New Iraqi Army Leaders Graduate From Course

Courtesy Photo | Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rachal from Alexandria, La., shakes hands with Command Sgt. Maj. Hassan Abdul Kadum, senior non-commissioned officer for the 1st IA Brigade. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Erin Robicheaux, 256th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs)  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

08.15.2005

Courtesy Story

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Spc. Erin Robicheaux
256th Brigade Combat Team PAO

CAMP JUSTICE, Iraq " The 1st Iraqi Army Brigade faced the challenge of implementing the first Non-commissioned Officer Academy in the country, and succeeded. Now their challenge is to spread the knowledge to brigades throughout Iraq.

"Grab hold of the NCOs and give them the knowledge and skill to succeed on the battlefield," said Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rachal from Alexandria, La., instructor for the Iraqi Army Leadership Training Course as he addressed a group of freshly-graduated NCOs.

On Aug. 6, IA Soldiers from the most recent class, Class 0505, graduated as the last group to be instructed by the U.S. Soldiers who developed the training.

Rachal, on a one-year tour in Iraq with the 256th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, took his experience as an instructor at the Primary Leadership Development Course at Camp Cook, La., and transformed it into something beneficial for the Iraqi NCO Corps. This was not easy, considering there was no official NCO Corps in the IA until just a few months ago.

In fact, the IA did not know about the NCO Corps, thanks to the former rule of Saddam Hussein, said Sgt. 1st Class Dean Davis, an instructor at both the IALTC and PLDC with Rachal.

"The old regime held them back so much. Their eyes opened wider every time we sat and talked with them," Davis said. "It was amazing for them to see the feelings of the NCOs now, compared to what they saw in the past," Davis said. Previously, there were only officers and warrant officers, as well as enlisted Soldiers"no NCOs.

Command Sgt. Maj. Hassan Abdul Kadum, senior enlisted advisor for the 1st IA Brigade, said his NCOs and their brigade are paving the way for all of the IA.

"This brigade is the history of the Iraqi Army," said Hassan. "We are the first to take full responsibility of our own area of operations in the new IA, the first to lose Soldiers in a combat zone, and the first to train NCOs to be proficient, with the help of the U.S. Army," said Hussein. The academy was the vision of Hassan and Command Sgt. Maj. James Mays, senior enlisted advisor for the 256th BCT. Brig. Generals John Basilica, Jr. and Jalil Khalaf Shwayel, commander of the 256th and 1st IA Brigade, respectively, realized the importance of the NCO Corps and supported the course fully.

"When the United States instructors leave, I don't want all of the experience and knowledge we have gained from them to be lost," said Jalil. "And it will be if we don't use what they taught us."

Jalil told his Soldiers he would continually walk beside them, and whoever would not wear the uniform in the middle of the street was not someone who should lead the country of Iraq.

Spc. Jade Bernard from Abbeville, La., of Headquarters Company, 256th BCT, helped with the classes on an administrative level and said her involvement helped the female Soldiers relate better to their male instructors.

"They've done really well with the course and started to pull together once they saw they could do it better and faster if they worked together as a team," she said, referring to teamwork obstacles the instructors gave them to perform.

Bernard was part of the military police platoon in her unit and played an integral part in training the Iraqi Police for the elections in January. She claimed working with the IA Soldiers was just as rewarding, though on an individual basis.

"The opportunity to help the Soldiers work as a team and come together, instead of working against each other, was overwhelming," she said.

The class will continue after the U.S. instructors leave, and will be taught by NCOs from the 1st IA who assisted Rachal and the others throughout the different courses. The course will build on the base laid out before them.

At the end of the graduation ceremony, Rachal thanked Jalil, Hassan, and the IA NCOs, as well as the 256th leadership for allowing him the privilege of bringing his skills to the table in Iraq.

"I can't go through this last graduation without saying a few words. This IALTC has greatly impacted my life and will always be a part of me," he said. "After what I have seen these past few months, I know your challenge can be met."

• Date Taken: 08.15.2005
• Date Posted: 08.15.2005 15:12
• Story ID: 2722
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ