Training Afghan to maintain the military vehicles given by ISAF

CAMP SHEEN, AFGHANISTAN

10.18.2010

Story by Pfc. Cynthia Teears Van Cleve 

1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division

CAMP SHEEN, Afghanistan - Soldiers of 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, taught Afghan National Border Police how to maintain the humvee, during a four day vehicle maintenance class at Camp Shaheen, Afghanistan, mid-October.

The ANBP recently received approximately 20 humvees from International Security Assistance Force and a class was given to familiarize them with the vehicle.

“In the morning we changed the oil and the fuel filter,” said Sgt. Steven Werner from River Vale, N.J., the schedule service and recovery sergeant for the battalion motor pool, 1st BSTB. “We showed them how the electrical system works and replaced the headlights too.”

The class was given to allow each student the opportunity to receive hands on experience.

“Now we’ll install our new windshield,” Werner said. “Whenever you put the screws in, hand-tighten them. Make sure they’re in right.”

While the students worked on their vehicles, the teaching continued to reinforce each step that had already been taught.

“In their opinion why is it important for them to know how to install a windshield?” asked Chief Kerry Murray from Walker, La., the battalion motor pool officer, 1st BSTB. “There are places that recovery may not go so they may need to know how to take the windshield out so they can see. Only do it when it is absolutely necessary and imperative.”

Once both groups accomplished replacing the windshields on their vehicles, the class learned how to replace the marker lights. This block of instruction was given by Sgt. Brannon Bullock from Simpson, Ill., the motor pool shop foreman, 1st BSTB.

The maintenance team the ANBP uses has a recovery team but they do not go to hot spots or highly dangerous areas. With this in mind, the ANBP must be able to get the disabled vehicle to a safe zone so the recovery team can pick it up and take it to a secure location.

“We are going to teach them how to self recover in order to meet up with the maintenance team,” Murray said.

These classes were given to several ANBP from the 5th Zone of Afghanistan, which has a total of nine kandaks in its area. The 5th Zone ANBP covers the northern area of Afghanistan, ranging from as far east as Kunduz and west as Maimaneh and Feyzabad.

“It’s a very good benefit for these people because most of them are drivers,” said Sgt. Abdullrazaq, platoon commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company of 5th Zone Headquarters ANBP. “This class will be beneficial. This is my driver, so he can help us with our vehicles on operations and missions.”

Once the Afghan soldiers are trained, they will have the skills and knowledge to train others and maintain the vehicles.

“I don’t choose these people, everybody was chosen by their kandak commander,” Abdullrazaq said. “I chose five people that belong to my kandak and they were mechanics and drivers. I have some knowledge and idea of being a mechanic, but this is my first time being trained, learning about the humvee vehicle.”

The class is a four day class and offers a general overview of the humvee vehicle’s mechanics and maintenance. This is the first class for the ANBP at Camp Shaheen.

“They are doing very good,” Werner said. “I talked to them and I was asking them what they did before they were in the border patrol. A few of them were truck drivers, farmers and I had one mechanic.”

Each Afghan soldier gained familiarization with the vehicles from the class and learned about every component and its purpose, Murray said. The soldiers should walk away from this training able to recognize early warning signs of vehicle failure and how to correct minor deficiencies of the vehicle, essentially, bridging the gap between the operators and the maintenance facility.

“They want to experience what we are teaching,” Werner said. “They were pushing me out of the way so they could get their hands on training. They wanted to do it themselves. They have a very competitive nature.”

• Date Taken: 10.18.2010
• Date Posted: 10.18.2010 03:52
• Story ID: 58287
• Location: CAMP SHEEN, AF