Afghan Soldiers Trained by Tens of Thousands

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

09.18.2010

Story by Chief Petty Officer Brian Brannon 

NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

KABUL- At any given time, up to 20,000 Afghan soldiers are honing their warrior skills to augment the Afghan National Army. The bulk of them—about 10,000 to 12,000—learn their trade at Kabul Military Training Center.

Near the base of the Hindu Kush foothills in eastern Kabul, the vast training area stretches over 22,000 acres, facilitating everything from artillery exercises to literacy training. Coalition advisors from NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan supplement Afghan instructors that forge raw recruits into battle-ready soldiers.

First Sgt. Ahmad Shaw Fawse is a drill instructor with the 1st company of the 3rd Soldier’s Training Kandak at KMTC.

“I feel very good about the soldiers and I’m training them very hard,” he says. “That way, they can defend their country and take care of the people.”

U.S. Special Forces began training Afghan soldiers at KMTC in 2002. By 2006, international forces were helping train about 5,000 Afghan soldiers at a time. Now, with 15 nations providing direct expertise in key areas, the number of Afghan soldiers in training has more than doubled.

Currently, about 800 coalition advisors work side by side with some 3,000 Afghan instructors: British troops at the Bridmal Academy for non-commissioned officers; French at Officer Candidate School and the Military Instructor’s Course; Canadians at the Legal School; Mongolians and Australians at the School of Artillery; Romanians at the Team Leaders Course; and Germans at the Logistics School.

British Brig. Gen. David J. Paterson, the assistant commanding general of Combined Training Advisory Group–Army, says training is key to building the ANA’s capacity to take over the Afghan security mission.

“If we don’t train the army, then there’s no transition,” he said.

Potential recruits from various areas and tribal affiliations come to KMTC hoping to join the Afghan army. They must pass a rigorous screening process prior to begin the eight-week Basic Warrior Training course that introduces them to their roles and responsibilities as ANA soldiers. The course also teaches fundamental skills such as marksmanship, rank structure, and squad-level tactics.

Advanced courses include a four-week team leader course, a 12-week one uniform course for non-commissioned officers and the 20-week Officers Candidate School.

Private Faizuddin, an ANA recruit whose mother and father were both killed by the Taliban, said that adapting to military life at KMTC has been relatively easy for him.

“The only thing that was difficult was waking up at midnight and 3 a.m.,” he said.

• Date Taken: 09.18.2010
• Date Posted: 09.18.2010 03:09
• Story ID: 56529
• Location: KABUL, AF