FORWARD OPERATING BASE DWYER, Afghanistan – Marines with Platoon A, Embedded Partnering Team, Combat Logistics Battalion 5, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) trained and mentored Afghan soldiers with the 5th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, Afghan National Army to provide logistics capabilities in support of International Security Assistance Forces, July 26-30.
Throughout the week, Marines assisted Afghan soldiers in coordinating and executing their own resupply missions to infantry Kandaks located at combat outposts in southern Helmand province.
The Marine mentors monitored as the soldiers went over grid coordinates, planning their own routes, and conducted vehicle recovery and maintenance. When the Afghan soldiers needed help the Marines offered guidance and showed them how to get the job done.
To test their capabilities, the Afghan soldiers went on combat logistics patrols on their own to resupply other Afghan soldiers at Forward Operating Bases Geronimo, Marjah and Dehli, while their Marine partners stayed behind to monitor radio traffic in case the soldiers needed their assistance. They were able to complete the resupply missions without enemy interference, successfully resupplying their Afghan counterparts with items such as food, water and vehicle parts.
“The purpose of the mission is to resupply infantry Kandaks within the Task Force Helmand area of operation covered by 1st Brigade,” said 1st Lt. Daniel Cross, officer-in-charge of Platoon A, Embedded Partnering Team, CLB-5, 1st MLG (FWD).
These particular missions were the first ones the 1st Brigade soldiers conducted with little to no supervision, according to Cross.
“I think the mission was definitely successful; the [Afghan National Army] managed to resupply directly three different infantry Kandaks,” said Cross.
As the soldiers of the 5th Kandak continue to show progress in handling these missions on their own, they move closer to assuming full responsibilities within their area of operation.