| Currently, there are 147 women serving in the Afghan National Army, including two who were among the first group of 58 pilots in the Afghan National Army's Air Corps. |
| By U.S. Army Lt. Col. Janet Kai Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan |
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KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 17, 2005 — Only four years after the Taliban was ousted from power, Afghan women are playing an increasing role in their country's security through an accessions program allowing them to become members of the Afghan National Army.
Currently, there are 147 women serving in the Afghan National Army, including two who were among the first group of 58 pilots recently accessed into the Afghan National Army's Air Corps. Capts. Latifa and Lailoma, who like many Afghans use only one name, are both graduates of the Kabul Air University and have a total of 14 years of military flying experience. They both pilot the Mi-8 helicopter and the MiG-17 fixed wing aircraft. "When I wear my uniform and I'm flying the helicopter, my only goal is to help the people of Afghanistan and establish peace and security. I am proud to serve my country," Lailoma said. The accessions program enables the nomination of qualified women for vacant, authorized Afghan National Army positions. A board consisting of officials from the Ministry of Defense, the Afghan National Army General Staff, and the office of the Chief of Personnel reviews and determines the eligibility of each woman based on age, education and military experience from prior service in the Afghan Militia Forces. After the accessions board reviews and approves the selection of nominees, the nominations are sent to the Defense Minister for final approval. As the number of female officers in the Afghan National Army steadily increases, so too does the number of female noncommissioned officers. This is the result of a special accessions program that allows both men and women who were not previously nominated for specific positions to volunteer for service as a noncommissioned officer. Today, women are serving in medical, logistics and communications positions as a result of this program. Women undergo the same accessions process that is used for men. Both genders are intermixed on nomination lists and selection boards don't take any special note if a person being considered for a position is a woman. However, since women previously were limited to serving in medical, administrative and support positions and professions, they are generally more qualified for, and are usually nominated to, similar positions in the Afghan National Army. Most positions in which women serve are located in the Kabul area. The Afghan National Army is not recruiting women for service as entry-level soldiers. The current priority for creating new soldiers is for men to serve in combat and combat support units. Eventually, training women in basic military skills will require additional resources and the establishment of facilities and programs. "In principle we concur with women serving in the [Afghan National Army]. But the service of women must be discussed and planned to determine the career fields and branches in |
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| which they may serve based on Afghan culture and norms," said Afghan Maj. Gen. Homayun Fawzi, the assistant Minister of Defense for Personnel and Education. According to U.S. Army Col. George Shull, director of the Defense Reform Directorate's Human Resources Division at the Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan, "In the future, the Afghan Ministry of Defense has the potential to become a champion for organizational changes necessary for recruiting and employing women in work which is compatible with religious beliefs." Last month, the Afghan National Army's Medical Command received an additional 43 personnel - all of them women. The recently accessed 32 officers and 11 noncommissioned officers are slotted for duties in a variety of locations, including three regional 100-bed Afghan National Army hospitals, the medical academy and the hospital annex in Kabul. Two of the Afghan National Army's training institutions, the National Military Academy of Afghanistan and the Air Corps Flight School, currently permit attendance by men only. "Hopefully, in the near future, women will be allowed to apply and compete for positions in these institutions which will open more opportunities for education, training and career development," Latifa said. Latifa, who was the honor graduate at Kabul Air University, said she is honored to serve Afghanistan and considers it her duty. She supports more women entering the Afghan National Army. "If we want change, it can happen," Latifa said. "Part of my responsibility is to make the path clear for the future and for women who have the desire to become pilots in the [Afghan National Army]." Afghan Army Lt. Col. Noria, the director of Family Support Programs at the Afghan army General Staff's Religious and Cultural Affairs directorate, agrees that women can contribute to the Afghan National Army. "Women in the [Afghan National Army] are creative, committed and intelligent," she said. "They are important and qualitative to teamwork, which is essential to mission success."
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