Iraqi Special Operations Forces learn to use images to communicate with Iraqi citizens

Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
05 August, 2008 04:01:00

Font size:

BALAD – During conflicts between people or groups of people, there are always at least two sides to every story.

In 2003, while Coalition forces were on the outskirts of Baghdad and about to take the city, Saddam Hussein’s media chief tried to deceive the Iraqi people by saying that the images they were seeing on television were in other areas of the country and not in Baghdad; a blatant falsehood as history would soon prove.  However, his tactics often worked for the dictator.  Today, the insurgency also actively uses the media to spread deceit, manipulation and fear among the people of Iraq.

Ten Iraqi Special Operations Soldiers will be able to help combat the insurgency’s campaign of misinformation after graduating from a 15-day ISOF Public Affairs and Photojournalism Course in Baghdad July 31.

Their main goal is to use their new skills to build trust and maintain a positive relationship between ISOF and the people of Iraq.

“The most valuable thing is the trust of the people,” said an Iraqi Counter Terrorism Forces sergeant. “It starts with the truth.”

Telling the truth was a central theme of the course which was instructed by a U.S. advisor. The course was adapted from the Basic Public Affairs Specialist – Writer and Public Affairs Qualification Course at the Defense Information School in Fort Meade, Md., into a 15-day field course to teach the basics of photojournalism and public affairs operations.

“They are the best unit in Iraq’s military,” the advisor said. “By adding public affairs and photojournalism skills, they can show the Iraqi people what ISOF is doing to bring peace and stability to Iraq.”

During the course, the students wrote stories about activities happening at ISOF headquarters.  As part of their coursework, each student wrote a story on a live-fire training exercise, an outing between ISOF and a children’s scouting program, a personality feature, and a unit feature.  

“They were able to catch on very quickly and were creative with their stories,” said the advisor. “In the beginning, some of the training was rough because this is a new subject to them, but that’s why we train.”

As the course progressed, the instructor noted improvement in their understanding and enthusiasm for the material.

“Each day there was something new to learn about writing or photography,” the ICTF sergeant said. “We were eager to take what we learned one day and carry it to the next.” 

The graduates are now more prepared to perform as military public affairs specialists and journalists. They have the skills to interact with both the community and the media to earn and build a trusting relationship. They are also prepared to release information to report news and command information about ISOF operations and activities. 

“We are the connection between the Army and the people of Iraq,” said an ICTF private first class.

The soldiers have learned to apply various research methods and fundamentals of journalism with an emphasis on style, format and techniques. They also learned the basic operation of the digital camera and photojournalism skills.

According to the ISOF sergeant, the truth builds a trusting relationship between the army and the people. He believes this new skill is a responsibility not to be taken lightly.

“Sometimes the people don’t know what we are doing in the Army,” the sergeant said. “We can now tell the good things we are doing for the safety and security of our people. We want Iraq to be a safe place.”  

The ISOF captain, chief of media, agrees with his soldiers and goes on to say the days of lying to the public like Saddam Hussein and his regime did are long over. They will use newspapers and the internet to disseminate their messages – the truth – to the Iraqi people.

“These soldiers are doing great things all around the country and now they have individuals who are trained to tell the Iraqi people about it,” the ISOF captain said. “They can show the truth about their battle to liberate Iraq.”