BAGHDAD, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- The West Baghdad base for the Iraqi army's 6th Division held the graduation ceremony of 189 Iraqi soldiers from its 10-week mechanics program.
The ceremony commenced with a commemoration of the division's fallen comrades and recitations from the Koran, as well as pledges of loyalty to the Iraqi army, the U.S. Embassy in Iraq said.
The Iraqi army's 6th Division chief of staff attended the ceremony and awarded special certificates to the top 20 graduates.
A contractor leading the training program remarked on the increasing autonomy of Iraqi forces, saying their readiness meant less dependence on U.S.-led forces.
The deputy commander of the military transition team, U.S. Army Col. Robby Robinson, said the training program not only builds the skills set of the Iraqi forces, but built on the ability of the Iraqi army to maintain its own infrastructure.
The Iraqi security force has nearly 350,000 trained and equipped troops, compared with just 96,000 in 2004.
