3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

Story by 2nd Lt. Jeff Orban

MOSUL, Iraq — Iraqi police received hands on basic computer training from members of the Ninewah provincial police transition team at the Ninewah Provincial Police headquarters in Mosul, Oct. 21, to improve their skills using the Microsoft Office suite.

The Ninewah Provincial Police Transition Team has created computer training classes that teach Iraqi police in Ninewah province, who have never received formal basic computer training, how to install computer software and hardware, protect against viruses, use Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Access and format a hard drive.

The Transition Team first recognized a need for classes like these earlier this year, after about a month of serving with their Iraqi police counterparts. As the transition team conducted their partnered operations with the Iraqi police in Mosul and Ninewah province one common thing the Iraqi police asked for was computer training.

"Whenever I went to different departments around Ninewah province to conduct intelligence and detainee operations with our Iraqi police counterparts they were always asking for computer help," said Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Jasak, of Augusta, Ga., a member of the Ninewah Provincial Police Transition Team, responsible for putting together the computer classes.

Jasak soon realized there was a real need to provide basic computer training in document processing and other administrative software. He decided to develop a course to train them in all the Microsoft Office programs.

"After months of holding impromptu classes at all these different police departments, I decided to create a formal class of instruction at a central location that IPs from all over can come to attend," said Jasak.

With the help of one of the Transition Teams interpreters, known as "Steven," Jasak began building a curriculum for the class centered on the Microsoft Office programs. They have successfully built the class to 15 students giving out a certificate of training to each student who completes the class.

"We have shown them what it could do for them and they have been able to take the training and use it in their own departments," said Jasak.

Jasak credits much of the program's success to Steven, who is a retired Iraqi army Sgt. Maj., and has been working with computers for over ten years.

"He knows what they need the most for computer skills," said Jasak.

Jasak has seen much success from prior computer classes and knows that much of the day to day work is done on computers. He recognizes that in today's information age computer skills are key in the success of an organization.

"The use of computers and Microsoft office has been increasing significantly over the last couple years," said Jasak. "So the knowledge that the IP's are gaining now will help them become more efficient with their work which we have already seen with previous classes."

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