SOF forces train new Afghan Commandos

AFGHANISTAN

06.26.2008

Story by Spc. Anna Perry 

Combined Joint Task Force 101

By Spc. Anna Perry
Combined Joint Task Force-Afghanistan Public Affairs

SHINDAND AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The dedication in his eyes is evident as the American Special Operations warrior attentively moves up and down the row of Afghan commandos on the firing range. He rewards a particularly good shot with an approving tap on the helmet. He seems unaware of the sweltering heat or the weight on his shoulders from the massive amount of equipment he is wearing. His only concern is for the men before him and the mission they have accepted.

Afghanistan's security and stability partially rests in the hands of the commandos on this range. All are committed to honing the skills and capabilities that are vital to their mission.

This kind of training is repeated daily at Forward Operating Base Shindand, where the 4th Commando Kandak trains side-by-side with Americans who act as mentors and advisors to the newly-activated Commando battalion.

The Afghan warriors graduated from the elite Commando school in Kabul on May 8. By the end of May, they had tasted battle in western Afghanistan's Farah province, with Americans assisting and advising.

Excelling during the battle, the Commandos showed the enemy a glimpse of the toughness and resiliency that they are increasingly known for. The advisors have since spent countless hours in Shindand, building upon the skills the Commandos already have, as well as exposing them to new soldiering skills.

"We're assisting them with the basics, which is allowing us to create a foundation that we can continue to build upon," said a U.S. Special Forces adviser. "We're facilitating their ability to excel in small-unit tactics, and we're familiarizing them with different weapons systems and honing their marksmanship skills. We're building their communication skills, teaching them how to clear a room, how to react to an improvised explosive device. We're also enhancing their night vision capabilities and getting them used to running limited-visibility operations."

In addition to perfecting their battlefield skills, the Commando's are operating under their own chain of command which resembles a U.S. Army Infantry battalion. A key element is distinguishing the roles of officers and non-commissioned officers. This is a relatively new concept to the Afghans.

"These men are only recently becoming familiar with the idea of an NCO. It's common for them to have an officer, just one guy, running the show and trying to do everything rather than delegating and passing tasks down through the ranks," the USSF advisor said. "There are already many fantastic leaders within the Commando ranks, many of them battle-hardened combat veterans who have been in the military for quite a few years. We're simply showing them a different, more-efficient way of doing business."

Recently, as the first two weeks of their training with their American advisers came to end, the Commandos' skills were put to the test in a culmination exercise in which they were instructed to prepare and carry out an emergency action plan involving the destruction of a time-sensitive target.

"The Commandos were given information about a fictitious Taliban shurra that was being held at a certain grid location," another USSF adviser said. "We stepped back and let them handle the situation without any guidance from us in order to see how the skills we covered in the first two weeks with them came together. We observed how well they conducted the operation, watching everything from their movement and communication to their cordon of the building and assault on the objective."

As expected, the Commandos' performance during the exercise was steadfast and thorough.

"They did an extremely good job, especially considering they weren't able to rehearse the mission," the USSF adviser said.

The Commandos have proven to be receptive to the insight and knowledge their advisors have to offer.

"The men are motivated and enthused about being here; they want to do the right thing for Afghanistan as a whole, make it a place that is free for everyone. A lot of these guys are old enough to remember how things were during the Taliban regime," said a U.S. Marine Special Operations Forces advisor. "They want to do everything possible to make sure the people of this country never live that kind of horror again."

The commandos' belief in the mission is evident as their extensive training operations are carried out daily.

"The training is very good. We need this training to make Afghanistan a better country for our families and neighbors," one commando stated. "Never again will the Taliban be able to go into our villages and force their beliefs upon my people. I am tired of being afraid for my life, for the lives of my two sons, my wife. That is why I am here – to see these terrorists out of my country once and for all."

Like any group of men at war together, the commandos and the SOF warriors have developed a level of trust and camaraderie that carries on, day after day.

"Many of us have gotten to know these guys on a personal level – we'll sit and talk about our hometowns and what we like to do when we're not deployed and they'll share their thoughts and feelings about their lives with us," one MARSOF adviser said. "Sometimes I even sit in on their Islamic studies as a way to kind of show them I'm interested in their culture."

Their journey together has just begun, but as the days and months pass, the commandos and their American advisers will continue to train and conduct operations together until Afghanistan is a free and prosperous nation with its people living free of fear.

"I take great pride in knowing that what we're doing here with the commandos has such a fundamental impact on the future of Afghanistan," the USSF adviser said. "These men are only a prestigious few of the Afghan military forces, and I know they have what it takes to secure this nation."

• Date Taken: 06.26.2008
• Date Posted: 06.26.2008 19:34
• Story ID: 20896
• Location: AF