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MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Civil Order Police regional training center in Mehtar Lam is the first training center to be completely transitioned to Afghan control, and the last step was turning over all logistics to the Afghan staff.
The logistics side of the training center provides the students with all the gear they will need to be effective throughout their four-month course.
The supply staff at the ANCOP training center has their hands full as they usually outfit over 250 new students at a time.
“We supply new students with all the equipment that is essential for them to be successful in their training,” said Afghan Col. Abdul Maqsod, the RTC logistics officer. “It is important that we provide the students with everything they need so they don’t feel the need to leave the training center for supplies.”
The coalition forces working with the RTC are advisors only, said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Christina Kalogiros, the regional training center logistics advisor. She explained the Afghans need to be capable of doing everything on their own and that means supplying the center as well.
“It’s important that we as Afghans do all the jobs here, we are Afghans, we understand each other and we know the normal problems that Afghans might have,” said Maqsod. “The coalition forces will not be here forever and we need to be able to run this center by ourselves.”
Kalogiros stressed the importance that, even though the advisors gave them plans to work with, the Afghans come up with their own ideas.
“We originally worked with the Afghans day after day, learning what they needed to do and we helped them create plans that would get the job done, but it was important that they developed their own systems because in the end that is what they will understand and that’s what they know works.”
The Afghan logistics staff understood the importance of thinking on their own.
“We took the ideas and plans from the coalition forces and made them work for us, it was important that we tailored the plans to work the way we needed them to,” said Maqsod.
The logistics area was one of the final areas to be fully turned over to the Afghans, and Kalogiros felt it was one of the most important parts.
“Everything in a transition is important but what it comes down to is that if logistics and supply fail than everything else fails. If the students don’t get the equipment they need the course can’t be run,” said Kalogiros.
Although a coalition team still remains at the training center, their job is minimal.
“Right now we play a very small role, the Afghans run everything all we do is occasionally look over the paper work and offer any advice they may want,” said Kalogiros.
Maqsod feels confident in his department’s ability to run the training center’s logistics.
“Right now we would be ready to take control of this training center, and I know we will be successful in our mission,” said Maqsod
The RTC recently held a graduation of 277 students, the first class to complete training with the center under complete Afghan control.
The training center is located in a part of East Laghman province, and area that Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced would be one of the first areas to transition to full Afghan authority.
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2011 09:02 |
| Story ID: | 68442 |
| Location: | MEHTAR LAM, AF |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Logistics turnover to Afghans critical for training center, by PO1 Daniel Gay, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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