Posted on 01/13/2010 4:27:04 PM PST by SandRat
1/13/2010 - RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq (AFNS) -- More than 240 cadets graduated from the Iraqi air force officer course basic military training course Jan. 10, here.
In the two-month course, the 247 graduates at Iraqi Military Academy-Rustamiyah were educated in professionalism, teamwork, management and the leadership skills required to be an officer.
"The staff and students have a strong desire to improve their country," said Lt. Col. David Keller, the 821st Expeditionary Training Squadron chief of the Iraqi air force officers program. "There is an intense national pride that is energizing to be around."
This class trained alongside more than 200 Iraqi army troops and is the largest Iraqi air force group to graduate from the Iraqi officer course since Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off.
"This graduation is historic for the Iraqis because it's the first time there has been more Iraqi air force cadet's graduate than army," said Capt. Brian Spliethof, the Iraqi Training and Advisory Mission personnel deputy director. "Also this will be the last air force class to graduate from Rustamiyah."
The Iraqis are re-opening the air force academy in Tikrit in mid 2010 that will host the future Iraqi air force officer course.
"The future of the Iraqi military, both airmen and soldiers, demonstrated in part today the precision and coordination associated with professional, joint fielded forces," said Brig. Gen. Scott M. Hanson, the Coalition Air Force Transition Team commanding general. The graduates' families pride was evident, as they witnessed their sons who join today the ranks of those providing increasing security and stability for Iraq."
With the drawdown of U.S. troops in August of 2010, ITAMs continuing mission, in conjunction with Nato Training Mission-Iraqi, is to help the Iraqi schoolhouse build a self-sufficient, self-enduring technical training course. This will assist Iraq to build its own military, trained by its own people, without the need of U.S. forces.
Iraqi staff Gen. Aboud Ganbar salutes cadets during a pass in review at an Iraqi air force officer graduation ceremony Jan. 10, 2010,
at the Iraqi Military Academy-Rustamiyah, Iraq. General Ganbar is the deputy of the Iraqi army chief of staff for operations.
(U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Trish Bunting)
Good for them and good for us (Of course W should, but won’t, get the credit).
Each brick we lay in creating a modern country, the more stable the foundation becomes.
I can’t tell from the article: They are flying F-16s?
Don’t know
Maybe someone will show up. JJ, have you been following the new Iraqi Air Force...?
From http://www.cjtf7.army.mil/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26571&Itemid=131
The squadron operates C-208B Caravan aircraft conducting flight training for members of the Iraqi Air Force. Their mission is to train, educate and advise professional Iraqi Airmen in order to build the institutional capacity to conduct credible fixed flight training for the Iraqi Air Force.
Essentially a good-quality turboprop:
Oh well, I hope they graduate to jets before too long.
I know little about it. I had a SQ commander that left for a year tour to train the Iraqis. He noted they were very good students.
That’s about all that I can contribute.
>>That’s about all that I can contribute.<<
Without killing me, right? :)
I have been fortunate. Since the Iraqi invasion, I have not been deployed to the region. So, info I do have would be second or third hand.
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