IRAQI Female Officers Visited NATO Training Mission-Iraq Headquarters

Group picture with the Female Officers visiting NTM-I HQ. SMG Zeead Tarik, Commandant of the War College, followed by BG Fabio Palladini, Chief Training Education and Doctrine Advisory Team; at the centre, SMG Jasim Salim Hussein, President of the National Defence University

BAGHDAD, Iraq, 18th August 09 – 23 Iraqi Female Army Officers visited the NATO Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I) Headquarters in Baghdad as part of the Command & Leadership phase of their Officer Education. The students, accompanied by the National Defence University (NDU) President, SMG Jasim Salim Hussein and the War College Commandant, SMG Zeead Tarik, were welcomed to the Headquarters by the Deputy Commander of the NTM-I, Major General Giuseppe Spinelli, with encouraging words "As NATO we are working alongside our Iraqi Colleagues to develop Officer Education and we hope that the visit to the NATO Headquarters is both interesting and useful for you, I wish you all the best in your future careers”

A presentation was given to the students by Major Ele Roylance, a British female officer currently serving with NATO. The presentation covered the principles of leadership and Major Roylance along with Danish female officers, Maj Rikke Rottboell and Capt Young, Maj An Van der Bruggen from Holland and Capt Barbara Bujack, US Army shared their military experiences with the students and spent time discussing the nuances of being a female commander within the armed forces.

The President of the National Defence University also spoke to the students and stated that command land leadership was an important part of their officer education, he encouraged them to ask questions and to talk freely. He thanked the Major General Spinelli and the NATO officers, particularly Major Ele Roylance for the presentation. The Chief NDU Advisory and Mentoring Team, Col. Giuseppe Clemente, was also present. The students then attended a lunch within the HQ

The Iraqi Army Officers ranked from 2Lt – SMaj are all serving in the Iraqi Army, primarily in Medical Units in an administrative role. They have been serving fro between 1 and 4 years. Tow of the Officers had received formal training in Jordan, for the others this course was the first formal training that they had received. On completion of their course in September will return to their units. They were extremely receptive and keen to share experiences. All stated that the morning had been extremely useful and hoped that in the future female officers would be employed more widely within the Iraqi Army. They stated that the link with NATO was essential to their future and wished to maintain close working links.