How long does the training/boot camp last before soldiers are sent to Iraq?

How much more training do Iraqi forces need before they are up to speed? I mean, they come from a long history and actual paid positions of authority already. What the Hell is taking so long for " training "?

And if anyone answer to that even remotely smacks of " there is too much turn over within their ranks " - doesn't that say SOMEthing?

Don't know the particulars these days, but I imagine things have not changed that much. This from my experience:

Your average basic training is about 6-8 weeks, depending on your entrance processing, etc...

That covers fundemental Physical Training, military code of justice, elementary combat readiness, core arms training, field aid, first aid, vehicles for some, drill and ceremonies, finally just the overall command structure and basic duties. (Guard post, master of arms, etc..)

When somebody enlists, they are assigned a MO. This is a GI (government issue warm body!)'s core competency. Mine was radio ops...

Unless you enlist with some special skills to bring to the table, or as an officer, etc... these core competencies are essentially war positions. Scout, infrantry, cook, driver, radio, etc...

After basic training, a new GI will generally be stationed somewhere and undergo AIT. Advanced Individual Training. This is where that core competency is learned, along with a secondary set of general combat readiness skills.

After that, there should be some specialized training specific to the theatre in question. Familarity with culture, environment, equipment, dangers, and other elementary things are taught and simulated where possible.

ie: Desert exercises to adapt the body, mind and to generally build those specific physical skills and knowledge adaptations necessary to cope with some degree of competence in the deployment environment.

All told, 16 weeks for rushed, but likely adequate training by today's standards, would be my guess. That clearly varies by MO and or special rank / skill training and or development that may or may not apply.

I'll bet that as much as 32 weeks would be solid, if one were to incorporate all the urban warfare stuff necessary for this particular mess.

The above would be one quick stint for somebody headed to Iraq and who is enlisted full time.

For National Guardsmen, this training is typically spread out into three chunks, with two week full time recurring training each year.

Basic, performed at some military base.

AIT, Same, but usually the following year or after 6 months.

Extended training is ongoing two weeks per year.

If a change in MO is warranted, some additional training time may be indicated.

A Guardsmen would likely face the specialized training combined with a general readiness referesher course aimed at bringing the physical attributes to their peak along with the adjustment to full time service.

On a side note, one can ask for a medical re-evaluation after the basic training stage. Physical wear or inadequacies can and do manifest themselves after extended activity. A significant percentage of honorable discharges happen this way as pre-enlistment screening is not capable of catching all people who might have serious issues.

(Flat feet, cardiovascular, sensitivity to temp, light, extremes, mental weakness, etc...)

Sometimes these evaluations are ordered, depending on the judgment of a higher ranking member assigned the task of new recruit readiness. I'll bet those are somewhat rare these days. (seriously high pressure for sheer numbers at this point are gonna prevent all but the most high risk issues from seeing this diversion)

Despite what we might hear about these things, know those people in charge of readiness take their job pretty seriously. When I went through, this was completely obvious and appreciated. Several members were culled as trouble manifested itself, despite the people wanting to continue anyway.

The extreme pressure and tight budgets are making readiness training a thankless and very tough job right now, IMHO.

What I just wrote applies to willing recruits, with few if any pre existing issues, engaging the course in a controlled environment.

The big problem with the Iraqis is cultural, linguistic, protocols, military strategies, corruption, disloyalty and trust. In addition to all of those, the environment is not controlled, equipment is often not adequate, and or simply missing or incorrect / damaged, etc...

That's gonna add a lot of time to what would otherwise be a straightforward endevor.

I've no idea how bad those factors are, nor our overall success in dealing with them. We simply don't get solid information in that regard.

Missing, you covered the basic training question well. Like you said, any sort of special skills, to prepare you for your future job, often require many more weeks in training immediately after basic. In the Air Force, you start with a "six and a half week" basic that begins with "zero week" -- and if you do the math quick enough, you are pretty pissed off most of that first week.

CJ, I spent a few hours getting answers to some of my Iraq questions from one of our Army MPs when he was on leave. This was back in 2004, when we actually had a chance to get out of this mess with grace. He shared no secrets, but was willing to be candid about his job.

In a nutshell, the "training" of Iraqis is not an easy task at all. He said that the problem is that we blew up some of their best people, shot more of them, and destroyed virtually everything. The cowardly, corrupt or green troops and policemen were, by and large, all who was left to train. He said that the biggest challenge was finding the corrupt ones and busting them in such a way that the others understood exactly why. They were stealing equipment and power brokering then, and I am sure some still do.

At that time, he said that new recruits were enthusiastic and learned quite quickly. Many neighborhoods were turning around with some of their own people helping out. The new forces gained poise, much like our soldiers, and felt it was their duty to help defend the new Iraq. Of course it took less time, at that time, to train an Iraqi than it did training an American soldier or policeman. That, however, was then and this is now. I can only imagine what he is going through after all the sectarian violence. Odds are, he is on his fourth tour.

Depends on your job, and service, it takes approx 9 weeks to get through army basic, I think AF is 6 or 7 weeks. Then you go on to advanced training, for an infantryman another 8-10 weeks. If your in a high tech skill, it couild take a year.
Then you could be assigned to Iraq, thats what happened in Vietnam, you usually went straight from AIT to Vietnam.

Now , your usually assigned to a stateside or european command, where you get additional training, then your unit is sent to Iraq or Afghanistan as a team.

As to the Iraq army, they have pleanty of young men with military experience, unfortunatly its the wrong type, we are trainning battallions from the ground up, training the infantry and such isnt that hard, its the NCO's and Officer corps that takes time,

After WWII, when we reestablished the West German army, it was releatively wasy to establish divisions, we just took Wehmeracht divisions, and restarted them. Field Marshal Von mainstain, along with Col generals Guideran and Monteffel chose the officers.

for your info Von Manstain and guideran designed the Blitzering attacks on Poland and France and lead the attacks on Russia. Monteffel was one of the Army commanders at the battle of the Bulge, and was essentially Hitlers Militart advisor.