Success story in the making

By day or by night: ANA soldiers gather under moonlight to participate in a guard of honour for a comrade killed during a joint patrol. Photo by Cpl Bernard Pearson

On the road: Soldiers prepare to depart on a joint Australian and Afghan patrol. Photo by Capt Al Green

Big shot: Soldiers test fire their weapons before setting off on a joint patrol. Photo by Capt Al Green

Capt Al Green looks at the growing bonds between Australian and Afghan forces.

AFGHAN National Army (ANA) and Australian SF soldiers have teamed up to conduct joint training and patrols as they work to help Afghanistan’s emerging democracy succeed.

From the start the patrols have seen combat, including a clash with anti-coalition militia in early October in which an Australian soldier received a minor shrapnel wound and an ANA soldier was killed.

From that shared adversity, a strong camaraderie has emerged – the process greatly assisted by the egalitarian nature of the SF diggers as they rapidly formed great working relationships at an individual and team level.

From being involved in Australia’s patrols, Afghans have been given – as is their right – a real stake in protecting Afghan sovereignty in the Australian area of operations.

There is the understanding that, in order for Afghanistan to be an independant functioning state, the ANA must be capable of winning the security battle on their own when the coalition leaves. The Australian plan aims to give them the best chance possible to achieve this.

As part of that process Australian Special Forces have instituted a train-the-trainer program. As the Afghans’ base soldier skills are quite high, honed with battle experience, their training is able to be focused on specialist areas such as interoperability, reconnaissance and communication.

The trainers believe the strongest advantage that the coalition has is the awful legacy of the Taliban. They were bullies and resentment still runs deep in the communities and Army of Afghanistan.

This is why the team argues that the rehabilitation of Afghanistan will be won or lost at the grass-roots. Relationships formed through joint operations are a good start, but the flow-through of goodwill to the community is what will ultimately count.

It’s all about a broad spectrum approach where partnerships, reconstruction, democratic process, a free media, education and security operations all integrate into a greater strategic force for good – a force that can succeed.