Photo By Sgt. Ryan Young | A Marine, with the Afghan National Police Advisory Team, sights in on his targets at...... read more read more
Subscribe
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., (April 17, 2014) – As the Marines began their patrol into the Afghan village located in the Infantry Immersion Trainer (IIT), they stayed alert for any signs of disruption. Their mission was to assist the Afghan National Police, supported by Afghan role players, to take custody of a prisoner from the village’s local police. When the Marines reached the first checkpoint, a surprise attack was launched by the enemy. The Marines responded quickly and effectively to take down the attackers, accomplish the mission and complete the training event.
The Afghan National Police Advisory Team, composed of about 45 Marines from II Marine Expeditionary Force, finished their pre-deployment training with the culminating event at the IIT.
The event was used as a way to evaluate the team that was trained by the Advisor Training Cell. The team has been training for deployment to assist and advise the Afghan National Police, said 1st Lt. Nelson Hooker, the team’s assistant administration advisor.
“They tailored the IIT with various objectives that incorporated everything we learned in pre-deployment training, to include counter-improvised explosive devices tactics, immediate action to small-arms fire and close-quarters battle skills,” said Hooker. The training also tested the Marines’ soft skills, such as language, cultural understanding, negotiation tactics and security procedures.
The IIT is a building used for pre-deployment training, with indoor and outdoor areas for training as well as indoor control and observation rooms. The IIT simulates an Afghan village, using smells, actors and scenery to enhance the effect. The team was attached to a group of roll-players acting as ANP, and worked with them to complete two different scenarios, with various training objectives.
The first scenario was a patrol through the village, led by the ANP and followed by the advisory team. The team had to work with the villagers and local police in order to identify a villager who did not show identification. Key leader engagement with the village elder was an important part of the exercise because support of the elder was integral in gaining cooperation from the villagers.
The second scenario included the same characters, but atmosphere was more hostile and the team had work through the scenario appropriately while supervising the extraction of a prisoner from the village. The scenario involved insurgent role-players launching an assault on the Marines and ANP at a checkpoint by suicide bomber.
This type of interactive training with Afghan civilians would’ve been useful during his last deployment to Afghanistan, said Staff Sgt. Dexter Brown, communications chief for the team.
“It showed us, for the advisory part of the mission, how to interact with our Afghan counter- parts and the local population,” said Brown. “I had served on an advisory team before and this was good training for reading people and showing the disconnection between two cultures.”
The focus for advising the ANP has shifted from warfighting operations to more of a police force training, said Hooker. A local police force is better suited to handle the types of scenarios currently happening in Afghanistan.
The team completed their pre-deployment training, and some of the Marines have been picked up for other deployments within II MEF. However, most of the team is slated to return to their parent commands within the unit.
Regardless, the training went well, Hooker commented.
“The Marines kept their heads in the game throughout,” said Hooker. “They’re still training like the team will deploy and that’s an outstanding thing.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.29.2014 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 128011 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Afghan National Police Advisory Team Conducts Exercise, by Sgt Ryan Young, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
