CAMP SPANN, Afghanistan – The war in Afghanistan has been going on for many years and now, part of the mission is to ensure that Afghans can sustain their security forces without the international community. Part of this is through training and advising Afghan National Army members essential soldier tasks such as shooting, land navigation, combat lifesaving and basic construction skills.
Outside Camp Spann in the ANA compound, members of the 365th Engineer Battalion, out of Schuylkill Haven, Pa., are part of the 209th Kandak Engineer Training Team. The ETT is comprised of soldiers from a multitude of U.S. Army units from the 365th, such as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, the Forward Support Company, the 284th Vertical Construction Company, the 663rd Horizontal Construction Company as well as American contractors who specialize in construction.
The ANA is separated into a similar structure as the American Army, with divisions, brigades, battalions, and companies. Battalions are called kandaks in the Afghan Army. The 209th CEK is comprised of Afghan soldiers learning plumbing, electrical, vertical and horizontal construction, and combat lifesaving skills. Most of the commanders of the companies were prior enlisted.
Afghan Army Capt. Ahmad Ziy is the 209th Vertical Company commander and has been in the ANA for six years. The members of his company build wooden houses for the local Afghans. He and his soldiers appreciate having the Americans and Germans there to advise them and teach his soldiers the skills they need to be successful.
“They come every day to help my soldiers learn and in turn, train others. I cannot complain,” said Ziy.
U.S. Army Sgt. Bryan McMullen, a Power Generator Equipment repairman, from Windsor, Pa., of FSC and U.S. Army Sgt. Richard Rogalewicz, a combat medic from Dunmore, Pa., of HHC. Their mission is to train the ANA on maintenance procedures.
Rogalewicz’s mission is to give the ANA Kandak soldiers medical classes, from Combat Lifesaver Level 1 to advanced trainers. Right now, he is teaching some ANA soldiers so that they can train their fellow soldiers after he leaves. He also conducts map reading classes with the Kandak officers and non-commissioned officers so they can train the other soldiers in the Kandak. He is the primary CLS instructor in charge of designing the classes so that the Afghan medics and leadership know what to do in the event of a medical emergency.
He first makes the slides in English and then the interpreter translates the English into Dari putting the translation underneath the English on the slide. Through this process, the interpreter learns the class for that day so that he can instruct the Afghan soldiers. This process ensures that the classes go as efficiently as possible. Once the classroom portion is done, Rogalewicz takes over to teach the practical portion, like inserting a nasal pharyngeal airway properly or how to use the proper technique when buddy carrying another soldier with a full set of gear on.
“These soldiers want to emulate everything we do,” Rogalewicz said. “I show them how important this training is to me so that they have the same amount of passion for training their soldiers as well.”
| Date Taken: | 02.11.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2014 06:31 |
| Story ID: | 121572 |
| Location: | CAMP SPANN, AF |
| Hometown: | DUNMORE, PA, US |
| Hometown: | SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, PA, US |
| Hometown: | WINDSOR, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 468 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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