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PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Standing about six feet tall and sporting a short dark beard that makes him look older than his 31 years, Afghan National Army Command Sgt. Maj. Habiibullah Chamkani, command sergeant major of the ANA’s 203rd Thunder Corps, is a hard figure to miss.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. James M. Brown, Chamkani’s U.S. mentor, said his character stands out as much as his stature. The sergeant major’s friendly demeanor, proactive leadership style and sense of presence make him one of the most respected noncommissioned officers in the ANA’s 203rd Thunder Corps, he said.
“He’s approachable, very friendly and very, very popular [among Afghan soldiers],” said Brown, a resident of Indianapolis, currently serving as a part of Regional Corps Training Team 2. He added Chamkani “has an outgoing, friendly manner and wants to be around his people at all levels” and is popular for “his willingness to make contact with the soldiers at all levels.”
If anything, Chamkani’s amicability can even seem a bit excessive to cultural outsiders.
“It’s like he’s running for mayor,” Brown joked.
Chamkani hails from a district of the same name in Paktya province. In the 1990s Chamkani completed his high school education—not something to be scoffed at in Afghanistan—and went on to attend Mashriq/Maghrib English Language School in Kabul. Shortly after the U.S. invasion and the fall of the Taliban, Chamkani joined the ANA.
“I didn’t have any military experience,” he said through the aid of an interpreter, “but I had the feeling I was going to join the Afghan National Army to help the country.”
Chamkani’s leadership skill and presence helped him advance through the ranks quickly. In 2006, a little more than four years after he enlisted, Chamkani was promoted to sergeant major of a kandak in the 203rd Thunder Corps. Not long after, Chamkani advanced to the position of 203rd Thunder Corps sergeant major, a position roughly equivalent to a division sergeant major in the U.S. Army.
With the age and military experience of an average U.S. Army staff sergeant, Chamkani faced an enormous jump in responsibility many would have found overwhelming. However, Chamkani was untrammeled and threw himself into the work at hand. One of his most pressing challenges was helping to build the ANA non-commissioned officer corps, which was essentially non-existent in the Soviet era, he said.
“The Russian system was inappropriate for this time,” he said. “This new [NCO-centered] system is appropriate for this situation.”
Brown, speaking of the idea of showing respect for NCOs, said, “Older officers are just now beginning to absorb that kind of thinking.”
In his relatively short time in the ANA, Chamkani witnessed dramatic change in the emphasis the ANA places on NCOs. Chamkani said he believes much of the progress is due to the new NCO development courses offered at Forward Operating Base Thunder.
“Before, we didn’t know how to conduct operations and we didn’t have a combined command center [as we now have at the FOB Thunder Tactical Operations Center],” he said. “Now, even our E-5 sergeants know about planning and the procedures for conducting operations.”
The expansion and improvement of the ANA’s NCO corps continues to be one of Chamkani’s biggest missions. He can regularly be seen supervising the NCO courses and making sure NCOs conduct checks before ANA convoys leave the wire. Often, volunteers to go outside the wire with troops, as he did on two recent missions to his home district.
At times, his official duties have taken him much farther. In December 2008, Chamkani visited the United States for three weeks. He visited the Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas and also visited Fort Hood, Texas, where he observed how the U.S. Army’s G-sections are organized. He described the quality of life, education and military discipline in the U.S. as “one hundred times better” than in Afghanistan, a thought which inspires him to improve his own country.
He continues to look with gratitude to his U.S. counterparts.
“My partnership with the Americans has been good,” he said. “Without their help, I would definitely be behind schedule.”
Brown, a former sergeant major of the state of Indiana’s National Guard, honored Chamkani by presenting him with the Indiana Sergeant Major’s coin and certificate in front of the commander of the 203rd Thunder Corps, ANA Maj. Gen. Abdul Khaliq.
“Toward the end of my deployment, this is what I’ve found: I want to express my appreciation to him and in some small way in front of his boss for his faithfulness and service to his country we are all very proud of him,” Brown said.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2010 15:13 |
| Story ID: | 57437 |
| Location: | PAKTYA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 370 |
| Downloads: | 9 |
This work, Chamkani sets example for Afghan NCOs, by SGT Spencer Case, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
