Passion, peace, pride drive AUP class

CAMP LEATHERNECK, AFGHANISTAN

05.10.2011

Story by Cpl. Adam Leyendecker 

Regional Command Southwest

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Some Afghans join the Afghan Uniformed Police for job security and to provide for their families. However, for a few of them it’s more than that. It’s personal.

“Under Taliban rule we could not breathe,” said Naim Mohmad, a class leader for the Afghan Uniformed Police course, an advanced course at the Joint Security Academy Southwest aboard Camp Leatherneck. “The insurgents didn’t treat us like humans, they treated us like animals.”

Zubair Majidi, a squad leader for the AUP course at JSAS, recalls a time when he was beaten with a stick by insurgents just for having long ears. “It got so bad that I had to flee to Iran for safety,” said Majidi. “Once, the insurgents left my village I came back to Afghanistan and now I’m here fighting alongside American forces to liberate Afghanistan.”

With insurgents hiding and losing territory, Afghan security forces are taking more responsibility in fighting the insurgency.

On one particular night when Majidi and his fellow troops were conducting a patrol, they caught insurgents stealing from a home. Majidi said they caught all four thieves, who were also allegedly raping women in the village.

“The home owner’s eyes shined when we returned his stolen property,” said Majidi. “Now that village lives in peace.”

It’s acts like these which are uniting Afghans with their American counterparts in their fight against the insurgency.

“The Americans have come here to help our country,” said Jan Khairu, a squad leader for the AUP course at JSAS. “The Marines are guiding us so that we may provide security for our country.”

This AUP class understands they are not only fighting for Afghanistan, but also for their brothers, sisters and families, said Khairu.

With Afghanistan making major strides toward freedom, Afghan security forces are using skills learned at JSAS to help fight the enemy.

“If we can provide security to our country, then we can bring peace to our country,” said Mohmad.

Afghans also hope to spread that peace to their enemies.

“If we can have peace between each other, we can have peace in our country,” said Mohmad. “Afghanistan is much like a hand with your fingers spread out. If they are spread it is easier to break the fingers, but if all Afghans can unite and bring the fingers into a fist then we can become one.”

• Date Taken: 05.10.2011
• Date Posted: 05.10.2011 11:34
• Story ID: 70172
• Location: CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF