KABUL, Afghanistan - NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan is celebrating its one year anniversary this month; it has been a year filled with numerous milestones and tangible progress. Behind the scenes, there have been many actors playing key roles unseen by the public’s critical eye. One of these key actors is currently on his way home to begin a new scene in his career: Italian Brig. Gen. Carmelo Burgio, who just completed a 13-month tour as the Commanding General of the Combined Training Advisory Group-Police.
Indicative of his importance, it was standing-room only at Burgio’s farewell ceremony. Senior ranking officials as well as junior enlisted service members from various nations celebrated Burgio’s achievements and expressed their gratitude, appreciation, and respect for his work ethic as well as the person inside the uniform.
When Burgio arrived last year, there was no turn-over with a predecessor, as there was no predecessor. There was no transition period or helpful “continuity” binder (a typical military way to pass information with deployed members often rotating every six to 18 months) filled with advice and lessons learned. There was nothing to command according to Lt. Gen. William Caldwell IV, NTM-A Commanding General, as he reflected on Burgio’s start at NTM-A.
“In the beginning, there really was no commanding, there was a lot of coordination, cajoling and encouraging,” but nothing to command, Caldwell said.
From commanding “nothing,” Burgio left behind an Afghanistan with 35 different training sites for the Afghan National Police that produce roughly 28,000 police. Additionally, CTAG-P is currently staffed with over 800 trainers around the country after beginning with only eight.
During a recent interview, Burgio shared his first impressions of Kabul and Afghanistan.
“It was a country that had been at war for 30 years, a particular country, particular people, a particular police force,” he said.
After serving in Bosnia, Iraq, and Lebanon, it did not take the General long to assess where the issues were.
“The biggest issue was synchronizing our mentalities. We [NTM-A] are the ASAP [as soon as possible] guys, they are the ‘Inshallah’ guys,” he said. “This is not a criticism, we had to adapt our mentality, our expectations and our timeline to their mentality.”
After speaking briefly with Burgio, one can easily see that adapting is something he has a great deal of experience with and that he possesses the patience the job required. The proof of his patience and determination was repeated in various anecdotes and testimonies by speakers during the ceremony.
Caldwell summed up the accomplishments of Burgio to Burgio’s favorite pastime, parachuting. “When he arrived, we pretty much just threw him out there and he went to work.”
If the speakers’ words did not paint an accurate picture of Burgio’s achievements during his time at NTM-A, his awards left no questions about his performance.
Burgio earned the United States Legion Of Merit medal, the Order of the Marechausee Bronze medal, and the NATO Service medal. He was also presented with gifts from EUPOL and the German Civilian Police.
Burgio accepted the accolades with the same calm for which he has been known and when it was his turn to speak, he emphasized the importance of remembering the enlisted troops, the younger troops, the other actors behind the scenes, stating that they “are our most important resources.”
Burgio will not have much time for a vacation when he returns to Italy. His new job will require a move to Rome and will involve a lot of travel in fulfillment of his new duties as Commander of the First Mobile Brigade with battalions across Italy.
In one of his last interviews before departing, Burgio was asked what he would like for Afghanistan within the next five years.
“I would like to walk around Kabul on foot, with no helmet, no body armor, no armored vehicle and maybe stop for a coffee or at a restaurant, to be free, free to move,” he said.
| Date Taken: |
11.07.2010 |
| Date Posted: |
11.09.2010 05:07 |
| Story ID: |
59707 |
| Location: |
KABUL, AF |
| Web Views: |
231 |
| Downloads: |
1 |
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