Image Gallery 2008
22 December 2008
Afghan National Army at Forward Operating Base Locke
Under the guidance of experienced Australian soldiers from the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force One (MRTF - 1), the influence of Taliban Insurgents is being pushed out of the Baluchi Pass and the Chora Valley in Afghanistanís Uruzgan Province.
Behind this success in areas once held by the Taliban is the new found strength of the Afghanistan National Army (ANA), underwritten by the support of Coalition forces and the guiding hands of Australian soldiers of the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT).
Patrol bases built over the last two years by Australian and Dutch forces in this area are now manned by the ANA with Australian forces providing support as military mentors.
The Commanding officer of MRTF - 1, Lieutenant Colonel Shane Gabriel, said the work of the ANA underwritten by Australian experience and resources was starting to pay off for Coalition forces in areas once controlled by the insurgents.
ìItís early days and I donít want to overstate what weíve achieved in the month and half that weíve been here but I believe as a direct function of our new role by working with the ANA weíve had some successes alreadyÖweíve been able to push the insurgent influence a lot further back than where they have previously enjoyed freedom of movement,î Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel said.
| 20081214adf8208022_003 Warrant Officer Class 2 George Phillips teaches an Afghan National Army medic about the use of some medicines at Forward Operating Base Locke (Chora Valley, Afghanistan). (Date taken: 14 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081214adf8208022_006 Warrant Officer Class 2 George Phillips teaches an Afghan National Army medic about the use of some medicines at Forward Operating Base Locke (Chora Valley, Afghanistan). (Date taken: 14 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081214adf8208022_016 27 year old Bendigo local, Bombadier Dallas Fitzgerald, pauses from his duties as an Artillary Forward Observer at Forward Operating Base Locke in the Chora Valley, Afghanistan. (Date taken: 14 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081214adf8208022_021 Lance Corporal Scott Tampalini lends a guiding hand as he mentors a soldier from the Afghan National Army at Forward Operating Base Locke in the Chora Valley, Afghanistan. (Date taken: 14 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081214adf8208022_025 Lance Corporal Scott Tampalini shows how it's done to assist a soldier from the Afghan National Army at Forward Operating Base Locke in the Chora Valley, Afghanistan. (Date taken: 14 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081214adf8208022_040 Warrant Officer Class 2 Medic George Phillips poses outside his modest but well-stocked clinic at Forward Operating Base Locke in the Chora Valley, Afghanistan. (Date taken: 14 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 20081214adf8208022_103 Sergeant Rob Nyffenegger takes some downtime to write home from Forward Operating Base Locke in the Chora Valley, Afghanistan. (Date taken: 14 December 2008) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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