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MUSA QA’LEH DISTRICT CENTER, Afghanistan — In a time of transition, Marines with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment’s embedded training team work to establish an effective Afghan fighting force.
While deployed, the ETTs main effort is to ensure the Afghan National Army can provide future security and well being for the local population. They see how the ANA operates and what they’re deficient at and what areas they need help in. By doing this, the ETT ensures they are able to train, advise and mentor the ANA properly.
“We train, mentor and develop the kandak staff and develop the kandakas a whole into a warfighting unit that can sustain the security for Afghanistan after we leave,” said 1st Lt. Richard Marcantonio, the ETT operations officer. “Our hope and goal is to have a force that can hold the Musa Qa’leh District Center, and the major population centers associated with it, by providing sufficient security so the locals aren’t living in fear on a daily basis of the enemy force,”
The ETT works with the ANA on a variety of issues, such as security sustainment, logistical capabilities, proper weapons handling, how conduct a proper casualty evacuation, medical courses, land navigation and radio operation classes.
“They need to be able to provide that security when we pull out. They need to be able to provide that warm, fuzzy feeling that everybody’s going to be safe here,” said Gunnery Sgt. Jordan Freeland, the ETT assistant operations officer, from Chico, Calif. “The end result of what we’re trying to do is to make sure they can maintain and carry forward not only the security presence but also the logistical requirements so they can be self-sufficient once we leave.”
Marcantonio, from Corpus Christi, Texas, said one of the biggest issues facing the ETT is ensuring the ANA is an effective fighting force without trying to change how they operate.
“We have to learn how to do it their way, because it’s the only way they’re going to be sustainable,” Marcantonio said. “We can try to make the ANA be like us and operate like us, but it’s not going to work. If we can get them to operate effectively in the manner that they’re going to continue after we leave then that’s effectiveness.”
“The ETT has helped us out a lot and we’re fighting in the same trenches as them shoulder to shoulder. We’re glad to be working alongside the Marines,” said Sgt. Amamullah, intelligence chief for the 3rd Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps, from Paktia province, Afghanistan. “Since the Marines came to the area, we’ve been able to expand our security bubble. The enemy frontline used to be much closer but since the Marines have come we’ve been able to push them back.”
| Date Taken: | 04.21.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2012 03:12 |
| Story ID: | 87521 |
| Location: | AF |
| Hometown: | CHICO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 336 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Marines advise, train Afghan National Army, by Cpl Mark Garcia, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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