CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - A small group of Iraqi criminal investigation professionals completed a month-long training course under the supervision of military intelligence personnel assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, 'Long Knives' at the 10th Iraqi Army Division's headquarters in Camp Dhi Qar Feb. 10.
The crime scene investigation course, designed for Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army military intelligence specialists stationed in southern Iraq, involved one-on-one instruction on gathering and analyzing evidence in the Dhi Qar, Maysan and Muthanna provinces.
"This was a very good course for us, especially the parts about tactical questioning," explained 1st Lt. Mantaser Mohsen Septi, an IP from central Nasiriyah. "We've learned how to work with the Iraqi Army and how to pool our information."
While the Iraqi military already has a similar course at Camp Taji, near Baghdad, the waiting list has been long. Creating a new course at the home of the 10th Iraqi Army Division, which is adjacent to COB Adder, made Camp Dhi Qar a prime location for the joint training.
"We already knew some aspects of the curriculum from our classes in Taji," said Iraqi Army Lt. Naji Hussein, a 10th Div. intelligence officer. "But we've learned new things from this team, and when we apply what we've learned, it will be easier to get the warrants we need to capture the criminals."
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Marc Losito, one of the American intelligence professionals, explained how the primary purpose of the course is to get the technical and tactical knowledge to the Iraqis who need it the most. Once these personnel are trained, they will be the instructors at the 10th IA Div.'s smaller bases.
With improved knowledge on how to properly process evidence, the Iraqi troops and police officers can obtain information faster and more efficiently than Coalition Forces ever could, because the Iraqis are much more familiar with their terrain and people than anyone else is.
"The ISF have access to people and information that we can't reach," said Lt. Col. Monica Bradshaw, the brigade's senior intelligence officer, from Utica, Miss.
"(Training them better) is going to help their intelligence capabilities not only (in the Dhi Qar province), but in the Maysan and Muthanna provinces also."
Bradshaw's intelligence collectors taught Iraqi personnel from three of Iraq's southernmost provinces: Dhi Qar, Muthanna and Maysan. Those students are set to pass their knowledge onto other Iraqi intelligence professionals at their respective bases.
"Some of the Iraqi Soldiers have never worked with IP officers before," Bradshaw added. "We want to leave these intelligence collectors working together. They asked us for this training; it was not something forced upon them. They understand that one day we will be gone and they will have to do this by themselves."
"In order to maintain the respect of their people, they have to be able to protect them," Bradshaw added. "I'm excited about this training, but the real fruits will be realized long after we're gone."
For now, the new Iraqi intelligence students - soon to be instructors - are better prepared to rid Iraq's streets of criminals, and help the people feel safe.
Social Sharing