VOICER Former soldiers on Army Day lament disbanding of Iraqi army

(6 Jan 2004) Voiced by Vera Frankl SHOTLIST:

Tadji, 30 kilometres north of Baghdad
00 00 Various of 2nd batallion of new Iraqi army marching on graduation day

Baghdad
00 15 Remains of destroyed military vehicles
00 21 Former Iraqi soldier, Colonel Raad Jamil pointing to photographs to his children
00 25 Photograph of Iraqi soldiers standing in front of plane
00 29 SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Raad Jamil, former Iraqi army officer:
''I am very sad because all military persons in the home, no duty in the Iraqi army, I am very sad.''
00 41 Former Iraqi officers walking
00 47 US tank at the gate, officers entering hall
00 53 Mark Hertling, US Army and former Iraqi officer chatting
00 57 Celebration cake with Iraqi flag on it
00 59 SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Hertling, US Army:
''I think, as you look around the room, to all these people who are interested in the future of Iraq, not the past, but the future, it's important that we make contact with them, talk to them and understand their issues about building a new Iraqi army that represents the people, all the people of Iraq."

Tadji, 30 kilometres north of Baghdad
01 15 Various of 2nd batallion of new Iraqi army marching on graduation day
ends 01 28

STORYLINE:

Iraqi army veterans and coalition forces gathered in central Baghdad on Tuesday to celebrate the 83rd anniversary of the Iraqi army.

Formerly a public holiday, Iraqi army Day was a huge event but as some former soldiers remember the past, the new administration is now looking to the military's future .

VOICE OVER:

00 02 The 2nd batallion of the new Iraqi army is put through its paces on graduation day.

00 08 It's a far cry from previous years when Army Day was celebrated with massive parades and impressive displays of weaponry.

00 15 These days, much of the military hardware is lying in scrapyards on the outskirts of Iraq's cities and most of the 400-thousand men that made up the Iraqi army are unemployed.

00 26 There's genuine regret over their fate.

00 29 SOUNDBITE: (English) Colonel Raad Jamil, former Iraqi army officer:
''I am very sad because all military persons in the home, no duty in the Iraqi army, I am very sad.''

00 42 The army was disbanded immediately after the fall of Baghdad.

00 46 But some former officers were invited to a low-key ceremony with the US military, remembering the proud traditions of an army, stretching back more than eighty years.

But the emphasis was on what lies ahead .

59. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Hertling, US Army:
'' I think, as you look around the room, to all these people who are interested in the future of Iraq, not the past, but the future, it's important that we make contact with them, talk to them and understand their issues about building a new Iraqi army that represents the people, all the people of Iraq."

01 15 That future lies with these soldiers.

01 17 More than seven hundred of them graduated at this ceremony marking a new chapter in the military history books.

ends 128

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