BALKH PROVINCE, Afghanistan – In an effort to maximize transition opportunities, the U.S. Army conducted a partnership training exercise with the Afghan National Army at Camp Shaheen Nov. 28.

The combined training mixed members of the U.S. Army combat engineers, who specialize in route clearance, shared improvised explosive device clearing procedures with engineers of the 3/209th Route Clearance Company, Afghan National Army.

While partnership training allows coalition forces to pass on knowledge and skills to ANA soldiers throughout northern Afghanistan, the staff also has to focus on the obstacles of uniting two groups for the training.

“Today was a challenge,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Noel Rodriguez with the 1014th Sapper Company, Task Force Roughneck, Task Force Sword, a combat engineer from Canovanas, Puerto Rico. “Some of the veteran [Afghan] engineers have experience and methods to do these searches, their new guys don’t. So we compared their techniques with ours. After awhile, they liked ours better. It was more efficient and safer. They’re getting it and they’re learning.”

Rodriguez’s challenge was one faced by all instructors; the task of how to effectively teach to soldiers with experience and teaching those with none, all in the same class. The veteran ANA soldiers were looking forward to being challenged and were opened minded to new ideas.

“I have some experience in this work. How to search for IEDs” said Afghan Sgt. Ali (last name withheld) with the 3/209th RCC, “but the knowledge I have is not enough. I must learn more to improve myself. I would like to see more realistic training, with scenarios and more training aids.”

The patience and persistence of Rodriguez and his team paid off when the Afghan soldiers accepted and used the new techniques during the training.

“I couldn’t communicate verbally, but I could with hand signals,” said U.S. Army Spc. Julio Acevedo with the 1014th Sapper Company, a combat engineer from Isabella, Puerto Rico. “We went over secondary threats. He was trying hard to understand my point. Maybe in the future, he’ll remember it and save his own or his buddies lives.”

The class concluded on a positive note. Soldiers shook hands, smiled, and coordinated the next training session.

Lt. Muhammad (last name withheld) with the 3/209th RCC, stated, “The U.S. soldiers are trying to help us. We need to improve ourselves for our country. I’m asking for more challenges. Today’s training was good for our new soldiers but too basic for me. This is the time to improve. We need to keep training so we can become a more professional Army.”

The U.S. Army lives by the slogan: "We train how we fight."

It is through co-operative training programs like IED route clearance, which allows the U.S. Army to meet the needs of their mission by training side-by-side with the Afghan National Army.

Connected Media