Afghan Special Operators grow leaders

Photo By Bob Ditchey | Afghan special operators that complete the six-week Noncommissioned Officers' Team Leader Course receive a green tab signifying completion of the course during a ceremony at the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command's School of Excellence, near Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 22, 2018. The course provides specialists, corporals and sergeants the fundamentals and skills to be successful squad leaders. (NSOCC-A photo by Robert Ditchey)  

AFGHANISTAN

02.22.2018

Story by Bob Ditchey 

NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan

Forty special operators from across the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command graduated from the six-week Noncommissioned Officers' Team Leader Course at the ANASOC School of Excellence near Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 22, 2018. The Team Leader Course provides Afghan specialists, corporals, and sergeants the fundamental skills and training required for successful assignment as special operations squad leaders.

Among the graduates, seven of the soldiers were promoted to the rank of Sergeant by Maj. Gen. Bismillah Waziri, ANASOC commander, for demonstrating strong potential to serve in positions of greater responsibility.

"You were selected by your commanders to join the ranks of the Noncommissioned Officers," Wazirir said during his remarks to the graduating class. "As NCOs you will serve as a bridge between us (senior leaders) and Afghanistan's sons and daughters entrusted with you. Treat them with respect."

The course included instruction on troop-leading procedures, and the duties of an ANASOC NCO. In addition to classroom instruction, the special operators soldiers receive physical fitness and advanced weapons training on individual and squad-level weapons such as the M4 assault rifle, M9 semi-automatic pistol, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, M240 general purpose machine gun, and Rocket Propelled Grenade.

• Date Taken: 02.22.2018
• Date Posted: 03.11.2018 08:26
• Story ID: 268938
• Location: AF