A Military Transition Team or Transition Team, commonly abbreviated as MiTT, in the context of the United States Military, is a 10 – 15 soldier team that trains foreign national and local security forces. The term has been used in the "War on Terror" to designate groups training the Iraqi Security Forces in particular. By comparison, Afghan Army and other Afghan security forces are mentored and trained by US Embedded Training Teams (ETTs) and the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLTs) of other nations.
Mission
The primary mission of transition teams is to train, mentor, and advise their foreign counterparts in the security forces of Iraq in the areas of intelligence, communications, fire support, logistics, operations and infantry tactics. Specialist teams also train, mentor and advise on civil policing and border enforcement. The goal is to make the local security forces capable of conducting their mission and operations effectively and independent of foreign intervention or advice. Areas covered by transition teams include military and counterinsurgency operations (tactics, logistics), civil policing and border enforcement. When executing military operations with their Iraqi counterparts, transition teams call for U.S. close air support, indirect fire, and medical evacuation, whenever necessary. They also perform the critical role of liaising between the foreign unit and nearby U.S. units to ensure that each unit is aware of and can assist the other in their operations. Transition teams also monitor and report on the capabilities of their assigned unit of the foreign security force. They work with their Iraqi counterparts to enhance the understanding of the rule of law and fundamental human rights.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the transition teams were a central part of the strategy to train and equip Iraqi national security forces. One of the primary missions of the U.S. military in Iraq was the training of competent Iraqi security forces. By the end of 2006, transition teams assisted in the training and equipping of approximately 326,000 Iraqi security services personnel. That figure includes 138,000 members of the Iraqi Army and 188,000 Iraqi police and national police forces.
Types of Transition Teams in Iraq (2003-2011)
Military Transition Teams, MiTTs
Most transition teams are known as Military Transition Teams, commonly abbreviated as MiTTs. These teams are responsible for training, mentoring, and advising the Iraqi Army (IA).
National Police Transition Teams, NPTTs
In 2005, in order to provide similar mentorship to Iraq's other security forces, the Multinational Corps-Iraq (MNC-I) began to embed transition teams with the Ministry of the Interior's paramilitary Iraqi National Police (NP) and regular Iraqi Police Service (IPS). Formerly known as Special Police Training Teams, SPTTs, these national police teams, called National Police Transition Teams, NPTTs, are nearly identical to those supporting the Iraqi Army and consist of 10-12 American Soldiers on each team that is tasked to train an entire Iraqi National Police Battalion.
Police Transition Teams, PTTs
Police Transition Teams, PTTs provide a similar function for the Iraqi Police. These teams vary greatly in size based on area of responsibility and level of threat. They may include military police units and contracted civilian personnel. The Team leader is normally a Staff Sergeant teamed with enablers. The Enablers are usually one interpreter, and an IPA (usually a civilian police officer). The prerequisite for the IPA is 5 years of sworn state service, and the interpreter is usually a local national. These teams travel to the local police stations working with the Station Commanders. These teams assist with logistics, training, and maintaining supplies on hand. The Team leader acts as both an Advisor, and a Liaison. The Team leader does not run the station he simply provides advice.
Border Transition Teams, BTTs
BTTs are transition teams embedded (FOB Caldwell, COP Shocker) with the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior's Directorate of Border Enforcement (DBE) forces at the brigade and battalion levels. These teams assist the DBE in patrolling and controlling illicit border crossings on Iraq's international borders. Specifically, these teams focus on assisting the DBE in preventing the infiltration of insurgent, terrorist, and criminal elements into Iraq. Because of the relative remoteness of these assignments, BTTs traditionally include maintenance and communications personnel not found on other TTs. BTTs were often deployed with civilian subject matter experts and advisors attached.