Minnesota, Croatian troops assist in Afghan election

By Tech. Sgt. Casey J. Martin

RC-North Public Affairs Advisory Team

CAMP MIKE SPANN, Afghanistan (9/21/10) - In the early hours of the morning, while the majority of Camp Mike Spann troops lay asleep in their tents, members of the Minnesota National Guard and Croatian Operational Mentor and Liaison Team 47 performed vehicle and weapon systems inspections in preparation for an upcoming mission.

What the nearly 40 U.S. and coalition troops are about to embark on is a mission to support an historic and significant event for the people of Afghanistan. They will aid the Afghan National Army in providing security in the northern provinces in preparation for the first Afghan-run parliamentary elections since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

“We all know how important these missions are to their ANA 209th Corps 4th Kandak soldiers we mentor at Camp Shaheen,” said Army Capt. Christopher Reid, an officer mentor in the Minnesota National Guard unit forward deployed to northern Afghanistan. “While the Taliban works to cause havoc with the election process, the ANA troops are ready to provide security for those wanting to vote at the polls.”

Ahead of schedule, the convoy of seven vehicles leaves the safety of Camp Mike Spann, a U.S. and coalition base located within the ANA 209th Corps training base, Camp Shaheen, and sets out to join their ANA partners in the unforgiving mountainous terrain. 

“The elections are a symbol of a new Afghanistan, one absent of foreign occupying powers or oppressive religious-political masters,” said Army Maj. David Baer, commanding officer of the Minnesota National Guard unit here. “For many, this will be the first time they can affect the direction their country may take.”

The convoy rolls through the last of the ANA base’s gates out into the open countryside and before long the armored trucks, designed to survive improvised explosive device attacks and ambushes, enter a series of villages crowded with people lining the streets in celebration of the end of Eid – a joyous three-day Muslim holiday that signifies the end of Ramadan.

While young children donned in colorful outfits enjoy the festivities and wave energetically at the passing convoy, the troops remain cognizant of the treacherous environment. The route has a history of being dangerous, with both Afghan National Security Forces and coalition troops having come under attack in the not-so-distant past. 

Each oncoming car, passing truck or group of people standing along the road is announced over the intercommunication system in each of the seven vehicles comprising the convoy.

After nearly an hour the convoy reaches its destination in the Chimtal District. The trucks pull off to the side of the road and troops form into a defensive position outside an Afghan National Police center, temporarily manned by ANA for the duration of the elections. 

Inside the main building, the ANA leadership awaits their coalition counterparts to discuss election security. 

“Our ANA soldiers are nearing a point where they can stand on their own against this foe but until then, we’ll be standing by to assist them,” said Reid.

After a lengthy meeting, in which the Croatians and Americans, who are joined as part of the National Guard State Partnership Programs, and the Afghans examined their joint security operations plan, coalition troops mounted up and rolled out, leaving the 4th Kandak soldiers behind at the facility.

“We’re here so that the Afghans can choose their own government in a free and honest way,” said Baer, acknowledging that coalition forces will not be in the country indefinitely. “The ANA and ANP are taking the lead in their military operations and will become the backbone of the nation’s strength once coalition forces depart Afghanistan.”

On the return route home, the convoy hop-scotches its way back to Camp Mike Spann weaving through different villages to minimize the likelihood of ambushes and avoid providing terrorist with a signature of the coalition’s operations. 

While the coalition forces return to the base, their minds and hearts remain with the people of Afghanistan, wishing for them a peaceful week where voters will feel safe enough to venture out to one of the 18,000 polling stations in the country and cast their ballots. 

“It’s because of our hard work that the future in Afghanistan will be great,” said ANA 209th Corps Sgt. Maj. Jawad Ahmadi, 4th Kandak.  “We are working very hard to make the future great.”

Before ever casting a vote in these elections, the Afghan’s determination to become an independent nation was conveyed clearly. 

In the days leading up to the Sept. 18 elections, the world witnessed the courage, resolve and determination of the Afghan people to pursue their democratic right to vote, despite repeated threats and intimidation by the Taliban. 

While the results and overall quality of the election will not be known until Oct. 30, when the final certified results are announced, the ANSF, Minnesota National Guard and Croatian OMLT 47 believe the successful election initiatives are one more triumph to add to Afghanistan’s growing list of achievements that support a secure and stable future for its citizens.

US Navy SEALs, Coalition Personnel Killed During Helicopter Crash in Afghanistan

From Naval Special Warfare Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Nine military personnel were killed and three others were injured when the helicopter in which they were traveling crashed in Zabul province in Southern Afghanistan, Sept. 21. Personnel on board were supporting a special operations mission.

Three Navy SEALs and one Naval Special Warfare support technician are among the dead. Five U.S. Army air crew members also perished in the crash, and three other coalition personnel are in critical condition at a U.S. medical facility in Afghanistan.

The names of the deceased Navy members are Lt. Brendan Looney, 29, of Owings, Md., Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician David McLendon, 30, of Thomasville, Ga., Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Adam Smith, 26, of Hurdland, Mo., and Special Warfare Operator 3rd Class Denis Miranda, 24, of Toms River, N.J.

"On behalf of the entire Naval Special Warfare community - we extend our sincerest condolences to all the families of our fallen brothers, our Navy SEALs and support tech, Army air crewmen, and coalition personnel," said Rear Adm. Edward Winters, commander, Naval Special Warfare Command. "Our prayers are with these families during this very difficult time."

Looney graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2004 where he was an all-American for the Navy lacrosse team. Following graduation, he was commissioned as a Naval intelligence officer and accepted a tour with Commander Naval Forces Korea, Detachment Chinhae. In May 2006, he accepted an assignment with an east coast Naval Special Warfare unit, after which he was assigned to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in March 2007.

Upon graduation from BUD/S, Looney was assigned to a west coast based SEAL team, where he participated in numerous joint exercises and developed his skills as a special warfare operator. Fellow SEALs described Looney as a skilled SEAL operator who led and motivated the people around him.

McLendon was a Navy cryptologic technician assigned to an east coast Naval Special Warfare unit. He entered the Navy in 1998 and reported to Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, Ill.

In September of 1998, McLendon attended "CT" A school at Corry Station, Pensacola, Fla. During his 12-year Navy career, McLendon served at various Navy commands in Norfolk, Va., Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Brunswick, Maine. His fellow service members said they remember McLendon as a consummate Navy professional.

McClendon is survived by his wife and parents.

Smith entered the Navy in October 2004 and attended aviation technical training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla. In March of 2005, Smith was accepted to BUD/S.

After SEAL qualification training, Smith was assigned to an east coast SEAL Team, where he excelled as a special warfare operator, making numerous deployments in support of overseas contingency operations. Smith is described by fellow SEALs as a highly decorated combat veteran and dedicated teammate.

Smith is survived by his mother and father.

Miranda entered the Navy in September 2003 and attended aviation technical training at NAS Pensacola, Fla. After technical school, Miranda was assigned to Patrol Squadron 8 in Jacksonville, Fla. where he worked as a maintenance technician until November, 2006.

He was accepted to BUD/S in early 2007, and after SEAL qualification training, he was assigned to an east coast SEAL team. Teammates described him as a budding superstar with promise of a successful career as a Navy SEAL.

Miranda is survived by his mother and father.

All four Sailors were highly accomplished service members and three were decorated combat veterans. They were recipients of numerous awards and citations.

"These men bravely and unselfishly answered the nation's call to defend freedom and protect the nation and its allies from terrorism," said Winters. "The loss of these brave warriors will only strengthen our resolve in the fight against extremism and terror."

Failed Attack on Base Leaves 5 Insurgents Dead

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2010 – At least five insurgents were killed and another was captured during a failed attack on Forward Operating Base Gardez in Afghanistan’s Paktia province today, military officials reported.

The attack began when a vehicle, followed closely by four insurgents wearing suicide-bomber vests, attempted to breach a fortified area of the base.

Coalition forces engaged and destroyed the insurgents’ vehicle. The remaining attackers were killed as they tried to flee.

In the aftermath of the incident, explosive ordnance disposal soldiers found and disposed of the suicide-bomber vests. No coalition forces were killed or injured.

The operation is still ongoing, officials said, with coalition forces pursuing the rest of the attacking force, estimated to be around 20 insurgents.

In other news from Afghanistan:

-- Based on information from intelligence sources, coalition forces conducted a precision air strike in a remote valley of Kabul province yesterday, killing Qari Mansur, a senior Haqqani terrorist network facilitator, after he and five of his associates attacked an Afghan police unit the day before. Qari Mansur reportedly took attack instructions directly from Haqqani senior leaders in Pakistan prior to Afghanistan's Sept. 18 elections, officials said. A suspected mine field prevented a follow-on Afghan police ground force from assessing the engagement area, but Afghan and coalition forces confirmed all six insurgents were killed.

-- Acting on tips from local residents and intelligence sources, a combined Afghan and coalition patrol detained several men with suspected insurgent links in Uruzgan province yesterday. They were found at a compound associated with a man who specializes in construction and emplacement of roadside bombs and has been involved in numerous attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The targeted insurgent is believed to have received advanced training in Pakistan and appears to have close ties to Taliban leadership there, officials said.

-- A confessed bomb-attack facilitator detained this week led Afghan and coalition forces to a storage site of bomb-making materials in Kabul today. He said he had hidden 27 bomb initiators at a friend's house, telling his friend that he was going to leave a gym bag at his home and that he didn't want it disturbed. Since the homeowner unknowingly stored the materials, officials said, Afghan authorities did not charge him.

-- During a vehicle checkpoint operation in Helmand province yesterday, a combined Afghan and coalition force discovered an anti-aircraft heavy machine gun and detained several men connected with its discovery.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces killed an attacker and detained four suspected insurgents in Helmand province overnight while in pursuit of a Taliban military commission member for the Babaji area of the province’s Nad-e Ali district. The commission member also is believed to be the new deputy military commander for the Lashkar Gah and Narh-e Saraj area. During the initial clearance of the targeted compound, the security force breached a padlocked door, and a man hiding in the room lunged at them with a blade. The security force pushed him away, but he lunged at them again, and he was shot and killed. Te security force found 50 pounds of wet opium, which often is trafficked to fund the insurgency.

-- In an operation based on intelligence information, Afghan and coalition security forces detained several suspected insurgents in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district yesterday while in pursuit of the Taliban deputy commander for the Dand district. The commander allocates and distributes ammunition and weapons, to fighters in his area and reportedly is involved in the acquisition of suicide-bomber vests and vehicle-borne bombs.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces acting on intelligence information detained several suspected insurgents and seized weapons in Khost province yesterday while in pursuit of a Haqqani weapons and ammunition facilitator operating in the Sabari district.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces detained several suspected insurgents in Paktia province yesterday during an intelligence-based operation while in pursuit of a Taliban subcommander operating in the Mata Khan district. The commander coordinates and conducts roadside-bomb attacks and facilitates weapons and ammunition for future attacks.

-- An Afghan and coalition security patrol in Helmand province found more than 3,300 pounds of dried opium Sept. 22. A civilian vehicle became stuck in the sand when the driver attempted to evade the patrol at a vehicle checkpoint. The two men in the vehicle fled on foot and were not found. When the patrol searched the vehicle they found and destroyed the narcotics.

-- Multiple intelligence reports and tips from local residents led to the detention of a wanted Taliban commander by Afghan and coalition security forces in Kabul Sept. 22. The target was a Taliban commander and roadside-bomb attack planner who operates in the Kabul area.

-- Afghan National Police and U.S. Special Forces on patrol in Baghlan province came to the aid of eight Afghans injured in a car accident yesterday. The convoy was en route to Pol-e Kumri when they encountered heavy traffic. The partnered force drove around the traffic and found it was caused by an accident that occurred shortly before their arrival. The partnered force provided first aid to the eight injured civilians and helped to load the wounded into ambulances and taxis for transportation to local medical facilities.

-- Afghan and coalition forces patrolling in Badghis province’s Bala Murghab district transported a 9-year old Afghan boy for medical treatment for blast wounds he’d suffered as a result of a rocket insurgents launched at the security force that did not explode on impact. Before the security team could disarm the rocket, the boy kicked it. It burst into flames and injured the boy.

-- A suicide-bomber attack killed a civilian and wounded about 15 more in northern Afghanistan today, according to initial reports. The explosion occurred near an International Security Assistance Force convoy, disabling one vehicle, and heavily damaging a civilian bus traveling behind the convoy in Balkh province’s Balkh district. ISAF servicemembers assisted in treating the injured civilians and analyzed the explosive device used in the attack.

Obama Well-served by Afghan Debate, Gates Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2010 – The vigorous debate during development of the Afghan strategy served President Barack Obama well, and the national security team has worked together harmoniously since his decision, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

During a Pentagon news conference, Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed reports of division among senior White House and defense officials in Bob Woodward’s book “Obama’s Wars.”

Excerpts from the book, due out Sept. 27, have been published in recent days.

Gates noted that conflict sells books. He said that the relationship among senior administration officials “is as harmonious as any I’ve experienced in my time in government,” which began in 1966.

Gates said discussions among military and civilian leaders are part of business. “Presidents are always well served when there is a vigorous and spirited debate over important issues,” he said. “And I felt that the debate with respect to Afghanistan was instructive.”

Gates said he learned things in the debate that adjusted his own position.

Those involved in the debate were passionate about their views, the secretary said, and they argued their points hard. “But I will tell you that once the president made his decision, this team came together and has been working together to execute this strategy,” he added.

Both Gates and Mullen said they fully support the president’s strategy. “I wouldn’t sign the deployment orders if I didn’t believe that,” the secretary said.

Mullen stressed that the 30,000 additional American troops that Obama ordered to Afghanistan in December have arrived, bringing the total U.S. involvement to 95,000, and the number of U.S. civilians in the country has tripled. U.S. allies have contributed more than 7,500 new coalition troops to the effort in Afghanistan to bring their total to 45,000.

“We’re at a place where we think we’ve got the inputs right, and we’re starting to see some signs of progress,” Mullen said. “With the right strategy and the right resources and the right leadership, … we’re starting to move forward.”

Gates spoke of the three phases of the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were planned there. The first phase involved operations in 2001 and 2002, “which I would say we won outright,” he said. American special operations forces and some conventional forces from the 10th Mountain Division and the Marine Corps worked with the Afghan Northern Alliance to expel the Taliban. Afghanistan held elections, adopted a constitution, girls started going to school, and health clinics were built.

The second phase spanned from 2003 to 2006, when America’s attention was focused on Iraq, and the U.S. military had a relatively small number of troops in Afghanistan, the secretary said. “Our casualty levels were very low,” he noted. “When I took this job on Dec. 18, 2006, 187 Americans had been killed in action in Afghanistan.”

In 2007 and 2008, American attention once again turned to Afghanistan, but few resources were available, and the Taliban reconstituted itself, Gates said.

“So it’s really only been … since the beginning of 2009, with the president's first decision to add another 21,000 troops, and then his decision in December to add another 30,000 … that we have actually got the resources in Afghanistan to partner with the Afghans and have some prospect of dealing with a resurgent Taliban,” the secretary said. “So while we speak shorthand of a nine-year war, in reality that war, in my view, has been in three phases. And the third phase of that war began last year.”

Gates said the Afghan security forces are having an effect in the country. About 85 percent of all Afghan forces are partnered with coalition forces, he said, and their combat effectiveness is increasing.

Narrowing the mission was another part of Obama’s strategy, the secretary said. The president called for American troops to focus on the key districts to reverse the momentum of the Taliban, “denying them control of territory where there was population, degrading their capabilities at the same time we were enhancing the capabilities of the Afghan security forces,” he said.

“I think all of that is under way,” Gates continued. “And we are seeing slow, tough progress, … and I believe that actually this is one of those instances where the closer you are to the front line, in some respects, the better it looks.”

Aafia Siddiqui Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 86 Years for Attempting to Murder U.S. Nationals in Afghanistan and Six Additional Crimes

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that AAFIA SIDDIQUI was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 86 years in prison for the attempted murder and assault of U.S. nationals and U.S. officers and employees in Afghanistan. SIDDIQUI was found guilty of all charges against her following a 14-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge RICHARD M. BERMAN in Manhattan federal court.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA stated: "As a unanimous jury found beyond a reasonable doubt, Aafia Siddiqui attempted to murder Americans serving in Afghanistan, as well as their Afghan colleagues. She now faces the stiff consequences of her violent actions. We commend the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and other law enforcement and military personnel for their tremendous work investigating this case here and abroad."

According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, evidence presented at trial, and statements made at the sentencing proceeding:

On July 17, 2008, SIDDIQUI was detained by Afghan authorities, who found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that referred to a "mass casualty attack" and that listed various locations in the United States, including Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Other notes in SIDDIQUI's possession referred to the construction of "dirty bombs," and discussed various ways to attack "enemies," including by destroying reconnaissance drones, using underwater bombs, and deploying gliders.

The next day, on July 18, 2008, a team of U.S. servicemen and law enforcement officers, and others assisting them, attempted to interview SIDDIQUI in Ghazni, Afghanistan, where she had been detained by local police the day before. The U.S. interview team included, among others: three officers and employees of the U.S. Army; two officers and employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and two U.S. Army contract interpreters.

The interview of SIDDIQUI was to take place at an Afghan police compound in Ghazni. In a second-floor meeting room at the compound—where SIDDIQUI was being held, unbeknownst to the U.S. interview team, unsecured, behind a curtain—SIDDIQUI grabbed a U.S. Army officer's M-4 rifle and fired it at another U.S. Army officer and other members of the U.S. interview team. During the shooting, SIDDIQUI exclaimed her intent and desire to kill Americans.

SIDDIQUI then assaulted one of the U.S. Army interpreters, as he attempted to obtain the M-4 rifle from her. SIDDIQUI subsequently assaulted one of the FBI agents and one of the U.S. Army officers, as they attempted to subdue her.

The evidence at trial showed that, while a student in Boston, Massachusetts, SIDDIQUI had undertaken training and instruction on the handling and shooting of firearms.

On August 4, 2008, SIDDIQUI, 38, was brought from Afghanistan to Manhattan federal court to face a criminal indictment obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Trial began on January 13, 2010, and concluded on February 3, 2010, with the jury reaching a guilty verdict on all counts. Specifically, the jury convicted SIDDIQUI of the following crimes: (1) one count of attempting to kill U.S. nationals outside the United States; (2) one count of attempting to kill U.S. officers and employees; (3) one count of armed assault of U.S. officers and employees; (4) one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and (5) three counts of assault of U.S. officers and employees.

Mr. BHARARA praised the investigative work of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force—which principally consists of agents of the FBI and detectives of the New York City Police Department. He also expressed his gratitude to the U.S. Department of Justice's National Security Division and the U.S. Department of State for their assistance in the case.

This case is being handled by the Office's Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys CHRISTOPHER L. LAVIGNE, DAVID M. RODY, and JENNA M. DABBS are in charge of the prosecution.

Obama: U.S. Takes ‘Targeted Approach’ on Extremism

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2010 – The United States is moving toward “a more targeted approach” that focuses on strengthening partners and dismantling terrorist networks without the need for large troop deployments in the fight against violent extremism, President Barack Obama told the United Nations General Assembly today.

Obama underscored the U.S. commitment to fighting extremists and denying them safe havens, the ability to sow violence and access to weapons of mass destruction.

He pointed to Iraq, where, as the United States has drawn down its forces dramatically, the Iraqis have assumed the security lead for their country. “We are now focused on building a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people, while keeping our commitment to remove the rest of our troops by the end of next year,” he said.

While drawing down nearly 100,000 troops in Iraq, the United States has “refocused on defeating al-Qaida and denying its affiliates a safe haven,” the president said.

He cited operations in Afghanistan, where the United States and its coalition partners are pursuing a strategy “to break the Taliban’s momentum and build the capacity of Afghanistan’s government and security forces.” This, he told the U.N. body, will ensure the transition to Afghan security responsibility can begin in July.

Obama called these transitions blueprints for a new security approach that will demand fewer U.S. boots on the ground.

“From South Asia to the Horn of Africa, we are moving toward a more targeted approach, one that strengthens our partners and dismantles terrorist networks without deploying large American armies,” he said.

Meanwhile, as the United States and its allies “pursue the world’s most dangerous extremists, we’re also denying them the world’s most dangerous weapons and pursuing the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons,” Obama said.

He noted international nonproliferation cooperation, with 47 nations agreeing earlier this year to a plan to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials within four years. The president also cited the United States’ and Russia’s signing of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which he called “the most comprehensive arms-control treaty in decades.”

Obama said he also reached out to Iran as part of the nonproliferation agenda, emphasizing that Iran must be held accountable for failing to live up to its international responsibilities.

“Iran is the only partner to the [nonproliferation treaty] that cannot demonstrate the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program,” he said. “And those actions have consequences.” Obama cited sanctions imposed by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929 as a clear message to Tehran that “international law is not an empty promise.”

The United States and the international community hope to resolve their differences with Iran, Obama said, and the door to diplomacy remains open if Iran will to agree to it. “But the Iranian government must demonstrate a clear and credible commitment and confirm to the world the peaceful intent of its nuclear program,” he added.

Much of the president’s speech was devoted to pressing for progress in the Middle East peace talks and for the United Nations to do more to promote economic development and human rights.

“We stand up for universal values because it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “But we also know from experience that those who defend these values for their people have been our closest friends and allies, while those who have denied those rights – whether terrorist groups or tyrannical governments – have chosen to be our adversaries.”

Afghan, Coalition Forces Pursue Taliban Commanders

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2010 – Afghan and coalition forces continued their pursuit of Taliban commanders in recent operations, taking numerous insurgents into custody in the process, military officials reported.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand province yesterday while in pursuit of a Taliban commander operating in the province’s Nawah-ye Barakzai district. The commander is responsible for conducting roadside-bomb attacks and kidnapping Afghan civilians, and is being considered to replace the former district commander, who was detained by an Afghan-led force in August.

-- ISAF officials confirmed the capture of a Taliban commander and two associates operating in Marja in Helmand province. The Taliban commander, who also facilitated supplies for area fighters, was captured during a Sept. 21 Afghan and coalition operation. The security force also found 45 pounds of wet opium, which often is illegally trafficked to fund the insurgency.

-- In Zabul province’s Shah Joy district yesterday, Afghan and coalition forces detained two suspected insurgents during their continued pursuit of a Taliban facilitator involved in obtaining components for remote-controlled roadside-bombs.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces detained several suspected insurgents in Khost province yesterday while in pursuit of a senior Haqqani terrorist network facilitator responsible for procuring bomb-making materials for use throughout the Paktika, Paktia and Khost region. Coalition forces conducted a precision air strike targeting the facilitator in a remote area s in the Shamul district. A follow-on ground force learned the facilitator was wounded in the strike and was taken from the area. The security force then detained several suspected insurgents for further questioning.

Afghan and coalition forces protect any women and children present during their searches, officials said.

Meanwhile, two roadside bombs injured at least 15 Afghan civilians in Jalalabad last night. Insurgents have been directly targeting Afghan civilians and putting bombs in places where Afghans travel, work and gather in large numbers, said Navy Rear Adm. Greg Smith, ISAF director of communications. Yesterday’s attack occurred near the district prosecutor’s office in the Nangahar provincial capital.

“We condemn this callous attack against the Afghan people,” Smith said. “It is another demonstration of insurgents’ contempt for innocent civilians. Our sympathies are with the families and friends of those harmed by this attack. ISAF stands shoulder to shoulder with our Afghan partners, and together we will continue to drive the insurgents out of areas where they can hurt the Afghan people.”

Insurgents commonly employ tactics that result in indiscriminate violence, as evidenced by their frequent use of roadside bombs, Smith said. Through mid-September, insurgent bombs had killed and wounded about 1,500 innocent civilians, he added.

General Discusses Changes to Initial Army Training

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2010 – Army basic training is where the service takes a young man or woman straight from civilian life and, in 10 weeks, transforms that person into a soldier.

For enlisted personnel, basic training is a rite of passage.

But the rite is not static. In America’s ninth straight year of war, Army basic training has changed again to adapt to the conflicts the country is in and the changing nature of American youth, said Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, chief of initial entry training at the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command.

Hertling, who spoke about the changes at the Defense Writers’ Group here, yesterday, previously commanded the 1st Armored Division and Multinational Division North in Iraq.

More than a year ago, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of Training and Doctrine Command, tasked Hertling to look at what the Army was doing in training to see if the service was keeping up with operations. “He wanted me to take a look at the ‘danger zones’ for what we’re missing and what we’re doing,” the general said.

He also examined what the service is doing to address the training needs of this generation.

The scope of the effort is huge. All soldiers go through some form of initial training, whether it is basic training for enlisted personnel or the basic course for warrant and commissioned officers. Hertling’s playbook includes advanced individual training. All told, the Army trains 160,000 soldiers per year.

“That is about the amount that the Air Force, Navy and Marines train combined,” Hertling said. “The training base covers 37 different installations, and we run the gamut from training an infantryman to training a plumber.”

In training, the Army concentrates on three different areas: skills, values and attributes. The skills piece is everything a soldier needs to do, from “shoot to salute,” the general said. Values training, he said, focuses on everything that makes up the Army culture, and the attributes area refers to recruits’ physical and mental capabilities.

“What we’ve seen over eight years of war is a lot of people saying, ‘Train this,’ and there has been a constant deluge of things to train,” he said. “But the time is limited, and there needs to be a determination on what is a common subject that all soldiers must learn, and what is best taught at the unit.”

Soldiers deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan need to concentrate on counterinsurgency, he said, while those going to Europe or the Korean peninsula need to concentrate on combined arms operations. “In either case,” he added, “the unit is the best school.”

When he arrived, Hertling said, the basic training program of instruction listed tasks that took up 785.5 hours. But basic training had only 660 hours available. “So we were trying to shove 780 hours of instruction into a 660-hour block, and it’s just physically impossible,” he said. “So I went around to the drill sergeants and asked, ‘What aren’t you teaching?’

“As I delved into things,” he continued, “I found we weren’t teaching some of the things we should have been, and drill sergeants were taking the lessons they personally learned from the checkpoint in Bagram, or the cordon-and-search in Diyala or the road guard they were doing in Tikrit, and they were saying, ‘This is the most important thing, because this is what I experienced.’ It may not be what the kid experiences when he gets to his first unit of assignment.”

So Hertling and his staff looked at standardizing what the Army included in training and refining the program of instruction. They rammed the revised program through the training command’s bureaucracy in four and a half months – near record time – and today all basic training posts are using the new program.

The study showed some challenges. Physical training of recruits has been made tougher in this generation, just as many elementary and high schools in America have eliminated physical education. Computer games and other sedentary activities have grown in popularity, as youth participation in sports has declined. The question, Hertling said, becomes how the Army trains a recruit who grew up in an environment “where we focus more on playing with their thumbs than playing with a bat, [and] where our nutrition standards are getting worse on a daily basis. How do you train them to hump a rucksack at 9,000 feet in the Hindu Kush?”

Physical training has changed to take into consideration that many of the recruits show up with less-dense bones than those a generation ago, Hertling said. Values training, he added, also has changed. The idea is more participatory and covers honoring the Army values in combat, on post and at home, Hertling said.

Some changes Hertling instituted have been controversial. The general eliminated bayonet training, and firing the .50-caliber machine gun. He said he heard the blowback from retirees and others who charged he did not understand the spirit of the bayonet.

“The last bayonet charge the U.S. Army participated in was 1951,” he said. “Also, in a counterinsurgency environment, you carry an M-4 carbine strapped around your chest. You can’t do much with a bayonet.

“What’s interesting though, is if bayonet training is that important and it’s the centerpiece of everything we do, why is it the only place it’s taught is at basic training?” he added. “If it’s that important, you’d think all the operational units would have bayonet assault courses.” Hertling noted that in 35 years in the Army, he has never seen a bayonet course except in basic training.

The new program also eliminates convoy live-fire operations. The exercise was pushed into basic training after the early days in Iraq when a supply convoy was ambushed. But defending a convoy is invariably a team project. Teammates need to work together and train together to be successful. Hertling argues that this training is best done by the units.

Army leaders understand that today’s generation learns differently, Hertling said, pointing out that young recruits are more dependent on smart phones and work with the Internet almost instinctively. The Army, he said, is responding with applications for their hand-held devices.

An application called “Apps for the Army” lists everything a soldier needs to know. While it can be read, other portions are spoken, and still others have video. “It’s the way this generation learns,” he said. “They are a multi-tasking generation.”

Overall, Hertling said, his mission is to send to units “a soldier who is disciplined, understands the skills and values and has the physical attributes, and we’ve only got 10 weeks to do it.”

Afghan Women Earn Army Commissions

By Ian Graham

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2010 – In a sign of the changing face of Afghanistan’s security forces, a new class of female officer candidates accepted commissions into the Afghan army today.

Army Capt. Janis Lullen and Army 1st Sgt. Kristin J. Norton from the 95th Training Division of NATO Training Mission Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan joined a “DOD Live” bloggers roundtable to discuss the first graduating class of female officer candidates and their efforts in training future female army officers for the Afghan army.

The 20-week course began in May. Before enrollment, women are required to have completed at least a high school education. Of the 29 graduating students, Lullen said, about 20 percent have a college degree. The next class is scheduled to have as many as 150 students.

The students were recruited from across Afghanistan, and represent the many ethnic groups that live in the nation.

“As far as how the women in Afghanistan as a whole are educated, I honestly cannot answer that,” Lullen said. “But for the women that did come into the female OCS course, yes, they were intelligent, and they were educated.”

The first weeks of the five-month course were designed to successfully transition officer candidates into a military environment. Norton said a vital element, physical fitness, was the most difficult, but the trainees were eager and completed the training despite its difficulty.

“They had never been in any type of military realm, ever,” Norton said. “So, of course, the physical fitness was a huge part of it, and then also getting them to understand the concept of time management. Also, [we worked on] getting them to the concept of taking ownership -- if you're going to be the class leader, lead the class.

“We molded the students into realizing that, ‘You are no longer just a civilian. You're in the military now, and the military has a structure that we have to follow,’” she added.

The curriculum is identical to men’s courses. The trainees also got classroom training on assault rifles: the M-16, M-240 and M-249. They also trained with M-9 handguns.

Following the first eight weeks, the female officer candidates transitioned to specialty training in logistics and finance before receiving their commissions as second lieutenants.

“We've taken them through 12 weeks of branch-specific training in both finance and logistics, and these ladies are very intelligent,” Lullen said. “They are up for the task.”

The women join the Afghan army in the face of a very conservative view on gender roles in Afghan society. Lullen and Norton said they’ve risen to their status in spite of that, and it hasn’t been easy.

“So far with the [Afghan soldiers] that we have worked with, it has been very accepted, but we can't gauge for how it's going to be accepted by everybody,” Norton acknowledged. “To gauge how widespread it will be, it's hard for us to say. That's a call we can't make at this point.”

Lullen said because the Afghan army still is mentor-heavy, the women will have some support in the form of NATO advisors. They won’t be “thrown to the wolves,” she said.

Norton said she volunteered for the job because she wanted to be a part of history. Lullen agreed, noting that training the first round of female officers in the Afghan army is a big step in the nation’s military development, and adding that she’s proud to be part of the process.

“I think that's why we all volunteered to do it,” Norton added. “It was just invigorating to watch these girls grow. I mean, they really came a long way, … and we're excited to see what they do in the [army] in the future.”

Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of five soldiers who died in a helicopter crash Sept. 21 during combat operations in Zabul province, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. All soldiers were assigned to 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Killed were:

Maj. Robert F. Baldwin, 39, of Muscatine, Iowa.

Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Wagstaff, 34, of Orem, Utah.

Chief Warrant Officer Jonah D. McClellan, 26, of St. Louis Park, Minn.

Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 25, of Pleasant Plains, Ill.

Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr., 23, of Elkhart, Ind.

Baldwin was assigned to the brigade headquarters; Wagstaff, McClellan and Calhoun were assigned to the 5th Battalion; and Powell was assigned to the 6th Battalion.

Navy Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four sailors who died in a helicopter crash Sept. 21 during combat operations in the Zabul province, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Killed were:

Lt. (SEAL) Brendan J. Looney, 29, of Owings, Md., assigned to a West Coast-based SEAL Team.

Senior Chief Petty Officer David B. McLendon, 30, of Thomasville, Ga., assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit.

Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Adam O. Smith, 26, of Hurland, Mo., assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL Team.

Petty Officer 3rd Class (SEAL) Denis C. Miranda, 24, of Toms River, N.J., assigned to an East Coast-based SEAL Team.

For further information related to this release, contact Lt. Arlo Abrahamson at 757-763-2007 or 757-620-3109.

Afghan, Coalition Forces Target Insurgents

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2010 – Numerous insurgents were killed or captured in recent partnered operations conducted by Afghan and coalition forces in various provinces of Afghanistan, military officials reported.

-- Afghan and coalition forces killed 25 to 30 insurgents during an engagement near a combat outpost in Khost province’s Sperah district yesterday. The engagement occurred after insurgent forces attacked the combined force with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. After positively identifying the insurgents maneuvering to attack the outpost, Afghan and coalition forces called for support from an attack weapons team, which engaged the insurgent firing positions, resulting in the insurgent casualties.

-- Today in Khost, a tip led Afghan and coalition forces to detain several insurgents known to facilitate roadside-bomb attacks.

-- In Ghazni province overnight, Afghan and coalition security forces captured a high-level Taliban facilitator who planned and coordinated attacks targeting recent elections. The facilitator, who is associated with foreign fighters, was detained during an intelligence-driven and Afghan-led operation. The security force found and destroyed automatic weapons, grenades, ammunition magazines and a shotgun at the scene.

-- Multiple intelligence reports and tips from local residents led Afghan and coalition forces to a suspected insurgent compound associated with a high-level Taliban target in central Helmand province yesterday. One insurgent was killed and several more were detained during the operation. The insurgent was killed when he tried to engage the combined forces as they were moving to secure the targeted compound. The target of the search was a member of the Taliban military commission who has a number of significant subcommanders, officials said. He also is a key facilitator of ammunition and weapons and has claimed responsibility for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces throughout the province’s Lashkah Ghar district.

-- International Security Assistance Force officials confirmed an Afghan and coalition security force killed Abdul Ahad, who planned suicide-bomber attacks, in central Helmand yesterday. In addition to planning attacks, officials said, Ahad also commanded a local Taliban cell. Acting on tips from Afghan civilians and intelligence reports, the security force also detained several suspected insurgents during the operation and killed two armed insurgents who ran away from the compound to a nearby wooded area and presented hostile intent.

-- Also in Helmand, several insurgents were targeted today when they were seen arming roadside bombs and firing mortars at Afghan and coalition forces. Two armed insurgents were seen arming bombs on a road, then camouflaging their motorcycle and hiding in an area overlooking the road. Afghan and coalition forces approached them, and the insurgents were killed when they attempted to engage the force. A nearby group of insurgents that appeared to be supporting the bomb-planting team engaged the force with mortar fire. Due to the terrain and position of the insurgent mortar team, the Afghan and coalition force was unable to engage with direct-fire weapons, so they called for close-air support. The resulting air strike killed one insurgent and wounded another. The wounded insurgent was treated for his injuries and taken by Afghan authorities for processing.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces apprehended three suspected insurgents in Helmand province yesterday while in pursuit of a Taliban commander operating in Marja who facilitates supplies for area fighters. The security force also found 45 pounds of wet opium, which often is sold to fund the insurgency.

-- Acting on tips from Afghan civilians and intelligence reports, an Afghan and coalition security force detained three suspected insurgents in central Helmand yesterday. As the security force was securing the suspected insurgent compound, two armed insurgents were seen running to a nearby wooded area. When the two insurgents showed hostile intent, the security force shot and killed them.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces captured a Taliban commander in Logar province yesterday who directed complex attacks against Afghan civilians and Afghan and coalition forces. He also commanded fighters in Logar affiliated with Hezb-E Gulbuddin, a group seeking to establish a fundamentalist caliphate in Afghanistan. Two of his associates also were detained, and the security force destroyed grenades, an assault rifle and bomb-making materials found at the scene.

-- A partnered Afghan and ISAF patrol conducted a precision air strike in on the outskirts of Kandahar City in southern Afghanistan yesterday, killing six insurgents who had fired mortars on their position during dismounted operations. A search of the area yielded four roadside bombs and 40 pounds of explosive material.

-- Afghan and coalition security forces captured two Taliban facilitators operating in Kandahar City during an overnight operation in Kandahar province. The security force first targeted a facilitator known to distribute military equipment and roadside bombs to area Taliban fighters. After questioning residents at the scene, the security force identified and detained the facilitator, along with several of his associates. The security force then targeted a nearby compound in pursuit of the second facilitator, responsible for collecting information relevant to the Taliban information campaign in Kandahar City. After questioning residents at the scene, the security force identified and detained him.

-- Acting on a tip, an Afghan and coalition security force found and cleared nearly about 15 pounds of explosives hidden in a clock in a mosque in Kandahar City today.

-- Acting on multiple intelligence reports and tips from Afghan civilians, an Afghan and coalition security force detained a senior Taliban commander in Kunduz province yesterday. Maulawi Roshan is a known senior Taliban command in the Gore Tapa area of Kunduz, as well as six surrounding districts. He is reported to be a senior member of the Taliban provincial commission and acts as an illegitimate judge for the Taliban in the area. He has also been the deputy to the shadow governor of Kunduz province and has strong ties to senior Taliban leadership in Pakistan. He also has been linked to a wide range of criminal activities, including setting up illegal checkpoints to extort money from Afghan citizens to finance insurgent activities. With his unique ties to Pakistan, he also is a vital link in the facilitation of materials for roadside bombs and recruiting suicide bombers, officials said.

Air Force Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Senior Airman Michael J. Buras, 23, of Fitzgerald, Ga., died Sept. 21 of wounds suffered as the result of an improvised explosive device detonation in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 99th Civil Engineer Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

For more information media may contact the Nellis Air Force Base public affairs office at 702-652-2750.

Marine Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Joshua S. Ose, 19, of Hernando, Miss., died Sept. 20 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Division public affairs office at 910-449-9925 or http://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndmardiv/Pages/Media/default.aspx.

More Troops Provide ‘Game-Changer’ in Afghanistan

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2010 – The addition of U.S. forces in northern Afghanistan has changed the face of the NATO mission there, the top U.S. commander for the NATO International Security Assistance Force element in the region said today.

The additional troops – some 6,000-plus – come from 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team and 4th Infantry Division’s 4th Combat Aviation Brigade. The added forces are having a positive effect in security efforts as well as in training Afghan soldiers and police, Army Col. Sean Mulholland, deputy commander of Regional Command North, told Pentagon reporters in a video news conference from his headquarters in Afghanistan.

“That has been a game-changer up here,” Mulholland said.

The colonel explained that the 10th Mountain Division troops aren’t responsible for any particular battle space. Rather, he said, they are partnered with Afghan police under the command and control of provincial reconstruction teams, which are led by State Department civilians.

“[Their] major task is to raise the level or capability of the Afghan National Police, and they’ve done a great job so far,” he said. “With the 4th CAB, they’ve brought a lot of combat power, a lot of agility, a lot of movement and mobility, and obviously more freedom of action, to include casualty evacuation for coalition forces, [Afghan soldiers] and Afghan civilians.”

About 11,000 troops from 16 nations make up the Regional Command North footprint. Maj. Gen. Hans-Werner Fritz of the German army is the top commander there.

Troop numbers there will remain at the current level, with no expectation for a mission change or withdrawal in the near future, Mulholland said.

President Barack Obama’s July 2011 timeline and guidance from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, Mulholland explained, represents the date in which leaders and policy makers will begin to discuss transition.

“I don’t see any kind of drastic drawdowns forthcoming in the next few years,” Mulholland said. “It’s going to have to be a timed, phased withdrawal, obviously taking security into account.”

Mulholland declined to speculate when Afghan forces would take the lead in northern Afghanistan, but he did say he is impressed by the progress of Afghan soldiers and police. NATO troops have grown confident in their Afghan counterparts, he said.

“I've had four tours here in Afghanistan,” the colonel said. “The first tour, [Afghan soldiers and police] were not up to standard. This fourth tour, I come back and I am absolutely surprised at the quality of their training that they're now receiving. They are really starting to peak in terms of officer and [noncommissioned officer] professional development and leader training.

“The other factor is the partnering,” he added. “General Petraeus is absolutely on top of and emphasizing partnering with our Afghan partners, whether it be police, Afghan border police or Afghan National Army.

“Everyone understands that in ISAF and understands the standards of partnering,” he continued. “So I think we, as ISAF, are getting better at partnering and helping our Afghan brothers improve in terms of combat [operations] and security [operations].”

Taliban Fighters Seek Reintegration, Officers Say

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2010 – Taliban fighters in northern Afghanistan are tired of fighting U.S. and international forces and are looking to reintegrate back into society, the top military commanders of the NATO International Security Assistance Force element in the region said today.

Maj. Gen. Hans-Werner Fritz of the German army, commander of the International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command North, and his deputy, U.S. Army Col. Sean Mulholland, briefed Pentagon reporters today in a video news conference from their headquarters in Afghanistan.

NATO troops in the region appear to have the upper hand, Mulholland said, underscoring the progress and success of their Afghan partnerships. These efforts, he added, are limiting the Taliban’s resources and have helped to diminish their will to fight.

Taliban fighters in northern Afghanistan are working with limited supplies, indicating to U.S. and international forces there that extremists possibly are conceding defeat.

“What I see with the Taliban is that their resources are finite,” Mulholland said. “Our forces, with our partners, are going after a lot of the supply lines, the rat lines that come through [Regional Command] North.

In many areas, a tipping point appears near for Taliban fighters who are thinking about giving up, the colonel added.

One of Mulholland’s responsibilities as deputy commander involves talking about reintegration issues with Taliban in the region. Many are weary of fighting, he said.

“I deal with a lot of issues where we talk to the Taliban that don’t want to fight anymore,” he said. “And I get a better sense from former fighters that they’re tired of fighting.”

Some fighters remain opposed to giving up, he said, but they are mostly senior Taliban and extremist leaders. “There are Taliban that will never change their path,” he explained. “Those are hard targets that will never change their opinion about fighting ISAF and trying to disrupt the Afghan government. However, [with] the mid-level fighters, there are many opportunities to persuade them. As we get it better with governance and development and security up here, … there are many opportunities to persuade them to take another path.”

The local populace also is growing weary of the violence and fighting, Fritz said.

“Talking to the people in the villages, my impression is these people are war-tired,” the general said. “What they want to have is a little bit of peace. They want to have security. And they want to see their children growing up.”

The main goal of coalition and Afghan troops in the north is to bring down the level of violence, Fritz said. Violence did spike during the summer, as it did throughout much of the country, but troops are hopeful about the future, he added.

Fritz commands about 11,000 troops from 16 nations. All have faced harsh combat in recent months, but that is due to the increased footprint of coalition troops, which are “provoking” Taliban actions, he said.

“It’s been tough fighting,” he said. “The Taliban, they are serious enemies. On the other hand, I must say that our troops are doing very, very well. They are highly motivated. They are a good partner. We are one team.”

Germany recently increased the number of its troops in Afghanistan to 5,000. Fritz said his nation will be involved in Afghanistan as long as they are needed.

There is no reason to expect German troops to withdraw forces, Fritz said. He added that he expects no change in NATO or U.S. troop levels or their mission in the near future, he said.

“I can tell you that cooperation between all of us is so close, it couldn’t be closer,” the general said. “I can only say I am very, very optimistic that we are on the right track and things are getting better.”