Aussie skills aid tough job
Volume 11, No. 44, June 01, 2006
THREE Australians are in Afghanistan as part of the Canadian-led Agis multi-national task force based at Kandahar Air Field (KAF) helping to pave the way for the reconstruction task force’s deployment later in the year.
Lt-Col Mark Brewer, in the Agis operations planning cell, said the task force was preparing for a Dutch-led reconstruction mission.
“A platform will be set for operations to start for the provincial reconstruction team, combining security and infrastructure reconstruction,” Lt-Col Brewer said.
“The Australian forces have an important job to do in what can be a dangerous region.”
WO2 Andrew Dixon, the mine action officer for Agis, said a good day was a slow day, because it meant no mines had been found in the AO.
WO2 Dixon signs off digging requests in the AO and provides people leaving KAF with specialised maps.
“This product has the positions of all known minefields in the AO, or for the whole of Afghanistan.
“It allows people to understand the ground they’re passing through and going to,” he said.
Convoys have been travelling more safely since Capt Ty Domin came into logistic operations as he tracks their movement from KAF through the AO.
“When we first arrived, anti-coalition militia hit the convoys a few times with vehicle-borne IEDs,” Capt Domin said.
“We now work with Task Force Knighthawk to provide air cover for the vehicles. Apache helicopters fly ahead of the convoy and, if they see anything suspicious, the convoy can be warned.”
Lt-Col Brewer said the jobs the Australians perform give a good understanding of operations in Afghanistan.
“A multi-national brigade sees the strengths from different countries come out. There are a range of capabilities each country brings, giving us robust options in the operation.”
The three Australians trained in Canada before they deployed as part of the multinational force.
“The Canadians have operational experience like ours and we fit in well. We speak the same military language and when we plan, we talk issues through so there are no misunderstandings,” he said.
“They work very hard to accommodate other contributing nations and their efforts helped build the team quickly.
“They’ve got a hard job and they’re doing it well.”
