MOSUL, Iraq – Poorly trained and under-equipped by American standards, the Iraqi National Guard (search) is also plagued with desertions. They're just walking off the job.
But in Mosul, the Guard is trying to buck that trend through a training program with U.S. soldiers that will ultimately put it in charge of the city's security.
The first step in training is for Iraqi soldiers to go through a "boot camp" to learn the skills necessary to become an effective force.
Standing in front of a training compound used for this purpose, Master Sgt. Brian Hamm, a U.S. security trainer, said that the base "is as secure an environment that we can keep here so that they'll have a secure environment to learn and train in before we put them out on the street, training alongside us."
At the Mosul training camp, Iraqis learn basic soldier skills and discipline, techniques for searching houses and how to operate in an urban environment. They know that someday, they'll be working on their own without the Americans' help.
"We don't fear any danger because we go out with the Americans, we learn to do the mission alone," said one Iraqi soldier. "We can't expect the U.S. forces to be there all the time."
Security briefings and lessons are held in both English and Arabic, and Iraqis train Americans in learning their language as well.
"The language itself is difficult to pick up, but it's mainly more valuable on a cultural awareness perspective, to pick up just little things that I think, has helped us solidify relationships, especially with the trainers we're working with on a daily basis," said Lt. Joe Guthrie, another U.S. security trainer.
Click on the box near the top of this story to watch a report by FOX News' David Piper.
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