Security Force Assistance Team 12, ANSF working shoulder to shoulder

HERAT, AFGHANISTAN

11.04.2011

Story by Sgt. Ruth Pagan 

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

HERAT, Afghanistan – The soldiers with Security Force Assistance Team 12, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, are combining with the Afghan National Security Forces at the Operations Coordination Center-Regional to create a combined tactical operations center at the regional level.

“The intent is to build coordination among the different security forces and to come up with a common plan to build security throughout the west,” said Lt. Col. Tom Hauerwas, commander of SFAT 12.

Previously the different security forces were all in separate buildings.

“The idea is that we come together,” said Capt. Alex Wray, chief of operations for SFAT 12. “We were already working together, but now we are all in the same building - battle captain sits next to battle captain, shoulder to shoulder.”

“This is a more organized working environment to better their capabilities on the battlefield,” said Sgt. John Cox, a geospatial engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

“We are mentoring and partnering with [ANSF] to increase their ability to improve their enabler support like [medical evacuations] and joint fires,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Stanley, battle captain with SFAT 12. “We are also training them to use modern type programs that will allow them to get better.”

“[ANSF] are operational now. We are just improving how they track, coordinate and request enablers,” Wray said. “We will track together, operate together and provide better coordination for all different ANSF forces.”

“This will help speed up the flow of information, and the accuracy of that information will improve,” Stanley said.

“[The Afghans] want to do better,” said Wray. “This is a way for them to see how we work day to day and to learn from that.”

• Date Taken: 11.04.2011
• Date Posted: 11.19.2011 00:31
• Story ID: 80251
• Location: HERAT, AF