A new, glossy surface paves the floors of the Kandahar Regional Military Hospital in southern Afghanistan, May 3.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Southern Kandahar’s Regional Military Hospital received a new floor, May 3, which will help hospital workers contain contagious waste and combat infection.

According to U.S. Air Force Maj. David Huinker, an advisor assigned to NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan, the glossy, new surface is part of a $152 thousand improvement project awarded to the facility September 2011 and is a crucial addition.

“Before, the floor was porous and absorbed liquid waste and bacteria, which isn’t ideal for a hospital setting,” he said. “The new floor is easier to clean, more durable and provides better infection control.”

Kandahar’s military hospital receives more than 90 percent of airlifted patients from both southern and southwestern Afghanistan and is the only casualty and trauma treatment facility in the region. Since it’s opening in 2008, the KRMH has continued growing, receiving a specialized staff and equipment to help provide quality care to nearly 100 daily patients.

NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

Afghan National Army Col. Shah Wali, commander of the Regional Military Training Center Southwest, accepts keys from Danish Army Warrant Officer Jesper during an official transition ceremony at RMTC-SW in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – The Afghan National Army assumed control of Regional Military Training Center Southwest in Helmand, Afghanistan, during an official transition ceremony Apr. 16.

Coalition leaders from Regional Support Command Southwest released two training centers and a living support site, marking a small step in the bigger process of the Afghan National Security Forces running their own facilities, training and security by 2014.

“That’s very good … I’m very happy,” said ANA Col. Shah Wali through an interpreter after receiving keys to the compound.

The training site was used by coalition advisors to train thousands of ANA soldiers Regional Basic Warrior Training, combat medical courses and other areas of specialized combat instruction, including basic and advanced literacy. Combined, the compound cost more than $300,000 to build.

The operations and maintenance contracts for the sites will still be administered by RSC-SW but is scheduled to transition to the ANA next year.

NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Chairman of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Transition Coordination Commission, greets Afghan National Army soldiers at Forward Operating Base Farah, Farah province, Afghanistan on May 3. Ghani is visiting Farah to meet with provincial leadership.

FARAH, Afghanistan – Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Chairman of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Transition Coordination Commission, met with members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah and local provincial leaders May 3.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Thomas Sheppard, commanding officer of Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah, Nancy Abella, U.S. State Department representative, and Farah Provincial Governor Mohammed Akram Khpalwak welcomed Ghani and U.K. Brig. Gen. Richard Cripwell, Head of Transition at International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, to Forward Operating Base Farah.

“Today’s visit to Farah is part of a series of visits that Dr. Ashraf Ghani, who is head of the transition committee for the Afghan government, makes around the provinces to satisfy himself that districts, and perhaps the province itself, is ready to enter the process of transition,” said Cripwell. “It was an extremely successful visit. Dr Ghani takes these visits very seriously and the Governor did as well.”

 “Dr. Ghani was on a transition consultation visit, where he is taking input from the whole gamut of society in the province to better make decisions on transition, and he’s also educating them on what transition really means,” said Abella. “He had a pretty positive, but also stern message about how Afghans need to take responsibility for themselves through transition. He was communicating Kabul’s message, but he was also gathering a lot of information to better inform their decisions.”

“In Afghanistanas a whole, we are now looking to finalize what will be included in tranche three of transition, and that decision will hopefully go to the President in the next week or so,” said Cripwell.  “It’s a very important time for Farah, and the people of Farah, and indeed for the country. We are hoping very much that a number of districts in Farah will be included in the tranche and that the ANSF will assume the lead authority for security in the region, and I have no doubt that they are ready to take on that responsibility.”

The PRT’s mission is to support economic development and effective governance at the district, municipal, and provincial level inFarahProvincein order to enhance the legitimate exercise of Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan authority and its ability to provide basic services to the people of Farah.

“It was a good experience for the people of Farah to be able to voice their concerns to higher levels of government,” said Sheppard.

NTM-A is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

Related photos can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/isafmedia/sets/72157629598986250/

Staff Sgt. James Gray, deployed from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, inspects the failed transformer at Breshna Kot in Kandahar City in late April. Gray is assigned to Task Force Breshna Barq, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers electrical power team in Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s power utility, Da Breshna Sherkat, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force Breshna Barq teamed up again; this time to bring more electricity to the Sabiqa area of Kandahar City May 2.
At a recent meeting between the Corps of Engineers and DABS, Engineer Samadi of the Kandahar Power Department mentioned a broken transformer in Sabiqa.

“The transformer was overloaded and failed,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Hopkins, who deployed to Afghanistan from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. “There was a replacement available at the Shurandam Industrial Park warehouse, so I offered it up.”

In the past, Task Force Breshna Barq made arrangements to procure, transport and repair many components of the Kandahar power system, said Hopkins. “So when the DABS representatives agreed to transport and fix the transformer, we were more than willing to help them requisition the transformer from one of the starter kits already in the DABS inventory.”

The SIP warehouse in Kandahar has medium-voltage starter kits that include distribution equipment and parts like transformers. The kits were purchased with the Regional Command South Commander’s Emergency Response Program funds to rebuild existing Kandahar power distribution components that are aging and in disrepair, Hopkins said.

Sgt. Danna Beard, deployed from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, looks on as DABS electrical technicians load a transformer, bound for the Sabiqa district of Kandahar City May 2. Beard is assigned to Task Force Breshna Barq, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers electrical power team in Afghanistan.

Engr. Samadi arranged to pick up the transformer at the warehouse and also oversaw the repairs.

“This was the first time that the entire effort was led and accomplished by the Afghan engineers without U.S. technical assistance,” said Hopkins. And they completed the task in just one day.”

Hopkins said the process went smoothly and that DABS engineers now know the process to draw equipment from the warehouse. “I have confidence that DABS will continue to take the lead in Kandahar City’s electric needs,” he said.

One of the future goals of Task Force Bresha Barq is to ensure that DABS employees can staff the warehouse and fill orders. According to Hopkins, “once these guys learn a process, they’ve got it and sooner rather than later they will be running the warehouse, too.”

NTM-A is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

Afghan air force fuels specialists check the fuel of an Afghan Mi-17 Helicopter prior to a scheduled training flight at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, April 17, 2012. The fuel samples are regularly checked for contaminates that may affect the aircraft during flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)

KABUL, Afghanistan  – In the difficult-to-traverse landscape of Afghanistan the MI-17 helicopter has proven to be a valuable asset to air operations in the war-ravaged country. The aircraft has proven itself in missions ranging from supplying distant outposts to providing overwatch for coalition forces.

Operating in such rigorous airspaces places a tremendous physical toll on the helicopters and demands a thorough maintenance regimen.

Advisers from the 442nd Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron have been assisting Afghan maintainers in their goal of keeping the MI-17s mission operational.

Air Force Master Sgt James Ashcom, a helicopter adviser with the 442 AEAS, said the Afghans are doing a great job of taking care of business.

“I found that the Afghans are very motivated and they are very good mechanics,” he said. “When you empower them to do something they will take great pride in it and will not fail.”

The Pensacola, Fla., native said that the Afghans do roughly 95 percent of the maintenance work unassisted and advisers usually only get involved with the more complex and unique maintenance operations. He said the Afghans have been doing topnotch work.

“I have inspected the whole fleet and haven’t found anything I’m scared of,” he said. “I would not hesitate for a second to fly on any of their aircraft that they have worked on.”

The sergeant said that some of the main issues are supply issue with parts and a communication barrier with the technical data. There are currently only English and Russian versions of the technical data which is indecipherable to the majority of the Afghan mechanics.

Some of the training has been accomplished in a traditional classroom setting.

Air Force Master Sgt. Charles Jenkins, a 442nd AEAS plans and scheduling, maintenance operations center and mission debrief adviser, has been busy teaching the Afghans about fleet management. He said they have been great students.

Afghan air force Maj. Seiful Malook, acting deputy officer for the AAF Kandahar Air Wing, removes an oil cooling fan from an Afghan Mi-17 Helicopter, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, April 17, 2012. Malook is performing the preventative maintenance as part of a scheduled 1500 hour flight time component change under the supervision of the 442nd Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)

“I don’t see a difference in teaching here besides a lack of some resources,” he said. “They want to see their country succeed and I can see it in their eyes every time I teach them.”

The Baltimore native said showing them how to balance maintenance and operational needs for the aircraft is important. He said it is a great feeling to see a student’s face light up when they solve a difficult problem. If flight hours run out for an aircraft and it has to be grounded for maintenance it can have dire operational consequences. Jenkins said he tries impress on his students to avoid that risk.

“Do not ground the fleet, you need to have enough hours on the aircraft to accomplish the mission,” he said. “Once they learn it they run with it. When I see someone get it that is a great reward.”

Afghan air force Maj. Azizullah Mojer, weapons and ammunition commander at Kandahar, said that he appreciates the hard work the advisers do in helping the Afghans improve.

“The advisers are my friends and they are like brothers to me,” he said. “Maintenance is very important, because without it you can’t fly the aircraft. It’s rewarding to do a good job on some of the hard missions.”

Master Sgt. Marcus Wiggins, 442nd AEAS weapons adviser, said he has enjoyed his time with the Afghans. He said they are becoming more independent every day.

“Overall they are getting to the point where they are self sustained, although there are still some areas that need some work,” said the native of Lewiston, Idaho. “They definitely have a bright future. They just have to continue using the processes that we are teaching them.”

NTM-A is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

See the original story at: http://www.438aew.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123299942

Afghan Uniform Police stations, like this one recently completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Kohsan, will be constructed with more austere features as a result of the new plan agreed to by the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in early May.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Learning from the past and doing the right things in the right way for Afghanistan are the center of a joint NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision to implement more austere construction standards in Afghanistan. 

After several months of evaluation and planning, CSTC-A and the Corps of Engineers formally agreed to change the construction standards for two upcoming Afghan Uniform Police headquarters projects.

The Afghanistan Engineer District-South’s contracting branch anticipates awarding contracts for the upcoming construction in August.  

The engineering branch is developing requests for proposals for the two projects with the austere standards incorporated.

“The Letters of Direction USACE received from CSTC-A allow us to move ahead with changes that address three components: energy management, water and wastewater management, and miscellaneous cost-saving measures.” said Steve Osborn, the district’s facilities engineering section chief.

The changes were the result of feedback from Afghans and observations by Corps of Engineers project managers, engineers and field offices personnel.

“The new austere construction standards are more appropriate for current conditions in certain provincial territories in Afghanistan,” said Fred Schelby, the South District’s Afghan National Police program manager and austere standards team lead. “The new standards not only provide a quality build, but increase the ability for the Afghans to maintain their facility without assistance from the coalition or international organizations,” said Schelby who deployed from Albuquerque, N.M.   

Other potential projects identified for austere construction are an Afghan Ministry of Interior supply point, border police facilities and district police headquarters in Daykundi, Helmand, Zabul and Farah provinces, she said.

“The standards will maximize the use of locally available materials, simplify construction, and result in buildings that will be easier to maintain,” said Small who deployed from the USACE Savannah District, Fort Bragg, N.C. office.

“Although each project is independently analyzed, austere changes include such mandates as reducing power generation by 20 percent, reducing required lighting in occupied spaces by 50 percent, providing alternatives to interior plumbing, and reducing the space between buildings,” said Small. “By reducing the energy requirement, the facilities remain efficient, the purpose for the facility is met, and maintenance becomes less cumbersome for Afghans, which improves sustainability.”

Water treatment is simplified because the new standard reduces the number of buildings with indoor plumbing and changes traditional bathroom toilets to composting outhouses that produce no ‘black water,’ Schelby said. Black water is raw sewage that requires treatment before it can be re-introduced into the environment. With composting outhouses and exterior-only water outlets, less water is needed. The simple composting system with no interior plumbing is also easier to maintain and more economical, he said.

“Again, we save money and time because of the new water management plan,” said Schelby. “Outdoor  spigots and dining facility sinks that drain to composting pits eliminate the need for costly indoor plumbing and reduce future operations and maintenance requirements.”

The final austere plan components include replacing interior door hardware with simple hinges and latches and other easy to alter plans, said Small. “For one project, we won’t be adding gutters and downspouts, except over entrances, and we’ll use french drains which divert water away from buildings instead of underground sewer systems.” 

The austere standard designs are based on four criteria – location, accessibility, security, and affordability, said Schelby. “The entire team has worked diligently to bring innovative ideas to fruition throughout all of Afghanistan.”

“Our engineers, project managers and partners at CSTC-A have really been committed to implementing the new standards across the board,” said Air Force Col. Benjamin Wham, the district commander. “Our intent all along has been to provide more feasibility for contractors, speed construction of easily sustainable facilities and realize considerable cost-savings throughout the buildings’ life cycle.”

Eight Afghan National Police projects with similar requirements are under review by CSTC-A for austere standard construction said D’Lorah Small, the district’s Afghan National Police project manager for several of the projects.

Task Force Cujo Team Leader Sgt. Scott Shively laughs with District 11 Deputy Police Chief Col. Mohammad Arif after a key leader engagement to discuss successes, failures and needs of the Afghan police.

KABUL – As Task Force Cujo’s armored tactical vehicles rolled up to the secure gates of the Afghan National Police’s District 11 headquarters, the mood grew ominous – a sense that indicated the 11-person coalition ANP advising unit was there to help but on a higher state of alert.

“If something pops off Sergeant, just hit the ground – I’ll saw the room in half,” said Cujo 3 Gunner Spec. Eric Saunders.

“Relax Saunders,” replied Cujo Team Leader Sgt. Scott Shively. “Just stay alert and ready.”

Afghan security forces have killed more than 70 NATO personnel since 2007 – 12 in the past few months alone – an act known as a “Green on Blue” attack.

In response, coalition advisors are taking added precautions to ensure their lives aren’t lost while helping their Afghan counterparts assume full control of their country’s security in 2014.

These precautions were not lost on the ANP assigned to District 11. As Cujo’s vehicles parked inside the headquarters’ walls, Afghan police secured their rifles inside a small room and maintained an observable distance– a voluntary demonstration of trust. Smiles and handshakes were offered as Deputy Police Chief Col. Mohammad Arif welcomed Shively and his security detail inside his office – roughly 100 meters in a direct line of sight of Saunders’ M249 belt-fed machine gun.

The group sat down to discuss training, obstacles and successes.

“We have a good, close relationship with our coalition partners,” said Arif. “It’s unfortunate when you hear about violent events happening between our two organizations, but these actions, are the actions of individuals – not our police force. Without a good relationship between the ANP and the coalition, good security cannot be provided.”

According to a U.S. Defense Department report to the House Armed Services Committee, the majority of Green on Blue related incidents was due to personal disputes between Afghans and NATO advisors – not the collective completion of an insurgent objective. With Afghan anger spurred after the accidental burning of several Qurans in February and photos surfacing of coalition members posing with dead insurgents, Cujo must apply an Afghan-first mentality while also maintaining a vigilant security posture.

 “We discussed the Quran burning specifically with the ANP who immediately understood it was a mistake, that mistakes are made on both sides and are unfortunately going to happen,” said Shively. “Despite the problems, we are still being received extremely well – that’s huge for us on the team because we can still go anywhere in Kabul to any of the police districts, trade intelligence and work together. They still appreciate us and want us to help them do their jobs.”

Afghan National Police Officer Sahab Shak inspects a vehicle for drugs, weapons and other illegal materials at a routine checkpoint in Northern Kabul as coalition advisors from Task Force Cujo standby to assist.

That job, according to Platoon Leader Army 1^st Lt. Brian Fike, is a “phased approach to a successful transition.”

“Right now, we’re assessing the entire Kabul City Cluster in how close they are to transition – where they are with their training, their infrastructure and overall what places they are 100 percent ready to take control,” said Fike. “The next phase is having the local Afghan reporting systems fix the issues instead of us writing reports and sending them up to the Ministry of Interior. They need to be the ones who do that.”

At the ground level, Shively said trust keeps Cujo safe and progressing toward their mission. Albeit, fragmented at first. Although ANP leaders were relieved to see Cujo, they were discouraged by only hearing about reports and not seeing results. Out of the 10 police districts and three city gates patrolled by Cujo routinely, two district headquarters need only internet and computers to be fully functional. The others have sporadic power, no indoor plumbing or septic systems and use bombed shelters as buildings.

To fix these issues, Cujo is employing alternative methods of interaction and reporting. Lead coalition advisors are hitting the streets with Cujo to close the loop on the reporting process. These advisors interact directly with Afghan MOI officials to ensure reports are not filed blindly or ignored. Still, gathering this information through language barriers proves to be difficult.

“When you work through an interpreter to get a concrete answer on what the chiefs have issues with and what they need is very tough,” said Shively. “To increase our ability to deliver specific answers in our reports, we developed Dari information packets. From start to finish, everything is in Dari. Nothing is lost in translation.”

These packets contain the questions Cujo would normally ask when engaging ANP leadership. The district chiefs have the opportunity to fully describe their issues and articulate what they need. The packets provide Afghan MOI officials with a better picture of the problems and how to solve them.

Despite the progress, increased trust and a shared dedication to teamwork between the ANP and their coalition advisors, one last hurdle still remains – corruption. According to Shively, ANP officials throughout Kabul and Afghan civilians who are very vocal concerning the issue, corruption in Kabul is not an assumed evil carefully shrouded behind layers of honesty.

“You can see the corruption,” said Shively. “There is a very uneven distribution of materials authorized by MOI to the different police districts … it’s easy to spot the local power brokers. When you go to one district headquarters and they have clean uniforms, running trucks, no fuel issues, full magazines of ammo then you go to another that has none of these things or even an indoor bathroom, you have to wonder why. They are stockpiling what they feel they’ll need to sustain independently. They are making sure their district is locked down and have what they need to survive after we pull out. They know the money is starting to dry up and are preparing accordingly.”

With strategic partnerships between many coalition nations and Afghanistan still in the draft phase, many Afghans fear what will happen after 2014. For Cujo and their advising mission, they work each day to inspire trust and develop a sense of security based on the Afghans’ abilities as professional police officers. The Cujo team stays proactive, joining the ANP on patrols led by Afghan officers. During routine presence patrols at ANP checkpoints, Cujo stands in the rear, allowing the ANP to check for threat indicators, drugs, illegal weapons and other violations of Afghan law. This type of support provides a sense of security to the ANP. However, during the recent April 15 attacks on Kabul instillations, the training wheels were removed. The ANP and Afghan National Security Forces successfully countered insurgent attacks, neutralizing all threats while sustaining minimum casualties, with little help from coalition forces. The effectiveness of the ANP and ANSF during the attacks showed the Afghan community that they are well protected and security can be assured through their own means.

“We always let them take the lead during our joint patrols to show the community that they are more than capable of leading the mission,” said Shively. “They know how to back each other up and win a fight – no question there. If we can ensure the upper leadership is being held accountable and corruption is combated, then the overall police mission will continue to progress.”

Task Force Cujo’s advising mission has expanded to include more than 30 police districts and all city gates across Kabul.

NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

(Far Left) Rafael Villegas, a End User Monitor Logistics Planner attached to NATO Training Mission -Afghanistan North, watches his interpreter describe the Regional Training Center MeS inventory sheet to Afghan National Civil Order Police Capt. Abdul Qayom April 25 at RTC MeS. NTM-A signed the RTC over to the ANCOP as part of the NATO draw down in Afghanistan.

CAMP MIKE SPANN, Afghanistan – Service members and civilians with NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan transferred the largest Afghan National Police training center in Regional Support Command — North to the Afghan National Civil Order Police April 26 as part of the NATO transition to the Afghans.

ANCOP Capt. Abdul Qayom, assumed responsibility for the buildings, equipment and land after reviewing an inventory written by NTM-A forces.

“We will take care of these buildings,” said Qayom through an interpreter. “We will choose the right people to come here.”

The camp known as Regional Training Center Mazar-e Sharif will no longer be an ANCOP training site, instead it will house the headquarters for the ANCOP 6th Brigade and will provide a base of operations for the ANCOP 6th Brigade, 1st and 2nd Battalions. About 1,300 police according to Qayom.

The site opened in 2004 as a U.S. Department of State police training camp and was used to train Afghan Uniformed Police officer candidates and ANCOP patrolmen. It was run by cadre from the French Gendarmerie, Spanish Guardia Civil, Polish Police and DynCorp Police Mentors.

Comprised of 55 hard structures and some equipment including TVs, computers and air conditioners, RTC MeS will now be maintained and run by the ANCOP without NTM-A support.

The transfer process, which started in mid-January, included the transfer of cadre and other personnel to new locations, the removal of equipment, and a full inventory of buildings and supplies.

The same process has been executed at other camps across RSC-North and several RTCs will be transferred to Afghan control or closed before the end of 2012.

An ISAF EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) team successfully deactivated an improvised explosive device (IED) that was placed on a motorcycle that was located on the only bridge that provides access to the town of Qala i Naw May 3.

Qala e Naw, Afghanistan – An ISAF EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) team successfully deactivated an improvised explosive device (IED) that was placed on a motorcycle that was located on the only bridge that provides access to the town of Qala i Naw May 3.

Alerted, by Afghan Authorities, the EOD team ordered the evacuation and isolation of the area prior to neutralizing the explosive device.

It is believed that insurgents detonated a car bomb in Kabul and planted a motorcycle bomb in response to the May 1 anniversary Osama Bin Laden’s death, and the unannounced visit of U.S. President Barack Obama. 

The bridge of the Spaniards was completed by the Spainish Force’s Provincial Reconstruction Team in June 2005 for the people of Qala i Naw. The motorcycle bomb was located on the main access road to the capital of Badghis province. This action by the EOD team prevented an attack that could have caused civilian casualties.

This joint action with ISAF forces demonstrates the capability of the Afghan Forces to guarantee safety, stability and government authority in the province of Badghis.

NTM-A is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.

Afghan National Army Brig.-Gen. Aminullah Patyani, Commander of the Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC), and Col. Amin, KMTC Chief of Staff, came to Camp Alamo for a visit. The Afghan Flag was raised during a short ceremony follow by a visit with Col. Mike Minor, Commander of the Kabul Military Training Centre Training Advisory Group. Kabul,Afghanistan April 9,2012.

Brig. Gen. Aminullah Patyani, Commander of the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC), escorted by Col. Mike Minor, the Commander of the KMTC Training Advisory Group, attended a ceremony in the central courtyard at Camp Alamo where the Afghan national flag was raised May 1.

“I had always felt since arriving at Camp Alamo that the absence of the Afghan flag flying with the flags of the other Coalition partners was a terrible oversight,” said Minor. “In light of recent news stories that focused on instances of conflict between Afghan soldiers and Coalition advisors, we felt that the time was right to show our solidarity with our Afghan partners. We, therefore, invited Brig. Gen. Patyani, his Command Sergeant Major and key staff to this symbolic ceremony to hoist Afghanistan’s flag alongside those of Coalition forces working with them.”

A young Afghan solider hoisted his national symbol to rest level with other Coalition flags, recognizing the significance of the event. The event signaled to the new Coalition soldiers arriving at Camp Alamo the critical role they have in the maintenance and strengthening of the bonds that have been forged over years by their predecessors.

Much of the world often underestimates the importance of flag-raising ceremonies such as this one, but the inclusion of the Afghan Commander seemed a symbolic reaffirmation of the slogan guiding the NATO Coalition efforts to help build the Afghan National Army: “Shohna ba Shohna—Shoulder to Shoulder.”

NTM-A is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country’s security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.