BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Army wants every Iraqi Soldier to receive ethics training just like he receives marksmanship or drill and ceremony training.

Since 2003, the primary focus for the Iraqi Army has been building the force. Getting Soldiers trained to fight took precedence over many other military functions. Iraqis came from all locations and all walks of life to join the fight to secure their country from terrorists.

Every one of those Soldiers brought a unique set of values with him: personal values, family values, community values and religious values. Creating a culture of ethical behavior means that each Soldier must now learn and accept Iraqi Army values.

Those core values are the same as the United States Army’s: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and courage.

Unifying ethical standards in a force of more than 150,000 Soldiers cannot be done haphazardly or in a reactionary fashion. The Center for Military Values, Principles and Leadership Development is tasked with creating ethics training doctrine for the Army and providing ethics training for the Soldiers.

Army values and principles is just one of the five blocks of training CMVPLD covers. In addition, Soldiers learn; role of the military in a democracy, law of armed conflict, military professionalism and leadership.

“We would like to expand the values and the principles to all of the Iraqi Army from the Jundi to the senior level,” said Iraqi Army Staff Brig. Gen. Mohan, director of CMVPLD.

The decline in violence in Iraq has given the center some breathing room to push training out to the field. Mobile training teams are visiting all the Basic Combat Training locations as well as the four military academies.

“According to our plan, no one will graduate without getting the training in 2009,” said Mohan.