Iraq podcast

with Major Steinar Sveinsson,
Public Information Officer for the NATO training mission in Iraq

The NATO Training Mission – Iraq, NTM-I, is playing a valuable role in assisting the Iraqi government in building the new Iraqi Army. The bulk of the Mission’s work includes lending support to three main organisations of the Iraqi Army. These are the Joint Staff College and the Iraqi Military Academy, both in Ar Rustamiyah on the outskirts of Baghdad, and the Iraqi Training and Doctrine Command. Furthermore, NTM-I operates Training Teams in the Joint Operations Centre in the Iraqi Ministry of Defence, in the National Operations Centre and by the Iraqi Ground Force Command as well as offer classroom training in basic computer skills, basic officer courses etc. Last, but not least important is a special cell within the Mission which coordinates Out-of-Country training of Iraqis and donations of equipment to the Iraqi Army. I would like to use this opportunity to further explain the work carried out in these areas.

NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and then Prime Minister of Iraq, Ibrahim Jaafari, opened the Joint Staff College in Ar Rustamiyah in Iraq in September 2005. The previous summer major refurbishment on the buildings took place and the Iraqi instructors in the Joint Staff College attended a NATO Train the Trainer course which had been tailored to Iraqi requirements.

The first Junior Staff Course began 25th September 2005, after a two-month preparation course in English and computer skills. The students studied various military modules developed under the supervision of NATO mentors. The course material included general staff duties, tactical employment of military units at the joint level, battle staff procedures, and military leadership. The class also studied tactics and operations, with a general focus on counter insurgency, finishing with a major exercise, which engaged the major Iraqi headquarters. The first pilot Junior Staff Course lasted 7 ½ months and the first 50 students graduated in May 2006. Following completion of the course the students were ready for key staff appointments at the battalion and brigade level.

The first Senior Staff Course also began 25th September 2005 and the students ranked from Lieutenant Colonel to Brigadier General. The course focused on international relations, national security, defence policy, leadership, international and humanitarian law. Also included in the course were operational planning, computer use and an English language training. Members of NTM-I helped the Iraqi Joint Staff College Directing Staff to develop the course and then served as mentors, partnering with the staff and assisting in supervising and guiding the students through the program. This first Senior Staff Course taught at the Joint Staff College lasted 9 ½ months and the first 37 students graduated in July 2006.

NTM-I is very satisfied with the developments within the Joint Staff College. The second year of both the senior and the Junior Staff course is now ongoing and the Joint Staff College is becoming an established organisation and should reach its Full Operational Capability this summer.