66th MPs celebrate unity with Afghans

AFGHANISTAN

08.28.2007

Story by Pfc. Daniel Rangel 

22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

By Army Pfc. Daniel M. Rangel
22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP TORKHAM, Afghanistan – Soldiers from the 66th Military Police Company, stationed out of Fort Lewis, Wash., accepted an invitation from the Afghan border police to take part in the Afghan independence day festivities held Aug. 19 on the Pakistan border at Torkham Gate.

As part of the celebration, Soldiers from the 66th MPs listened to speeches and watched Afghan children sing songs, which celebrated the occasion. After the performance, Soldiers were invited to dine with their Afghan hosts at a lavish meal prepared for the event.

The Afghan's hospitality comes after months of successful partnership between the 66th MPs and local law enforcement along the Pakistan border.

"We're a part of their community," said Army Capt. Christopher Hormel of Spokane, Wash., 66th MPs commander. "We're trying to build their capabilities and their capacities to do policing."

"Our biggest thing is partnering with and training up the national police," Hormel said. "Our partnership is very good. We have a couple of problem areas, of course, down here at the Tora Bora Mountains. But overall (the partnership is) extremely good."

The problems Hormel spoke of derive from having some local police chiefs and sub-governors being more cooperative than others because of fear that insurgents will retaliate.

In order to counter the threat of insurgents, the 66th MPs routinely perform force protection assessments.

"We make sure that they have what they need to defend themselves," Hormel said. "We make requests for extra Hescos to build up their force protection and the Ministry of the Interior (gives) weapons to the provincial chief of police." Hesco barriers are stackable dirt-filled barriers, which provide cover from fire during attacks.

During their assessments, they also take a census of law enforcement personnel and the weapons at their disposal. The rest of the month is spent conducting training and joint patrols.

"A good way to think of it is on-the-job training," Hormel said. "We go out there and do hands-on (training) with them. The idea is (that) they go to the regional training center and get their basic training. Then they go out to the districts (and) we take over from there."

The regional training center for Afghan law enforcement is located just outside of Jalalabad. The 66th MPs build upon the training the recruits received there.

"We do a little class then we take them out," Hormel said. "We take them from their rough training that they get and try to hone their skills a little bit more so that they're a lot more effective."

Training consists of basic police skills such as securing an area, vehicle searches, personnel searches and handcuffing techniques.

Strong Afghan law enforcement along the border is a source of pride and part of the meaning of Afghan independence for an Afghan border police officer known in the area as "Maj. Sultan."

"In Afghanistan we have a lot of pride," Sultan said. "We have Hazara; we have Pashtun. We have a lot of tribes. (To be) Afghan means to bring together all of them."

And now, with the partnership between Afghan law enforcement and coalition forces, it means unity, Sultan said.

• Date Taken: 08.28.2007
• Date Posted: 08.28.2007 08:17
• Story ID: 12012
• Location: AF