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FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Afghanistan – The newest batch of Afghan Local Police recruits from Nawa district began their formal training at the ALP academy conducted by Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment here, Feb. 4.
The 59 Afghan recruits will be trained in basic infantry tactics, police operations, human rights and the laws of land warfare while participating in this three-week course.
“This academy was created to give recruits the basic skills needed to conduct their jobs as Afghan Local Police,” said Sgt. Aaron P. Alonso, a Jefferson, N.J., native and ALP instructor with 2/6. “These guys will be the local police force in the Nawa district when they graduate, so it’s very important they go through the training we’re offering.”
The majority of recruits attending the course have no prior military or police training. When combined with the numerous topics covered in the course – patrolling techniques, proper handcuffing procedures, weapons maintenance and handling drills – recruits often find themselves drinking from a fire hose of information.
“These guys have no military background when they get here… This training is probably hard for some of them but it’s important,” said Alonso. “These guys will be the first responders on the scene when they become the local police force for Nawa.”
Within the first couple days of training, Nawa district prosecutor Mohammed Aloah spoke with the recruits about the laws of land warfare. These regulations of acceptable wartime conduct will guide the recruits during their training and execution of their duties as future members of the ALP. The class covered topics including the proper treatment of prisoners, war crimes, tending to wounded combatants and principle of unnecessary destruction and harm.
Marines with the 2/6 PAT kicked off their instruction with classes and practical application exercises on handcuffing procedures. During the field training session, Marine instructors reviewed material taught in the classroom earlier in the day and performed a live demonstration for their students. The ALP recruits were thrown headlong into practical application following the demonstration, practicing everything they had learned throughout the day while instructors supervised to ensure proper execution of the handcuffing techniques.
“These guys will learn something new everyday they’re here,” said Sgt. Shane Willis, a Manchester, N.H. native and the 2/6 Police Advisor Team chief instructor. “I’ve already seen a change in they’re discipline since the first training day and it’s apparent they really want to learn this stuff.”
As Marine forces in Nawa shift to an advisory role with the transition of lead security responsibility to Afghan National Security Forces in the district, the ALP academy has become increasingly crucial to fielding a competent and capable police force to maintain security gains made by coalition and Afghan forces.
“This area is in a giant transition phase of stabilizing the government,” said Willis. “These recruits have to apply the lessons we’ve taught them so that stability can happen.”
Although the students will be challenged and their limits tested over these three short weeks, each day brings the more knowledge on their future profession and one step closer to graduation.
“What I want these recruits to take from this course is that they’re the first line of defense against intimidation, crime and corruption within their district,” said Master Sgt. Joe Caspole, a Columbus, Ohio, native and the 2/6 assistant operations chief and director of the ALP course. “We are training them in the basic fundamentals of justice, and how to apply them within their communities.”
Editor’s note: Second Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghanistan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling the ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2012 15:05 |
| Story ID: | 83597 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, AF |
| Web Views: | 294 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Afghan Local Police academy kicks off in Nawa, by Cpl Johnny Merkley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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