Articles: Bagram peacekeepers ready to defend
Three Afghan Commandos killed in Paktya IED strike
ANSF detain insurgent IED facilitator in Farah
C-IED analyst prepares to head home after six-month deployment
Experts confirm deadly IED targeted Afghan civilians
ANA Attack on Navy Officers Hits Close to Home
MPs start first district level SWAT team
Written by Army Sgt. Matthew C. Moeller, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (March 27, 2009) -- Being one of the only three Military Police officers tasked with mentoring Afghan National Police in an area larger than the state of Delaware means being creative.
“We were on a soft-knock in Nishagam, and we noticed that it might be good to have a specially trained team,” remembers Army Sgt. Nathan Byrd, the team’s leader “Well a couple of days later we were watching the movie ‘S.W.A.T’.”
For the three Grafenwoehr, Germany, based Soldiers from 3rd Platoon, 527th MP Company, the idea of establishing the first SWAT-like team made up of Afghan police in Regional Command-East, was too
Modeling the program off the Army’s own Special Response Teams, which Byrd was a former member, t he three Soldiers developed a comprehensive 15-day program called Special Tactics and Training, aimed at turning an ordinary ANP officer into an expert tactical responder.
After getting permission to run the program on FOB Bostick, the team turned to the ANP station in the nearby town of Nari for their first recruits.
“We basically went to this one police station and said, give us your best, and we’ll make them better,” one of the team’s members, Army Spc. W. Eric Mraz said.
The six selected by the ANP for the first class varied in age from 20 to 35, and the only English any of the recruits spoke was ‘yes’ or ‘thank you’.
Moving past language barriers with the help of interpreters and hand gestures, the three MPs soon realized how serious the recruits were about training.
According to Byrd, the recruits start every day with physical training so intense it leaves their instructors tired. After that, they begin their lessons for the day, covering everything from escalation of force, room clearing, hostage rescue procedures and hand to hand combat.
“We were hoping to get people who would just retain the knowledge,” Mraz said. “And instead we’ve gotten a group of men, who not only retain the knowledge, but they ask questions, and they build on top of it, and they constantly want to learn more.”
During the training, the MPs discovered that the men they were instructing shared many of the same qualities as themselves.
“I don’t know how these guys were picked,” Mraz said smiling. “I know we said we want the best of the best to be in this team, but it’s like they picked six guys who had our personalities.”
According to Byrd, the MPs even gave the ANP trainees nicknames similar to their own Afghan names. “There’s Jimmy, Dean, Snake, Goolie, Lizard and Rock,” he said. “Now they call each other by their nicknames, they won’t answer to anything else.”
Jimmy is the class clown and the team’s favorite recruit. The seven-year veteran of the ANP stated through an interpreter that he joined the program to better defend his country by learning anti- terrorist techniques.
“I like training for myself and for others defense,” Jimmy said.
If a success, the three MPs hope their ambitious idea will be implemented in stations across Afghanistan.
“Right now this is just our trial period, our test baby basically,” Mraz said. “Once we have fined tuned all the training, that’s when we hope to propose it to other MPs who are working in other [areas of operation].
The ANP officers have decided to call themselves the Special Tactics Team, in order to differentiate themselves from other SWAT-style teams across the world.
If I could turn on the T.V. in ten years and hear something about the STT in Afghanistan, and know I had a part in that,” Mraz said. “Well that would be pretty cool.”
C-IED analyst prepares to head home after six-month deployment
KABUL, Afghanistan - After six months serving with International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Regional Command South (RC-S), British Army Lance Corporal Sven Slater said he hoped his work had made a contribution to improving the situation in Afghanistan. Slater hopes to take this satisfaction with him when he departs Afghanistan in less than two weeks.
“Afghanistan is an extremely underprivileged place,” he said. “Life here is very hard for the Afghans because it’s chaotic dealing with things like the insurgency. But I’d like to think that I and other military members from the international community have contributed to alleviating those problems to help them (Afghans) achieve a better way of life,” Slater added.
As a member of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) office at RC-S, Slater worked side-by-side with other ISAF soldiers and local contractors to train colleagues, and the local Afghan community, about the dangers of IEDs.
“One of the challenges we face is that this job is so fast paced, especially here in the south where the majority of insurgent activity is through the use of IEDs aimed at the foreign military. Innocent people, however, are also the ones being victimised,” Slater explained.
Keeping track of IED incidents, the types of IEDs used, and known locations for IED activity were some of Slater’s responsibilities. This information allowed the C-IED office to formulate a training program for the practical application training lane that opened earlier this month at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Walton, Kandahar City.
“That was one of the major projects we undertook,” he said. “In the end, IED training will be taken over by the Afghan military so they can train themselves, which is the best thing we could offer them. It’s great to be a part of that.”
As he heads home to Ramsgate, England, Slater said he’ll miss the local community with whom he enjoyed daily interactions.
“The importance of the job, particularly in Afghanistan kept me motivated and I leave here with quite a bit of job satisfaction,” he said. “I have found Afghans to be genuinely friendly and eager to learn, despite the language barrier. Naturally, being deployed on an operational tour is going to create a level of concern but once you arrive it is good to have the opportunity to be able to put all the training into practice, and hopefully improve the situation for the Afghan people.”
Bagram peacekeepers ready to defend
Written by Army Capt. Michael Greenberger, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (March 29, 2009) – The rising sun brought a flurry of activity in the 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 101st Airborne Division Special Troops Battalion motor pool March 19 as they prepared to run a joint checkpoint with Afghan National Police outside Bagram’s Entry Control Points.
Just two weeks prior, one of the ECPs was attacked by a suicide bomber who was thwarted by local Afghan peacekeepers. The attack made things a little more real today; the attention to detail was a little more important.
Everywhere in the 2nd Platoon motor-pool, Alpha Company Slayer’s moved with a purpose, loading equipment, weapons and water into their up-armored humvees. After radio checks were complete, the Soldiers mounted up and rolled out to the ECPs.
The road outside the southern edge of Bagram Air Field is a stretch of muddy potholes, rocks and debris. With skill, precision and watchful eyes, the Slayers navigate their immense vehicles over the uneven terrain, constantly beeping their horns at civilian traffic to alert them to the Slayer’s presence.
“Our main goal is to keep everyone and the vehicles safe,” said Army Sgt. Roberto Castillo, an Iraq veteran now serving in Afghanistan. “We do a lot to avoid civilians and their vehicles on the road because we have to share it and want to maintain a better relationship with the locals.”
Gunners constantly scan the terrain for threats while the vehicle bounces around the muddy mess.
“We are always aware of our surroundings,” said Army Spc. Todd Haskel. “When I first got here I was constantly scanning – constantly on edge. Now it is like second nature to me.”
After a short but challenging trip, the Slayers roll onto the checkpoints in force. They move swiftly to cover the avenues of approach, laying down concertina wire and orange cones to block the roads while patrol leader Army 1st Lt. Jeremy Button makes contact with the Afghan National Police already on the ground.
“We are very happy with these guys [the Slayers],” said Jalaludin, a captain with the ANP. “We have worked with them often and we work well together. The Army Soldiers are happy with us because they know when they call us for a joint mission, we will be here.”
The town outside Bagram is a bustling hub of two-story buildings, shops and shanties – people are everywhere. The Afghans watch the Soldiers intently as they go about their tasks, yet keep their distance.
“We set-up these blocking positions as an anti-terrorism measure,” said Button. “It’s a nice show of force for any bad guys who might be in the area.”
The Slayers keep an eye out for anyone or anything that looks suspicious.
“If we see a suspicious vehicle the Afghan Police stop and search the vehicle and question the occupants,” Button said. “We mainly serve in a support roll to back them up.”
“We’ve been doing missions like these for 13 months,” said Army Spc. Randall Preston. “We set-up these positions and the Afghan people immediately adjust. They stay out of the way and try to help.”
The ANP are familiar with the people who congregate around the ECP and quickly recognize strangers.
“Before the Americans came there were a lot of bad people here,” said Jalaludin. “These are good people here now though, and they are tired of all the fighting. They just want security and peace, and are glad the Americans are here to help.”
“These ANP are really solid,” Button said. “They do what you ask them to do and they show up and do a good job.”
Random-Antiterrorism Measures and Procedures, or RAMP missions, are an important part of security operations in Afghanistan.
“It’s important to do random patrols to disrupt enemy forces,” said Army Capt. William Coulter, Alpha Company commander. “As well as not set a predictable schedule or pattern of patrolling.”
After an hour or so, the ANP commander gave the call to collapse the blocking positions, so the Slayers secured their equipment, said their goodbyes, and headed for home just in time for lunch, completing another mission - just an average morning for the Slayers in their 13th month in Afghanistan.
Unique to the 101st Airborne Division, the Slayers serve as a Mobile Reaction Force, or MRF, able to respond within minutes of being called.
“We have infantrymen, signal Soldiers, a Mechanic – it makes us self-sufficient, adaptable, and flexible,” Button said, adding that 2nd platoon is a unique conglomerate of military occupational specialties.
Along with Alpha Company’s 1st platoon, 2nd platoon’s primary mission is patrolling and the security of Bagram Air Field and Parwan and Kapisa Provinces.
“These are an extraordinary group of guys,” said Button. “They never back down from a mission and never got a mission they couldn’t handle.”
The Slayers have performed over 1,000 missions since arriving in Afghanistan in March 2008.
Experts confirm deadly IED targeted Afghan civilians
KABUL, Afghanistan - Explosives experts have determined that insurgents deliberately attacked an Afghan civilian bus on Wednesday, in Khowst province, killing 10 civilians and wounding six others.
The device used in the deadly explosion was an operator-controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) rather than a victim-triggered mechanism such as a pressure plate configuration.
Afghan National Police (ANP) were the first to respond to the explosion in Naar village, Bak District. The police provided security to the site and coordinated the medical evacuation of the victims in conjunction with International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The ANP also worked closely with ISAF to collect evidence from the site.
Forensic examinations by U.S. Counter-IED investigators found that the device was manually detonated from a near-by location.
ISAF military reports found that there were no ISAF or Afghan National Security Forces in the area at the time of the explosion, which further indicated that the attackers deliberately targeted the bus which was transporting approximately 20 Afghan civilians.
Three Afghan Commandos killed in Paktya IED strike
KABUL, Afghanistan - Three Afghan Commandos of the Afghan National Army's 203rd Corps were killed today when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in the Gardez district, Paktya province.
The elite Afghan soldiers struck an IED while conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in support of ongoing operations to rout militants from the area, in order to bring freedom and security to the Afghan people. Four other ANA Commandos were injured in the attack, and were immediately evacuated to a Coalition medical facility.
The Commandos detained six individuals with suspected involvement in the attack. No Coalition force or noncombatant casualties were reported.
"We proudly fought alongside these elite soldiers, and now we will mourn deeply for them. These men fought and died for an ideology that encompassed liberty and equality for all, and, in their honor, we will continue to support the Commandos as they fight for the freedom of the Afghan people," said a Coalition spokesman.
ANSF detain insurgent IED facilitator in Farah
KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops conducted an operation in Bala Beluk district, Farah province, 28 March, that led to the capture of a suspected insurgent Suicide Vehicle Improvised Explosive Device (IED) facilitator and two other suspects.
ANSF and ISAF troops conducted a precision operation at a compound belonging to Atta Mohammad, as he is implicated in weapons smuggling and the facilitation of IEDs designed for use against Afghans in Farah and Herat provinces.
Atta Mohammad was given the opportunity to surrender peacefully to ANSF troops. Significant preparation and planning helped to ensure civilians were not injured in the operation.
“The detention of Atta Mohammad will greatly weaken insurgent IED networks in Farah province, restricting their capacity to use their deadly weapons,” said Brigadier-General Richard Blanchette, ISAF spokesperson.
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