Commentary on Afghanistan

"The Nation State and Afghanistan". Paolo Cotta Ramusino, a professor at the University of Milan (Italy) presented the contents of this article at the Herat Security Dialogue held in October 2017 in Herat, Afghanistan. Italy, of course, is the lead framework nation for the Train, Advise, and Assist Command - West (TAAC West). Read "The Nation State and Afghanistan", Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, November 20, 2017.

Afghanistan affects Maritime Security. M. Ashraf Haidari, the director-general of policy and strategy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, provides a framework for understanding how a land-locked country like Afghanistan can affect the greater security and stability of the maritime environment in the Indian Ocean region. Read "Afghanistan's Stabilization Can Ensure Maritime Security", The National Interest, November 19, 2017.

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Train, Advise, Assist, Accompany, and Enable (TA3E) Mission Update

Photo - A member of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) takes part in a training exercise at Fort Benning, Georgia in preparation for a deployment to Afghanistan. (Photo by SPC Noelle E. Wiehe, 50th Public Affairs Detachment, October 23, 2017).

'Guardian Angels' from Australia. A member of the Royal Australian Regiment describes his job protecting advisors for the Afghan Air Force (AAF) in a post by the Australian Department of Defense, November 22, 2017.

Mentors at 'Sandhurst'. The ANA Officer Academy (ANA-)A) is located just outside Kabul. A British Army officer describes his job in this one-minute long video entitled "Mentoring at the Afghan Officers Academy", Resolute Support YouTube.com, November 24, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkzxc0vpfo0

Bacha Bazi. Two reports were completed in 2017 about the sexual exploitation of young boys by officers of the Afghan police and army by two investigative services of the U.S. government. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) completed one in mid-2017 but the Defense Department 'classified' the report. The Department of Defense Inspector General (DoD IG) also conducted an investigation and published its report - this one unclassified. The Washington Post reports that the DoD IG's report was a watered-down version of the SIGAR report and less damaging to the Dod. Bacha Bazi - 'playing with boys' - is a fact of life in Afghanistan and more common than some realize. U.S. advisors with Afghan police and army units - especially at the lower levels of command - were confronted with the practice of Bachi Bazi - and put into a dilemma of how to navigate through the situation.

"Pentagon tried to block independent report on child sex among Afghan forces, Senate office says", The Washington Post, November 26, 2017.

Implementation of the DoD Leahy Law Regarding Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse by Members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, DoD IG, November 16, 2017.

TAAC-Air Trains Up Afghan UH-60 Pilots. The first six Afghan Air Force (AAF) pilots graduated from the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter transition program. The Train, Advise, and Assist Command - Air (TAAC Air) advisors trained up the newly-qualified pilots in a course that was completed in late November. See "First Afghan UH-60 pilots graduate", DVIDS, November 20, 2017.

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Commentary on Afghanistan

"The Nation State and Afghanistan". Paolo Cotta Ramusino, a professor at the University of Milan (Italy) presented the contents of this article at the Herat Security Dialogue held in October 2017 in Herat, Afghanistan. Italy, of course, is the lead framework nation for the Train, Advise, and Assist Command - West (TAAC West). Read "The Nation State and Afghanistan", Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, November 20, 2017.

"Turning the Corner". For years U.S. commanders in Afghanistan have used the phrases very similar to 'turning the corner' to describe how things are getting better in Afghanistan. And each year we found out that the corner is still some distance away. Read more in an essay by Paul McLeary entitled "U.S. Has 'Turned the Corner' in Afghanistan, Top General Says", Foreign Policy, November 28, 2017.

"The Great Game" Revisited. Shifting regional alliances, a change in Afghan governmental policy, Iran making up with the Taliban, and other factors have influenced the conflict in Afghanistan. The world and regional powers are still meddling in the affairs of Afghanistan. Read more in "World powers jostle in Afghanistan's new 'Great Game'", BBC News, January 12, 2017. (Old news, but still valid).

A Stalemate? One writer examines the conflict in Afghanistan and predicts that the ANDSF and Taliban will ramp up operations in the years ahead to break the stalemate. The Taliban will attempt to seize urban terrain while the ANDSF will conduct major operations to regain key territory in the countryside. But neither is likely to win. Read "The Battle for Advantage in Afghanistan", STRATFOR Worldview, November 29, 2017.

Pakistan - Key to Resolving the Conflict. Harsha Kakar, of the Observer Research Foundation (India), writes on the importance of Pakistan ceasing support to the Haqqani Network and the Afghan Taliban. "US Afghan Success Lies in Forcing Pakistan to Act Against Terrorists", Eurasia Review, December 2, 2017.

India, Afghanistan, and . . . the Taliban. Does India have a role in the Afghan conflict? To an extent it does . . . but in what form of participation? Can it contribute to an Afghan political reconciliation? Kabir Taneja, an Associate Fellow with the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, provides his thoughts in "India and the Afghan Taliban", The Diplomat, November 30, 2017.

NATO Stuck in Europe? A selection of experts weigh in on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. Read "Is NATO Stuck in Afghanistan?", Carnegie Europe, November 15, 2017.

Gender Equality for ANDSF - A Wasted Effort. A lot of time, money, and effort has gone into implementing gender equality into the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. However, the targeted numbers have never been attained and the reality on the ground for those females in the security forces is far from perfect. Read more in "The Dangers of Forcing Gender Equality in Afghanistan", The New York Times, November 21, 2017.

Afghanistan affects Maritime Security. M. Ashraf Haidari, the director-general of policy and strategy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, provides a framework for understanding how a land-locked country like Afghanistan can affect the greater security and stability of the maritime environment in the Indian Ocean region. Read "Afghanistan's Stabilization Can Ensure Maritime Security", The National Interest, November 19, 2017.

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Train, Advise, Assist, Accompany, and Enable (TA3E)

Photo: ANA Soldiers from the 215th Corps conduct CASEVAC training at the Helmand Regional Military Training Center (RMTC) on Camp Shorabak. (Photo by SGT Lucas Hopkins, RS HQs, November 19, 2017).

40th ID to head TAAC South. The California's Army National Guard 40th Infantry Division (Mech) will form the core of the hqs and staff of Train, Advise, and Assist Command - South (TAAC South). In November elements of the 40th ID participated in a training event at Hohenfels, Germany to prepare for the deployment. (DVIDS, Nov 18, 2017).

TAAC South Checks Out CASEVAC Training at 215th Corps. Advisors with Train, Advise, and Assist Command - South visited Helmand province to observe CASEVAC training with the Afghans at the 215th Corps that took place at the Helmand Regional Military Training Center (RMTC). (DVIDS, Nov 19, 2017).

Canada and Afghanistan. The CEO of Afghanistan, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, recently conducted a tour of North America. During his visit he expounded upon the need continued support by the international community for Afghanistan. Abdullah met on the sidelines of the Halifax Forum to ask Canada's Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan for more help in military training. See "Afghanistan looks to Canada for more training support", CBC News, November 19, 2017.

Intel Analysts Ready for Afghan SFAB Deployment. Intelligence Analysts (35F) play a critical role in determining the enemy's capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probably courses of action. Most Intel Analysts work at a desk behind a computer. For a 35F with a Security Force Assistance Brigade the job will most likely take him 'outside the wire' as a member of combat advisory teams. The 1st SFAB will soon deploy to Afghanistan in early 2018. Read "Outside the Wire: Intel Analysts in Army's 1st SFAB get career-building opportunity", DVIDS, November 7, 2017.

The Colors of U.S. Army's Beret. The formation of the SFABs got very contentious with the plans to issue a beret with a shade of green close to the famed Green Beret of the U.S. Army Special Forces. The Army quickly announced a change of plans - it would issue a beret with a shade of brown. Read more about the color of berets in "Earning it: A complete history of Army berets and who's allowed to wear them", by Meghann Myers, Military Times, November 20, 2017.

More SFAB. Read more news stories and articles about the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade.

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Commentary on Afghanistan

"The Nation State and Afghanistan". Paolo Cotta Ramusino, a professor at the University of Milan (Italy) presented the contents of this article at the Herat Security Dialogue held in October 2017 in Herat, Afghanistan. Italy, of course, is the lead framework nation for the Train, Advise, and Assist Command - West (TAAC West). Read "The Nation State and Afghanistan", Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, November 20, 2017.

Gender Equality for ANDSF - A Wasted Effort. A lot of time, money, and effort has gone into implementing gender equality into the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. However, the targeted numbers have never been attained and the reality on the ground for those females in the security forces is far from perfect. Read more in "The Dangers of Forcing Gender Equality in Afghanistan", The New York Times, November 21, 2017.

Afghanistan affects Maritime Security. M. Ashraf Haidari, the director-general of policy and strategy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, provides a framework for understanding how a land-locked country like Afghanistan can affect the greater security and stability of the maritime environment in the Indian Ocean region. Read "Afghanistan's Stabilization Can Ensure Maritime Security", The National Interest, November 19, 2017.

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Movies and Videos about Afghanistan

First Afghan Black Hawk Pilots soon to Graduate, Resolute Support Hqs, posted on YouTube.com, on November 16, 2017. (2-min video explains the training program for AAF pilots).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k882GyV_pi8

NATO Ambassador to Afghanistan on Future Elections. Ambassador Zimmermann, NATO's Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan, talks about future elections. He says the international community will assist in conducting credible elections.  (Resolute Support, November 21, 2017).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCQ3nySI8Rg

TAAC-West Camp Zafar security force assistance. Camp Zafar, Afghanistan, November 13, 2017. A short video recording of a meeting between Italian advisors and the ANA at Train, Advise, Assist Command - West in Herat province.
www.dvidshub.net/video/567413/taac-west-camp-zafar-security-force-assistance

Master Sgt. Broadnax SFAB Testimonial, 50th Public Affairs Detachment, November 2, 2017. The 1st SFAB will soon deploy to Afghanistan. MSG Alfredo Broadnax, signals NCO, describes his experience with the unit.
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/567605/master-sgt-broadnax-sfab-testimonial

The Breadwinner. An animated film produced by Angelina Jolie is based on a children's novel by Deborah Ellis. The film tells the story of an 11 year old girl named Parvana who lives in Kabul. (The Mary Sue, Nov 21, 2017).

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Train, Advise, Assist, Accompany, and Enable (TA3E)

HIMARS firing in Afghanistan in support of ground troops.
(Photo by U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sean Furey)

Marines Providing "Assist" to 215th ANA Corps with HIMARS. The Marines of Task Force Southwest are providing fire support to the Afghan National Army in Helmand province. Of course, the advanced rocket system also provides a degree of security to the Marine advisor teams working across Helmand province at the tactical (kandak) level. The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System has a range of about 300 kilometers - depending on the type of munition being fired. Read more in "Marines bring HIMARS to Helmand to beef up security", Military Times, November 12, 2017.

1st SFAB 92Y Likes Her Job. The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade will soon deploy to Afghanistan. Like many units, the SFAB needs a variety of support MOSs to function. Read on how one Unit Supply NCO likes her new job with the 1st SFAB in "Combat Service Support Soldiers take pride in building the 1st SFAB", DVIDS, November 9, 2017.

ATP 3-96.1 SFAB. The army is scheduled to publish Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 3-96.1 in January 2018. It provides doctrinal guidance and direction on how the Security Force Assistance Brigades plan, prepare, and executes operations globally. Could be useful to the 1st SFAB due to deploy to Afghanistan in early 2018.

DoD IG Report on Child Abuse by ANDSF. The U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General's office issued a report on November 14th highlighting the history of U.S. military reporting cases of child abuse by members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

SFABs and Governance Advising. Do they have enough CA expertise? Three U.S. Army Civil Affairs officers provide some advice for the 1st SFAB on the art of governance advising. Read "A Governance Advising Framework for the Security Force Assistance Brigade", Small Wars Journal, November 18, 2017.

U.S. Special Forces and Training up the ANASF. Periodically throughout the year a graduation ceremony is held for a group of Afghan Commandos who have successfully completed the ANA Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC). To even apply to the ANASF an Afghan soldier must have served some time in the Afghan Commandos. Read more in "I Serve Afghanistan!: Afghan Soldiers Graduate to the Elite Ranks of Special Forces", Task and Purpose, November 12, 2017.

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40th Division to Take Over TAAC South

The California Army National Guard's 40th Infantry Division will soon be in charge of Train, Advise, Assist Command - South (TAAC South). The 40th ID (Mechanized) is preparing to deploy in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS) and will be taking operational command of the southern part of Afghanistan. In preparation elements of the division staff participated in exercise Allied Spirit VII at the U.S. Army's Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany in November. Read more in a news report by the U.S. Army. (DVIDS, Nov 18, 2017).

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Train, Advise, Assist, Accompany, and Enable (TA3E)

Members of 1st SFAB conducting a meeting with 'Afghan counterparts'
during advisor training at Fort Benning, Georgia.
(Photo from TRADOC pub, November 1, 2017).

1st SFAB. The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) is ramping up its training in preparation for its upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in early 2018. One of the adjustments the SFAB is making is the increase in personnel from 529 to over 700. This will allow the Combat Advisor Teams (CATs) to be augmented with intelligence and medical specialists. Read more in "Combat and cultural readiness key for new Army trainers", San Francisco Chronicle, November 7, 2017.

SFAB Seeking Tactical Leaders. The U.S. Army is seeking tough and experienced tactical leaders from many occupational specialties to serve as combat advisors in the Army's newest expeditionary force. Read more in "Security Force Assistance Brigade" XVIII Airborne Corps seeks tactical leaders", Fort Campbell Courier, November 9, 2017.

1st SFAB in the News. The Army's grand experiment in forming up an institutionalized advisor unit is well on its way to proving itself in combat. The unit will deploy to Afghanistan in early 2018. Read some recent news stories about the 1st SFAB.

In Afghanistan - More Troops Outside the Wire. Several years after pulling back, American troops will head outside the wire to battle the Taliban and turn up the air war. Read more in an news report by Foreign Policy, November 10, 2017.

TAAC-North Conference. Members of the Train, Advise, and Assist Command - North met in Brussels to discuss regional challenges and make plans for future peace activities. The defense ministerial was organized by Germany's Defence minister. Germany is the lead 'framework' nation for TAAC-North. (Agenda.ge, Nov 11, 2017).

NATO Troop Increase. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization says it will increase troop levels to 16,000 to enhance the 'train, advise, and assist' mission in Afghanistan. Read a brief news release by NATO posted on 9 November 2017. See also "NATO Plus-Up Will Give Afghan Forces an Offensive Boost, Nicholson Says",  Department of Defense, November 11, 2017.

Canada Taking a Pass. Canada is not participating in the NATO troop increase for Afghanistan. While it made significant contributions for over a decade it is passing on the renewed training effort of NATO to enhance the capacity and capability of the ANDSF. (Ottawa Citizen, Nov 8, 2017).

DoD Sending More Troops. One news report (by Adam Linehan) says that the Department of Defense will be adding more troops to Afghanistan - with the troop level meeting 16,000 by early 2018. See "The DoD Is Sending More Troops to Afghanistan Than Previously Announced", Task & Purpose, November 9, 2017.

Article on the "Accompany" Part of TA3E. A British military blog writes on the importance of "Accompany" in the "Train, Advise, Assist, Accompany, and Enable" mission. Read "Accompany" - That Third Myth, Wavell Room, November 9, 2017.

Language and Culture Training. Robert R. Greene Sands, the CEO of LanguaCulture, LLC, writes about how the U.S. Department of Defense can improve language and culture training. (Rosetta Stone Blog, October 19, 2017).

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Update on Afghan Train, Advise, & Assist Mission

Marine Advisors at Kandak Level. The U.S. Marines in Task Force Southwest are pushing their advisors down to brigade and kandak level. According to one Marine advisor, the task force of roughly 300 Marines (augmented by other services to a larger number) have pushed about six teams to Afghan forward operating bases. The expeditionary advisor packages are made up of advisors, enablers, and security personnel. Read more in "Small teams of Marines advising Afghan brigades and battalions", Marine Corps Times, October 28, 2017.

1st SFAB and Their Beret. The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) is gearing up for their Afghan deployment in early 2018. While they are participating in important pre-deployment activities and training they are surrounded with a bit of controversy. Seems that the Army leadership has decided to allow them to wear a distinctive beret. This, naturally, has inflamed past and current members of the Special Forces community. Read more in "Beret for Soldiers of 1st SFAB - Concern in SF Community", SOF News, October 29, 2017.

Canada Rejects NATO Invite for TAA Mission. Canada turned down an invitation from NATO to send troops to Afghanistan for the Train, Advise, and Assist mission. (CBC News World, Nov 3, 2017).

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Security News for Afghanistan

Afghan Commando instructor provides direction to
student at Camp Morehead, Afghanistan.
(Photo Senior Airman Xavier Navaro, NSOCC-A, Oct 4, 2017)

Security Incidents

Mosque Bombings. Ali M. Latifi writes on the recent bombings of Afghan mosques in "The Enemy is Everywhere: Afghans Mourn Dead as Attacks Mount", The Cipher Brief, October 22, 2017.

How the Taliban Have Evolved. The Taliban are reaching out beyond the Pashtun population, shifting and adjusting tactics, and advancing its political agenda. Part of this tactical shift is the increasing intimidation of government security forces (at the individual level) in the rural countryside. Read "How Taliban are evolving to compete in Afghanistan", by Scott Peterson (Istanbul Bureau Chief), The Christian Science Monitor, October 26, 2017.

ANA Killed in Farah. Nine ANA soldiers were killed by the Taliban on Wednesday, Oct 25th at a security post in the western province of Farah (Gandhara Blog, Oct 25, 2017).

Surge of IEDs in Afghanistan. According to a Pentagon report the use of roadside bomb attacks around the world are declining - except in Afghanistan. The report by the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) credits the IED increase to the current military stalemate that favors the insurgents. See "Pentagon Report: IED Casualties Surge in Afghanistan", Foreign Policy, October 20, 2017.

201st Corps. An Insider Attack took place on Sunday, October 22, 2017 in northern Afghanistan.

Some Successes?

Nad'Ali District Liberated from Taliban. The ANDSF have destroyed the Taliban during the recent Operation Maiwand 7 held in October. The clearing mission resulted in huge gains for the Afghan security forces. At least that is what a news release by Resolute Support HQs would have us believe. (DVIDS, Oct 25, 2017).

Rival Militant Groups Fight in Herat. At least 40 Taliban have been killed in clashes between groups in Shindand district, Herat province. (Voice of America, Oct 22, 2017).

Remote Town Haven Against Insurgents. An area in Nuristan province, Afghanistan has managed to keep insurgents at bay. Read "Afghans Turn Remote Town Into Safe Haven Against Insurgents", Gandhara Blog, October 23, 2017.

Train, Advise, & Assist

Six More A-29s for AAF. The Afghan Air Force will receive more A-29 Super Tucanos for its growing fleet of aircraft. The A-29 Super Tucano is ideally suited for the counterinsurgency fight in Afghanistan. (DoD Buzz, Oct 25, 2017).

SMA Dailey Addresses 1st SFAB. The members of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade will soon deploy to Afghanistan. The Sergeant Major of the Army - Daniel Daily - provided his thoughts about the new SFABs to an audience at Fort Benning. Seee "SMA Dailey pays a visit to Army's 1st SFAB", DVIDS, October 16, 2017. See also a related article in "Combat engineer turned combat advisor in Army's 1st SFAB", DVIDS, October 19, 2017.

Afghan Trainees go AWOL. A recent report by SIGAR says that a high percentage of Afghan military members who go to the United States for military training go AWOL. Over half are never caught and some could pose a security risk. See "Training Afghan soldiers exposes the US to a huge risk", New York Post, October 28, 2017.

Marine Advisors in Helmand Province. The Marines of Task Force Southwest have been sending out small advisor teams to the brigades of the 215th ANA Corps. See "Small teams of Marines advising Afghan brigades and battalions", Marine Corps Times, October 26, 2017.

India to Provide Assistance? President Ghani recently visited India. He probably presented a shopping list of military, economic, and developmental assistance projects. See "India mulls security-related assistance to Afghan forces", Khaama Press, October 25, 2017.

215th Corps Artillery Training. Some members of the ANA in Helmand province recently graduated from an artillery course at Camp Shorabak, Afghanistan. U.S. Marine advisors with Task Force Southwest led the 8-week long course. Read "215th Corps soldiers building artillery skills during eight-week course", DVIDS, October 21, 2017.

RS Has New Deputy Commander. Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell is the new Dep Cdr of the Resolute Support Mission. Had conducted a change of responsibility with the out-going Dep Cdr on October 24th. Read a news release by RS HQs, Oct 24, 2017.

Afghan Commandos Graduate Course. Over 800 Afghan soldiers graduated from a 14-week long Afghan-led special operations course held at Camp Morehead (near Kabul). (DVIDS, Oct 25, 2017). 800 students is a lot of Joes to push through in 14-weeks. Is there a danger of producing quantity over quality? Hopefull SOF Truths numbers 2 and 3 were taken in consideration during the training course.

CIA and Pentagon's Omega Program. The Central Intelligence Agency will step up its use of paramilitary officers in Afghanistan in conjunction with US SOF operators from the Pentagon's Omega program. (NYT, Oct 22, 2017).

MI Unit Returns to FBNC. The 525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina after a nine-month long deployment to Afghanistan. (Stars and Stripes, Oct 24, 2017).

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SFABs - Once Again or "TA3E"

Soldiers of 1st SFAB fire 9 mm pistols during training (photo credit below)

In 2012 the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) deployed hundreds of Security Force Assistance Advisory Teams or SFAATs with the task to train, advise, and assist the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) as part of the overall Security Force Assistance (SFA) mission. Of course, this was not the first time that advisor teams had worked in Afghanistan but it was perhaps the largest advisor effort of the conflict. In 2013 the U.S. changed the structure of the brigade combat teams (BCTs) deploying to Afghanistan - leaving behind many of the lower-ranking Soldiers. In this new organizational structure the BCTs resembled the 'Advise and Assist Brigades' (AABs) that deployed to Iraq toward the end of that conflict. The SFABs were re-deployed to the United States once the Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the ISAF mission down-sized and concluded. The BCTs returned to the states, discarded the emphasis of the SFA mission, and returned to the normal training activities it conducted prior to the Afghan deployment.

However, the use of the SFABs in an advisory capacity was not forgotten. General Milley - now head of the Army - served as the commander of the ISAF Joint Command (IJC) in Kabul while the SFABs were at the height of the deployment cycle in Afghanistan. He saw the value in the SFABs but also noted they were an ad hoc arrangement. He decided to institutionalize the SFAB concept. The Army is now establishing six SFABs. Five active and one reserve component. The first one has stood up at Fort Benning and is undergoing training in the tasks associated with Security Force Assistance.

The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade will deploy to Afghanistan in early 2018. So, once again, we will see the SFABs back in Afghanistan. The difference is that it isn't an ad hoc arrangement . . . and hopefully that will improve the caliber of the advising effort with the ANA and ANP. The unit's core mission is to "train, advise, assist, accompany and enable missions with allied and partner nations".

So observers of the Afghan conflict will note that previous advisors and advisor teams were very attuned to TAA or 'train, advise and assist'. However, now we have TAA plus 'accompany' and 'enable'. In a push to get the ANA up to speed advisor teams will now (once again) work below corps level at brigade and kandak (battalion) unit level. I suspect this is the 'accompany' part of the mission. The 'enable' part would likely be the providing of ISR, artillery, and close air support 'enablers' along with other types of support.

So welcome to the "TA3E" mission!

References:

"All Things SFAB - Explainer of Security Force Assistance Brigades", SOF News, October 10, 2017. www.sof.news/sfa/all-things-sfab/

"First Security Force Assistance Brigade training for deployment", Army.mil, October 12, 2017.
www.army.mil/article/195178/first_security_force_assistance_brigade_may_deploy_in_four_months

Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by SGT Joseph Truckley, 50th Public Affairs Detachment. Soldiers of the 92nd Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade fire their 9 mm pistols at Hibbs Range on October 17, 2017 at Fort Benning, Georgia.

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Videos about Afghanistan

Resolute Support Mountain Warfare Training Center - TAAC-W. A quick video produced by Resolute Support HQs in Kabul depicts the mountain warfare training that is taking place at Train, Advise, and Assist Command - West (TAAC-W) in Herat, Afghanistan.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfejjGhTc8g

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Afghan Security News

War now 16 Years Old. On Saturday, October 7th the war in Afghanistan turned 16 years old. For the Afghans the war is much older.

AAF 'Friendly Fire' Incident. A airstrike by the Afghan Air Force (AAF) in Gereshk district, Helmand province on Sunday, October 1st killed approximately ten members of the ANDSF. Several others were wounded. The Afghan government (and U.S. military) has been pinning hopes on the expansion of the Afghan Air Force . . . believing an increase in close air support capability will go a long way to defeat the insurgents. However, many times the use of air power in a counterinsurgency environment can be troublesome. (Reuters, Oct 1, 2017).

Aussies In for the Long Haul. The Australian military has a train, advise, and assist mission in Afghanistan generally in the Kabul area. See "Australia's commitment in Afghanistan to last decades", SBS.com, October 5, 2017.

OCC-R in Helmand Tracks the Battlefield. The Marines with Task Force Southwest are helping the ANDSF utilize their  Operational Coordination Center - Regional at Bost Airfield, Afghanistan more accurately and efficiently. Read "A Clear Picture: U.S. Marines and ANDSF continue to enhance battle tracking capabilities", DVIDS, October 4, 2017.

3rd ID Sustainment Bde to Afg. The Fort Stewart-based Sustainment Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division is heading to Afghanistan. The brigade, nick-named "The Providers", will keep other units supplied with essentials like food, ammo, and repair parts for vehicles. The deployment is expected to last 9 months and will be headquartered at Bagram Air Field. (Savanah Now, Oct 5, 2017).

1,000 More NATO Troops. News reports say that the U.S. Department of Defense is looking for NATO to send 1,000 more troops to Afghanistan to augment the 3-4K the U.S. is sending. The increase of U.S. troops is expected to cost over 1 Billion per year. Hmmmm. I wonder how far that would go if we just handed over the money to the Afghans? Oh, that's right. The corruption thing.

Pakistan Artillery Fire Landing in Nangarhar. The Afghan government is protesting the firing of artillery rounds over the border in recent days.

Downed U.S. Aircraft? Nope, Didn't Happen. The Taliban issued a statement saying that they had shot down an aircraft in Parwan province. Resolute Support HQs was quick to deny the report.

Blackhawk Helicopter Ceremony. The U.S. and Afghan government held a ceremony in Kandahar to celebrate the passing of a couple of UH-60s from U.S. to Afghan Air Force (AAF) control. The outfitting of the UH-60s to the AAF is being heralded as a 'big deal'. No word on how the AAF will maintain the very complex and expensive helicopters. Nor is there any real discussion on how air support will really help change the tactical situation on the ground. Presumably the Afghan Army and police will improve their performance because some expensive helicopters are overhead. I guess time will tell  . . . in about four to ten years?

R4&S. A new acronym has emerged from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) that possibly spells out the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis explained what R4&S means during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on October 3, 2017. Read "R4&S - A New DoD Acronym for the Afghanistan Conflict", SOF News, October 3, 2017.

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SIGAR Report - Reconstructing the ANDSF

A recent SIGAR report provides lessons learned about the train, advise, and assist mission for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). The 283-page report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, published in September 2017, examines how the U.S. government (DoD, DoS, Justice Department) developed and executed security sector assistance programs for the Afghan security forces and institutions. A number of lessons learned are identified and recommendations are offered for improved performance in efforts to assist the ANDSF as well as other security sector assistance programs in future operations around the world.

The analysis by SIGAR finds that the U.S. government was not prepared to assist the Afghan army and police forces adequately. The U.S. lacked a comprehensive approach to security sector assistance and lacked a whole-of-government approach to develop a capable and self-sustaining Afghan security force. Read Reconstructing the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces: Lessons from the U.S. Experience in Afghanistan, SIGAR, September 2017.

www.sigar.mil/pdf/lessonslearned/SIGAR-17-62-LL.pdf

The report is also available as an interactive online resource
https://sigar.mil/interactive-reports/reconstructing-the-andsf/index.html

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Videos about Afghanistan

EAPs Prove Vital to ANDSF Success in Helmand, DVIDS, September 21, 2017.
An Expeditionary Advisory Package (EAP) is a purpose-built team organized to provide training, advise, and assistance to elements of the Afghan Army and Police below corps or zone level. The EAP provides the opportunity to advisors to train and assist Afghan forces at the brigade and kandak level. The push of advisors to lower levels of the Afghan security forces is part of the new South Asia strategy. www.dvidshub.net/video/553001/eaps-prove-vital-andsf-success-helmand

In the Warlords' Shadow: Village Stability Operations in Afghanistan, New America, September 7, 2017. A book author talks about the Village Stability Operations (VSO) and Afghan Local Police (ALP) programs that reflected a 'bottom-up' strategy to provide security at the local community level. Daniel Green provides a first-hand account of how this initiative functioned in practice.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jml53biWOHQ

The Non-Military Components of the United States Strategy in Afghanistan, Center for Strategic & International Studies, September 8, 2017. A panel discussion that explores the importance of a whole-of-government approach to the new strategy for Afghanistan. (1 1/2 hours long).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9PSTwdPOLg

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Resolute Support Advisors at Work in Afghanistan

RS HQs and Social Media. Read the story on how one Public Affairs Officer (PAO) assigned to Resolute Support HQs in Kabul spent her time on Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in "Resolute Support Social Media and the Afghan Conflict", SOF News, August 1, 2017.

TAAC Air Advisors work with AAF. The USAF advisors are working with all types of personnel from the Afghan Air Force - from line pilots to the Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD). Two of the workhorses of the Afghan Air Force are the A-29 Super Tucano and the Cessna 208 Caravan. The air advisors work in Kabul at the main airport as well as at forward locations across Afghanistan. Read more in "Building Momentum in Afghanistan", Air Force Magazine, September 2017.

TAAC Air Advisors Hope to Work Themselves Out of a Job. A USAF maintenance operations officer working with the Train, Advise, and Assist Command - Air would like to think that he is working himself out of a job. Currently 80% of the maintenance work done on aircraft belonging to the Afghan Air Force (AAF) is done by contract maintenance workers. His hope is that number will slowly decline. But . . .  with plans to buy refurbished UH-60 Blackhawks for the AAF that seems unlikely. The UH-60 won't show for a couple of years and it will likely be one of the most complex aircraft in the AAF. Read more on this topic in "Afghan Air force Takes Over A-29 Maintenance Ops", DVIDS, July 26, 2017.

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Afghan Strategy

Scaling Back as an Option? The White House is unable to come to grips with developing a strategy for the Afghan conflict. The Resolute Support commander, General Nicholson, would like to see an increase of almost 4K new troops to allow for an expansion of the Train, Advise, and Assist (TAA) mission. Others in the U.S. government are reluctant to send more personnel into a quagmire with no end in sight. Pakistan continues to support the Haqqani Network and other Taliban groups and some Gulf nations are still financing the Taliban and the madrassas (producing Taliban recruits) in Pakistan. The National Unity Government (NUG) is divided (not unified) and ineffective. The Afghan Army and police senior leaders are corrupt and inept. But most important the Taliban are resurgent and enjoy a measure of popular support in the Pashtun areas. There seems no way out. The 4K additional personnel for the TAA mission is a band aid on the problem; it doesn't lead to a long-term solution. Until the corrupt Afghan government and incompetent security leadership get their act together nothing is going to improve. Some in the White House recognize the situation for what it is. Read more in "White House Looks at Scaling Back U.S. Military Presence in Afghanistan", The Wall Street Journal, July 30, 2017.

Plans for Afghanistan are MIA. Paul Shinkman, a national security writer for U.S. News & World Report, says the U.S.-backed Afghan government is faltering and needs White House support. The security situation is the worst it has been since the 2001 invasion by U.S. forces. The White House, U.S. DoD, and other government leaders are struggling to come to a consensus on what to do with America's longest-ever war. Read more in "Trump Plans for Afghanistan MIA as Pressure Builds in America's Longest War",  August 1, 2017.

Erik Prince Strategic Plan for Afghanistan - Good for Contractors! A much discussed plan that was immediately dismissed by many political and military observers. But it seems the story won't die. Some commentators think the concept might save money and extricate the U.S. military from America's longest war. Read more in "Industry Talk: The Historic Implications of Erik Prince's Plan for Afghanistan", July 2017.

Trump not Happy with Generals. Although everyone assumes that President Trump has a special bond with his generals (SECDEF, NSC advisor, WH CoS, etc.) there is the possibility that the love affair is ending. See "Trump Says U.S. Losing Afghan War in Tense Meeting With Generals", NBC News, August 2, 2017. Additional speculation has it that McMaster is on the way out - he is on the receiving end of nasty press coverage from Fox News, Breitbart, Russian news agencies and trolls, and the Alt Right. Some rumors say he might be "moved up" to 4-stars to take General Nicholson's place as RS Commander.

Trump Skeptical of Generals. One former combatant in Afghanistan, Paul Szoldra, provides his analysis on Trump's dismissing the latest 'strategic plan' for Afghanistan provided by General McMaster. Read "Trump is Right to be Skeptical of the Pentagon When it Comes to Afghanistan", Task and Purpose, August 3, 2017.

More on Contractors for Afghanistan. Max Boot writes that a plan to use contractors for Afghanistan is flawed - says there is no silver bullet for fixing Afghanistan. "The Bad Faith Case for Contractors in Afghanistan", Commentary Magazine, August 1, 2017.

The John McCain Strategic Plan for Afghanistan. U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) says he will propose a plan for a U.S. strategy in Afghanistan as part of the upcoming defense authorization bill. See "McCain Says He Will Propose New Afghanistan Strategy", Gandara, August 1, 2017.

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Resolute Support Advisors in Action

ANDSF test map reading test at Bost Airfield, Afghanistan

(Marine Corps photo by Justin T. Updegraff, July 16, 2017)

TF Southwest Advisors and Map Reading. After 17 years of conflict and training up the Afghan Army and police our advisors are still teaching basic map reading to Afghan soldiers and police. For the past three weeks U.S. Marines with Task Force Southwest conducted a map reading class for the Operational Coordination Center (OCC) at Bost Airfield, Afghanistan. Hmmm. I would think at this point we would be teaching some advanced topics like . . . I don't know . . . maybe the fine art and science of counterinsurgency. Is there anyone in Afghanistan teaching counterinsurgency? Is there a Counterinsurgency Academy somewhere in Afghanistan? Probably not. Read more in "Building the Foundation: Task Force Southwest teaches map class to ANDSF forces", DVIDS, July 23, 2017.

TF Southwest and Afghan ORC. The Operational Readiness Cycle (ORC) pulls Afghan army units out of combat and puts them through a training program for several weeks. In Helmand province this program is 8 weeks long. 2nd Kandak, 4th Brigade, 215th Corps recently completed its ORC in late July 2017 at the Helmand Regional Military Training Center (RMTC). Read more in a news release by RS HQs, July 24, 2017.

Great Progress? So the above article released by RS HQs would make you think that the Marine advisory mission in Helmand province is right on track. Ummmm, maybe not. Read "Marines facing 'discouraging' challenges in Afghanistan", CNN.com, July 23, 2017.

"Watch the Hands". Of course this TAAC-Air advisor is a pilot;
who else moves their hands like this in a conversation?
(USAF photo by Tech Sgt Robert Cloys, March 3, 2016).

TAAC Air Working with Afghan Air Force. A four-year, $7 billion expansion plan is designed to produce more flight and maintenance crews for the Afghan Air Force (AAF). According to Brigadier General Phillip Stewart, the commander of Train, Advise, and Assist Command - Air, "That is what will provide the asymmetric advantage to break the stalemate on the ground." Hmmmm. Really? A bigger Air Force is needed to defeat insurgents who practice guerrilla warfare? One that has no air force, no tanks, no armored personnel carriers, and no artillery? I believe the problems that the Afghan security forces have run much deeper than not having a big enough air force. But anyway, read "As U.S. weighs Afghan strategy, hopes set on fledgling Air Force", Reuters, July 23, 2017.

US SOF Trapped in Afghanistan. 70% of the offensive operations carried out by the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are conducted by Afghan Special Service Forces (ASSF) - the special operations units of the MoI and MoD. The principle advisors to these ASSF units are U.S. and NATO SOF. The worldwide needs of U.S. SOF is immense and the Afghan commitment sucks up a lot of the US SOF resources. Read more in "SOCOM Is In A Prison of Its Own Making", Task and Purpose, July 25, 2017.

Task Force Southeast - Collective Training and Leader Development. One of the serious deficiencies of the Afghan security forces is the lack of leaders in both the army and police that are competent. The advisors and trainers of Task Force Southeast are using the collective training model (combining the army and police) as a method to develop the ANDSF leaders. Read "Training Leader Development: Fundamental to Afghan National Security", DVIDS, July 27, 2017.

TAAC South Soldiers End Deployment. Soldiers from Task Force Rakkasan of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team have returned home after working in the train, advise, and assist mission at Train, Advise, and Assist Command - South (TAAC-South). They were based in Kandahar province but also provided coverage into Zabul, Uruzgan, and Helmand provinces. Check out pictures of their homecoming at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in "Photos: 3rd Brigade soldiers come home from Afghanistan", ClarksvilleNow.com, July 23, 2017.

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Afghan Strategy - A Hard Thing to Do

Trump Administration Still Working on Strategy. The U.S. is once again conducting a review of the strategy needed to fight and end America's longest war. The Trump administration's national security team (State, NSC, DoD) has been working with the White House staff for a new strategic plan that is acceptable to Trump. Despite six months of review there still is not a plan acceptable to the White House. General McMaster (National Security Advisor) has a basic plan centered on an increase of 4K new troops to beef up the Train, Advise, and Assist mission but it has met some initial resistance from SECDEF and State. The White House is looking for something that is more than 'stay the course'. Susan Glasser, chief international affairs columnist at Politico.com, explains all of this in great detail in "The Trump White House's War Within", Politico Magazine, July 24, 2017.

Do Minerals Make a Difference on If We Stay or Go? It would seem that one thing about Afghanistan has President Trump's attention. The vast riches of minerals in Afghanistan provide possibilities for economic development for the struggling nation and a return on investment for U.S. funding of the Afghan conflict. Read "Trump Finds Reason for the U.S. to Remain in Afghanistan: Minerals", The New York Times, July 25, 2017. See also "Trump's New Afghanistan Strategy: Keep the Minerals!", New York Magazine, July 26, 2017.

DoS - Diplomacy is the Answer. The U.S. State Department thinks the way forward in Afghanistan is more diplomacy in the region and an open dialogue with the Afghan government. See "Seeking a Way Forward in Afghanistan, Tillerson Pushers for Diplomacy", Voice of America, July 27, 2017.

Battlefield Victory Will Not Happen. Michele Flournoy, a former undersecretary of defense for policy, says that the war will not be won on the battlefield. The Trump administration needs to develop a political strategy that will force the Taliban to the negotiating table. Read more in an article by CBS News,  July 25, 2017.

Playing the Long Game. Peter Brookes, a Heritage Foundation senior fellow and former deputy assistant secretary of defense says that getting Afghan policy 'right' is better than getting Afghan policy 'fast'. He believes we need to stay committed in the long slog. Read his thoughts in "Brookes: In Afghan terror fight, U.S. must play the long game", Boston Herald, July 28, 2017.

What Should US Do? Luke Coffey of The Heritage Foundation writes about U.S. options in Afghanistan in "U.S. Turning Away From Afghanistan?", Real Clear Defense, July 28, 2017.

One Possibility? Just Up and Leave! Some believe this is a conflict we will never win. Many in the U.S. have had their fill of the Afghan politicians, elites, warlords, drug lords, and corrupt senior security officers. So . . . in a Trump administration one knows that there are surprises behind every tweet. It could happen. One writer explores this topic by interviewing a number of people from diverse backgrounds. Read "What would happen if the United States totally disengaged from Afghanistan?", The Washington Post, July 26, 2017.

EU Proposal for New Afghan Strategy. The European Commission has issued a press release that outlines a new European Union strategy on Afghanistan. The major themes of the proposal include "peace, stability, and regional security"; "democracy, rule of law, and human rights"; "economic and human development"; "migration", and "empowering women". (European Commission, July 24, 2017).

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