Close to 200 future members of the NATO Mission Iraq, or NMI, have just concluded their final preparation before deployment. From 26 January to 6 February, NATO Joint Force Training Centre conducted another, the largest to date, iteration of the NMI Pre-Deployment Training.
NATO Mission Iraq is a non-combat advisory and capacity-building mission. It assists Iraq in building more sustainable, transparent, inclusive and effective armed forces and security institutions, so that Iraqis themselves are better able to stabilise their country, fight terrorism and prevent the return of ISIS/Daesh. The NATO Joint Force Training Centre’s pre-deployment training equips NATO advisors heading to Iraq, as well as future NMI Headquarters staff members, with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed once they arrive in Baghdad. This iteration was no different.
The two-week training programme consisted of a virtual and a residential phase. During the first one, conducted online, the participants received a vast amount of knowledge and learned from experienced NMI personnel, including top leaders and subject matter experts from the mission. During live chat sessions, the training audience interacted with presenters and received answers to all their questions.
During the residential phase, future advisors and staff engaged in intensive, face-to-face academic sessions designed to complement their diverse military backgrounds. It was the time, when theory turned into practice. During complex role-playing scenarios, simulating the advisory environment in Baghdad, the training audience enhanced their understanding of operational methodology, engaged with experienced professionals, and developed practical tools to navigate through complex and dynamic situations they may encounter once in Iraq.
Moreover, the in-person part of the training created perfect environment for team building and for shaping personal trust necessary for a successful deployment.
“The residential phase of the pre-deployment training is the most important part of your preparation,” stated Brigadier General Thomas Braun, the Director of the NMI HQ’s Training Development Division, who arrived in Bydgoszcz to share his expertise during the training.
Over the past two weeks, the participants worked hand in hand to hone their skills, and got ready for the upcoming deployment. They worked under the watchful eye of Major General Bogdan Rycerski, the JFTC Commander, and Lieutenant General Ramon Armada Vazquez, the designated NMI Commander who participated in the event together with his future staff.
The successful execution of such a robust training event would not have been possible without substantial contribution from various NATO commands. Professionals from the NATO Headquarters, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence, NATO Communications and Information Agency, and the U.S. Navy Reserve greatly supported the event. Arabic-speaking role-players and interpreters, who also augmented the training, added realism to the practical advisory sessions.
Interested in NATO Mission Iraq? Learn more here: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_166936.htm
