AAF Fly-Away Security Team Training

Eight Afghan Air Force security forces airmen graduated from the first Kabul Air Wing Fly-Away Security training course. The five-day training consisted of six Mi-17 helicopter insertions and extractions. The Mi-17 was operated by Afghan pilots. The training enables the security team to conduct both aerial and ground operations. The training was assisted by advisors from the 439th Air Expeditionary Advising Squadron. Read more in "Kabul Afghan Airmen complete FAST training", U.S. Air Force news release, January 7, 2015.

Video - 789th EOD to Deploy to Afghanistan

The 789th Explosive Ordinance Disposal Company from Fort Benning, GA will deploy to Afghanistan to advise and assist the Afghan EOD units, and also to provide support for US military Soldiers active in the region. A news video depicting their departure is posted on YouTube by the Ledger Enquirer. (2 mins long).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i07qVJKKx8

Sharing Intel and Maps with the ANSF

One of the biggest problems confronting Intelligence Advisors of Security Force Assistance Advisory Teams (SFAATs) working in Afghanistan was/is the sharing of intelligence and maps with their Afghan intelligence counterpart. Most Intel was/is classified and as such - cannot be turned over to the ANSF unless it is re-packaged by a Foreign Disclosure Officer (FDO). Using an FDO is a time-consuming event and there are only so many FDOs in theater. The same is true of maps. The maps used by the U.S. and in some cases the Coalition are marked with classifications and are not releasable (in most instances) to the ANSF. An awkward situation at best. Everyone knows that intelligence drives operations in a counterinsurgency effort. ISAF wanted the ANSF to take the lead in the fighting but we didn't want to or couldn't share intelligence or maps with the ANSF.

U.S. Army Special Forces are used to working with NATO and non-NATO partners around the world. To be effective the SF teams need to be able to share intelligence with their partnered units. One work around was to use mapping software (such as iSpatial by Thermopylae) that was commercially available. A retired SF officer, Stuart Bradin, was one person who encountered this problem and helped to find a work-around. Read more on this topic in "How US Special Forces Uses Google Maps", Defense One, January 7, 2015.

SIGAR Report on ANA Camp Commando

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has issued a report on construction projects undertaking to provide power and facilities to Camp Commando. This camp, located on the outskirts of Kabul, used to be called Camp Morehead when it was run by the U.S. Special Forces. (The camp was named after MSG Kevin Morehead). It seems that the generators do not function properly, fueling points are unused, and a dining facility is drastically overcrowded.

Read a news report entitled "Watchdog: Afghan commando camp plagued with electricity and refueling problems", The Washington Post, January 8, 2015. You can view the SIGAR report online at the link below.  See ANA Camp Commando Phase II: Power Plant and Fuel Point Not Fully Operational Nearly Two Years after Project Completion, SIGAR 15-25 Inspection Report, January 2015. www.sigar.mil/pdf/inspections/SIGAR-15-25-IP.pdf

AAN: What comes in 2015 for Afghanistan?

An author, observer of Afghanistan, and co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) - Martine van Bijlert - provides us with a review of the past year (2014) in Afghanistan and a glimpse of the future. Read After the Rollercoaster Comes What? Afghanistan in 2015?, Afghanistan Analysts Network, January 7, 2015.

SACEUR Visits Afghanistan

General Phil Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, visited Kabul and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan on January 6-8, 2015 to speak with senior Afghan officials and troops to get a firsthand look at NATO's new Resolute Support mission. Breedlove met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah as well as NATO and Afghan National Security Force leaders. Read more in "SACEUR Visits Resolute Support", NATO Allied Command Operations, January 8, 2015.

North Waziristan: A Reading List

Alex Strick Van Linschoten has posted a reading list for North Waziristan. A very comprehensive listing of books, reports, news articles, and websites.

www.alexstrick.com/a-different-place/2014/12/north-waziristan-a-reading-list

Daily News Snippets (Jan 8, 2015)

Candace Karp and Michael O'Hanlon have penned an article about the future of Afghanistan. They believe that the mission is on the verge of being successful. But it could easily fail if the international community proceeds on its current plan of complete withdrawal by the end of 2016. Read their article entitled "Protecting the Gains in Afghanistan", The Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2015.

A story in a German newspaper examines the past year in Afghanistan and looks at what can be accomplished over the next two years in the newly started Resolute Support mission. Read "What can NATO's new Afghanistan mission achieve?", Deutsche Welle (DW), January 6, 2015.

The new Army Operating Concept (AOC) rolled out this year helps the Army to assess the current threat climate and then to help the Army plan for the future. The commanding general for Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), General David G. Perkins, has an article in Army AL&T Magazine (January-March 2015) explaining the AOC. Read "Win in a Complex World - But How?", pages 106 to 115.

http://usaascinfo.info/docs/armyalt-jan-mar-2015.pdf

Michael Kugelman writes for Foreign Policy that four big items will need to be addressed in Afghanistan in 2015. They are the Kabul Bank scandal, Uzbek militancy, abandoned U.S. military hardware, and unexploded devices. Read his article published on January 7, 2015.

Jim Fallows recently wrote a long article in The Atlantic about the U.S. military and it was well-received by some and raised eyebrows with others. Read one critique in "Not so Chickenhawk: Pushing Back Against Fallows", War on the Rocks, January 7, 2015.

A roadside bomb killed a Uruzgan policeman on January 8, 2015.

General Philip Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander - Europe, says that the U.S. must be prepared for more casualties in the new Resolute Support mission. (Stars and Stripes, Jan 8, 2015).

The government of Afghanistan has approved special military operations in and effort to tackle the terrorist activities of insurgents. The approval came during a meeting of the Afghan National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. (Khaama Press, Jan 8, 2015).

The Institute of Land Warfare has published an article entitled "Terrorists, Insurgents and the Lessons of History" by Richard Lee dated 22 Dec 2014. Available here.

An argument against a military draft of U.S. citizens is made by Harvey Sapolsky - a Professor of Public Policy and Administration at MIT. He says that our current military is better than a draft military. What the U.S. needs to do - he says - is to start paying a higher percentage of its GNP for the military. Read more in "The One Percent Problem", E-International Relations, January 5, 2015.

The 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron was inactivated on January 1, 2015 on Bagram Airfield. The men and women of the 455th EAPS were charged with the responsibility of coordinating the bi-directional movement of assets from the U.S. to Bagram and Bagram to nearby forward operating bases. It also, most recently, assisted in the huge retrograde operation over the past 18 months. Read more in a news release by the U.S. Air Force (Jan 7, 2015).

Soldiers of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's Battery B, 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery, 45th Field Artillery Brigade has returned home after duty in Afghanistan. Read more in a news release (Edmonsun.com, Jan 7, 2015).

Blog Post Writers Wanted

The Afghan War News Blog and the Afghan War News website are constantly striving to keep its blog, daily newsletter, and website factual, current, and relevant. If you have a link to a website or document you feel should be shared with the greater community then please send it to us. In addition, we are looking for individuals with some knowledge, experience, and expertise in Afghanistan on a wide range of topics to contribute blog posts and articles to our blog and add content to our website. And naturally, if you see errors, outdated information, or broken links please let us know.

staff@afghanwarnews.info

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ANP & AAF Conduct MEDEVAC Training

Rotary wing air evacuation training was recently conducted for members of the Afghan Border Police (ABP) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) in Nangarhar province. The one-day training event held in December 2014 covered aircraft familiarization, ambulance procedures around the aircraft, movement of patients and loading and unloading litters. The Afghan Air Force (AAF) had a Mi-17 on hand for the training. U.S. aviation and medical advisors were on hand to observe the training and provide insight with their training and experience. Read more in "Police Advisory Team, Afghan National Police, and Afghan Air Force complete air evacuation training", DVIDS, January 1, 2015. (Photo by Capt Matthew Kukta, 3d Cavalry Regiment Public Affairs Office).

4 Airmen Disciplined after Friendly Fire Incident

Four U.S. Air Force airmen were disciplined through administrative means for their role in a friendly fire incident last June in Afghanistan where five U.S. Army Soldiers and one Afghan Soldier died during a Special Forces operation in Zabul province. The incident took place on June 9, 2014 when a B-1B Lancer dropped two bombs on the Special Forces position. The aircrew incorrectly thought the bomber's Sniper pod could detect the infrared strobes carried by the Soldiers on the ground. This, as well as other miscues, caused the six deaths. Read more in "4 airmen disciplined after June friendly fire incident in Afghanistan", Air Force Times, January 7, 2015.

But  wait . . . there is more. It seems that the "discipline through administrative means" is not quite as harsh as it seems. Another news report says that "Air Force clears crew in 'friendly fire' deaths", The Washington Times, January 7, 2015.  According to the Air Force the mistakes by its B1-B air crew when they targeted the American Soldiers did not directly cause the Afghan Wars's worst case of 'friendly fire' casualties. A CENTCOM investigation conducted by a two-star Air Force general place the blame on the SF team. Meanwhile, the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Commander, LTG Charles Cleveland, has cleared the team leader and team sergeant of the SF team of wrongdoing - attributing the blame on the Air Force JTAC attached to the team and the B-1B air crew. Supporters of the A-10 point to this incident as an example of why the Air Force needs to keep the Warthog as the primary close air support aircraft.

Pakistan: Waiver or Certification?

In order for the United States to provide financial aid to Pakistan the State Department has to certify that Pakistan is doing what is mandated by US law. Certification means that Pakistan is combating terrorism and is going after the Haqqani Network, the Quetta Shura and other terrorist or insurgent groups found within its borders. If "certification" is not provided then the State Department can provide a "waiver". Either way, the U.S. provides the financial aid and Pakistan can continue to support the insurgent groups conducting operations against the Coalition (including U.S. troops) and the Afghan National Security Forces. Since 9/11 the U.S. has provided Pakistan with $28 billion. Read more in "Money for nothing & weapons for free", Economic Times (India),  January 7, 2015.

Dismantling of Bagram Air Base

The retrograde of U.S. personnel, vehicles, and equipment has been ongoing for the last few years. Hundreds of small and large Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) have been closed or transferred to the Afghan security forces. Those remaining bases - Herat, Camp Marmal at Mezar-e-Sharif, Kandahar Air Base, and Bagram Air Field are collapsing their perimeters and demolishing living and work areas. Read about the transformation of Bagram Air Field in "What Afghanistan's Largest Military Base Looks Like Now", Business Insider,, January 6, 2015.

EUPOL and Rule of Law

EUPOL has posted an explanation of their Line of Operation 3 (LO3) for training up the Afghan National Police. LO3 is the Rule of Law Component and it is further sub-divided into the Police-Justice Linkages Unit and the Legal Reform Unit. Read more in "EUPOL's new Lines of Operation explained: Rule of Law", January 6, 2015.

Assessment of ANSF

Franz-Stefan Gady, an Associate Editor with The Diplomat, provides us with his assessment of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). For all their flaws, he believes there is reason to think Afghanistan's security forces can hold their ground. They will likely be successful in maintaining control of the major population areas and the major lines of communication. Some districts will remain in control of the Taliban. Some ANSF units will come to an accommodation with the insurgents. But the Taliban cannot take over the country. Read more in "Can the Afghan Army Prevail on the Battlefield?", The Diplomat, January 7, 2015.

Article - "Why Soldiers Miss War"

Participating in a war has a great effect on people and some have trouble recovering. Many suffer from varying degrees of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while others just miss the experience and adventure of the war. Some PTSD experts say many experience a combination of both. Some are able to leave it all behind. I don't know for sure as I am not an expert on the topic. Many Afghan veterans spent the war on large FOBs behind large concrete walls - seeing little combat; although some of these "fobbits" were on the receiving end of daily rocket attacks. FOB Shank in Logar province was referred to as "rocket city". Then there are the combat veterans who drove the IED-seeded roads or fought the many small combat engagements from isolated outposts scattered across the Afghan countryside. In the last few years the troops have been participating in advisory missions. One thing is for sure, over the course of the 13-year long war - everyone's experience is different and unique and yet there is a lot of commonality. In addition, upon returning to the states - there is a varied reaction to no longer being in the war. Some combat veterans certainly miss the war; others not so much.

One writer tries to capture this aspect of the Afghan War. He writes about rocket attacks on FOB Shank and then goes on to discuss PTSD. He explains to us that returning combat veterans see life a little bit different from the other 99% of the U.S. population who are not in the military. And he explains PTSD in a different manner than I have heard before; but with which I can certainly understand.

Read Nolan Peterson's piece entitled "Why soldiers miss war", posted on Blue Force Tracker, January 4, 2015.

www.blueforcetracker.com/article/Why-soldiers-miss-war

Paper - JIIM Approach to IW

An extensive paper has been posted on the Small Wars Journal entitled "Countering 21st Center Threats: The Need for an Increased Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental and Multinational (JIIM) Approach to Irregular Warfare." The three authors are a diverse group: a commander in the ROK Navy, a major in the Danish Army, and a major in the U.S. Army. It is a long paper full of information to include a bibliography as well as 53 footnotes. The paper makes several recommendations worth considering.

Read or download the paper off the SWJ website.

A-T Solutions Wins TREX RSM CJ7 Contract

A-T Solutions has won the NATO Resolute Support Mission contract to provide advisory and assistance services to support the Resolute Support Combined Joint Staff 7 - Training and Exercises section. This is more informally known as RSM CJ-7 TREX. The company will develop, design and present field training material and course to ISAF/RS advisors on advisory skills, cultural awareness, insider threat, security force assistance (SFA) and other subjects. Read more in a news release at Business Wire, January 7, 2015.

Afghan News Snippets (Jan 8, 2014)

The Wall Street Journal reports (Jan 6, 2015) that China is creating a new avenue for Afghan peace talks. The Chinese are hosting a delegation of Afghan Taliban officials. 

The Afghan public is becoming increasingly frustrated with the delay in forming the Afghan cabinet. Read more in "Afghan Cabinet Delay Creates Pessimism", Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, January 7, 2015.

A news story about the Train, Advise, and Assist (TAA) effort at Tactical Base Gamberi is provided by Kay Johnson in "Smaller NATO mission has big job to train Afghan army in time", Reuters, January 7, 2015.

A bombing in the city of Jalalabad, Nangarhar province killed a judge who served in the neighboring province of Laghman. The bomb was attached to the judge's car by a passing vehicle (magnetic?). (Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, Jan 7, 2015).

A commentator writes about the newly released movie "American Sniper" - about the Navy SEAL Chris Kyle - and the disconnect that America has with the people who fight in the nation's wars. Read more in "If Only America Cared About Actual Wars as Much as War Movies", Defense One, January 6, 2015.

Jim Michaels, a writer, has penned an article that tells us Afghan women's gains are in jeopardy as U.S. troops leave. (USA Today, Jan 6, 2015).

Six employees of a construction firm were shot dead in northern Baghlan province on Wednesday morning. (Afghanistan Times, Jan 7, 2015).

The house of the District Governor (DGov) of Sayed Abad district in Maidan Wardak province was set on fire by the Taliban on Tuesday, Jan 7th. 

Two police officers were wounded in a Taliban suicide attack on a police training center in the eastern Afghan city of Khowst on January 7th. (Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, Jan 7, 2015).

Marines from Camp Lejeune are preparing for their deployment to Afghanistan. The 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company received word of their deployment and have been conducting pre-deployment training. (Marine Corps Times, Jan 6, 2015).

A funny YouTube spoof entitled "Civilians Try Military Food". Video depicts civilians trying MREs. Funny entertainment if you need some time away from work. The civilians express their appreciation for what deployed military members must endure. (3 mins). 

An asylum decision has been delayed for an Afghan military officer who skipped his training on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and tried to cross the border to Canada. (Military.com, Jan 6, 2015).

Are "functional physical fitness tests" in the future for the U.S. Army? Could happen. Read more in "Army Looking at New MOS-Specific PT Tests", Military.com, Jan 6, 2015.

EUPOL is beginning its next chapter in supporting the Afghan police by working at the strategic level. The EU mission mandate has been extended until the end of 2016. The new acting head of mission, Pia Stjernvall, provides us with her outlook on the EUPOL mission and its next chapter in Afghanistan in the years 2015-2016. (EUPOL, Jan 7, 2015).

Tolo News (AF) has wrote that the ANA are mounting a massive operation in Sangin district in southern Helmand province. (Jan 7, 2015).

A news report in a British media outlet provides info on the signal intelligence that the British GCHQ provided to its troops during the deployment to Helmand province. The GCHQ was credited with spoiling an attack on Camp Bastion. The GCHQ worked in 10 different secret listening posts in the province during the British deployment timeframe. (Gloucestershire Echo, January 6, 2015).

There has been a boom in counterfeit medicine in Afghanistan. The corruption and lack of border controls has opened the country up to a flood of substandard drugs that put poor, sick Afghans at risk. (The Guardian, January 7, 2015.)

A retired war veteran writes his thoughts about the end of the Afghan War in "The End of America's War in Afghanistan", U.S. Naval Institute, January 6, 2015.