081118-NR-625-Kabul Training Center transforms soldiers

NEWS RELEASE

International Security Assistance Force - Afghanistan

Committed to the security, reconstruction and extension of governance in Afghanistan

2008-625

Kabul Military Training center transforms soldiers

KABUL, Afghanistan (November 18)- Regular Afghan citizens are transformed into soldiers on a daily basis at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC).

KMTC is the main training location for the Afghan National Army Training Command and the `force provider' for Afghanistan's national defense. The center provides initial Basic Training to recruits and advanced training for Non-commissioned and Commissioned Officers.

KMTC is located in 20,000 acres outside Kabul and has more than 8,000 recruits in training at any given time. The goal of the KMTC is to provide Afghanistan with a skilled army capable of disarming and dismantling illegal factions, fighting terrorism and assuring the security and progress for the political process for Afghanistan.

“It is the duty and responsibility of the Army to serve the people and maintain the sovereignty, independence, and borders of our country,” said Col. Sharif Ahmad, Chief of Staff Operating Course at KMTC. “That's why we train our soldiers. Our Army is in a basic state. If we had a good Army we wouldn't have aggression from Al Qaeda and our other enemies.”

KMTC is supported by the Combined Training Assistance Group, housed at Camp Alamo within the training grounds, which provides 250 mentors from a multinational force. French, American, British, Romanian and Polish personnel assist Afghan instructors by providing feedback on lesson plans and operations but are only there to assist; all training is conducted by Afghan instructors.

“There is always an Afghan giving the class,” said Captain Rob Simmons, Combined Training Assistance Group. “We provide mentors for the instructors. “If the Afghans are going to stand on their own two feet they need to be able to deliver the instruction without any kind of mentorship. Plus Afghans listen better to an Afghan. An Afghan instructor giving his own experience and relating those experiences to the lesson he's giving—students respond well to it.”

The training center offers several courses including Basic Training, Advanced Combat Training, Officer Candidate School and Non-commissioned Officer Academy. The Basic Training course is 10 weeks long and is required for all new recruits. During Basic Training recruits are trained on various military topics with the goal being the production of soldiers who are all “infantry first.” Advanced Combat Training follows the initial course and focuses on the speciality the recruit will perform during service. The Officer Candidate School and NCO Academy concentrate on molding future leaders of the Afghan National Army. More than 30,000 service members train at KMTC every year and another 8,000 train at satellite locations in Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Gardez, Kandahar and Darulaman.

On challenge the KMTC faces is the literacy rate among new recruits.

The soldiers who can read and write are assigned positions in the areas of logistics, medical services and communications. The soldiers who cannot read and write attend training three days per week to improve their abilities.

“We see 20 to 30 percent of recruits coming in that are literate” said U.S. Army Major Brian Foley, Combined Training Assistance Group. “It's a struggle right now but that's a result of 30 years of war.”

KABUL, Afghanistan--Afghan National Army recruits attend grenade instruction during Basic Warrior Training at the Kabul Military Training Center, Nov. 15. (ISAF photo)

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