Marines in Nawa pass torch to embedded partnering team to train ANA soldiers

NAWA, AFGHANISTAN

04.14.2010

Story by Sgt. Brian Tuthill 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

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NAWA, Afghanistan — Transforming a battalion of Afghan soldiers into an effective and independent combat unit is no easy task, and the three-man team from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, knows the recent arrival of an embedded partnering team here means a bright future for Afghan soldiers in Nawa.

The 21 Marines and sailors of EPT 1-1-215 are volunteers of 3rd Marine Division from Okinawa and Hawaii, who will call upon their training and varied military occupational specialty backgrounds to enable the Afghan National Army battalion to flourish. They arrived at Forward Operating Base Geronimo the first week of April, and will take over training responsibilities from 1/3's team in coming days.

The EPT Marines have already begun interacting with their ANA counterparts on a daily basis in order to build trust and rapport with the soldiers. This is one of the first challenges they must overcome, since Afghan culture has a strong tribal background and most are initially weary of outsiders, said 1st Lt. Michael V. Butler, an EPT team leader.

"This EPT is a fully-trained team who will take over what we've been doing here," said Gunnery Sgt. Phillip Veracruz, the staff non-commissioned officer-in-charge of 1/3's ANA mentoring team. "They will work much more closely with the battalion than we have had the opportunity to do, and their training has been specifically tailored for the mission of training ANA battalions."

During their nine-month mission, the EPT will break into smaller teams and embed directly with ANA company-sized elements already partnered with Marines of 1/3 at various positions throughout Nawa District.

Until recently, Marine EPTs were known as embedded training teams, and saw success with other ANA battalions throughout Afghanistan. Over the past few years, they traditionally operated alongside U.S. Army companies to train the ANA in areas east of Afghanistan's Helmand province, but are now focusing on southwestern Afghanistan as Marines reclaim the province from Taliban insurgents, said 1st Lt. Anthony M. Herbold, an EPT team leader.

Unlike Marines of 1/3, who partner with the ANA soldiers to conduct counterinsurgency operations, the Marines of the EPT will actually embed themselves as part of the ANA unit to mentor them from within.

"The difference is our teams will live, sleep and fight with these soldiers," said Herbold.

The EPT's longer deployment also allows them to bridge the rotations of Marine battalions operating in Nawa and provide continuity for the ANA soldiers here, who initially came to Nawa with 1/3's predecessors, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, in July 2009 during Operation Khanjar.

Now, Marines of 1/3 are preparing to return to Hawaii in coming months as they await the arrival of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, who will continue counterinsurgency operations in Nawa. The Marines with the EPT expect to stay in Nawa even after 3/3's departure from Afghanistan and their replacements arrive.

"The ANA are here for the long run," said Butler, from Boston. "Right when [Marine battalions] start building a solid relationship and get comfortable, a new unit rotates in and that can be very frustrating for the ANA. We'll help bridge that gap and our intent is to make sure the turnover goes as smoothly as possible and we maintain the unity of command."

As the "clear-hold-build" phase campaign concept continues in the "build" phase in Nawa, there is an additional phase in which the EPT efforts fit — the "transition" phase — which will help Afghans to operate independently of Marines and other NATO forces, and which is the ultimate goal in Afghanistan, said Butler.

"We're here to serve as a catalyst for the ANA soldiers to be able to operate independently," said Butler, a combat engineer who attached to the EPT from 3rd Marine Division's Combat Assault Battalion in Okinawa, Japan. "The security which 1/5 and 1/3 has established here in Nawa will allow us to better strengthen the ANA here."

One of the catalysts for success is to train and mentor not only the soldiers who will conduct security patrols and combat operations in Nawa, but to maintain a "whole battalion" mindset and train the ANA from the battalion's top leaders all the way down the chain of command.

By training leaders at all levels within the ANA battalion, EPT Marines say they will eventually shift from Marine-led, partnered operations, to those planned and executed by the ANA soldiers with minimal Marine mentoring.

"I think we might even see the ANA take over some battlespace from 3/3 in the future. That would be a huge landmark for the ANA here," said Veracruz, 34, from San Antonio. "I feel this ANA battalion has a very bright future. There will be some speed bumps, but 3/3 is a good unit and this EPT is set up for success. This unit has so much potential, I almost wish I could stay to see how far they will go."