The 3,400 soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat team wrapped up a unique four-day course of training Wednesday.

Dozens of Iraqis who live in the U.S. were hired to portray insurgents, protesters and even locals playing soccer in a mock-up of a small town.

The new training program, which was held in one of Fort Hood’s “cities” built 20 years ago for urban warfare exercises, is designed to better prepare the soldiers for duty in Iraq.

The Iraqi actors follow a script that includes riots, sniper ambushes, gunfire in the streets and kidnappings.

The weapons are real, but they’re loaded with blank ammunition.

The brigade will deploy later this year and about half of the soldiers have never served in Iraq.

"You can do textbook pieces and PowerPoint charts all day long, but until you have the opportunity to do some interaction with people that are from the region, it isn't as effective," Lt. Col. Jay Griffith, the 4th Infantry Division's senior intelligence officer, told The Associated Press.

Brigade Commander Col. David Hogg said the training replicates the worst day the soldiers will ever have, but he wants the troops to make mistakes in training, not in battle.

Troops at Fort Carson, Colo. will undergo the same training next month.

The Iraqis work for San Diego-based Titan Corporation.
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