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WASHINGTON D.C. (May 16, 2008) - More than 300 former members of
"Sons of Iraq" graduated to Iraqi policemen during a ceremony at
Kirkuk Police Academy on May 15.
The students graduated after eight weeks of training here.
"The Kirkuk province has shown tremendous progress in the last
year. Events like this prove we are taking the necessary steps to
show the world this province will stand together to defeat
terrorists and establish rule of law," Army Col. David Paschal, 1st
Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, told the graduating class.
All the graduates are residents of Hawijah district, about 60
miles southwest of Kirkuk city. This area saw the region's worst
violence against civilians, Iraq security forces, and coalition
forces. Officials reported 10 to 15 attacks daily.
"This is a great day," a student names Badri, 22, said. "I am so
grateful to the coalition forces and Lieutenant Colonel Vanek who
gave us an opportunity to join our Iraqi security forces and serve
our country and our people."
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christopher Vanek is commander of 1st
Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment. The unit's area of operation
covers Hawijah district, which has a Sons of Iraq program with more
than 7,500 members.
The new recruits will be returning to fill Iraqi police
vacancies within Hawijah district, filling a critical need for
police there. For many, this milestone is the direct result of the
security gains in the region, specifically in Hawijah, which has
seen an 80 percent drop in violent attacks since December's
inception of the Sons of Iraq program, Paschal said.
"I was once a farmer unable to earn enough to feed my family. I
had no choices," Ghafli, 29, another student, said. "I will now
return home with my head held high with a job and in a [Iraqi
police] uniform."
"I would never have considered becoming an IP a year ago," Badri
said.
"And if we did," Ghafli added, "we would never wear the uniform.
It was a mark of death."
The students of the predominantly Sunni-Arab graduating class
lauded the multi-ethnic environment at the academy. Instructors
include Kurdish, Turkman, Christian and Arab ethnicities.
"We took an oath to serve and protect Iraqis. That is what we
are, and it is our responsibility to uphold the rule of law. What
you are does not matter," Monir, 28, said. "We are all
brothers."
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