Release A050624a
Iraqi Army leaders graduate from historic course
CAMP JUSTICE , Iraq -- In another sign of the growing strength of the Iraqi Army, Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigade graduated from the first organized Iraqi Army Leadership Training Course at Forward Operating Base Justice.
“This is just another important step forward and another first for this outstanding Iraqi Brigade,” said Brig. Gen. John Basilica, Jr., commander of the 256th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “The development of a professional noncommissioned officer corps is critical to the combat readiness of the unit.
“This is the first of many courses that will be conducted to train the NCOs of the 1st Iraqi Army Brigade,” Basilica added. “What is especially important is the cadre duties were also shared by the Iraqis and thus their ownership of this program is established from the beginning.”
Sgt. Nihad Hifdhy Abdlameer was a school teacher before he joined the Iraqi Army and said his experience in the field allowed him to teach Soldiers, but until this course he did not know how to lead them.
“When I taught at the school, I was very firm with the students, but after this course I understand that getting to know your students and Soldiers and spending time with them is a good thing,” he said.
Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rachal with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 256th BCT, the senior instructor and coordinator for the seven-day leadership training class, said he was not quite sure what to expect at the beginning of the course. “I had a lot of anxiety before it started and I was unsure of how it would go. I had people tell me that the Soldiers wouldn't show up at all or that they would leave the first time I gave them a 15-minute break, but that just didn't happen.”
As an instructor at the U.S. Army's Primary Leadership Development Course in his home state of Louisiana , the Alexandria native has seven years of leadership training to his credit. This, however, was his most rewarding experience. He said the focus of this training was not to teach certain soldiering functions, but rather, to teach the importance of ensuring the functions get done.
“Leadership is the main focus, and the goal was to make sure these new Iraqi Army leaders understand how crucial it is that tasks are accomplished,” he said.
The NCOs sat through a series of classes centered on vital military skills like map reading and physical fitness and its importance to leadership.
Rachal said he wanted these leaders to understand that how they feel as people will affect the Soldiers they lead. He claimed it was about more than leadership—it was about them as people, their values, their norms, and how what they believe in will relate to their relationships with their Soldiers.
Command Sgt. Maj. Mustafa Jamal Shareef, senior NCO for the 2-1 IA, worked hand-in-hand with Rachal throughout the duration of the course and will take over after Rachal goes back to the U.S. Mustafa said his Soldiers have come far and will need the leadership skills they acquired as a result of this training. “They're not Soldiers, they're NCOs and they need more experience leading Soldiers.”
Mustafa also said they are learning the value of leadership and beginning to respect the responsibility that comes with the title.
“They have learned they have special tasks that go with being leaders, and one of them is taking care of their Soldiers,” he said. “They must take care of their Soldiers.”
Rachal said the Iraqi Soldiers were a little hesitant at the beginning of the course and not quite sure what to expect. Toward the end of the week, however, their personalities shined through.
“They're no different from American Soldiers at all. We had the class clown, we had the guy who liked to sleep in class, the guy who always made sure the class was doing what they were supposed to; we had the smart guy; I even had a guy who couldn't read or write, and now he can read at least part of the NCO Creed,” beamed Rachal.
The Iraqi Soldiers come to their base camp in civilian clothes and change into their military uniforms once they are safely behind the walls. Threats are made on their lives and the lives of their family members every day. Once, one of the Soldiers took two buses and caught a ride to the base, which made him a few minutes late for class. Rachal said this only instilled his appreciation for what these Soldiers are doing for their country.
“Every one of these Soldiers has been shot or shot at. Could you imagine having to come to work as a Soldier in your civilian clothes because of the threat that someone would kill you or your family if they knew that you defended your country for a living?” he mused. “These Soldiers and their families could be killed, but they do it anyway.”
Rachal said the anxiety he had at the beginning of the course was put to rest by the end of the seven days.
“It went really well and this class set the bar high for those who will follow after them.” he said.
Amazed how two countries so far apart in both geography and ideals could be quite the same when it came to the outlook of their Soldiers, Rachal said, “We're not all that different, we just speak two different languages.”
Editors Note: Story by Erin Robicheaux, 256th Brigade Combat Team
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THIS STORY HAS ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPHS. TO RECEIVE THE PHOTOS, E-MAIL THE CPIC PRESS DESK AT cpicpressdesk@iraq.centcom.mil .
CUTLINE
Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigade line up to march onto a celebration field for the graduation ceremony of the first Iraqi Army Leadership Training Course June 19, in Baghdad . (U. S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Taysha Deaton, 256th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs)
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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS RELEASE, CONTACT THE TASK FORCE BAGHDAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AT TASKFORCEBAGHDADPAO@ID3.ARMY.MIL.
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