Rustamiyah, Iraq-While teaching and instructing members of the Iraqi military to become Officers was not what he expected to be doing during his tour in Iraq, Captain Tom Fiordelisi has been doing exactly that during his 12 month tour at an FOB near Baghdad.Captain Fiordelisi was the Kent State University Ohio Commandant of Cadets in their ROTC officers training program to help teach leadership to college students back home. Many of those same principals Captain Fiordelisi is working to bring to members of the Iraqi Military who are seeking to be Officers in the Iraqi Forces.
Iraqi Students are a little different, but the similarities are often much the same as the college students he taught back home in Ohio. Captain Fiordelisi is teaching a basic grassroots course in Military leadership and command that will make up part of the training for the Young Iraqi Servicemembers that are seeking to be Iraqi military officers.
The candidates that he is instructing will eventually take their place in the Iraqi Air Force Officer Corps, if they successfully complete their training.
“These students are much like 20 year old students anywhere, we give them challenges and goals and they step up to make them reality,” Said Captain Fiordelisi. The course that he teaches is a entry level training course.
