Essentially, they don't have an Air Force.
Posted on 06/09/2006 5:22:00 PM PDT by SandRat
FORT BLISS, Texas (Army News Service, June 9, 2006) – Sixteen Afghan pilots, crew chiefs and flight engineers graduated the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy today at Fort Bliss, Texas.
The first Afghan aviators to graduate the academy, they will use their new knowledge to help combat narcoterrorists in Afghanistan.
“This is a great day for the people of Afghanistan and for the people of the United States,” said Richard J. Douglas, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Counternarcotics. “This sets the stage for what you have accomplished here at Fort Bliss …by helping President Hamid Karzi’s efforts to suppress narcotic trafficking, you also help Afghanistan consolidate internal order, public safety and end the terrorism that will undermine the important progress your country has made.”
The 90-day course focused on safe helicopter operations, night vision helicopter training and multiple ship tactical operations. It also introduced the Afghan Soldiers to the American way of life.
“One of the many benefits of having aviators training here is the collateral benefit of learning what it’s like to live in our country,” said Douglas. “These people are going back to their country to take the message back. They are going to be ambassadors for what is good about the U.S.”
The students toured such places as the Alamo in San Antonio, the Lyndon B. Johnson Library in Austin and Battleship Texas in Houston.
One Afghan pilot, identified as Poppi for security reasons, said he liked America because he thought it to be a very developed and civilized country. He especially liked the LBJ Library for its many law books.
“A country where law is respected and all citizens are educated can only progress,” said Poppi.
“We want our kids to grow up in a peaceful and stable society,” said Shaker, another Afghan pilot whose name is withheld for security reasons. “We want to teach them to respect humanity not only in our country, but all over the world. That is why we want our kids to be educated on everything that is written in the bill of rights of the United Nations.”
The biggest culture shock for the Afghanis, according to Senior Master Sgt. Carlos J. Torres, the group’s superintendent, was at the restaurants where women and men dined together in public. Torres said they were amazed by how women here are treated.
“I had never had any experience with the Afghan culture,” said Torres. “It has been a learning experience for both of us because they have learned from me and I have learned from them. It has been a labor of love to take care of these guys and teach them the American way.”
“When you return to your homeland, we request and encourage you to continue your excellent cooperation in the drug enforcement administration with coalition forces and with your compatriots in Afghanistan,” said Douglas. “We believe that such cooperation will hasten consolidation of a sovereign, stable, healthy and free Afghanistan. This is what our people desire for your people.”
“The impact of it all is that for every Afghan helicopter pilot or crew member we can graduate form this class, one less American military or contractor has to be deployed,” said Torres.
(Editor’s note: Virginia Reza writes for the Monitor at Fort Bliss, Texas.)
To have a real Army you need trained and capable NCOs!
HUA.
"That is why we want our kids to be educated on everything that is written in the bill of rights of the United Nations.”
I sure hope that's a typo..
Essentially, they don't have an Air Force.
They are being trained on Mi-8 and Mi-17 helcicopters in El Paso. One night they got lost and flew 26 miles into Mexico and when retured to Biggs AAF they had to answer questions of U.S. Customs. (I hear it made the paper) Anyway, despite the uneasy moment in non-history, I too welcome the Afghans to Texas. God bless them!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.