Photo By Master Sgt. Mark Bell | Brig. Gen. Robert L. Walter Jr., deputy commanding general for the U.S. Army...... read more read more
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FORT MEYER, Va. -- Several hundred people stood in silence as two Afghan general officers placed a yellow-flowered wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns during a wreath laying ceremony on June 20, 2013.
With the help of a Tomb Guard Sentinel, Lt. Gen. Azziz Rahman, Afghan assistant minister of defense for Reserve Affairs and Lt. Gen. Azizullah Afzali, deputy Afghan assistant minister of defense for Reserve Affairs placed the yellow flowered wreath, stood at attention and saluted as a 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment soldier played “Taps.”
Accompanied by Brig. Gen. Robert L. Walter Jr., deputy commanding general for the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., and James Snyder, assistant Cchief, Army Reserve, the brief ceremony captured the partnership and understanding between the U.S. Army Reserve and Afghanistan Ministry of Defense.
The Afghan generals, accompanied by Col. Ridigul Shinwari, Afghan Reserve Affairs Director of Budget, Plans and Operations and Maj. Ajmal Kohzad, Special Projects Officer and Aide-de-Camp Lt. Gen. Rahman spent the week meeting with Army Reserve leadership and learned about citizen Soldiers and their dual roles as members of the U.S. Armed Forces and members of their communities.
Shortly after their flight arrived on June 17, the generals were brought to the Pentagon where they were greeted by Maj. Gen. James Young, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Reserve, and Brig. Gen. Scott ‘Rock’ Donahue, Deputy Chief of Staff, G3/5/7 Readiness Core Enterprise, and spent several hours talking about the operational Army Reserve and its most valuable resource - the citizen warrior.
Using interpreters seated nearby, communication barriers seemingly disappeared as Rahman spoke to Young and Donahue with a visibly sober, caring expression. After a brief moment, the translated words filled the small conference room.
“I want to offer my deepest condolences for the loss of children in war and Soldiers fighting on a daily basis in my country,” the interpreter said. Both Young and Donahue acknowledged Rahman’s words with a nod and a handshake.
The international visit was lead by Janice Johnson, Senior Adviser to Afghanistan Minister of Defense for Reserve Affairs.
“The purpose of this visit was to have the Afghan Army Reserve leadership visit the U.S. to meet the USAR leadership and observe training so they could see firsthand how effectively the USAR manages personnel, equipment and training opportunities to make optimum use of Army Reserve assets,” she said. “I also wanted them to get a National Guard perspective so they can make informed decisions about which business practices they might want to emulate.”
Johnson has spent the past year helping the Afghanistan military leadership build a Reserve Force and knew the U.S. Army Reserve had one important element Rahman and his team needed to meet during the short visit - the civil affairs professional.
“I’m a retired Army Reserve colonel and believe a civil affairs element would be a great addition to the Afghan National Army Reserve because it provides them a great template for the use of strategic forces which has a secondary mission of providing support for Disaster Response operations,” she said.
During the visit, Brig. Gen. Edward Burley, commanding general for the Fort Meade, Md., based 352nd Civil Affairs Command, spent several hours answering questions and explaining the important role the civil affairs Soldiers on missions around the world.
Questions about disaster relief training and benefits of reserve-component soldiers were just a few of the inquiries Burley answered.
“Afghanistan has been growing their Army but they’ve recognized the need for a reserve force so that they could draw upon civilian skills and make use of those in support of natural disasters and anything that would require additional forces to protect the nation,” Burley said after spending time with the generals. “They’re looking for ideas on how to structure that force.”
Johnson explained the Afghans separate their reserve into two groups, an operational reserve which backs up the Afghan National Army against threats to the national security and strategic reserve forces which provides support during natural or manmade disasters or other humanitarian crises.
Burley said one of the Chief of the Army Reserve’s initiatives is to look at expeditionary reserve forces that directly support various combatant commanders and to be a part of theater security cooperation globally.
“We have a chance to influence the training of the Reserve in Afghanistan and for other countries in the region, as well,” Burley said.
Before Burley and his staff left the Afghan generals, he quoted an old Afghan proverb: “If we meet once we become friends, if we meet again we are brothers.”
He said the proverb truly epitomizes how theater security actually works.
“By building this kind of relationship with armies of foreign countries we help them create a bond of partnership that builds into a bond of friendship,” he said.
Rahman then stood and spoke to the group about the importance of partnership with American civil affairs soldiers and his Reserve forces.
“We do need your help in many areas as the war has destroyed the infrastructure of our country,” he said through his interpreter. “Provincial Reconstruction Teams have won the hearts and minds of the people. The people are very happy with the teams and are disappointed they are leaving. The projects of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams are very helpful and we have a similar vision.”
He said as a field commander leading troops against the Taliban, he has learned to have a relationship with the local population. Rahman requested an exchange of information or an officer exchange program so others in his country could learn more about Army Reserve civil affairs operations.
Rahman ended his speech by offering his condolences to families that have lost children in the war and he said, “They have fought for a very good cause.”
One Afghan soldier who has fought side-by-side American forces was Kohzad.
“Chosen out of 400 to be a commando leader, I trained rigorously with U.S. Special Forces teams and completed 120 missions with Afghan and U.S. Special Forces teams,” he said. “The U.S. Special Forces supported us in everything, every step of the way. We ate in the same places and slept in the same tents. They knew and respected our culture and we became good friends.”
Burley said because of the continued joint training between the two armies, Afghanistan’s Army has learned to instill ethics and professionalism throughout their formations.
“This is the hallmark of our Army Reserve and we must help them develop those kinds of intangible skills as well as technical skills,” said Burley, a 20-year veteran of the civil affairs force.
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2013 11:49 |
| Story ID: | 109286 |
| Location: | FORT MEYER, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 507 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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