NMAA cadets complete 2 week mentorship program

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Four cadets from the National Military Academy of Afghanistan were recognized for completing a new program being piloted by the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team at Forward Operating Base Shank Aug. 27.

The third-year cadets were the first to take part in the program in which the academy cadets spend two weeks with an American unit in the area learning more about their chosen military career field.

“The idea was to mentor future Afghan National Army officers, by improving their oral and written English skills, their understanding of company-level counterinsurgency operations and to create positive, lasting relationships between Afghan cadets and select 173rd officers,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Melvyn Lopez, a noncommissioned officer who worked closely with the program.

 Muhammad Jawad, an aviation cadet, got more out of his two weeks than he expected.

“When we came here, we weren’t familiar with the American culture. We came here to learn about the American culture, military culture, and we got a lot of experience about our aviation major,” he said. “It was a good experience for us.”

“It was always very good,” said Hasibullah Shapor, a logistics cadet.  “I learned the culture; I learned about logistics like supply, repairs, mechanics, medicine and other things.”

Though they are the first class to participate in the program, they all realized the benefits of the opportunity and would like to see every cadet at the academy get the same chance as they did.

“We got familiar with new things and new supplies,” said Jawad. “I think the other cadets won’t have the experience we got in two weeks here.”

The program proved to be a success, showing signs of the potential benefits offered to the academy’s future cadets. There are also plans to continue offering the two-week mentorship program and explore the possibility of expanding it to other units throughout Regional Command-East. 

“It will be a good opportunity for cadets in the academy to be with Americans to learn more, new things from the Americans,” said Mozamel Abass Khan, an infantry cadet.  

“I think it is the best opportunity in my life to be here,” said Jawad.