ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Members of Combined Team Zabul participated in a five-day Female Engagement Team training course that ended Oct. 1 with a mission to engage some of the local females in Qalat.
The course was designed to strengthen each FET’s effectiveness during key female engagements, in order to secure strong, lasting relationships that are vital to the success of counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan.
“FETs are extremely important,” said Capt. Iajaira Perez, a soldier from Laredo, Texas, and the CTZ FET officer in charge. “Half the population of Afghanistan is female. FETs are designed to support the battle space owners by facilitating a comprehensive understanding of the operational environment. They do this by gaining support and building the confidence of the female population to support GIRoA. The FETs are able to reach out to places and people that no male could, to discuss issues of security, healthcare, education, justice and economic opportunity.”
Throughout the week, students received training in Afghan history, culture, religion and language. They were also instructed on how to conduct a proper body search, how to gather information, how to properly use interpreters and how to maintain situational awareness.
“The best part of the training was the history of Afghanistan,” said Cpl. Landon Sinclair, from Ebensburg, Pa., a supply sergeant with the 59th Mobility Augmentation Company. “It's astonishing how a place can go from paradise to hell over the course of many years.”
The course was well attended, and the students remained engaged throughout the whole week. Spc. Amber Desjadon, a soldier from Craigsville, Va., and the newest member of the CTZ FET was eager to go through the course and to make a difference in the lives of the local women.
“I was interested in seeing the other side of this culture – the side that we don’t get to hear about much,” said Desjadon. “I wanted to do something that I can see a benefit from, like trying to help somebody where you can actually see a result rather than just reading a screen.”
Even though the course was about women engaging with women, it was open to everybody, and though they were reluctant at first, two males completed the training.
“Maj. Wheeler told me to go,” said Staff Sgt. Andrew Doane, from Chesapeake, Va., the future-operations non-commissioned officer in charge. “I plan on being an officer, and knowing how the FET is used will help in the long run as far as understanding what they’re capable of, so I can use them effectively in the future.”
“I think more males need to be involved with the FET training so they all have an understanding and they can all see what an important role they play in it,” Doane added. “Men shouldn’t be scared to be part of it.”
Sinclair didn’t volunteer for the class either. His first sergeant sent him to represent the 59th MAC.
“I honestly didn’t know what to expect about training,” said Sinclair. “When you hear ‘female engagement’, as a male you get very terrified because the psychological minds of women are very complex. But as a male, I’m glad I was voluntold for the class because not only do the women play a big part, but the males as well.”
Most males don’t realize how important their role is in a female engagement team.
“It is important that they know the mission and capabilities of the FET in order to have successful engagements all while being culturally sensitive,” said Perez.
Added to that responsibility is the security of each member of the FET.
“Female Engagement Teams are starting to be recognized by the Taliban,” said Doane, “and they’re starting to target them, because they know what they’re doing. Obviously it’s a great thing, and they know this is something that will change the whole history here again. It may actually help defeat the Taliban.”
| Date Taken: | 10.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.08.2011 11:12 |
| Story ID: | 78229 |
| Location: | ZABUL PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Combined Team Zabul trains Female Engagement Teams, by SSG Rebecca Petrie, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT