Border police enhance troop capabilities in Shir Khan

JOINT COMBAT OUTPOST SHIR KHAN, AFGHANISTAN

10.06.2011

Story by Spc. Jazz Burney 

170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

JOINT COMBAT OUTPOST SHIR KHAN, Afghanistan - Soldiers with A Company, 40th Engineer Battalion, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, are providing security for civilian professionals who train Afghan Border Police in logistics management at Shir Khan, Kunduz province.

Soldiers conduct daily foot patrols to the Shir Khan Afghan Border Police Headquarters, a 15-minute walk from their joint combat outpost.

Civilians, both former U.S. police officers and logistics advisers, are mingled into the soldiers’ patrols. These professionals train the border police in their respective areas of expertise.

One of the primary challenges for the border policemen is their logistics system, said 1st Lt. Zachary Willey, the company executive officer.

Due to distance from and limited communication with the Afghan government, these policemen rely on personal means to acquire uniforms and equipment. Often this caused problems for the force due to loss of equipment and misuse of finances, said Willey.

"We want to increase confidence and trust in the government of Afghanistan by showing them when they use the government's system, they will see that their leaders care about them way out here," said U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Jared Stefani, a Tacoma, Wash., native, now a platoon leader with the company.

Col. Najibullah, the Shir Kahn Afghan Border Police commander, partners with U.S. forces in learning the Ministry of Interior’s system of property accountability.

This is where the U.S. civilian professionals come in.

One employee with DynCorp focuses on forms used in a Tashkil. The Tashkil describes authorizations for number of personnel, the type of equipment issued and how many items are distributed to a specific unit.

"We appreciate the fact that U.S. forces are here to partner with us to train our policemen to do better for the people of Shir Khan," said Najibullah.

Although, border policemen have just begun this type of training, they will now be able to work internally toward meeting their daily operational needs. The policemen can use their government's system, and will have a better way of holding personnel accountable for equipment and receive additional funding from their government.

"I think when we go back to Baumholder, we can safely say we provided training for the [Afghan Border Police], security for the Shir Khan people and confidence that they can fend for themselves upon our exit of Afghanistan," said Stefani.

• Date Taken: 10.06.2011
• Date Posted: 10.11.2011 01:49
• Story ID: 78292
• Location: JOINT COMBAT OUTPOST SHIR KHAN, AF