AR RUSTAMIYAH — The Iraqi Military Academy here graduated 281 Iraqi Army and 86 Iraqi Air Force cadets from its Basic Officers Commissioning Course, July 14.

The 12-month commissioning course paid special attention to leadership and ethics training while instilling the values and standards required of the future leaders of the Iraqi military. Additionally, the course syllabus covered tactics, weapons training, physical fitness, first aid, current affairs and geography.

The ceremony was attended by numerous Iraqi military dignitaries, including the Minister of Defense, Mohammed Abdul Kader Al Obeidi, the Iraqi Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Abu Bakr Zebari, the Chief of Staff for Training, Staff Lt. Gen. Hussein Dohi, and the Commander of the Academy, Maj. Gen. Majeed Hassan Zgaat. Many proud families were also present to witness the achievement.

In his speech, the Minister of Defense stressed that the future of the country is in the hands of the graduating cadets.

The next officer course starts in January 2010, and in light of lessons learned from the current curriculum, it will be three years in duration and specifically designed for cadets to get university degrees.

The academy was founded in 1924 by British forces. It was based on the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England and graduated its first class of Iraqi officers in 1927.

NATO Training Mission-Iraq has supported the academy since 2005. During the past four years, more than 2,500 cadets have graduated.

Since 2004, NTM-I has been training, mentoring and advising officers in the Iraqi Security Forces in order to assist the Government of Iraq in resuming its important place in the international community and to improve security for all Iraqi people with democratic security forces.

NTM-I mentors and supports the Iraqi National Defense University, Iraq National Defense College, and the Defense Strategic Studies Institute. Other cooperation projects for NATO in Iraq are out-of-country training courses for Iraqi nationals at NATO schools, as well as Federal Police training led by Italian Carabinieri and at Ar Rustamiyah, the Iraqi Military Academy, along with the Joint Staff College and Command College.

NTM–I officers also provide mentoring and advice to the Prime Minister’s National Operations Center, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior Command Center and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense Joint Operations Center.