Task Force Geronimo forges new partnership with ANA 4th Kandak

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – In a critical time of change for Afghanistan, the American and Afghan National Army partners of Task Force Geronimo are embracing the ever-changing nature of the battlefield in Paktika province by launching a new initiative.

The New Partnership program was recently instituted at Camp Rushmore by the Georgia National Guard Soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and their ANA partners of 4-2 Kandak (battalion).

The redesigned training program, an example of Combined Action, the doctrine of U.S. military training and fighting at all levels with Afghan forces, was developed to get better results through more direct and personal relationships between the soldiers. With the program in place, each platoon has been paired up with an ANA company.  Further, each American Soldier directly mentors up to three Afghan soldiers of a similar rank.

U.S. Army Capt. Shilo Crane, Company B commander, described how the change has provided both sides of the training team a more holistic approach to improving the Afghans’ strengths.

“Instead of having a small group of 15 high-ranking Americans mentoring an ANA battalion’s staff, we have a large force of Soldiers at every rank partnering at every level,” he said.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class James Moore, 1st Bn., 121st Inf. Reg., recon platoon sergeant knows how critical it is for him and his Soldiers to set the right example for their Afghan partners every day.

“We train ourselves by conducting battle drills, pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections regularly. It’s important for us to be at our best, because mentoring the ANA is not just about teaching. They also observe how we deal with our troops, and they follow the example we set,” Moore said.

Working with the Afghan soldiers on a daily basis allows the American Soldiers to create a stronger bond that doesn’t intrude on their cultural differences. They’ve worked to build effective procedures and techniques that work within the boundaries of how the Afghans instinctively operate. Being able to share procedures while encouraging the Afghans to choose what works better for them is proving to be a system that works for everyone.

Crane said he can see the results of the program when his Afghan counterparts tell him what they need to get results.

“The ANA tells us what they need more training on and we provide it. We’ve even created a weekly training contract,” he said.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Toomey, platoon sergeant, remarked on the progress he’s seen in the short time the program has been in place.

“When the mission began there was a lot of guiding being done, (but) the ANA have improved to the point where they need minimal assistance with routine missions,” Toomey said. “This is an important on-going mission – one that the next unit will pick up, and we are proud to have a sense of completion and know that we made it better for them.”