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Latest News

British Forces handover basic training in southern Iraq

Published Wednesday 31st August 2005

200 Iraqi Soldiers take part in the graduation ceremony as the Basic Training Centre at Camp Ur is passed from the MNF to the Iraqi Army. [CPL Tony Stinson, RAF Combat Camera Team].
200 Iraqi Soldiers take part in the graduation ceremony as the Basic Training Centre at Camp Ur is passed from the MNF to the Iraqi Army. [CPL Tony Stinson, RAF Combat Camera Team]. Major General Jim Dutton Royal Marines and Major General Abdul Latif address soldiers at the graduation ceremony [CPL Tony Stinson, RAF Combat Camera Team].
Major General Jim Dutton Royal Marines and Major General Abdul Latif address soldiers at the graduation ceremony [CPL Tony Stinson, RAF Combat Camera Team].

Lieutenant Colonel Toby Bridge, Commanding Officer of The Kings Royal Hussars, has handed over responsibility for basic military training to the Iraqi Army.

In a graduation ceremony on 25 August 2005, the Basic Training Centre (BTC) flag was passed from the Multi-National Force (MNF) instructors to the Iraqi Army. As the BTC was transferred to the Iraqi Army, over 200 fully trained Iraqi Army instructors, in subjects from vehicle maintenance to infantry training, were getting ready to take up their new roles. The men have spent three months preparing with personnel from the Multi-National Force, led by the British.  

The Iraqi trainers are now capable of instructing new recruits in all aspects of general army and specialist training. They will receive the first batch of 630 recruits in early September. The recruits will undergo a basic four-week course that will get them used to all military aspects of the Iraqi Army. This will be followed by a further two weeks of specialist training.

Major General Jim Dutton Royal Marines, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division (South East) (MND(SE)), attended the ceremony. He said:

"I would like to praise all the staff involved from both the Multi-National Force and the Iraqi Army for their dedication and commitment in getting the instructors and the BTC to this stage." 

Major General Abdul Latif, Commander in General 10 Division Iraqi Army, took the salute at the march past.  He said:

"I would like to thank General Dutton and the Multi-National Forces for all their support in getting the instructors to such a high standard." 

The new instructors provided a demonstration of how to conduct a Snap Vehicle Check Point (VCP). Many of the instructors are former Iraqi soldiers, specially selected to be trained for their role at the centre. All underwent instruction on leadership and instructional techniques, both inside the air conditioned classrooms and outside in heat of the desert sun.

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