EvanL
06-17-2005, 09:52 PM
By Captain Raymond Brown
As part of its mandate to develop the capability to provide a collective training venue for Afghanistan's Army, the Canadian Afghan National Training Center Detachment (CA ANTC Det) developed tactical scenarios to train Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers. Following several weeks of preparation, the CA ANTC Det had an occasion to test their training material when the first Afghan unit went through the two-week training at the Pol-E-Charki ANA Camp from 11 to 23 April.
This very important part of the training of the ANA fits into a bigger initiative to validate the Afghan units so they can operate independently. A great deal of coordination is required before the training starts. One of the final stages of the planning and coordination is the validation. Dealing with the realities of a failed state who supplies its Army mainly from donations requires some adjustment. The CA ANTC Det had the good fortune to be provided with a Company of Afghan soldiers from 13 Commando Kandak (“Kandak” is the Afghan word for “Battalion”) to cycle through. It was an outstanding opportunity to verify and adjust the content of the training packages, as this unit has a great deal of experience.
13 Commando had already been on operations for 18 months, taking part of real military operations. The scenarios developed included everything from raids, ambushes, hasty attacks and hasty defence to framework operations, or “operations other than war.”
One of the first things that struck the Canadian instructors was the significance and strength of the relationship between the Afghan soldiers and their tactical trainers from the United States Marines Corps (USMC). Afghans are very demonstrative and emotional in nature. They are very much at ease with physical proximity, so obvious physical signs camaraderie and even affection, to a certain extent, between the Afghan and their American trainers were apparent.
“It will be hard to leave these guys when we're done here,” said Captain Dinero, a USMC trainer. “We have gone through hell together, we laughed, we cried and we bled together. I'd go to battle any day with these guys and trust them with my life.”
During the trial days, Captain Chris Beatty ran them through Hasty Attack lanes, while Warrant Officer David Fisher presented scenarios for raids and combat patrols. Capt Beatty described the soldiers as very aggressive in assaulting the objective while basic battlefield administration was satisfactory during consolidation. The ANA soldiers were fast learners and very attentive. The largest obstacle they had to overcome was operational planning. In the past, they relied heavily on their American trainers to conduct the planning, but the focus is now on enabling and empowering them to do their own planning of operations.
The Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) need to learn and exercise more leadership within the platoon, as their legacy is Soviet style doctrine (from their Russian occupation experience), the officer was led to assume control over everything. Once they grasped the concept of planning they all began taking notes on what was being taught and developed a deeper interest in the lessons.
13 Commando Kandak spent a total of approximately seven full days with the Canadians in Pol-E-Charki. Since then, the CA ANTC Det heard that they have requested to come back and work with the Canadians again. The main reason being that the Canadian teams forces the Afghans to do their own planning and ensure all platoons, companies and kandaks work their chain of command properly, therefore, giving purpose to the soldiers and NCOs and giving them self-accomplishment in their work.
The afghan soldiers face many challenges and the expectations from their government are high. Security and stability, while it improved substantially since the arrival of the Coalition Forces, is still fragile and require their regular interventions. However, the hard life style they live here in Afghanistan make them a rugged and tough element to be reckoned with. Coupled with a lifetime of war experience and a newfound support from the transitional government, the ANA is on the road to build a lasting and credible force.
Since the CA ANTC Det tested its material with 13 Commando Kandak, they had another opportunity to trial their packages with another Company from 34 Kandak. The findings were similar. Now, the Canadian team is gearing up for another test trial at a larger scale. Starting 30 May, the CA ANTC Det will be expected to cycle through a new Kandak every two weeks.
Capt Brown is an instructor with CA ANTC Det.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Feature_Story/2005/06/13/fisher1.JPG
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Feature_Story/2005/06/13/fisher2.JPG
As part of its mandate to develop the capability to provide a collective training venue for Afghanistan's Army, the Canadian Afghan National Training Center Detachment (CA ANTC Det) developed tactical scenarios to train Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers. Following several weeks of preparation, the CA ANTC Det had an occasion to test their training material when the first Afghan unit went through the two-week training at the Pol-E-Charki ANA Camp from 11 to 23 April.
This very important part of the training of the ANA fits into a bigger initiative to validate the Afghan units so they can operate independently. A great deal of coordination is required before the training starts. One of the final stages of the planning and coordination is the validation. Dealing with the realities of a failed state who supplies its Army mainly from donations requires some adjustment. The CA ANTC Det had the good fortune to be provided with a Company of Afghan soldiers from 13 Commando Kandak (“Kandak” is the Afghan word for “Battalion”) to cycle through. It was an outstanding opportunity to verify and adjust the content of the training packages, as this unit has a great deal of experience.
13 Commando had already been on operations for 18 months, taking part of real military operations. The scenarios developed included everything from raids, ambushes, hasty attacks and hasty defence to framework operations, or “operations other than war.”
One of the first things that struck the Canadian instructors was the significance and strength of the relationship between the Afghan soldiers and their tactical trainers from the United States Marines Corps (USMC). Afghans are very demonstrative and emotional in nature. They are very much at ease with physical proximity, so obvious physical signs camaraderie and even affection, to a certain extent, between the Afghan and their American trainers were apparent.
“It will be hard to leave these guys when we're done here,” said Captain Dinero, a USMC trainer. “We have gone through hell together, we laughed, we cried and we bled together. I'd go to battle any day with these guys and trust them with my life.”
During the trial days, Captain Chris Beatty ran them through Hasty Attack lanes, while Warrant Officer David Fisher presented scenarios for raids and combat patrols. Capt Beatty described the soldiers as very aggressive in assaulting the objective while basic battlefield administration was satisfactory during consolidation. The ANA soldiers were fast learners and very attentive. The largest obstacle they had to overcome was operational planning. In the past, they relied heavily on their American trainers to conduct the planning, but the focus is now on enabling and empowering them to do their own planning of operations.
The Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) need to learn and exercise more leadership within the platoon, as their legacy is Soviet style doctrine (from their Russian occupation experience), the officer was led to assume control over everything. Once they grasped the concept of planning they all began taking notes on what was being taught and developed a deeper interest in the lessons.
13 Commando Kandak spent a total of approximately seven full days with the Canadians in Pol-E-Charki. Since then, the CA ANTC Det heard that they have requested to come back and work with the Canadians again. The main reason being that the Canadian teams forces the Afghans to do their own planning and ensure all platoons, companies and kandaks work their chain of command properly, therefore, giving purpose to the soldiers and NCOs and giving them self-accomplishment in their work.
The afghan soldiers face many challenges and the expectations from their government are high. Security and stability, while it improved substantially since the arrival of the Coalition Forces, is still fragile and require their regular interventions. However, the hard life style they live here in Afghanistan make them a rugged and tough element to be reckoned with. Coupled with a lifetime of war experience and a newfound support from the transitional government, the ANA is on the road to build a lasting and credible force.
Since the CA ANTC Det tested its material with 13 Commando Kandak, they had another opportunity to trial their packages with another Company from 34 Kandak. The findings were similar. Now, the Canadian team is gearing up for another test trial at a larger scale. Starting 30 May, the CA ANTC Det will be expected to cycle through a new Kandak every two weeks.
Capt Brown is an instructor with CA ANTC Det.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Feature_Story/2005/06/13/fisher1.JPG
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Feature_Story/2005/06/13/fisher2.JPG