Afghan Partnership Grows with Afghan Military Officer Visit

ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan ^ | Gunnery Sgt. Christian Harding, USMC

[SandRat]

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.- Two Afghan national army officers, Col. Mohammad Aslam Mohammad Hashim Hashmi, and Lieutenant Col. Sayed Mohammad Gulakai Malekzai, discuss lessons learned and exchange perspectives with the 'village elders'; in a training exercise Jan. 14. The Afghan officers observed scenario training specifically designed to improve the partnering capabilities of Marine Transition Teams as they work with Afghan forces to combat terrorism and conduct counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan. The delegation also observed and participated in simulated patrol missions, vehicle check points and detainee actions offering some unique insight to role players and training teams. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Christian M. Harding)

Marine Corps Forces Central Command
By Gunnery Sgt. Christian Harding

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- A delegation of Afghan national army officers visited Marine Corps installations recently to observe combat and transition team training programs.

"The officers in this delegation are in the unique position and carry the specific skill sets that allow them to see and understand the training programs here, which they can take back to their officers and expand their training knowledge," said Air Force Capt. Seth Asay, escort officer from NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan, Afghan Integrated Unit Training office.

The NATO training mission team works directly with Afghan national security forces to generate, employ, and sustain its forces. Partnered with the Afghan government's ministry of defense and ministry of interior, the team also assists in the development of military leadership and accelerating the growth of the Afghan national army.

Officers of the ANA's 205th Corps met with the Marine Corps Advisor Training Group during a three-day-long orientation of the Marine Transition Team training program. The advisor training group organizes, equips, trains and deploys Marine Transition Teams. The teams work with national forces in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq to improve the host-nation's abilities to combat terrorism and conduct counterinsurgency operations.

"The [Afghan Training Group] is here to train general purpose forces for their role as trainers, advisors, and combat assistants to foreign security forces," said Lieutenant Col Glen Lewis, operations officer, Advisor Training Group, in his introduction brief to the delegation. "We teach [Afghan national security forces] doctrine and procedures, Afghan culture, as well as techniques for mentoring infantry operations.

"Visits like this are integral to the continued growth and strengthening of the partnership between the Marine Corps and Afghan forces," added Lewis. "The insight we gain from these officers will be shared with students who will soon deploy to the region."

In the field training environment, the Afghan officers worked alongside Marines, observing and participating in simulated patrol missions, urban terrain operations and detainee actions. Additionally, they toured the advisor group's language training facility where Marines learn the basics of dialects commonly spoken by Afghans. The group also fired on an indoor marksmanship simulator on the weapons systems most commonly employed by Afghan troops.

"The U.S. Marines have developed a training and mentoring program that will be very successful in Afghanistan from what we have seen," said Col. Mohammad Aslam Mohammad Hashim Hashmi, operations officer, 205th Corps, Afghan National Army.

The visit took the Afghan officers to what Marines refer to as "combat town," offering the Afghan leaders a chance to observe ongoing scenario training that incorporates Afghan role players and translators to create realistic interactions. While the Afghan officers learned from the Marines, the Marines and the role players learned from the officers - gaining unique, firsthand perspective from the officers on how Afghan troops might behave in certain scenarios. They also met with Afghan civilian and "village elder" role players to provide insight on the civil tones currently seen in Helmand province. Lastly, they made on the spot corrections to tactics based on recent activity by enemy forces.

"We were happy to meet with Marines and role players in the field for a firsthand look at how they interact in a training environment," said Lieutenant Col. Sayed Mohammad Gulakai Malekzai, operations officer, 205th Corps, Afghan National Army. "Even in training, the Marines are able to maintain control of the situation."

The training and observation culminated with a round table session where Marines, role players and translators participated in an open-forum discussion ranging from updates on enemy trends, training similarities, and equipment shortages to medical and other humanitarian issues in Afghanistan.

The Afghan Integrated Unit Training office, under NATO's training mission teams, facilitates visits to training programs service-wide and internationally for all components of the Afghan national security force.

"By showing the Afghan officers how we train, we improve the effectiveness of the transition teams in theater," said Asay.

For photos visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/isafmedia/4290144474/

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