New ANA re-contracting regulation strengthens ranks

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

08.06.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio 

NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

By Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio
Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan – Since March 2008, the Afghan national army has recruited more than 9,000 soldiers. The force is authorized an 80,000 end strength and with that, comes the challenge of soldier retention.

This week, a new regulation governing ANA soldier and non-commissioned officers re-contracting was signed by the minister of defense, putting into effect a three-year reenlistment for soldiers and a five-year reenlistment for NCOs of the ANA, a policy established to strengthen the ranks.

ANA re-contracting, or reenlisting, is vital in building and maintaining a force of competent and capable soldiers and NCOs, according to Sgt. 1st Class Steve Theriot, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan advisor for ANA retention

"The continuity that comes with the retention of the NCO corps is important in the development of a stronger Afghan army," Theriot said. "This will definitely make a difference in the long run."

The changes to the regulation started close to a year ago when flaws in the current plan were identified. Theriot, a career counselor for the Army at the Recruiting and Retention School at Fort Jackson, S.C., was deployed to CSTC-A to identify shortcomings and develop something with long-lasting impact.

To start, Theriot formed questions for his Afghan counterpart, Col. Mohammed Amin, the ANA director of re-contracting, based on each section in the proposed regulation.

"The regulation was written from an American perspective and had things in it that didn't apply to the Afghan army," Theriot said. "Once we got the answers from Col. Amin, we repopulated the regulation with Afghan ideas."

The next step was to get feedback from the ANA regarding the changes. Theriot invited a working group, comprised of corps officers and NCOs that deal with the re-contracting process, to a three-day discussion forum. Through this dialogue, more changes were made to better serve the needs of the ANA.

"Everything was voted on by the working group," Theriot said. "It helped not only to give them the best product, suited to their army, but to give them ownership in the process and the resulting regulation."

Another major change to the regulation, besides the extensions of reenlistment periods, was the extension of the window for the re-contracting process. Previously, the re-contracting process
wasn't started until a month before a soldier's separation date. Now, the regulation calls for re-contracting NCOs to contact eligible soldiers and start counseling and paperwork 12 months before their separation date.

Theriot said once the regulation was approved, he worked with Guy Gaswint, a MPRI re-contracting mentor, to train three ANA sergeants major as trainers for the new regulation.

On, Aug. 3 and 4, the sergeants major, along with Amin, instructed a group of re-contracting NCOs and officers from the ministry of defense on the new regulation. The instruction also served as a certification for the sergeants major and colonel as trainers.

Sgt. Maj. Mark Mayo, U.S. Army Central Command career counselor, attended the instruction to help evaluate the new trainers and to witness the first-ever event.

"These men are professionals. Their confidence showed they were properly prepared and had rehearsed," Mayo said. "Confidence comes from knowing the material. They know this material."

Having enlisted soldiers instructing officers is a new concept for the ANA. This instruction being led by sergeants major is a way to strengthen the relationships between NCOs and officers in the ranks, according to Mayo and Theriot.

Their thoughts were echoed by ANA Maj. Gen. Abdullah, MoD general staff, chief of personnel, who made closing comments at the training.

"Our NCOs should show and prove that they have the ability to manage and train their soldiers and the officers should support them," Abdullah said. "This shows that these NCOs know what they are supposed to do."

The certified sergeants major will accompany Amin and the CSTC-A mentors to different ANA corps headquarters to train re-contracting NCOs on the new regulation. Their goal is to visit each corps twice a year to conduct initial and familiarization training.

• Date Taken: 08.06.2008
• Date Posted: 08.06.2008 10:18
• Story ID: 22180
• Location: KABUL, AF