Our military mentors
Volume 11, No. 52, September 21, 2006
By Wg-Cmdr Bob Rodgers

Mentor: Maj-Gen Richard Shirreff, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division-South East, farewells Australian embed Col Ash Gunder. Photo by Cpl Anthony Boocock

THROUGHOUT Iraq, Austra-lian servicemen and women are contributing to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the country in a broad range of roles.

Some such as the Overwatch Battle Group-West are very visible, but others are doing key work that will shape the nature and effectiveness of the Iraqi nation well after all coalition forces have left.

This is especially true of a group of ADF personnel, predominantly based in Baghdad, collectively called embeds. A group has recently returned to Australia, and another rotation has taken its place. The embeds are integrated into the key headquarters charged with what Commander JTF 633 Brig Mick Moon refers to as that “enormous project called Iraq”.

“This is a real nation-building task and the embedded staff are at the frontline of creating the new Iraq,” Brig Moon said.

The three major coalition headquarters in Baghdad are Multi-National Force-Iraq, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, and the Multi-National Security and Transition Command -Iraq. The embeds are trusted confidants to senior coalition and Iraqi officers and, in some cases, are charged with mentoring officers much more senior in rank than themselves.

The Australian personnel bring their organisational and leadership skills to areas they have not worked before.

Within the Multi-National Security and Transition Command- Iraq, Brig Steve Smith headed a group of coalition personnel charged with preparing the Iraqi Joint Headquarters to take command of the Iraqi divisions that are steadily coming on line through the efforts of the trainers and logistics embeds in the supporting headquarters and training schools.

Brig Smith and his team were partnered with senior Iraqi officers to mentor, advise and help develop the teams they lead. Before returning home Brig Smith partnered the Commanding General Iraqi Joint Headquarters, Gen Babakir.