Romanian Army Female Engagement Team (FET)

Females from PRT at FOB Shank, Logar province celebrate
International Women's Day (Photo MAJ Joel Anderson)

The use of Female Engagement Teams (FETs) in Afghanistan has grown over the past few years. The concept was originally started by the Marines in southwest Afghanistan. The Marines recognized that 50% of the Afghan population were women but because of the cultural aspects of Afghan society the male members of the Marines could not talk to Afghan women. This prevented the Marines from being able to interact with Afghan women, ask questions for information, and properly search and segregate women during military operations. The FETs provided a greater military capability. In addition, many times the FETs are used to build relationships with women villagers - especially in support of humanitarian or economic development projects that centered on advancing the economic status of women in a certain area. The FET concept soon spread to U.S. Special Forces with its training and fielding of Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) Then the U.S. Army fielded its Female Engagement Teams. Now other ISAF partners are fielding FETs as well - to include the Romanian Army. Read more about the Romanian Female Engagement Team (FET) operating in concert special operations forces in Logar province, Afghanistan in "Romanian FET hosts event for International Women's Day", DVIDS, March 20, 2013.