ANA soldiers complete M-16/M4 qualification training

AFGHANISTAN

02.03.2016

Story by kevin walston 

10th Mountain Division

MAHOLIC RANGE, BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – More than 80 Afghan National Army Soldiers assigned to the 5th Kandak of the Military Police Guard Command completed the first phase of a seven-week process here by completing M-16/M4 familiarization and qualification training.

The Soldiers were trained on the weapon because the Afghan National Army is shifting from its use of the AK-47 to the M-16 and M4 rifles, said Master Sgt. David Valdez, Task Force Buffalo’s Train, Advise, and Assist (TAA) Sergeant Major.

“They were not only taught the nomenclature of the weapon, but also basic firing techniques and proper safety handling procedures,” Valdez said. “They’re eager to learn, and through our interpreters, we’re able to ensure the learning process for them was successful.”

The hardest part of weapons training for the Afghan Soldiers is their lack of vision, he explained.

“They don’t wear eyeglasses or get the proper health care vision tests,” he said. “The easiest part of the training is that a lot of the Afghan Soldiers are very familiar with weapons, having had previous training by other militaries.”

In addition to M-16/M4 familiarization and qualification, the Soldiers will also receive training on the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), the M240B Machine Gun, map reading, operations planning to include use of warning orders, mounted and dismounted patrolling, establishing checkpoints, and deliberate driver’s training, he said.

“The goal of our TAA mission is to train Afghan Soldiers so that they’re better prepared to perform security operations in the Bagram Ground Defense Area,” Valdez said. “Force protection is a top priority for our senior leadership, and through this course of instruction, we’re preparing our Afghan partners to perform missions that directly affect our mission accomplishment.”

Task Force Buffalo’s TAA instructors, consisting of Soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), linguists and contracted instructors from the Warrior Training Alliance, hold seven courses during a calendar year, each spanning seven weeks and consisting of about 157 hours of total instruction.

• Date Taken: 02.03.2016
• Date Posted: 02.04.2016 12:24
• Story ID: 187892
• Location: AF