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By Michelle Brooks
mbrooks@newstribune.com 17-man Guard team gains new perspective in training mission
Trust and respect between two countries' soldiers could be one of the greatest successes for a Missouri National Guard unit's mission to Afghanistan for a year, said Sgt. Maj. Steve Hiland.
The Missouri Embedded Training Team URF 8623 advised and mentored the more than 2,200 soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 201st Corps Afghanistan National Army (ANA).
“It was challenging because of the problems we experienced with administration and logistics,” said Lt. Col. Mark Worley, the unit's team leader.
The country's army faced shortages of equipment, people and especially leadership training.
“It was a bottom up approach,” Worley said. “It was totally different than my training as an artilleryman.
“It was a really different mission ... but very rewarding to see the positive come out of it.”
During their 12-month combat tour, the team advised the army in the areas of training and sustainment of their combat forces, built community centers and conducted humanitarian aid missions.
“It's a pretty devastated country,” Hiland said.
The Missouri unit has worked as an embedded tactical training team helping members of the ANA strengthen the organization of their national defense forces. They worked in an advisory role to help Afghan soldiers form the first national army in the region since the Taliban seized control in 1996.
“Though Afghanistan has a rich history as a country, their army is only five years old,” Hiland said. “This has put the current military in its infancy.”
However, many of the ANA soldiers had experience battling Soviet forces and helping coalition forces to remove the Taliban in 2001. During their deployment, the Afghan army grew from 300 to 2,200 members, Hiland said.
“The ANA is still fighting an insurgency while they rebuild a damaged infrastructure,” Hiland said. “We (were) there to help Afghanistan prepare to defend itself from attacks both from foreign threats and these terrorists.”
The Missouri unit participated in the first multinational combat operation consisting of battle groups from Afghanistan, Germany, France, Italy, Romania and Turkey. And they were responsible for the first air assault mission conducted by the Afghanistan National Army, resulting in 100 percent success, officials said at the deployment ceremony.
As part of the training effort, the Missouri citizen-soldiers in January escorted 19 members of the ANA to Fort Riley, Kan., where the foreign soldiers observed how an American military installation is run and practiced what they had learned so far.
The 17-member unit would show the developing Afghan army how they would do a mission or procedure, Hiland said. Sometimes they would take the advice and sometimes they would do things their own way, he said.
Part of the goal was to help the army win the “hearts and minds” of the public, to let them know the government is helping to pull away from the Taliban, Hiland said.
“We had to remember it's their army,” he said.
Other American units will continue preparing and training the Afghan army.
“We brought the (Afghan) army to a certain readiness level,” Worley said. “I think we developed a good foundation for the next team to come in.”
The Missouri Embedded Training Team URF 8623 advised and mentored the more than 2,200 soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 201st Corps Afghanistan National Army (ANA).
“It was challenging because of the problems we experienced with administration and logistics,” said Lt. Col. Mark Worley, the unit's team leader.
The country's army faced shortages of equipment, people and especially leadership training.
“It was a bottom up approach,” Worley said. “It was totally different than my training as an artilleryman.
“It was a really different mission ... but very rewarding to see the positive come out of it.”
During their 12-month combat tour, the team advised the army in the areas of training and sustainment of their combat forces, built community centers and conducted humanitarian aid missions.
“It's a pretty devastated country,” Hiland said.
The Missouri unit has worked as an embedded tactical training team helping members of the ANA strengthen the organization of their national defense forces. They worked in an advisory role to help Afghan soldiers form the first national army in the region since the Taliban seized control in 1996.
“Though Afghanistan has a rich history as a country, their army is only five years old,” Hiland said. “This has put the current military in its infancy.”
However, many of the ANA soldiers had experience battling Soviet forces and helping coalition forces to remove the Taliban in 2001. During their deployment, the Afghan army grew from 300 to 2,200 members, Hiland said.
“The ANA is still fighting an insurgency while they rebuild a damaged infrastructure,” Hiland said. “We (were) there to help Afghanistan prepare to defend itself from attacks both from foreign threats and these terrorists.”
The Missouri unit participated in the first multinational combat operation consisting of battle groups from Afghanistan, Germany, France, Italy, Romania and Turkey. And they were responsible for the first air assault mission conducted by the Afghanistan National Army, resulting in 100 percent success, officials said at the deployment ceremony.
As part of the training effort, the Missouri citizen-soldiers in January escorted 19 members of the ANA to Fort Riley, Kan., where the foreign soldiers observed how an American military installation is run and practiced what they had learned so far.
The 17-member unit would show the developing Afghan army how they would do a mission or procedure, Hiland said. Sometimes they would take the advice and sometimes they would do things their own way, he said.
Part of the goal was to help the army win the “hearts and minds” of the public, to let them know the government is helping to pull away from the Taliban, Hiland said.
“We had to remember it's their army,” he said.
Other American units will continue preparing and training the Afghan army.
“We brought the (Afghan) army to a certain readiness level,” Worley said. “I think we developed a good foundation for the next team to come in.”
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boscoe wrote on May 20, 2008 9:08 AM:
THANK YOU for your service. We OWE you a debt of gratitude and respect. "