Afghan army law: one step closer to stability

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

02.24.2009

Story by Pfc. Derek Kuhn 

Combined Joint Task Force 101

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – With a willingness to learn and a do-it-yourself attitude, the soldiers of the 203rd Thunder Corps, Afghan national army are blazing a trail toward self-sufficient security and judicial sovereignty.

The Operation Coordination Center-Regional program has allowed the 203rd Thunder Corps to surpass other areas of Afghanistan in the rule of law and coordination among all law-enforcement entities.

Service members participating in the program act as mentors to the developing ANA and have accelerated the growth of the skills of their Afghan counterparts.

Currently underway is the development and implementation of the Afghanistan Uniform Code of Military Justice.

"We have worked in [place] a new UCMJ," said Air Force Col. Alisa James, Command Staff Judge Advocate for Regional Command-East, 2nd Air Force. "We are trying cases and getting the publicity down-range to the battalions, so they know that they are under scrutiny."
The word is getting out and that accountability makes the ANA a stronger army.

James oversaw the completion of a new courthouse and jail for the ANA, which has given the Afghan soldiers a greater sense of purpose and pride.

"We are very lucky to have these buildings," said ANA Brig. Gen. Saued Khaulullah, regional judge. "We are doing great here, because of our facilities."

However, the new facilities are not what drive the Afghan soldiers' growing confidence.

Many credit the guidance they have received from their mentors, especially from the 503rd Military Police Battalion deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C.

"We are very grateful for having the mentors here, because they give us very good training," said an ANA soldier. "The training we have received will allow us to handle any difficulties in the future on our own. We are more disciplined now and we are getting better every day."

The Afghan MPs have received instruction on combat movement drills, how to properly patrol a perimeter, and other basics, said Army Sgt. 1st Class Fuller Mitchell, 503rd MP Bn. Armorer NCO.

The 203rd Corps' confidence stems from the sense of purpose their mentors display on a daily basis.

"It's important to help the ANA be independent to get some systems in place to establish them," said Mitchell.

Emphasis is placed on letting the ANA work through whatever issues they have and the mentors acting only in a counselor's role.

The MP mentors have also set a goal. They want the ANA to run their own MP school here. The mentors are able to step back and look at what they and their students have accomplished.

"[The progress] is very gratifying," said James. "It makes us all feel wonderful to have the 203rd Thunder Corps ANA have the first judicial center in Afghanistan."

Still, there are drills to complete and tactics to learn.

The 203rd Thunder Corps ANA is motivated and wants to accomplish the mission on their own, said Mitchell.

So with eyes set on the future, and their noses to the grindstone, the soldiers of 203rd Thunder Corps ANA foresee a prosperous future for their country with the help of service members and the OCC-R.

"We feel great [about the future]," said Khaulullah. "We have the assistance of a strong country, so we feel good about the future of our country.

• Date Taken: 02.24.2009
• Date Posted: 02.24.2009 08:32
• Story ID: 30369
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF