Afghans graduate vehicle maintenance course

PAKTYA PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

02.03.2011

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 101

PAKTYA, Afghanistan – Members of the Forward Operating Base Lightning combined action team graduated a class of Afghan Army maintenance technicians Feb. 2.

According to U.S. Army Master Sgt. Anderson Lewis, CAT non-commissioned officer in charge and a Port of Spain, Trinidad native, during the course, the Afghan students learned how to maintain a wide variety of vehicles for the Afghan Army.

“There was a great need for this training,” said Lewis. “Previously, there was no real preventive maintenance system in the Afghan [National] Army.”

Afghan graduates proudly displayed their certificates after graduation.

“It was terrific training, I have been here six months, and I have learned so much,” said graduate ANA Sgt. Maj. Rahmaullah of Kunduz, Afghanistan.

Six Afghan soldiers were selected from the graduating class to remain at the ANA’s 203rd Thunder Corps and train students for the next maintenance course.

“God willing, I will be able to stay in the Army and teach our soldiers what I learned here,” said one selectee, ANA soldier Bawar Khan of Nangharar, Afghanistan. “It was an awesome course. The coalition soldiers taught us all they could, and we learned a lot.”

The ANA 203rd Corps Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Abdu Rawoof expressed his appreciation for the coalition force’s efforts.

“Thank you to the coalition forces who provided this program,” said Rawoof. “This is an important step toward fully independent Afghan operations.”

• Date Taken: 02.03.2011
• Date Posted: 02.02.2011 15:37
• Story ID: 64672
• Location: PAKTYA PROVINCE, AF