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445th AW reservist helps Iraqi MoD produce first media workshop

  • Published
  • By Spc. Breeanna DuBuke
BAGHDAD --  The first Advanced Broadcasting and Television Production Workshop, composed of 22 students, was conducted from Feb. 20 to March 2 at the MoD's Ministerial Developmental and Training Center here.

As the Government of Iraq continues to increase self-sustaining capabilities, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense has begun advanced training to develop and maintain a professional public affairs program as part of this progress.

In 2004, senior Iraqi media relations officials first learned the advantages a professional public affairs program can provide as a means to keep the Iraqi people informed of military affairs. They learned the importance of providing technical training on video and still camera equipment, as well as the importance of objective reporting to the Iraqi public.

These lessons came from a small group of instructors at the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Information School at Fort George G. Meade, Md., said Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Ali Muslih al-Jeboury, director of Media and Relations for the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces.

"We now have media units in the Iraqi Army, in each unit or division," said Qais Subhie Mustafa, a member of the MoD's Department of Media and Relations who now conducts the workshop. "Most of their members do not study photography or videotaping, but they do it instinctively depending on their own level of experience."

Adopting a syllabus provided by DINFOS, Iraqi leaders from the MoD developed a program to improve the skill sets of their media units.

Since the first basic course, in 2005, more than 200 motivated Iraqi leaders and Soldiers have been trained on basic photography and videography through training events such as this workshop, Ali said.

"This advanced class is filled with all the requirements for videography and photography," said Ali, who himself is a proud DINFOS alumni.

"We are teaching them a brief history of photography and taping, and the basics of photography and taping - like understanding shutter speeds, varieties of lenses, shot selection, as well as movements and angles," Qais said.

"We've had in-class lessons and practical training on modern cameras," said Iraqi Army Pvt. Haydar Abdurasul Fayadh, a workshop graduate who serves with the Baghdad/Kharkh Operations Command.

During the latest cycle of the course, designed to offer advanced techniques, Ali extended an invitation to U.S. Air Force Reservist Maj. Jose A. Cardenas, 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, currently deployed as the Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the United States Forces-Iraq Deputy Commanding General for Advising and Training, to personally assist with advanced broadcasting and production techniques for this class.

"It was rewarding to share information with the Iraqis," said Major Cardenas, who has seven years of experience with videography and works in his civilian profession as a professor with the Department of Telecommunications at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

"Major Cardenas taught advanced techniques for using audio with videotaping," said Ahmed Quitan Jassim Hammadie, a workshop graduate who serves with the Iraq Air Force Command.

With the training provided, the graduates say they are excited to go back to their units, properly equipped with advanced techniques to tell the Iraqi Security Forces story.

"After graduation, they will be able to perform their duties in the correct manner to deliver the news in the right way," Qais said.
These graduates will now be charged with reporting news about the Iraqi Security Forces and everything related to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, Qais said.

The Government of Iraq continues to achieve milestones, such as producing teams of public affairs professionals who are able to tell the story and communicate the GoI's progress to the Iraqi public.