Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jessika Greendeer | A female Iraqi police recruit and former Sons of Iraq, receives helpful tips from the...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Jessika Malott
8th Military Police Brigade
BAGHDAD – In the distance, behind the small clouds of dust rolling behind the formation of marching Iraqi police recruits, there is a small group receiving information from their instructor, Nov. 25.
The group of 19 are physically different from the other recruits in the yard yet what is visible in their hearts and efforts was that they carried the same pride, service and duty as their male counterparts.
The female recruits, who have come to train with other former Sons of Iraq, have again made the decision to continue to further serve their country by registering at the al Furat Iraqi Police Training Center, where now they are only a week from graduating as the first SoI graduating class of IP recruits.
Although they are not the first females to attend training at the center, their pride for their homeland and the light of hope gleaming from their faces assured onlookers that they too are prepared to do their part in protecting their country.
"It was my dream to be an IP since I was 12," said Ammal, an Iraqi police recruit and former SoI, through an interpreter. "I like to watch American movies. I watched Charlie's Angels, and it gave me motivation to see other females doing stuff and I thought that I can do it too."
Ammal has also worked for the Iraqi army, and after hearing about the opportunities with the IP training program, she said she had made up her mind.
"Enough is enough," she said. "We want to prove to the western countries that we can do this – protect our country and help others."
The class members were working on their marksmanship skills and fired their weapons at the training center's range. Many of the recruits have had previous training so that the tasks that were presented during class have improved their knowledge and skill sets.
"Before, we used to get some females in training," said Maj. Rozak, commander of the training center. "The Sons of Iraq are well trained. They know many things, and they have more opportunity in the future. They are very well educated militarily wise."
Many of the females said they are happy to be part of the forces that will shape their communities and country.
"We [females] want to prove to the western countries that we can do this to help others," said Ammal. "We did not have an opportunity during Saddam Hussein's regime. Now, we have that opportunity. We will handle suicide bombers and improvised-explosive devices. It is only a matter of time before we clean up Iraq again."
| Date Taken: | 11.25.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 11.27.2008 09:04 |
| Story ID: | 26875 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 41 |
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