Second Oil Police Course Graduates

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Oil Police students conduct a

"Handover-Takeover” Ceremony between 2nd and

3rd Oil Police courses at Camp Dublin Feb 10.

BAGHDAD, Iraq – NATO Training Mission-Iraq (NTM-I) conducted a graduation ceremony for 136 Iraqi policemen who completed the second Oil Police training course at Camp Dublin Feb. 10.

Distinguished guests in attendance included the NTM-I Deputy Commander, Italian Army Maj. Gen. Claudio Angelelli; Italian Military Attaché Col. Giovanni Marchese; Iraqi Federal Police Commander, staff Lt. Gen. Hussein Jassem Mohammed Al Awadi; Iraqi Federal Police Academy Commander, Maj. Gen. Muntadhur; and Iraqi Oil Police Commander, Maj. Gen. Hamid,.

This intensive seven-week police training course, taught by

NTM-I's Italian Carabinieri, was designed to provide training for the Iraqi Oil Police. Some of the main topics covered in the specialized course include land navigation, topography, oil infrastructure technology and anti counterfeiting.

"Iraq's Oil Police forces have a very important mission to protect key, critical economic infrastructure as your country builds its democracy and rebuilds its economy” Angelelli said. "Your behaviour, your courage and your willingness to be trustworthy for the Iraqi people will be a strong insurance for the future, and a strong example to follow, to set up a good, democratic and reliable society.

"Your country, and the people of Iraq, are counting on you to serve them by providing the necessary protection to the oil infrastructure that will ultimately bring economic prosperity to your country” Angelelli said.

NTM-I has been training, mentoring and advising officers in the Iraqi Security Forces since 2004, in order to assist the Government of Iraq resume its important place in the international community and to improve the security of all Iraqi people with democratic security forces. NTM-I advises and supports the National Defence University, National Defence College, War College, Joint Staff and Command College, the Military Academy, the Defence Strategic Studies Institute and the Defence Language Institute. The Iraqi Military Academy and the Joint Staff and Command College are based at Ar Rustamiyah to the East of Baghdad 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 National Police training led by Italian Carabinieri. NTM–I officers also provided mentoring and advice to the Prime Minister's National Operations Centre, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior Command Centre and the Iraqi Ministry of Defence Joint Operations Centre.

BAGHDAD, Iraq – NATO Training Mission-Iraq Deputy Commander, Italian Army Maj. Gen. Claudio Angelelli, congratulates an Oil Police graduated during the graduation ceremony for the second class of Oil Police at Camp Dublin Feb. 10

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi Federal Police Commander, staff Lt. Gen. Hussein Jassem Mohammed Al Awadi, presents Deputy Commander NATO Training Mission-Iraq, Italian Army Maj. Gen. Claudio Angelelli with a token of appreciation following the graduation ceremony for the 2nd class of Oil Police at Camp Dublin Feb 10