Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team's Military Police conduct final training session at Dashtak Prison

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

09.04.2009

Courtesy Story

International Security Assistance Force HQ Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — The Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team's military police unit recently concluded its last scheduled training session with the guards at the Dashtak prison in Anaba District of Panjshir province, Afghanistan.

The training was conducted on three separate occasions, and included handcuffing, searching, the use of a baton and some basic hand-to-hand combat skills including take-downs, pressure point controls and restraining techniques.

U.S. Army Sgt. Eric D. Breuker, a four year military police veteran with the 410th MP Company out of Ft. Hood, Texas, and the PRT's MP squad leader, coordinated the development of the course and supervised the training.

"Our primary purpose was to train the guards in the basic survival skills they will need in their work environment," he said.

The first step in the development of the training was to assess the guards' skill level. After speaking with General Wakil, the Dashtak prison warden, the group of instructors toured the facility and watched a demonstration of the guards' current techniques.

"We decided to go into a little more detail with the pressure points and take downs because those are the skills we felt they needed the most," Breuker said.

The guards practiced their lessons against a live opponent, Senior Airman Cody Shively, a security forces specialist with the PRT. Shively was protected by a padded suit, specifically designed for hand-to-hand combat practice, called the "Red Man."

"They caught on very quickly," Shively said. "I'm over six feet tall and over 200 pounds, and the suit makes a person look even more intimidating. Most of the guards are only about five-foot six and a hundred some pounds, but they jumped in with no fear and took me down. I feel confident they can handle most of the situations they may face."

Major Nazel Hadi, a supervisor at the prison, praised the PRT for the quality of the training provided by the MP's.

"The training was really good," Hadi said. "Before we would not know the right thing to do in a bad situation, but now we know thanks to the PRT. We continue to practice what we were taught."

According to Breuker, training for the remainder of Afghan national police officers in Panjshir will begin in mid-September. In addition to the techniques taught to the prison guards in Anaba, the training will include community policing, traffic control and conflict resolution.

• Date Taken: 09.04.2009
• Date Posted: 09.04.2009 05:53
• Story ID: 38353
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF