Defense Official Outlines U.S. Counternarcotic Achievements in Afghanistan

A defense official testified before Congress providing information on the counter-narcotics fight in Afghanistan. She outlined the achievements that have been made thus far, provided information on what two billion dollars has bought in terms of counter-drug effort and capability, and lent insight into the problems that lie ahead. Read more in "Afghanistan Counternarcotics Efforts Continue, Official Says", American Forces Press Service, February 6, 2014.

Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf - Potential President

A former warlord, Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf, could very well be the next president of Afghanistan after the April 2014 Afghan elections. He comes with a certain amount of baggage - human rights abuses (the Hazaras are not fond of him), associations with terrorist organizations, and he is an Islamic hardliner. However, as the leader of a Pashtun party that is very anti-Taliban he enjoys a lot of support politically within Afghanistan. He is famous as a jihadi leader of a Pashtun militia against the Russians during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Read more in "Former warlord launches campaign to succeed Karzai", The Washington Post, February 7, 2014.

Tie Between Combat Experience and Mental Health

A recent study provides evidence that there is a tie between a military members mental health and the amount of exposure to combat. As the combat experiences mount the problems of mental health grow. Read a report published by Mental Health Advisory Team 9 (MHAT 9), Afghanistan, 10 October 2013 posted here on armymedicine.mil.

White House Ponders a Post-2014 Afghanistan

There are a lot of opinions floating around the White House about what to do in Afghanistan post-2014. Zero Option, 10K, or just a few thousand are the proposals being floated. Some want Obama to plant the flag in the sand, declare victory, yank the flag out and leave Afghanistan completely (zero option), Vice President Biden wants a small counter-terrorism force of a few thousand left there to deal with the remnants of al Qaeda, and the generals are pushing for the 10K option which would allow for the counter-terrorism capability but also the advisory force that would conduct Security Force Assistance to the Afghan National Security Forces. Read more in "Old Tensions Resurface in Debate Over U.S. Role in Post-2014 Afghanistan", The New York Times, February 4, 2014.

5th Combat Service Support Kandak Receives Training at Camp Eagle, Afghanistan

Members of the 5th Combat Service Support (CSS) Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 205th Corps recently received training in logistics from American advisors. The course increased the ANA logistics capability which will improve sustainment and mobility of the other kandaks (battalions) in the 2nd Brigade. Training encompassed the ability to order, transport, and receive mission-essential equipment and supplies. The training provided by the advisors is geared to helping the ANA sustain itself in the future once the coalition withdraws. This is part of the shift from unit-based, combat-advising at the tactical level to advising along functional processes at lowest levels to the ministries (something that ISAF refers to as "functionally-based Security Force Assistance). Read more in "Sustainment and mobility: Afghans train on logistics for continued success", DVIDS, February 1, 2014.

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ISAF PR Campaign Against SIGAR

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has been writing reports that raise a lot of questions on the oversight the U.S. military, State Department, and USAID have on the billions of dollars flowing into the Afghan ministries. ISAF and USAID are fighting back - not so much by fixing the problems - but with an Information Operations campaign against SIGAR. Read more in "The Pentagon's PR War Against SIGAR", POGO Blog, February 4, 2012. View a PowerPoint presentation that General Dunford's staff prepared to depict how ISAF can deflect that SIGAR report findings here in the CAG Audit Plan of Action for SIGAR.

News on NTM-A Literacy Program

ISAF has provided us with another update on the Afghan National Security Forces literacy program. This news release is about the Darulaman Literacy Centre at the Regional Military Training Centre in Kabul. Read more in "NTM-A Literacy Program - building Afghanistan", DVIDS, February 8, 2014. It will make your heart pump fast and bring a glow to your cheeks. To rid yourself of the increased heart rate and the flushed appearance read a recent report by the Special Inspector General of Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) on the failures of the ANSF literacy program here.

Afghan Combined Arms Training Course Conducted for First Time - Improving CAI

The Afghan War started in the Fall of 2001 when a small group of CIA agents and several Special Forces teams assisted the Northern Alliance and some Pashtun resistance groups in overthrowing the Taliban regime. It is now 2014 - more than 13 years later - and we are now making great strides in the professionalization of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). For the first time (again, 13 years later) ISAF has assisted the Consolidated Fielding Centre (CFC) in the conduct of "the first ever Combined Arms Training course". The course was organized by mentors from NTM-A in partnership with the ANA Training and Education Command (ANATEC). In the shift from combat-oriented, unit-based advising to functionally-based Security Force Assistance (fbSFA) the advisors conducting Security Force Assistance are concentrating on five functional areas - Leadership, Command and Control, Combined Arms Integration, Training, and Sustainment. The Combined Arms Training course is an attempt to provide more professionalism in the Combined Arms Integration of the five functional pillars for ANSF development and sustainment. Read more in "ISAF and the ANSF focus on capability integration", DVIDS, February 8, 2014.

2nd MAW Returns from Afghan Deployment

Read about the return of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) to Cherry Point after a long deployment in Afghanistan. See "2nd MAW Fwd returns after year long deployment", DVIDS, February 8, 2014.

Sangin Valley Now Cleared - Ready for Elections

A good news story from the ISAF information gurus say that the Sangin Valley is now more safe as a result of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) clearing the valley prior to the elections. ANSF forces from the 2nd and 3rd Brigades of the 215th Corps along with members of the Afghan Uniform Police and other ANSF elements conducted the "completely Afghan-led operation" with only advisor-related help from coalition forces (that would be SFAAT 2-215). The operation took place over a nine day period ending 4 February and was designed to offer a better environment for potential voters and the local populace. Presumably the Taliban will not be able to re-infiltrate into the Sangin Valley in the time between February 4 and April 5 in order to disrupt the elections. Read more in "Afghans clear Sangin Valley prior to elections", DVIDS, February 8, 2014. Learn more about the Sangin Valley here.

Civilian Casualties Up 14 Per Cent in 2013

The United Nations has released a new report that states civilian casualties in the Afghan War rose by 14 per cent in the last year (2013). The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report states that it was the worst year since 2009 in terms of the number of women and children killed or injured as a result of conflict-related violence. The 2013 Annual Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict produced by UNAMA reflects a 7 per cent increase in deaths and a 17 per cent increase in injuries as compared to 2012. Read more about the UN report here in "Civilian casualties in Afghanistan up 14 per cent last year, says new UN report", UN News Centre, February 8, 2014. One of the tenets of the ISAF information operations campaign is that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is fully capable of protecting the Afghan population now that the ANSF is in the lead for security. Perhaps that should be re-worded a bit to say that the ASNF was 14% less capable in 2013 than they were in 2012 to protect the Afghan population. ISAF, in their never-ending attempt to inject a little sunshine into a cloudy day has released their news release about the discouraging news by UNAMA of the 14% increase in civilian casualties. See "UNAMA report released", DVIDS, February 8, 2014.

Sweden's SOG in Afghanistan

Sweden has been a consistent and dependable ally for the United States and the NATO troop contributing nations. In addition to the large Swedish presence in Regional Command North the Swedes have also deployed members of the Swedish Special Operations Group or SOG to Afghanistan. Read more in "Inside Secret Raids Performed by Swedish Special Operators", Business Insider, February 4, 2014.

New Commander for ISAF Joint Command (IJC)

ISAF Joint Command (IJC) has a new commander - LTG Joseph Anderson. In a ceremony in Kabul, LTG Mark Milley handed over command of IJC to LTG Anderson. Read more in "New No. 2 US commander takes reins in Afghanistan", The Washington Post, February 8, 2014.

Purdue University Partners with Herat University in Agricultural Program

The College of Agriculture at Purdue University will embark on a three-year venture funded by the State Department to improve agriculture in Afghanistan. The program will be in partnership with Herat University in western Afghanistan. The program will help the faculty at Herat University to provide academic programs supporting their nation's agriculture. Read more in "University readies another Afghan training program", AgriNews.com, February 1, 2014. Learn more about agriculture in Afghanistan.

Three Haqqani Operatives Assets Are Frozen

The United States has frozen the assets for three Haqqani operatives. Read more in "US freezes assets of three Afghan 'Haqqani militants'", BBC News Asia, February 6, 2014.

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Drones, Resolute Support, and Bilateral Security Agreement

All eyes are currently focused on the upcoming Afghan elections scheduled for April and the non-signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement by Karzai. The Bilateral Security Agreement will provide the legal basis for a continued troop presence in Afghanistan beyond December 2014 - which will be called Resolute Support. It is anticipated that the troop level will be 10,000 U.S. and 6,000 NATO. The Resolute Support mission will be two-fold. Counter-terrorism against remnants of al Qaeda and other high value targets and conducting an advise and assist mission  - now called functionally-based Security Force Assistance. An important part of the counter-terrorist mission is providing for a secure base from which to operate and support the use of drones (by both the military and the CIA). Read more on the importance of the ability to stage drones in Afghanistan post-2104 in "How Much is a Drone Base Worth?", The National Interest, January 27, 2014.

Religious Sect of U.S. Marines Demand Recognition and Rights for Norse Paganism Practice

On January 22, 2014 the Department of Defense issued a change to DoD Instruction 1300.17 entitled "Accommodation of Religious Practices Within the Military Services" (view DoDI 1300.7 here). According to a U.S. Department of Defense news release (see DoD Releases New Religious Accommodation Instruction, American Forces Press Service, January 22, 2014) the new instruction details its updated policy on making religious accommodations requested by service members. The new policy states that military departments will accommodate requests for the wearing of beards, turbans, religious apparel, and other tenets of their respective religions. The updated DoD instruction is quite specific as to which religious sects are covered by the new policy - including Sikh, Muslim, and Jewish members. However, one group of U.S. Marines is quite unhappy with the new policy as they feel their specific religious sect has been left out. This small religious group is comprised of members from Camp LeJeune, North Carolina who have converted to Norse Paganism and are now demanding that they be authorized to wear horns and wings on their helmets. The Marines have not as yet officially responded to the demands although there are unofficial reports that a working group has been established to determine the actual garb and equipment that Vikings wore into battle as they ravaged their way through England, France, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, North Africa, Russia, and New Zealand. Read more in "Marines Convert to Norse Paganism, Demand Horns and Wings on Helmets", DD Blog, January 30, 2014.

Washington Redskins Cheerleaders Visit FOB Fenty

Members of the Washington Redskins cheerleaders visited Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan in January 22, 2014 as part of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour. The cheerleaders were hosted by the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. In an unrelated story unofficial reports have surfaced that the entire helicopter fleet in the Jalalabad area of operations has been grounded for maintenance issues for several days - presumably starting on the morning of January 22nd. Army personnel from the Aviation Support Brigade of Regional Command East based at Bagram Air Force Base just north of Kabul have released a statement that this high NMC rate is quite unusual and an investigation is ongoing. (Photo by SFC E.L. Craig, Task Force Patriot PAO, January 22, 2014).

IED Training in Ghazni

Members of the Afghan National Security Forces graduated from an Explosive Hazardous Reduction Course or EHRC in Gelan district, Ghazni province. The ANA and ALP members from Muqor district completed the 11-day course designed to teach security forces how to identify and disarm various types of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The threat of IEDs remains high in Afghanistan and over 50% of ANSF casualties are from IEDs. (source info from "Afghan forces complete counter IED training in Ghazni", DVIDS, February 7, 2014.).

Military to Buy Crops from Afghan Farmers for Dining Facilities

The military intends to buy crops from local Afghan farmers to put on the tables in the military dining facilities. This measure will provide an opportunity to grow the agricultural sector and increase jobs. Eventually, the troop levels will go down (and disappear) but the hope is the Afghan farmers will be able to start exporting the agricultural crops to other regional countries. Read more in "Afghan farmers now feeding U.S. troops", Army Times, February 5, 2014.

SFA and Human Rights: Leahy Law Report

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has published a report entitled "Leahy Law Human Rights Provisions and Security Assistance: Issue Overview", dated January 29, 2014. The Adobe Acrobat PDF is available here.

Cheerleaders Visit SF Camp in Afghanistan

Members of the Washington Redskins cheerleader squad recently visited an SF unit that is part of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan near Kabul province, Afghanistan in January 2014. The cheerleaders visited soldiers as part of their military appreciation tour. While the Special Forces Soldiers were inwardly peeved that they were taken away from their military duties and responsibilities they put up a good front and were polite hosts.  (U.S. Army photo by SPC Connor Mendez, January 24, 2014).

201st ANA Corps Receives Training on "Wolfhound"

In January 2014 the 201st ANA Corps located at Forward Operating Base Gamberi received training and fielding of the Wolfhound signal intelligence gathering system. The Wolfhound will allow ANA soldier's to hear enemy radio communications. The Wolfhound is augmenting the AR 8200 scanner. Intelligence drives operations in a counterinsurgency and the Wolfhound will increase the ability of the ANA to conduct COIN. Soon the Wolfhound training will be available to intelligence soldiers undergoing training at the ANA intelligence school at Sia Sang. The ANA soldiers being trained are from the 201st ANA Corps' Military Intelligence Kandak. Read more in "Afghan National Army: Picking up the intelligence signal", DVIDS, January 28, 2014.

Advanced Medical Training Provided to ANSF at Kandahar Regional Military Hospital

Members of the NATO Role 3 Combat Hospital at Kandahar Airfield recently provided advanced medical training to staff of the Kandahar Regional Military Hospital (KRMH). The training covered a variety of topics on ventilators, which are machines designed to perform the breathing mechanisms for patients who cannot sufficiently do so on their own. Read more in "Medical training helps empower Afghan National Security Forces", DVIDS, February 6, 2014.

DCGS-A versus Palantir?

The Distributed Common Ground System - Army (DCGS-A) has come under constant criticism from the Intel community that has been forced to use the intelligence network. Many intelligence sections within the Army opt to use a more user-friendly system called Palantir. According to critics DCGS-A is prone to failure, is too complicated and has too many drawbacks to be an effective intelligence tool. In addition, Palantir - an off-the-shelf product - is relatively cheap compared to DCGS-A. A recent news report adds more to the debate between DCGS-A and Palantir critics and supporters. Read more in "Army Units in Afghanistan Slam Intel System", DoD Buzz, February 6, 2014.

Expert Says Taliban Living in Fantasy World

Brigadier Ben Barry, a senior fellow on land warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), states that the Taliban failed to achieve their objectives during the 2013 fighting season and that the Afghan security forces are thoroughly in control of counter-insurgency. Hmmmmm. He gets it half right. The Taliban didn't achieve their "stated objectives" during the 2013 fighting season but they didn't lose much territory and they bloodied the Afghan security forces at higher numbers than any previous year. An insurgency doesn't have to gain territory to continue to exist - it just has to continue to exist. The Taliban have their "stated objectives" for political consumption and internal motivation and they have their realistic objectives that are the focus of their long-term strategy. The ANSF is thoroughly in control of counter-insurgency? Not so much. While the Taliban didn't gain significant territory from government forces neither did the Afghan security forces take much territory from the Taliban; and the Afghan security forces have certainly not defeated the Taliban. And, oh, by the way, the Afghans can't even spell "counterinsurgency". Read more in "Taliban living in fantasy world: IISS defence expert:", Business Standard, February 6, 2014.

Abstracting War

A Marine veteran of Afghanistan reflects on war. Read "Abstracting War, From Afghanistan to Syria", War on the Rocks, February 4, 2014.

Marines Change Command in Helmand

The Marines have changed command in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The ceremony took place at Camp Leatherneck at the Regional Command Southwest headquarters. During the peak of the surge there were over 20,000 Marines in the southwest; today there are about 4,500 (as of Feb 14). Read more in "Marines change command in Helmand", USA Today, February 5, 2014.

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White House Close to Afghan Troop Deployment Decision

Reports indicate that the White House is close to making a decision on the number of troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond December 2014. General Dunford, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force, recently met with President Obama. Some say that Dunford asked for about 10,000 troops to stay beyond 2014 to conduct limited counter-terrorist operations against the remnants of al Qaeda (yes, they are still in Afghanistan) and to conduct the Security Force Assistance mission - which will be named Resolute Support. The decision is complicated with the non-signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement by President Karzai. Some critics say that this is making it easier for Obama to walk away from Afghanistan just as he did in Iraq. Time will tell. Read more in "WH: No decision on US presence in Afghanistan", DEFCON Hill Blog, February 4, 2014. There are confusing messages coming from the Obama administration - some say the BSA is close to signing while others say it will wait until after the elections. Stay posted!

SFAAT Advises OCC-R at FOB Lightning

SFAAT meets with OCC-R at FOB Lighting
(Photo by CPT John Goodwill, 3rd BCT, 10th Mountain

A Security Force Assistance Advisor Team or SFAAT is working with the Operational Coordination Center - Regional at FOB Lightning in Regional Command East to help it become more effective. The SFAAT is from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. The OCC-R has members from all the Afghan security forces. It is sometimes difficult to get the different branches of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to work together. To address that problem the OCC-R conducts periodic synchronization meetings and after action reviews - the SFAAT helps in facilitating these events. One specific focus of the SFAAT is the development of an intelligence capability. Intelligence drives operations in a counterinsurgency fight. For that reason the SFAAT has an intelligence officer to advise and assist in this critical area. Read the rest of the story at "Spartans help Afghan forces forge their future", DVIDS, January 29, 2014. Learn more about Operational Coordination Centers.

Irony of Heroin, Hoffman, and The War in Afghanistan

In the Sacramento Bee, Markos Kounalakis writes on the irony of the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, his role as a CIA officer in the movie "Charlie Wilson's War", and of the resurgence of the opium trade in Afghanistan. In his short piece published on February 6, 2014 he succinctly captures the story of the drug industry in Afghanistan and the unintended consequences (the military would say "second, third, and fourth order of effects") of the U.S. intervention in 2001 and fall of the Taliban regime. Read "Hoffman, heroin and the war in Afghanistan".

A Meaningful Post-2014 Option in Afghanistan

Anthony H. Cordesman, of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), has provided us with an in-depth study of how we should determine the troop level and purpose of the post-2014 presence in Afghanistan. He states that the Obama administration is missing the boat in its analysis of what is needed and is not preparing the public or Congress for the post-2014 environment in Afghanistan. He states that the Bilateral Security Agreement will set the stage for the last phase of the United States involvement in the Afghan conflict and that it needs more attention than the Obama administration is giving it. Read more in "The Reality Beyond Zero and 10,000: Choosing a Meaningful Option in Afghanistan", Center for Strategic & International Studies, February 4, 2014.

Analysis of US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement

Much of the press coverage on the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) centers on President Karzai's refusal to sign the agreement even in the face of overwhelming support from the Loya Jirga. Yet, other than stating that the BSA will allow the US and NATO to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond December 2014 most observers don't really know the details of the BSA. A writer, Rajeev Agarwal - a research fellow for the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), has provided us with an analysis of the BSA. Read "US-Afghanistan: Implications of Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) - Analysis", Albany Tribune, February 6, 2014.

Figuring Out Karzai - Mission Impossible

President Karzai has been called many names to include trusted ally, erratic leader, drug-user, loose cannon, closet Taliban, ingrate, king-of-corruption, and lame-duck. He is hard to figure out. One news article provides different interpretations of his strange behavior to the US and NATO. Read "Hamid Karzai's survival strategy", The National Post, February 6, 2014.

Afghan ECC Lacks Funding to Monitor Elections at Provincial Level

(Reuters) - Afghanistan's election watchdog may not be ready in time for a presidential vote in April because of funding and staffing problems, a setback that could undermine a ballot already threatened by a repeat of the widespread fraud seen in 2009. Presidential candidates began two months of campaigning this week ahead of the crucial election, which Afghans and Western allies hope will help consolidate fragile stability as foreign troops prepare to leave after nearly 13 years of war. But, with the campaign well underway, the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) says it has received only a fraction of its funding from foreign donors because the government has yet to approve the appointment of provincial officials.

Read the rest of the story in "Afghanistan's election watchdog plagued by delays, funding woes", Reuters, February 6, 2014. Learn more about the Afghan presidential elections.

Germany to Continue Deployments to Afghanistan

It appears that Germany will extend its mission in Afghanistan to at least December 2014 and possibly beyond. The commitment of troops beyond December 2014 would be dependent upon the next Afghan president (it certainly will not be Karzai) signing the Bilateral Security Agreement or BSA with the United States. If the BSA is signed then Germany would take part in the functionally-based Security Force Assistance mission called Resolute Support. For the last decade Germany has provided troops to the north of Afghanistan with assistance from other Nordic and European countries. Read more in "German deployments extended to Afghanistan, Mali", DW.de, February 5, 2014.

Troops Using MK Passenger Transit Center in Romania

Troops going to Afghanistan and redeploying as part of the Afghanistan retrograde to the United States are now flying into and out of the MK Passenger Transit Center at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania. The new transit center has been established to replace the Manas Transit Center in Krygyzstan which will close in July. The Krygyzstan government decided not to renew the lease at the Manas Air Base - looking for other financial opportunities for the U.S. built runways. The new transit center in Romania was built in part by the 902nd Engineer Company of the Germany-based 21st Theater Sustainment Command. Read more on the new transit base in "First troops move through new US transit base in Romania", Stars and Stripes, February 5, 2014.

UNAMA - Women Participation Key to Afghan Election Success

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is calling the role of women in decision-making vital for Afghanistan's future. The voting by women in the upcoming Afghan elections will be an indicator of the elections success and the hopes are that women will come out in force to vote. Afghan women have made great strides since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in late 2001; however, with the withdrawal of ISAF those advances may fade. Read more in "Afghanistan: UN official says women's participation 'key measure' of election's success", UN News Centre, February 5, 2014.

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing To Depart RC Southwest

Marines and sailors with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) are preparing to depart Regional Command Southwest in the next few days. The Transfer of Authority to the 3rd MAW (Fwd) took place at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan on February 4, 2014. This was the third deployment to Afghanistan for the Cherry Point, NC unit. The unit provided immediate response capabilities, assault support, and assistance transporting personnel, gear, and cargo. Read the rest of the story in "Last Marine Aviation Transfer of Authority in Afghanistan", DVIDS, February 5, 2014.

Abdullah Abdullah, Elections, and Bilateral Security Agreement

Abdullah Abdullah, a leading contender for the Afghan presidential elections to be held on April 5, 2014 says he will sign the Bilateral Security Agreement if elected. Read more in a blog post on CNN by Christiane Amanpour published on February 3, 2014 here.

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Construction for 215th Corps Logistics Unit Completed

Future home of 215th ANA Corps Logistics Unit
Photo by Bill Dowell, USACE, January 28, 2014

Construction is almost complete for the logistics unit that supports the 215th Afghan National Army Corps in southwest Afghanistan. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers acts as construction agents for numerous projects in Afghanistan. The Corps employees contract and oversee construction in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations and Corps guidance. It is a difficult working environment - a society rife with corruption, trade and construction skilled labor not abundant, harsh weather conditions, and very little security for the transit of equipment, material and supplies. In addition, Afghan construction projects have been well-renowned for not being completed and for shoddy workmanship. In this specific instance, the USACE feels the project went well (a dose of good news never hurts especially in light of recent reports on reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan by SIGAR). See "Construction projects some of the best, general says", DVIDS - U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, February 3, 2014.

Funding for DCGS-A Intel Network Cut

Congress drastically cut funding for the Army's Distributed Common Ground System or DCGS-A. This controversial program has failed over the last several years and cost the U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars. Despite constant questioning by Congress about military intelligence personnel stating that the system is failed and beyond repair the Army continues to request more funding to fix the broke intelligence network. With the cuts in defense budget Congress finally took action and reduced funding for the dismal program by 60%. Instead of the $267 million for the DCGS requested by the Army; only $110 million was received. Still that is about $110 million wasted. Should have went with Palantir. Read more in "Army mulls funding for controversial intel network", The Washington Times, February 4, 2014.

Mental Health of U.S. Military in Afghanistan Improves

A recent report by the U.S. Army states that the mental health of Soldiers deployed to Afghanistan has improved (in 2013) over that mental health of 2011 and 2012 - years which saw heavy fighting. Read more in "Report: US Troop Morale Higher in Afghanistan", Associated Press, February 3, 2014.

New Law May Deny Afghan Women Protection

A new law passed by both houses of the Afghan parliament would effectively deny women protection from domestic violence and forced or child marriage. Although Afghan women have made some gains since the toppling of the Taliban there are many members of the Parliament that hold some very traditional and religious (Islam) values that bode badly for women once the Coalition departs Afghanistan in December 2014. It is expected to be signed by President Karzai for final signature in the next few weeks. Read more in "Afghanistan: Reject New Law Protecting Abusers of Women", Human Rights Watch, February 4, 2014.

National Guard Agricultural Assistance Program in Afghanistan

Since 2006 the United States Army National Guard has been fielding agricultural assistance teams to various locations in Afghanistan. Their task is to work with individual farmers and agricultural officials to modernize and improve agriculture in Afghanistan. The 15 states in the program are mostly agriculturally-oriented states in the Midwest and South. One of the latest agricultural teams to deploy was from the Nebraska Army National Guard. This Afghan Agri-business Development Team worked with their Afghan counterparts in Helmand province - home of much of the poppy cultivation that feeds the Afghan drug trade. Read more on the Agri-business Development Team from Nebraska in "Sowing seeds of hope: Nebraska Guard team mentors Afghan ag officials", Omaha World-Herald, February 4, 2004.

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