ANA Commandos, US Forces, partner to complete mission

CAMP MOREHEAD, AFGHANISTAN

01.24.2011

Story by Senior Airman Ryan Whitney 

NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan

CAMP MOREHEAD, Afghanistan— A force of more than 100 Afghan National Army Special Forces, Commandos, U.S. Army Special Forces, and soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division recently completed a two-day joint operation in the Tangi Valley of Eastern Afghanistan.

The goals were to uproot and remove an insurgent force consisting of improvised explosive device builders, a logistics cell that supported anti-coalition activities, and a large fighting force, all of which had been present in the valley for some time.

“Our focus with missions like this is the disassembly of the insurgent networks in the area,” said Maj. Kevin Trujillo, Advanced Operational Base commander at Camp Morehead. “When Commandos and Coalition Forces operate side-by-side to complete these operations, it showcases our commitment to finding and eliminating insurgents who would deny peace and stability to all Afghans.”

Upon completion of the mission, U.S. and Afghan forces had taken nine individuals connected with the IED cell into custody, making the mission an overwhelming success.

Alongside the objective of removing the insurgent foothold in the valley, an equally important objective was the experience this provided a young Afghan National Army Commando force.

“When conducting these types of operations alongside the Afghan Commandos, it is vital for the future of these units to step up and take the lead in, not only the command and control, but the actions during the operations so they can get that valuable hands-on experience,” said a U.S. Special Forces team member.

Conducting missions with Commandos and ANA Special Forces in the lead has proven advantageous for numerous reasons, most significant is the fact that each ANA member has a personal stake in defending their homeland and providing security to its citizens.

Currently there are more than 5,000 Afghan Commandos, each of which are hand-picked and specially trained at the elite training course at Camp Morehead. Their mission is to strengthen the security and increase the infrastructure of Afghanistan.

“The training we receive from our U.S. counterparts helps us prepare for all types of missions, and with this training we can provide a better life for our people throughout Afghanistan,” said an ANA Commando first sergeant. “We have the best training, discipline and support available, and I want to assure Afghans to live peacefully, because they have the Commandos support behind them.”

• Date Taken: 01.24.2011
• Date Posted: 01.26.2011 02:34
• Story ID: 64217
• Location: CAMP MOREHEAD, AF