TARIN KOT, AFGHANISTAN - The Slovakian army has been commended for its contribution to Combined Team Uruzgan as its six-year mission in the province draws to a close in the coming weeks.
The Slovakian Army has been commended for its contribution to Combined Team Uruzgan as its six-year mission in the province draws to a close in the coming weeks.
Slovakia first sent troops to Uruzgan in 2008 with a force protection platoon to guard Multi-National Base Tarin Kot and Forward Operating Base Hadrian.
In that same year, Slovakian troops commenced supporting Dutch and later Australian led mentoring of the 5th Combat Service Support Kandak of the Afghan National Army’s 4th Brigade. In 2011, they became the lead mentoring nation for this Kandak.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the end of the Slovakian mission, Commander Combined Team Uruzgan, Col. Simon Stuart, highlighted the importance of Slovakia’s mentoring efforts.
“The development of the combat support and particularly the combat service support capabilities of the 4th Afghan National Army Brigade have been central to achieving the results we see today,” Stuart said. “The 4th Brigade has maintained a significant tempo of joint, formation level, independent operations for over six months now. Their ability to sustain this tempo is testimony to the quality and capacity of their administrative and logistic support.”
Stuart said the Slovakian soldiers met every challenge with tenacity and quiet determination.
“You should depart firm in the knowledge that your service and the sacrifices of your families and loved ones were indeed for something that mattered,” Stuart said.
Slovakia also contributed personnel to the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Uruzgan as well as maintenance staff and maintenance instructors for the 205th Corps’ fleet of D-30 howitzers.
Slovakia remains committed to the ISAF mission with personnel still deployed in Kandahar and Kabul provinces.