Carabinieri assume command, look to improve Adraskan Regional Training Center in western Afghanistan

HERAT, AFGHANISTAN

06.16.2011

Story by Tech. Sgt. Samara Scott 

NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

HERAT, Afghanistan - Italian Carabinieri assumed responsibility of Adraskan Regional Training Center June 16.

Lt. Col. Gabriele Vox, from Liguria Carabinieri Regional Command in Genova, Italy, will serve as the commander of the coalition forces.

Adraskan RTC is currently made up of Italian Carabinieri, U.S. Marine Corps, and Polish Gendarmerie. The forces advise more than 800 Afghan police students.

Army Lt. Col. Steven Park, Regional Support Command-West, served as coalition forces commander from March 21 to June 16. He worked closely with Vox in the transition of command. He now has assumed duties of RSC-W chief of Afghanistan National Police plans and operations.

Vox is responsible for the oversight of three Afghanistan National Police training sites that is responsible for the training of ANP, Afghan National Civil Order Police and the Afghan Border Police recruits.

“The transition went very smoothly,” said Park. “To support the transition to Lieutenant Colonel Vox, one of my key tasks was to build and train a new coalition staff. Now, Lt. Col. Vox has a true coalition staff performing the full range of staff functions [personnel, intelligence, operations and logistics]. This will give him the ability to serve in more of a command capacity - providing guidance and making command decisions as required.”

Since Vox has taken over command, his main focus has been discipline for the students and the instructors. He is also focusing on the improvement of skills of the instructors.

“I believe Adraskan is at the moment a good school but a lot of things can still be improved and we are on the right way to soon succeed in a complete transition of full responsibilities with the Afghans,” said Vox.

Vox will serve as commander of coalition forces at Adraskan until September.

• Date Taken: 06.16.2011
• Date Posted: 07.12.2011 00:22
• Story ID: 73562
• Location: HERAT, AF