BAGHDAD, Iraq – An Iraqi army major arrived at the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., June 23, as the first-ever Iraqi student officer to attend the military school's 110-year-old International Officer Program.

The student, an officer with the army's 1 st Battalion, arrived safely with his family – a common practice for the yearly international class of 90 – and will begin the first phase of instruction in the coming weeks.

The rigorous school of instruction is intended to prepare officers for wartime duties by developing student reasoning and decision-making ability, character self-expression, and teamwork from a command position.

“CGSC prepares majors for future command and positions on high-level staffs,” said Coalition Military Assistance Training Team, Director of Training and Education, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dennis Burket.

“Like our military, when he returns this time next year, his recent educational experience will be considered and he will be assigned to meet the needs of the army,” Burket said.

The year-long program – corresponding roughly with the general American school year – begins first with a short three-week International Officer Preparatory Course followed by the General Staff Officer Preparatory Course.

After completion, international students join their U.S. military counterparts in the Command and General Staff Officers Course where both groups will negotiate the same class of instruction for the balance of the year.

Since its inception in 1894, CGSC has educated more than 6,000 international officers from more than 140 countries through the professional military school.

“Students will get to hear first-hand what is going on in Iraq and how Coalition forces are making a difference,” Burket said. “In return,” he added, “Iraq will get a leader that can share with other officers what he has learned about the art and science of war-fighting and American culture.”

CMATT is a division of the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq, specifically tasked with training, equipping, and mentoring the Iraqi armed forces. Iraqi and Coalition officers assigned to the unit assisted the school in identifying and selecting the officer for attendance.

The officer has not been identified to protect him and his family.