Twenty-three IA NCOs lead way, graduate warrior leaders course

Photo By Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Smith | Lt. Col. Ed Rowe, the 2nd Brigade, Iraqi Army Military Transition Team chief and native of Gaithersburg, Md., congratulates an Iraqi army soldier on graduating from the Warrior Leader's Course at Joint Security Station Jihad, Feb. 28. This soldier was one of 23 graduating from the course.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

03.03.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Smith 

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

by Spc. Nathaniel Smith
4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad

BAGHDAD – In the U.S. Army, the Corps of Non-commissioned Officers is known the "Backbone of the Army."

Although the Iraqi army NCO Corps does not yet bear the same distinction, Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers are doing their part in helping their Iraqi counterparts ascend to this level.

The contributions of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division's MiTT team that works with the soldiers of 2nd Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division, could be easily seen, Feb. 28, as 23 Iraqi NCOs graduated from the Iraqi Warrior Leader's Course at Joint Security Station Jihad.

The course was modeled, in part, after the U.S. Army's WLC. It includes blocks of instruction on medical training, checkpoint operations and inspections, basic leadership principles and different styles of leadership.

Although it was based on the basics of the U.S. Army course, it is geared more toward the challenges Iraqi NCOs will face, said Staff Sgt. Nathan Gladback, a native of Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., who serves as a 2-11 MITT security advisor.

"We took some things from the U.S. Warrior Leader's Course; but since this is more of a combat-oriented mission, we put in what we saw could add to the mission and make it more practical for the Iraqi soldiers," he said.

As such, the course will provide the Iraqi army with a valuable tool, said Capt. Maurice Connelly, a native of Bayonne, N.J., who serves as the effects advisor for 2-11 MiTT. Connelly was responsible for coordinating with the Iraqi brigade's staff for the WLC.

"It will provide them with better trained and more effective NCOs to strengthen their NCO Corps," he said.

Having a strong NCO Corps is important for overall mission success, added Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Grochow, a native of Thief River Falls, Minn., and the fire support trainer for 2-11 MITT.

"It would strengthen the country, and it would strengthen the way they accomplish missions out there," he said. "It's officer-driven right now, and the officers do everything. If they can start to rely on their NCOs to take care of some stuff, they can have better mission accomplishment."

Gladback said the course is good for the long-term future of the Iraqi army.

"It's not going to have an initial impact; but as we build this class and have more classes, we'll build a stronger NCO Corps, and we'll have better NCOs for the future Iraqi army."

"For them to take over and do the mission that needs to be done, they need us NCOs in there to do the things our NCOs do so the officers don't have to do everything," Grochow added. "They can rely on them and build up their enlisted soldiers too."

• Date Taken: 03.03.2008
• Date Posted: 03.03.2008 10:52
• Story ID: 16935
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ