Photo By Abigail Meyer | Students attending the Security Force Assistance course here simulate key leader...... read more read more
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EL PASO, Texas--About 1,500 Soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, are gearing up to deploy to Afghanistan this winter. The brigade will support Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
To prepare for the deployment, the unit completed a rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Part of their mission will be to advise and assist their Afghan counterparts, so the unit brought in subject matter experts from 3rd Battalion, 353rd Regiment, Joint Regional Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana.
“We literally train advisers who are getting ready to go overseas to work with the host nation counterparts to help them solve their own problems with their own solutions,” said Capt. Ilyas Renwick, observer/coach/trainer, team lead, 3rd Bn., 353rd Regt., JRTC, Fort Polk.
The two-week Security Force Assistance course covers a broad range of topics focusing on communication and rapport with their counterparts.
“We’ve transitioned from going in to fight the fight, to where we are partnering with them. Now we’re the ones working with them with their own resources, their own opportunities to solve their own problems,” Renwick said.
The classes cover topics such as understanding dynamics and psychology of human behavior and cross-cultural communication, which is extremely important Renwick said.
“Crossing that cultural boundary, you can establish that relationship between us and our counterpart. Sometimes we recognize that even though we may speak the same language, if we don’t cross that cultural boundary there’s no way we can establish that relationship,” Renwick said. “Something that the people we train must know in order to be successful.”
Capt. Mark McLaughlin, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, Division Artillery, 1st Armored Division, said the cross-cultural communication class was eye opening.
“So in the West we’re very linear. We go from A to B to C. In Afghanistan and a lot of the world, it’s not that way,” McLaughlin said. “So they will get to the objective that they’re wanting to but they get there in a more circular pattern, so that was a big learning point because it kind of tips everything on its head when dealing with people in preparation for the mission.”
The Soldiers from 3rd Bn., 353rd Regt. have lots of subject matter expertise, every observer/coach/trainer on their team has experience as a liaison or adviser downrange.
“With the way that the U.S. forces are interacting with the foreign security forces counterparts now, it’s not about us going over there and engaging the enemy. It’s not even as much anymore about us teaching them ‘This is how you attack the enemy,’ for them it’s us helping them develop sustainability so they are fully functional and self-sufficient on their own,” said Capt. Tom Piernicky, observer/coach/trainer, team lead, 3rd Bn., 353rd Regt. “It’s more about teaching them about their systems and processes. How to procure uniforms and boots or how to do supply and logistics.”
First BCT sent about 100 students through the course which included engagements with native Afghan role players.
“With the cultural role players, these are the individuals that have actually served, most likely, in the military in those host nation countries. They are the subject matter experts in regards to the systems, the process, what will work or won’t,” Renwick said.
Soldiers assigned to the 52nd Translator/Interpreter Company, 3rd Bn., 353rd Regt., served as interpreters as 1st BCT Soldiers worked through the threaded scenarios. Observer/coach/trainers monitor the interactions to see how the Soldiers use what they learned.
“There’s a couple things a couple things that we’re looking for – how they interact with their counterparts, how they use the interpreter, their body language and demeanor, making sure they’re keeping culture in mind,” said Sgt. 1st Class Philip Casiano, an observer/coach/trainer.
The 3rd Bn., 353rd Regt. is a unique asset to the Army. They teach several different classes both at Fort Polk and travel to installations across the U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1st BCT continue to prepare for their mission overseas.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.15.2016 17:09 |
| Story ID: | 217898 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 81 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Preparing to deploy, 1st BCT trains for upcoming mission to Afghanistan, by Abigail Meyer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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