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INTERESTING ARTICLES
Baghdad mom becomes prison guard
Army News Service
August 24, 2003
By Sgt. 1st Class Bill Sutherland
Zahra Hadi, a 28-year-old Baghdad
mother, is the first female to wear an Iraqi
corrections guard uniform.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, Aug. 25, 2003)
While many Iraqi women are hoping for a way to
improve life in Baghdad, one found it. Ask
28-year-old Baghdad mother and resident Zahra
Hadi about how her life has changed and she'll
tell you about her new job.
She is the first female to wear the uniform of
an Iraqi corrections guard -- the only female to
wear any kind of police uniform.
Hadi completed a one-week corrections course at
the Iraqi Public Service Academy, Aug. 14 and
entered two weeks of on the job training with 33
other graduates.
"Not even Baghdad's police department has a
female working with them, so this is a bit of
history in the making," said Gary De Land,
senior adviser to the Iraqi Corrections Service.
The training classes were held by Iraq's
Coalition Provisional Authority Department of
Prisons. Instructors from the 800th Military
Police Brigade provided guidance in the training
and curriculum, and assisted in the selection
process.
Hadi was a mother and housekeeper living in
Baghdad. Her day consisted of house cleaning,
caring for her 7-month-old son and preparing
meals for her husband. She used to work part
time selling tropical fish and setting flower
arrangements for weddings.
But when the Department of Prisons ran an ad
looking for new prison guards, Hadi knew it was
time for her dream of equality to come true.
"I've wanted to do this all my life. I always
wanted equality with men. I like competing in a
man's world," said Hani. "I think I'm just as
smart, and I can do most of those things men can
do."
And now, she said smiling, "I can work as a
corrections guard, and I know I will practice
what I learned on how to be a professional and
be treated with respect."
The high school graduate now wants to study
languages at the nearby Baghdad University. Her
dream of one day going to a university is closer
then before.
"I would love to learn how to work as a
translator and learn French or English," Hadi
said.
Her instructor at the academy was Master Sgt.
Don Bowen.
"The students learn the code of conduct, human
rights, how to respect others and self
protection. Hadi is very enthusiastic about her
work, and I truly feel she wants a change for
her country," he said.
Candidates receive four uniforms and a salary of
100,000 dinars per month, or about 70 U.S.
dollars.
"The pay for Iraqi workers is a good wage, since
most earn half that much per month," Hadi said.
Army Reserve members who work as civilian
correctional guards, bringing with them valuable
information and experience, teach the core
curriculum.
The group started training Aug. 8, at the Iraqi
Public Service Academy, in Baghdad.
The Iraqi Public Service Academy's goal is to
hire enough corrections guards to schedule a
class for every three weeks. A new class started
Aug. 16.
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