ABP learn leadership skills in Team Leader Course

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Eleven members of the Afghan Border Patrol graduated the first iteration of the Team Leader Course at Forward Operating Base Gardez in Paktika province, March 11.  

This historic event marked the first time the ABP instructors led one of their own non-commissioned officer education system courses.

Instructors at the course sought to equip students with the basic leadership and tactical skills necessary to be team leaders, said U.S. Army Master Sgt. Jason Dodge, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, who helps oversee the ABP NCO’s.

The course combined classroom instruction, weapons ranges and field exercises, where students practiced combat patrols to reinforce and certify lessons learned.

All eleven patrolmen were promoted to 3rd sergeant, which is equivalent in rank to a U.S. Army Sgt., E-5.

“This course was critical to the ABP solving their own professional development needs and reinforces a continued emphasis of development of a professional ABP NCO Corps,” said Dodge.

The TLC is one of three NCO courses currently under way or planned for the future. The other courses include the squad leader course and a proposed junior leader course, which will be similar to the Army's basic non-commissioned officer course.

The courses are all designed as introductions to leadership to help the ABP develop and become strong leaders, said battalion liaison office U.S. Army 1st Lt. Eric Littlejohn, Company C, 3rd Special Troops Battalion.

Task Force Yukon, 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, from Fort Richardson, Ak., supervised the courses during the 2009 course cycle, but the March 11 class was the first solely led by ABP officials.

Littlejohn said the courses will help form a basis for the skill sets all NCOs should have, and while there are limited courses now, more are planned for the future.