Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq

Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq (MNSTC-I) was a training and organizational-support command of the United States Department of Defense. It was established in June 2004. It was the military formation of Multi-National Force – Iraq responsible for developing, organizing, training, equipping, and sustaining the Iraqi Security Ministries (Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Ministry of Interior (MoI)), the Iraqi Armed Forces, the Iraqi Police, and other Iraqi Security Forces. It was headquartered in the International Zone in Baghdad at Phoenix Base, a former elementary school.

The stated mission was to assist MoI, MoD, and Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) by improving the quality of the ISF and institutional performances. MNSTC-I aimed for the ISF to increasingly assume responsibility for population protection and develop Iraqi security institutions capable of sustaining security with reduced Coalition involvement. Therefore, the MNSTC-I mission was a central part of the U.S. exit strategy.

Creation and organization

The command was a direct outgrowth of the need to create a new Iraqi Army under the Coalition Provisional Authority. To do this the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT) was established under Major General Paul Eaton. Separate efforts under the State Department were designed to build a new police force through the [Civilian Police Assistance Team] and advisory missions to the Ministries of Defense and Interior. All of these missions were consolidated under the new command MNSTC-I.

MNSTC-I was originally organized into three training teams, listed below, but later grew dramatically as newer missions and needs were identified. The three former organizations were:

• Coalition Military Assistance Training Team, which organized, trained, and equipped the Iraqi Army.
• JHQ-ST – Joint Headquarters Advisory Support Team, which assisted the joint headquarters of the Iraqi Army in developing a command and control system. Also, JHQ assisted in operational planning and gave strategic advice to the Iraqi government.
• Civilian Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT), which organized, trained, and equipped the Iraqi Police.

MNSTC-I expanded from the three original organizations to consists of the following subordinate units organized under the Directorate of Defense Affairs (DDA) and Directorate of Interior Affairs (DOIA):

• Coalition Army Advisory Training Team (CAATT) to build the Iraqi Army
• Coalition Air Force Transition Team (CAFTT) to build the Iraqi Air Force, established 18 November 2005. The CAFTT at its beginning had some 17 members, a four-fold increase over the original CMATT Air Cell.
• Maritime Strategic Transition Team (MaSTT) to support the Iraqi Navy, Marines and Coast Guard
• Civilian Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT) building the various Iraqi police agencies
• Intelligence Transition Team (ITT) to build the military and police information organizations
• Iraqi National Counter-Terrorism Task Force (INCTF) to assist Iraqi special operations
• Security Assistance Office (SAO) to assist in the purchase of equipment and overseas training
• Joint Headquarters Assistance Team (JHQ-AT) to advise the Iraqi Joint Headquarters
• Ministry of Defense Transition Team (MOD-TT) to advise the MoD staff
• Ministry of Interior Transition Team (MOI-TT) to advise the MoI staff

In addition, the organization partnered with the NATO Training Mission – Iraq (NTM-I) as the commander of MNSTC-I is "dual hatted" as the NTM-I commander as well.

In June 2009, the organization structure changed again with the creation of the Iraqi Training and Advisory Mission (ITAM) led by US Army Major General Richard J. Rowe, Jr, the Iraqi Security Assistance Mission (ISAM), and the Partnership Strategy Group (PSG-I). ITAM and ISAM, INCTF and PSG-I report to the Deputy Commanding General. ITAM was focused on institutional training while ISAM focused on Foreign Military Sales. Under the new ITAM structure:

• Coalition Army Advisory Training Team (CAATT) became ITAM-Army
• Coalition Air Force Transition Team (CAFTT) became ITAM-Air Force
• Maritime Strategic Transition Team (MaSTT) became ITAM-Navy
• Civilian Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT) became ITAM-Police
• Intelligence Transition Team (ITT) became ITAM-Intel TT
• Ministry of Defense Transition Team (MOD-TT) became ITAM-MOD
• Ministry of Interior Transition Team (MOI-TT) became ITAM-MOI

Under the new PSG-I structure: Joint Headquarters Assistance Team (JHQ-AT) was absorbed into the PSG-I organization.

ISAM: The organizations under ISAM mirror ITAM, though it took over the duties of the Security Assistance Office (SAO).

• ISAM Army
• ISAM Navy
• ISAM Air Force
• ISAM Logistics/End Use Monitoring (LOG/EUM)
• ISAM International Military Education and Training/Out of Country Training (IMET/OCT)

MNSTC-I published a monthly magazine, The Advisor, with information on the training of the Iraqi Security Forces.

MNSTC-I was replaced by United States Forces – Iraq in 2010. MNSTC–I became U.S. Forces – Iraq, Advising and Training, which was under a major general who remained double-hatted as Commander, NATO Training Mission – Iraq.

Commanders

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Page shows command crest

• Lieutenant General David H. Petraeus - assumed command of Office of Security Transition, June 4, 2004
• Lieutenant General David H. Petraeus - MNSTC-I stands up, June 28, 2004 - September 2005
• Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey (September 2005 – June 2007)
• Lieutenant General James M. Dubik (June 2007 – July 2008)
• Lieutenant General Frank Helmick (July 2008 – October 2009)
• Lieutenant General Michael D. Barbero (since October 2009)

Michael Ferriter was the successor Deputy Commander, Advising and Training, United States Forces - Iraq, from JAnuary to October 2011.