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(U//FOUO) Section 1236 Report: Department of Defense (DoD) Quarterly Progress Report
on the Authority to Provide Assistance to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL)

FO

R
EL
EA
SE

(U) This report is provided pursuant to section 1236(d) of the of the Carl Levin and Howard P.
Buck McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (NDAA for FY 2015)
(Public Law 113-291), which provides that not later than 90 days after the date on which the
Secretary of Defense submits the report required in section 1236(b)(1) and every 90 days
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall submit to
esen
esent
the appropriate congressional committees and leadership of the House of Representatives
and
Senate a progress report that includes a description of (1) any updates to or changes in the plan,
endstrategy, vetting requirements, and process as described in subsection (e),, and end-use
monitoring mechanisms and procedures; (2) a description of how atta ks against the United
at
States or Coalition personnel are being mitigated and statistics on any such attacks,
including
ssist e au
ssistan
a
green on blue attacks; (3) a description of the forces receiving assistan
authorized
under
ut, and retention
rete
subsection (a); (4) a description of the recruitment, throughput,
rates of recipients
rovided eq
and equipment; (5) a description of any misuse or loss of provided
equipment and how such
hee operational
operati
misuse or loss is being mitigated; (6) an assessment of the
effectiveness of the forces
description of sustainment support
receiving assistance authorized under subsection (a); (7 de
provided to the forces authorized under subsectionn (a); (8) a list of projects to repair or renovate
statemen of the amount of funds expended
facilities authorized under subsection (a); (9) a statement
mitted; and
an (10) an assessment of the effectiveness
during the period for which the report is submitted;
of the assistance authorized under subsecti n (a).

VE

upd
(U) This report provides Congress with an up
update on the Iraq Training and Equipping Program.
The report data covers the period from September 15, 2015, to December 31, 2015.

PR

the
1. (U) Updates to or Changes
ge in
n th
t e Plan, Strategy, Process, Vetting Requirements, and
Sub
Process as Described iin Subs
bs ction (e), and End-Use Monitoring Mechanisms and
Procedures

AP

dates
ates to or Changes in the Plan, Strategy, Process
1.1 (U) Updates
(U) Thee raqq Tra
T n and Equip Fund (ITEF) continues to contribute to DoDs overall concept
ions
on n Iraq. This includes a multi-layered approach to assist the Iraqi military and
of operations
other associated security forces by contributing to the Coalition effort to fill urgent
equipment shortfalls and training deficiencies. This equipping effort enables the Iraqi
military and associated security forces to develop the capacity required to execute operations
to liberate and hold Iraqi territory occupied or threatened by ISIL. The military campaign
remains focused on ensuring the Government of Iraq (GOI) remains the lead force in
countering ISIL in Iraq and shares the cost of creating and sustaining the forces. It is
important to acknowledge the facts on the ground have required shifts in our operational
Derived From: USCENTCOM Classification Guide, CCR 380-14
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focus. Early on, the haqis decided on an Anbar-first strategy and DoD was forced to adjust
from the initial goal of retaking Mosul. More recently, the National Guard legislation has
stalled and the 12 associated provincial brigades (BDE) are unlikely to come to fiuition, thus
requiring training for lip to four additional Iraqi Army brigades. TIle campaign 's [om
elements remain the same:
(1 ) (U) Advise and Assist: Employment of Advise and Assist (A&A) teams to improve
operational planning, cOlllllllmication, intelligence coordination, and targeting in support
of Iraqi-led ground operations to halt the ISIL advance and liberate territOly. During this
reporting period, u.s. and Coalition force s continued to expanded A&A operations at Al
Taqaddum (TQ) Air Base to assist h aqi operations in securing Anbar province. Coalition
assistance at TQ furthers GOl efforts to mobilize, train, and ann Sunni tribes lmder the
authority of the haq Popular Mobilization Program.

(2) (U) Train: Employment of Coalition forces to train h aqi forces in order to generate haqi
capability to conduct effective operations against l SIL. The program employs a tailored
training cycle that covers individual skills, collective battalion (BN) training and some
brigade training. It also emphasizes leader and individual confidence building that is
needed for offensive operations. All training emphasizes principles of the Law of Anned
Conflict.
(3) (U) Equip: An equipping program lmder which the GOl works with the United States
and Coalition partners to define and assess critical requirements so that trained lmits can
successfully prevail in the counter-l 'IL fig!>. Procurement prioritization and equipment
distribution lmder the ITEF authorit,; r fJ.ect the requirements and shortfalls identified.
(4) (U) Reform: Once GOl forces are capable of securing haqi tenitory in the short and
medium tenn fight against ISIL, he training eff0l1 will transition to the long-tenn
professionalizationneeds of the h aqi security sector. These efforts will build the critical
skills beyond basi.: proficiency required to cOlmter fllhrre intemal and extemal threats to
h aq 's stability. Resource levels and authorities for this phase are not identified.

1.2 (U) Updates to or Changes in the Vetting Requirements, and Process as Described in
Subsection (e)

(bX l )1.4l>

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1.3 (U) Updates or Changes in the End-Use Monitoring Mechanisms and Procedures

(b)( l )L4a

2. (U) A Description of How Attacks Against the United States or Coalition Personnel Are
Being Mitigated and Statistics on Any Such Attacks Including Green on Blue Attacks

(b)(1)1.4<1

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3. (U) Forces Receiving Assistance

(b )(I ) I ~ a .

(b)( I )I .411

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(b)(l)Ha

4. (U) Recruitment, Througbput, and Retention Rates of Recipients and Equipment

(U) Recruitment, Througbput, and Retention Rates of Recipients

(U) As of fhe end of December 20 15, more than 15,892 ( 10,393 ISFl5 ,499 KSF) personnel have
been trained and/or equipped through ITEF related activities. Among these are an additional
2,653 CTS (507 since 15 Sept) and ISOF force s have Leen tr?:lled and 3,760 (505 since 15 Sept
)Sulllli tribal elements have been trained and equi ,.-led. U"- its that have executed training and
equipping at a BPC sites have been integrated into MODlMinistry of Interior (MOl) security
forces conducting cOlmter-ISIL operations.
(U) Equipment

-,
(b)( l )1.4l>

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(bK l )L4l>

5. (U) Misuse or Loss of Provided Equipment and Mitigation Measures

(U) To date, there have been no rep0l1ed incidents of lost or misused ITEP equipment.
6. (U) Assessment of the Operational Effective .. ess of the Forces Receiving Assistance
(U) As of mid-December, three BPC trained brigades had been deployed to Ramadi (73rd, 76th,
92nd). Although difficult to assess since u.s. and Coalition forces do not accompany ISF units
all operations, these brigades appear to be pelfonning better than contemporaries that have not
attended training. Most graduates of rhe ISOF Commando course in Area IV and BPC-trained
Peshmerga battalions have been involved in combat operations since completing BPC training.
By Iraqi accollnts, BPC trained and equipped units are prefol1ning well, however, without the
ability to obselv e field ope -,tiOllS, a1' accmate assessment of their capabilities is not possible at
tills time.
7. (U) Sustainment Support
(U) ITEF ha . nmded $43M sustainment contract for the repair and maintenance training for
ISF Husky and Armored Dozers.
r

8. (U) Renovation Projects

Derived From: USCENTCOM Classification Guide, CCR 380-1 4

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9. (U) Expended ITEF Funds During .b

"'ep ... ting Period

(U) Dming this data period October - Dece'" ber:

1.3 B of the F-Y-1 5 ITEF was expended
o of the FY -1 6 ITEF bas been expended

10. (U) Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Assistance

(U) ITEF provides the authority and nmdillg necessary to enable Iraqis to COilllter and eventually
successfull y defeat ISll.. The u.s. and Coalition forces have provided basic proficiency and
combat training to over 15,000 Iraqi forces to date. While lmits have improved, expections are
that lmits will increase profi ciency with additional training after initial combat operations before
continuing offensive operations in the Tigris River Valley and Mosul.

(b)( 1)1.4<I, (b)(l)1.4b

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11. (U) List the forces or elements of forces that are restricted from receiving assistance
under ITEF as a result of failing vetting and a detailed descript of the reason for the
restriction

Arm y

Army

1/ 91 Bde

batch #
1394146
7/ 15/ 2015
batch ft

77th LOG

A&A

Ind ividual

11/ 9/ 2015

Derogato ry Sectio n
1236 Findings. Not

9/ 24/ 2015

Not approved due to

dero gatory 1236

9/ 22/ 2015

1236 Findings. Not

1236

1236
(b)(6 )

Air Force

Taji Air

Technical
Center

batch #
1394119
11/ 9/ J15

11/ 9/ 2015

Derogatory Section
1236 Findings. Not

1236 approved
Derogato ry Sectio n

4/ 10/ 2015

MOP

Former

CDR

2/7 1st

8/ 22/2015
batch #
1350955

1236 Findings. Not

9/ 24/ 2015

derogato ry 1236
find ings, and was

Derived From: USCENTCOM Classification Guide, CCR 380-1 4

DeclassifY On: 31 December 2025

SECRETIlREL TO USA, MESF

USCENTCOM FOIA 16-0177

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