• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

November 9, 2004
Release Number: 04-11-30


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


IRAQI OFFICERS COMMENCE 'STAFF' TRAINING IN ITALY

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Forty-two Iraqi army officers commenced studies at the Centro Alti Studi Difesa military college in Rome, Italy, Nov. 8, as part of the multinational effort to assist the Iraqi government to train its armed forces' leadership.

The mid-level group of officers - comprised of Iraqi captains and majors - will negotiate a roughly three-and-a-half week course of instruction at the Italian school before returning to Iraq the first week of December.

Italian army officers will run the students through a course of instruction including decision-making, leadership, communication, international strategic environments, international law, humanitarian law, international security organizations, national security and defense politics, joint level operational planning methods and staff work, joint doctrine operations, military criminal law and military operations law, and ethics training.

The abbreviated course, normally nine months in length, is designed to provide Iraqi officers knowledge and capabilities in the tactical employment of military units in a joint context, approaching operational level doctrine and concepts.

"I think it is very important because they have much ability to learn and [we have the ability] to give it to them," Italian Army Col. Antonio Amato said, also iterating that the Italian government made a bilateral commitment to Iraqi leadership earlier in the year to assist the Iraqi government in training their officer corps.

Amato is assigned to the Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq as a military expert advisor in the Joint Headquarters section, working with Iraqi Ministry of Defense personnel. MNSTC-I is specifically tasked with assisting the Iraqi government to train, mentor, and equip its security forces.

"When they come back, they could be spread out into the [brigade level] units, to [continue] developing the plans for the reconstruction of the Iraqi Armed Forces and Staff College as well," Amato said. In addition to the Junior Staff Course underway, Amato said a Senior Staff Course and Flag Officer Course are slated at the school for IAF senior and general officers in January and April 2005, respectively.

Amato said future iterations of the Junior Staff Course could include attendance for the full nine month course.

"We believe [it's] is a good step to give them this opportunity because the response of the Iraqi people has been very positive so far," Amato said, regarding maintaining the training efforts with the Iraqis.

Officers are scheduled to complete the training Dec. 3.

For more information please visit www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil.

-30-