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

 

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. 091230-04
December 30, 2009
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DSN:  318-852-1334

 

Baghdad Police College begins cultural awareness curriculum

 

BAGHDAD, Iraq–An American cultural awareness class started at the Baghdad Police College here Dec. 22.  The American cultural awareness class is a small part of the three–year police college curriculum, but it plays a major role in shaping the hearts and minds of the students here, said Col. Randall Twitchell, Iraq Training and Advising Mission-Police Training and Qualification Institute Director.
 
The goal is to teach the more than 6,000 students who now flow through the institute that there is more to Americans than what they see here.  “The course teaches students an overview of American history, the process of our government and historical figures,” said Twitchell.  Included in the 90-minute course is a brief summary of the types of homes American live in and the kind of cars Americans buy.

 

“This course is significant because these officers will go out to every province in Iraq and the impression we leave will go with them,” said Twitchell.  Students ask questions throughout the course and most of them want to know how much a house in the U.S. costs and at what age most Americans get married.

 

The advisors want the students to have a broader sense of the world and more awareness of other nations’ cultures.  Currently, the police college is working on adding a Dutch cultural awareness course to begin in the next few weeks. 

 

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