaign.

Maj. Amare Alazzowi, a battalion commander with the 76th IA Bde., shared the view that new weapons will help build confidence within his ranks.

"I think this is a good weapon (M16A2) for my soldiers. They will be confident to fight," Alazzowi said. "Training will help them be comfortable with their weapon and once you are comfortable, your weapon becomes your friend."

The 76th IA Bde. was the first ISF brigade to be fielded equipment straight to the company level from coalition partners and plans are in process to supply other brigades with similar combat sets to support them in their fight against ISIL.