FOB SPIN BULDAK, Afghanistan – Estonia has deployed its first contingent of police officers in support of NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan’s mission to develop the Afghan National Police.
The four policemen are bringing over 40 years of combined experience in a wide variety of police fields including immigration, administration, instruction and criminal investigation. All volunteers, the police men and women prepared for this deployment by training for five weeks with the Estonian Army, which has contributed more than 160 troops in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
“We are all volunteers. The main incentive to come here is the personal challenge and hope that we could give something to this country,” said Pärtel Preinvalts, immigration officer and Estonian team leader. “Maybe we can make a difference with our knowledge and experience. It’s very important to our team to represent Estonia in Afghanistan, because we are proud of our country. No Estonians have ever been to this part of Afghanistan! It gives us also a very unique personal experience as Afghanistan differs absolutely from our country.”
Even though Estonia is a small country with a population of 1.4 million people, the contributions made by its policemen are playing an important role. At their new home in Training Support Site Costell, they will help ANP recruits train to complete boot camp and advise the ANP instructors who mold the recruits.
“We are here to instruct and teach the ANP instructors; to upgrade their level of knowledge and experience in police work.” said Preinvalts. “We try not to interrupt the work of local instructors who run and teach the class. The aim is to get them to teach and run the educational process themselves. Of course, if something goes wrong or they need our help, we will be there to guide and help them as much as it is possible.”
Making up the team are Pärtel Preinvalts; immigration officer, Tarvo Kull; staff officer, Aivar Rõžko; police instructor, and Merri Kastemäe; criminal police officer.
“Afghanistan is pretty much the country we prepared for. To be honest, we expected something worse,” said Preinvalts. “Of course we miss our families and country but luckily we had time to prepare ourselves and our beloved ones for this one year mission. Estonian police officers aren’t here as soldiers or contractors. We consider ourselves diplomats from Estonia to Afghanistan.”
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