June 7, 2004
GHAZNI, Afghanistan -- U.S. and Afghan National Army officials formally opened the ninth Afghan National Army Volunteer Center in Ghazni during an NAVC ribbon-cutting ceremony May 6.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Craig Weston, Office of Military Cooperation - Afghanistan chief, and Ghazni Lt. Governor Ramazon Haidary each cut a portion of the ribbon leading to the NAVC entrance.
The new center gives the citizens of Ghazni the opportunity to volunteer to serve in the ANA.
Before the ceremony, Weston and Haidary drank Chai - an Aghan tea often reserved for informal gatherings - at the provincial governor's office. They were joined by ANA Maj. Gen. Jhawari, Ministry of Defense assistant minister of acquisition, technology and logistics, and Afghan Militia Force Lt. Gen. Ali Akbar Qusimi, 14th Division commander.
While they were enjoying the tea, the group discussed current Ghazni social subjects such as equipment and health care problems that have been identified at the regional hospital and educational and material shortcomings at the Ghazni boys' and girls' schools, which opened earlier this year.
After Chai, the group formally addressed about 200 Ghazni elders about the benefits of opening an NAVC in their community.
"An important part of rebuilding Afghanistan is the security and stability that gives the Afghan people and the international community the freedom to rebuild," said Weston. "Essential to creating this security is your Afghan National Army - an army made up of the peoples of Afghanistan, to serve all of Afghanistan.
"This National Army Volunteer Center will reach out to the young men of Ghazni to help them join a new army made up of all the major ethnic groups of Afghanistan - Pashto, Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara, Turkmen and more," he said.
One of NAVCs regional directors said his job is important to the formation of the ANA and that he will be successful.
"We have an important job at the NAVC - to recruit volunteers," said ANA Col. Atique Ullah, Ghazni NAVC regional director. "We must do our best duty to send recruits to fill every Kandak (Afghan Battalion). I think we will be very successful because the status and reputation of the ANA is very good."
In just two years, eight NAVCs scattered throughout Afghanistan, were able to recruit an ANA army of 10,000 Afghans. By 2010, Afghan officials plan to field a 70,000-man army throughout Afghanistan, protecting its borders from terrorist insurgents and drug traffickers. The success of the Ghazni NAVC will be crucial in achieving this goal. The Ghazni NAVC will do its part to help the Afghan government.
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