• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

'Dragoon' assistance team continues partnership with Afghan army unit

August 19, 2013

By Spc. Joshua Edwards, Combined Task Force Dragoon Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZANGABAD, Afghanistan (Aug. 20, 2013) -- U.S. Army Security Force Assistance Teams and Combined Task Force Dragoon have forged relationships with the Afghan National Army for more than a month now as the task force's mission continues in southern Afghanistan.

The Security Force Assistance Team, or SFAT, which is partnered with the Afghan 2nd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 205th Corps and 1st Squadron, and Combined Task Force, or CTF, Dragoon, has been providing knowledge and wisdom from the beginning of their mission to advise and assist Afghan National Security Forces to take the lead in securing and liberating their country from enemy forces.

One of the most crucial pieces of knowledge the team has brought to the Afghan National Army, known as the ANA, at Forward Operating Base Zangabad is establishing a basis of communication, perhaps one of the most important aspects of battlefield operations.

"The guys (ANA) got a chance to learn and get familiarized with the radio, learn how to go through the calling process, learn call signs, load frequencies, talk out to different COPs (command outposts) and they got a good overview of what life will be like for them as an RTO (radio telephone operator) out on the battlefield," said 1st Lt. Allen Sanders, communications advisor officer with the team, and native of Marks, Miss.

The SFAT has set up training for the ANA in numerous aspects of battlefield skills that are essential to successful military operations.

"Our relationship is pretty good [with them] and in the short time we have been here we have been able to establish some pretty solid rapport," said Maj. Tyrone Powers, team leader for the SFAT, and native of Albany, Ga. "We have lined up counter IED (improvised explosive device) training, medical training, signal training and drivers training. We also do intelligence training, such as map reading."

Sanders said the ANA's communication skills have significantly increased since the Dragoon team partnered with them in order to help them maintain the lead in operations.

"We try to develop their skills on whatever they have and we try to expand their knowledge," said Sanders. "We have developed a preventative maintenance plan for them as well. They know they need all the things that we have to offer them and they know that it is needed in their military in order for them to be successful."

The ANA have become self-sufficient in their operations and do not require the help of the SFAT in certain parts of the mission. They possess many skills and are on their way to becoming a stand-alone force in the mission to liberate Afghanistan.

"I have been very impressed since I have been here with the level of competence," said Rogers. "They have been able to hold ground. They can medically evacuate their guys under fire. They can put together an operations order, and they keep us updated every time something goes on. We are not even assisting them with certain parts of operations."

The relationship between the team and the ANA is a fruitful one and will continue until U.S. forces transition out of the area. The Soldiers of Afghanistan continue to demonstrate the necessary skills to take the lead in military operations as the partnership with the SFAT continues.