"Our demand is summed up in incorporating all sons of the Awakening Councils into the security forces — the army and police," Al Tamimi said. "Those who meet the criteria [would be incorporated into the security forces], and those who do not meet the criteria would be incorporated into civil [service] jobs."

Officials said the United States envisions the absorption of about 25 percent of the auxiliary troops into the Iraqi security forces, with the remainder being granted public sector jobs. They said the government would seek to transfer up to 50 percent of eligible auxiliary officers into army and police units by 2009. The officers have been directed to surrender their weapons and submit to police or military discipline.

The U.S. military has been advising the Baghdad government on the transfer of responsibility for the Awakening Councils. In the first stage, officials said, the Iraqi government would be responsible for salaries and logistics.

"We cannot break faith with the Sons of Iraq, who we all agree have stood up in a time of great need and been great patriots of Iraq," U.S.-led coalition spokesman Brig. Gen. David Perkins said. "What we have done is sat down and come up with a timeline, which we have discussed and really will begin in October. And we'll start transitioning the Sons of Iraq over."

Army troops receive about double the salary of an Awakening Council member, said to earn about $300 per month. Officials said about 30,000 Awakening members have already been recruited into the army and police. They said recruits must be literate and no more than 31 years old.

"The Interior Ministry is working on getting more of those Awakening group members to actually join the police," Iraqi security spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta said. "Those destined to join the Iraqi security forces will get their orders and be under the command of the Iraqi security forces. Weapons are only going to be handled by Iraqi Security Forces after Oct. 1."

Over the last few weeks, Iraqi security forces, in what Sunnis assert mark a Shi'ite backlash, have arrested Awakening members on suspicion of committing a range of crimes. The detentions have raised tension between the Shi'ite-led Al Maliki government and Sunni tribes.

"The Iraqi Army is not targeting the Awakening Councils, and the army will not conduct random raids or detentions of Awakening members," Iraqi Brig. Gen. Tareq Hamid, responsible for the transition of the auxiliary force, said.

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