Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Phoenix Base
APO AE 09348

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. 091008-05

Oct. 8, 2009

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DSN:  318-852-1332
IRAQNA:  0780-997-5063

Largest Class starts Iraqi Infantry Officer Basic Course

KIRKUSH, Iraq – The new Iraqi army continues to expand and professionalize its forces with 383 new lieutenants starting the Infantry Officer Basic Course at the Kirkush Military Training Base here Oct. 4. This is the largest class ever to go through training in the Iraqi army.

The Infantry school commander, Iraqi army Staff Col. Mahamood, was the keynote speaker for the opening ceremony. He said that discipline would be the cornerstone of the class and that every officer would be held accountable for his actions. Mahamood challenged the students to do their best and to strive to be honor graduates and to learn as much as possible so they can wisely lead their soldiers during times of peace and war.

The 383 students are divided into eight platoons with each platoon assigned two instructors with an Iraqi lieutenant colonel as the senior platoon instructor. The Infantry School cadre is made up of 27 officer instructors and eight non-commissioned officers as weapons instructors. The cadre is supported by a regular headquarters section with the command and control group and a support section with more than 100 personnel. The Infantry School cadre supports the IOBC courses and the other courses in the Infantry School curriculum.

The IOBC core curriculum covers all aspects of small unit leadership and warfighting at the platoon level. The course consists of classroom lectures utilizing power point slides and practical applications on live-fire courses and ranges. IOBC training also includes ethics/values, counter-insurgency operations, offensive and defensive operations and a platoon/squad live fire maneuver course. The course will culminate with mounted combat patrol live fire exercises and traffic control points. Graduation for this course is expected to around mid-November.

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS CONCERNING THIS RELEASE, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL SECURITY TRANSITION COMMAND – IRAQ PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE BY E-MAIL AT This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it OR BY PHONE AT DSN: (318) 852-1332 OR IRAQNA: 0790-194-0270. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION VISIT:  WWW.MNSTCI.IRAQ.CENTCOM.MIL.