Taji, Iraq – On November 3, a graduation ceremony was held at the Iraqi Battle Staff Training (BST) School, Taji, to award thirty-three Iraqi Officers their certificates on the successful completion of the BST Course. The course, which was conducted by NTM-I trainers, was developed for battalion-level commanders and included map reading, staff procedures, signal procedures, the military decision-making process and order production. This course was the first to include a computer-simulated military exercise.
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"The participants of previous BST Courses had noted in their feedback that they would like to have a "field” exercise to check their knowledge,” – said BST course coordinator Lt.Col. Viktor Semeniuk. – "Computer military simulation provided the excellent possibility for Iraqi officers to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the military decision making process.”
During the exercise, several groups of Iraqi students played the roles of brigade staff, battalion tactical operations centre staff, company headquarters staff, military police, enemy troops and more. In the virtual environment, Iraqi officers implemented Battalion orders.
"Students were very enthusiastic during the exercise, they showed a high level of cooperation and good tactical skills, and they successfully accomplished their task.” – summarised Major Olexander Kyryk, the BST trainer.
"Students were very enthusiastic during the exercise, they showed a high level of cooperation and good tactical skills, and they successfully accomplished their task.” – summarised Major Olexander Kyryk, the BST trainer.
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Taji, - Chief of NTM-I Senior NCO\BST Branch, Col.(UKR Army) Oleg Mylchenko, presents a certificate for the successful completion of the BST Course to an Iraqi
Army captain during the graduation ceremony on 3 November 2011.
(Photo by NTM-I) |
After the graduation, each student received a DVD of course material to allow them to spread their knowledge to their parent Units. NTM-I trainers also recommended the best course participants as candidates to become trainers.
The NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I) was established in 2004 at the request of the Iraqi Interim Government under the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1546. The aim of NTM-I is to assist in the development of Iraqi security forces training structures and institutions so that Iraq can build an effective and self-sustainable capability that address the needs of the nation.
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Taji, - Major Oleksandr Kyryk (UKR Army) assists BST course
students during the simulated military exercise on 3 November
2011. (Photo by NTM-I) |
Taji, – The NTM-I BST course trainers control the military
simulation exercise on 3 November 2011. (Photo by NTM-I)
Taji, – The NTM-I BST course trainers control the military
simulation exercise on 3 November 2011. (Photo by NTM-I)
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NTM-I is not a combat mission but is a distinct training mission, under the political control of NATO's North Atlantic Council. Its operational emphasis is on training and mentoring. The activities of the mission are coordinated with Iraqi authorities and the Office for Security and Cooperation-Iraq (OSC-I) Chief, who is also dual-hatted as the Commander of NTM-I. NATO has an enduring commitment to Iraq.
NTM-I advises and supports the Defence University for Military Studies, National Defence College, War College, and the Defence Language Institute with the other institutions in Baghdad. Other cooperation projects for NATO in Iraq are out-of-country training courses for Iraqi nationals at NATO schools as well as the Iraqi Police (Iraqi Federal Police and Oil Police) training led by Italian Carabinieri.
Currently, NTM-I is a small tactical force of NATO/PfP personnel, representing 13 member nations (as of October 2011): Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine (Partner for Peace), UK, USA.