KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Twenty four students from the Afghan National Security Forces graduated the Explosive Hazard Reduction Course here Tuesday.
The students graduating in this most recent class were trained by a team that included both coalition and ANSF instructors.
EHRC gives students basic counter-IED training. Students are trained in IED detection, components, explosives safety, and blow in place techniques.
“[The course] is a stepping stone to enhance their personal and professional knowledge when it comes to the fight against IEDs,” said Warrant Officer 2 Daniel P. Stanley of the Australian army, one of the EHRC instructors.
ANSF who attend the school leave with the skills to serve as explosive ordnance disposal team members in their respective services.
“These graduates are headed back to their units to provide the skills and knowledge to combat IEDs,” said EHRC instructor, Sgt. Brenden D. Kennedy of the Australian army.
With two ANSF instructors already teaching the course and plans to add more, the ANSF are starting to take the lead role in training of counter-IED tactics.
“For the ANSF instructors, teaching the course gives them the opportunity to continuously practice their skills,” said Kennedy. “These are skills they have to practice or they will lose them.”
Having ANSF instructors also gives the students an opportunity to relate more closely to their teachers as their experiences better reflect what the students will face when they return to their units.
“They can relate much better to the ANSF instructors,” said Kennedy. “They can communicate much better with the students and having them here imparts a sense of ownership of the course to the ANSF.”
The ANSF instructors have impressed their coalition counterparts and have stepped up to take a leading role in the training.
“Guys coming back to be instructors really care about the direction of their country and are having a real impact on the war [by qualifying students,” said Kennedy.
The best day of training is today when I see 24 guys trained and ready to go on missions, said EHRC instructor, Afghan National Army Sgt. Ghulam Jan.
“These instructors show that the ANA is using people in the right way,” said Kennedy. “There’s more to war than shooting guns.”
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2012 02:37 |
| Story ID: | 89614 |
| Location: | KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AF |
| Hometown: | BRISBANE, QLD, AU |
| Hometown: | PORT AUGUSTA, SA, AU |
| Web Views: | 149 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ANSF instructors train own for counter-IED fight, by LTJG Andrew Carleen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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