Category: Blog – Leadership
Malalai Honored
Malalai … For our Afghan partners, the name Malalai is a hallowed name of a woman, a wife, a daughter who assumed a position on the battlefield in 1880 just as the Afghans were faltering against their British foe … she seized the battle flag and led an Afghan unit. A British bullet pierced her [...]
Category: Blog - Leadership, Blogs - Blogs
ANA: Standard Bearer for Education
Last week, I welcomed six members of Congress to the largest Afghan National Army training site in Afghanistan. They had an opportunity to meet with Afghan trainers and soldiers and listen to their stories of commitment to the future of their country. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sens. Carper, Portman, Hoeven, Moran, [...]
Category: Blog - Leadership, Blog - MG Gary S. Patton, Blogs - Blogs
ANA Welcomes Newest Officer Candidates
This week on a visit to the Kabul Military Training Center, I welcomed 288 new officers into the Afghan National Army. Unlike recent officer candidates I’ve addressed at the National Military Academy and the Officer Candidate School program, these officers come with years of experience fighting for their country. They are all former Mujahideen [...]
Category: Blog - MG Gary S. Patton
The future of Afghanistan
The future of Afghanistan was celebrated this month during affirmation and graduation ceremonies at the National Military Academy of Afghanistan. Cadets representing all ethnicities, Pashtun, Uzbek, Tajik and Hazara, proudly marched toward the dais on the parade field and recited the Oath of Affirmation. With their hands placed on excerpts of the Koran, 299 cadets [...]
Category: Blog - MG Gary S. Patton
Equipping the Afghan National Army
I had the opportunity to participate in the first ever press conference incorporating deputy commanders across NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, Jan. 5. While the U.S. and coalition forces have funded this war since its onset, this was our time as NTM-A leadership to come together and inform Afghan and coalition audiences about how we are equipping [...]
Category: Blog - MG Gary S. Patton
General responsible for Afghan-led security earns second star
By Capt. Tamara Gonzales NTM-A KABUL, Afghanistan – The Deputy Commander General-Army, NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan, was promoted to the rank of major general by Gen. David Petraeus, Commander, International Security Assistance Force, during a ceremony at Camp Eggers on Jan. 15. Recently, promoted Maj. Gen. Gary Patton is responsible for training the Afghan [...]
Category: Blog - MG Gary S. Patton
My alma mater and the National Military Academy of Afghanistan
I had the opportunity to witness a significant event the other day symbolizing the growing relationship between coalition and Afghan forces. Superintendent for the United States Military Academy at West Point, Lt. Gen. David Huntoon, and Commandant for the Afghan National Army National Military Academy of Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. Shir Mohammad Zazai, signed a declaration [...]
Category: Blog - MG Gary S. Patton
FOX News interview with BG Patton
“Whereas last year our focus was on training the soldiers of the army, this year the focus is training the trainer. So we can transition to where the Afghans are training themselves and building their own army. And you’re right, that’s our ticket out of here.” – Brig. Gen. Gary Patton, NTM-A Deputy Commanding General [...]
Category: Blog - MG Gary S. Patton
Afghan Elections: Reason for Hope
On September 18, 2010, Afghanistan held parliamentary elections; just prior to the election many in the international community recommended postponing the elections. Some international organizations felt that the election was “folly” and that the Afghan people had “grown deeply skeptical of democratic processes.” The results of the previous Presidential Election in November 2009 had been [...]
Category: Blog - Mr Jack Kem, PhD
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