Iraqi army soldiers salute during a pass and review at a basic training graduation ceremony April 19 at the K-1 Iraqi Army Base’s Regional Training Center in Kirkuk. The 1,895 new soldiers form the foundation for a new Iraqi army brigade that will officially stand up in late May.

Blackanthem Military News,

KIRKUK, Iraq – The Iraqi army added 1,895 soldiers to its ranks when they graduated from basic combat training during a ceremony at the K-1 Iraqi Army Base’s Regional Training Center.

The soldiers will help to form a new brigade, the 4th Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, which will officially stand up in late May.  Commonly known as the Samarra brigade, their area of responsibility will include north of Baghdad up to Samarra.

The same soldiers who have trained together during basic combat training will also train with their future brigade officers and noncommissioned officers.

“Today’s graduates learned and trained together which will help them be successful,” said Iraqi army Lt. Col. Yashar Medhat, RTC operations officer. “Since they arrived to K-1 to join the new brigade, they’ve been happy to train and ready to go wherever they are needed.”

It’s the first time that Iraqi soldiers have completed basic training as a unit and then go on to train with their brigade leaders before officially standing up, according to Lt. Col. Gerald Snell, RTC officer in charge.

A military transition team from the 82nd Airborne Division will advise the brigade during the rest of its RTC training and after it officially stands up.

The eight-week basic training included daily physical training, AK-47 qualification, first-aid, checkpoint operations, cordon and search, and convoy training.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:

Iraqi army soldiers perform a tactical demonstration during their graduation ceremony April 19 at the K-1 Iraqi Army Base’s Regional Training Center in Kirkuk.

Iraqi army soldiers march during a basic training graduation at the K-1 Iraqi Army Base’s Regional Training Center in Kirkuk. The eight-week basic training included daily physical training, AK-47 qualification, first-aid and convoy training.

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