Iraq podcast

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

The Iraqi Military Academy Ar Rustamiyah (IMAR) is located on the outskirts of Baghdad, is the commissioning source for new Iraqi military officers. NTM-I assumed responsibility of the Academy from the Coalition on July 15, 2006.  NTM-I personnel now serve as advisors and mentors to academy staff, assist in the development of curriculum, and help bring an added, multi-national appeal for the students.

The academy, modelled after the UK’s Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, was originally built in 1924 with help from the UK. The Iraqi and British military academies maintained a strong relationship until the first Gulf War began in 1990.

The academy was abandoned in January 2003 prior to the second Gulf war in which it was damaged and subsequently looted. Reconstruction commenced in May 2004 and the first course of 73 cadets graduated January 19 2006. Also in 2006, 157 cadets graduated from the second course in April, the third course of 135 cadets graduated in August and 207 cadets graduated in December. Currently there are almost 700 cadets in training at IMAR.

Since re-opening, four groups of new Iraqi officers have graduated with the help of UK, Coalition and NATO. Aspiring Iraqi officers between the ages of 18 and 21 attend a 4-day assessment period and if accepted, will then attend 3 levels of training at IMAR. The training period is twelve months long and divided into three terms of four months.

During the first three months of their training the Cadets learn various basic soldiering skills such as field craft, weapon skills, tactics and drill. All of this practical training is mixed with a variety of academic study, but there remains an emphasis throughout on the development of leadership, and ‘officer ship’. At the end of the twelve month course the officer cadets should be competent and confident platoon commanders in the New Iraqi Army.

The Iraqi Training and Doctrine Command (ITDC) is one of the more recent developments with which NTM-I have been involved but, in the longer term, this will probably have the most significant effect on the development of a democratically led security sector in Iraq. The ITDC has been established with NATO’s assistance and is expected to develop and issue doctrines through various branch schools.

The ITDC Branch of NTM-I has the overall responsibility of establishing, managing and issuing the different tasks, while the execution is organised into two main areas: The Tactical Training Command (TTC) and The National Defence University (NDU).

The Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq (MNSTC-I) is in charge of the development and mentoring process of the Tactical Training Command and NTM-I is responsible for establishing two centres: the Tactical Doctrine Centre and the Lessons Learned Centre.

An Iraqi Ministry of Defence Doctrine Working Group was established with representatives from NTM-I, Multi-National Forces-Iraq and MNSTC-I.  Counter Insurgency (COIN) Doctrine was written, translated into Arabic, and approved by the Iraqi Minister of Defence. This doctrine has been incorporated into existing National Defence University lesson plans at all levels.

The Lessons Learned Centre has been established and is operating from one of the buildings in the Cultural Centre where NTMI has it’s headquarter. The importance of a robust Lessons Learned (LL) process has been emphasised and the Iraqis recognise this.

The National Defence University is the other main area of activity for the ITDC. NTM-I is leading the work in this area which involves the following institutions:

NTM-I supports the Iraqi establishment of a National Defence College through assistance in planning for courses and subjects, academic content, managing study excursions for the students and also co-ordination with foreign contacts and teachers from within Iraq and those from abroad. The object is to establish a strategic course for leadership for Colonels and Brigadiers. Students are expected to enter the course with a Bachelor’s degree and graduate with a Master’s degree. The first course started in September 2006.

The Defence Language Institute (DSSI) develops standards for language teaching and teaches language to personnel from the Iraqi Armed Forces, Ministries and other relevant parts of the Iraqi central administration. The first classes started in February 2006. Each course lasts five months.

The Defence Strategic Studies Institute is aimed at developing the ability to carry out independent analysis at the strategic level in order to formulate policies and recommendations to the decision makers, primarily in the MoD but also other ministries and decision-making authorities. DSSI is already in existence, but embedded within the Iraqi Ministry of Defence and NTM-I will assist with concept development.

The aim of the NATO Training and Equipment Co-ordination Group (NTECG) is to co-ordinate all out-of-country training, equipment requests and national/agencies’ equipment donations to the Iraqi Government (IG).

The NTM-I Training and Equipment Synchronisation Cell coordinates together with other NATO working groups the out-of-country training and donation of equipment to the Iraqi army. Almost 1.000 Iraqi military officers and civilian leaders from the Iraqi Ministry of Defence and Ministry of the Interior have gone to out-of-country training on courses provided by NATO Education and Training Facilities (NETF) and Nations.

The courses are focused on Flag Officer/General Officer education, Key Staff Training and Special Staff Training covering areas such as Internal Security, Combating Smuggling and Human Trafficking, Specific Brigade Staff Officers work, reconnaissance procedures and techniques, military police, de-mining and weapon systems. This has enabled the Iraqi security forces to improve their capability to plan, support and execute operations.

The total value of donated and delivered equipment is more than €140 million, covering a wide spectrum of equipment ranging from helmets, body armour and ammunition as well as T-72 tanks, BMP armoured personnel carriers and personnel transport and general purpose cargo trucks.