In the distance, behind the small clouds of dust rolling behind a formation of marching Iraqi Police recruits, is a small group receiving information from their instructor Nov. 25.

The 19 female recruits, who have come to train with other former Sons of Iraq, have again made the decision to continue to further serve their country by registering at the al Furat Iraqi Police Training Center, where now they are only a week from graduating as the first SoI graduating class of IP recruits.

“It was my dream to be an IP since I was 12,” said Ammal, an Iraqi Police recruit and former SoI, through an interpreter. “I like to watch American movies. I watched Charlie’s Angels and it gave me motivation to see other females doing stuff and I thought that I can do it too.”

Ammal has also worked for the Iraqi Army, and after hearing about the opportunities with the IP training program, she said she had made up her mind.

“Enough is enough,” she said. “We want to prove to the western countries that we can do this – protect our country and help others.”

The class members were working on their marksmanship skills and fired their weapons at the training center’s range. Many of the recruits have had previous training so that the tasks that were presented during class have improved their knowledge and skill sets.

“Before, we used to get some females in training,” said Maj. Rozak, training center commander. “The Sons of Iraq are well trained. they know many things, and they have more opportunity in the future. They are very well educated militarily wise.”

Many of the females said they are happy to be part of the forces that will shape their communities and country.

“We (females) want to prove to the western countries that we can do this to help others,” said Ammal. “We did not have an opportunity during Saddam Hussein’s regime. Now, we have that opportunity. We will handle suicide bombers and IEDs (improvised-explosive devices). It is only a matter of time before we clean up Iraq again.”

MNF-I