Photo By Spc. Kahlil Dash | Italian Brig. Gen. Nicola Terzano, left, commanding general of Italian forces in Iraq...... read more read more
Command of the multi-national Kurdistan Training Coordination Center (KTCC) changed hands June 26, 2019, as its Italian Army leader handed the guidon off to a compatriot during a ceremony at the center’s headquarters on Erbil Air Base, Iraq.
Italian Col. Giuseppe Levato assumed command of KTCC from Col. Antonio Fantastico, who has served at the training center for the past year, including the last six months as commander.
Levato brings 35 years of military experience to his new position, including several combat deployments. He previously served in Iraq as a Task Group Commander, twice deployed to Afghanistan, and has served numerous NATO assignments.
The KTCC is an 8-nation joint effort that manages the training of local security forces under a unified command structure. Since 2015, more than 40,000 Peshmerga soldiers and local forces have passed through one of the KTCC’s four training sites, which offer instruction at every level from basic training to master-level instructor courses.
Italian Brig. Gen. Nicola Terzano, commanding general of Italian forces in Iraq and training director for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, oversaw the ceremony that was attended by numerous dignitaries from the Kurdistan Regional Government, along with soldiers representing local forces and each of the KTCC member nations.
Fantastico thanked all of the KTCC members for their efforts, noting that the training and cooperation the center provides are the ingredients for the permanent defeat of Daesh.
“We are already training the Peshmerga to take the lead from our soldiers,” he said. “They are the future. I strongly believe their training is the key to success.”
Prior to the ceremony, Fantastico reflected on his time with the KTCC, noting that training the Peshmerga forces to become trainers was the most critical focus of his efforts.
“My mandate was to focus on the leadership courses in order to let the [local forces] become self-sustainable in the planning and execution of the training,” he said. Referring to the Advanced and Master Instructor Courses, he said the new training path is dedicated to creating the future teachers. “They will be training the trainers of the trainers.”
Levato said his intent would be to continue that process initiated by his predecessor, with particular focus on leadership courses and developing instructors, especially at battalion and brigade staff level. “My aim and direction will be to continue to develop a self-sustainable program for planning and conducting their own training.”
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2019 10:01 |
| Story ID: | 333370 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 191 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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