Operation SLIPPER: Stories from Afghanistan
Related:
Stories from Afghanistan
Special Forces Mentoring in Orunzgan Bears Fruit
The partnership between Afghan National Security Force and the Australian Special Operations Task Group has resulted in the graduation of the first class of Afghan policemen who will work alongside the Australian forces.
The graduates form the basis of the newly-established Oruzgan Provincial Police Reserve Company and have recently completed three months of mentoring by Australian Special Operations Task Group soldiers.
At a ceremony held in stifling heat on a sandy parade ground near the Australian base at Tarin Kowt, the SOTG Commanding Officer, who cannot be named for security reasons, told the new policemen they could be justifiably proud of their achievements.
“Your effort, hard work and dedication is recognised today as you graduate as Afghan policemen. It is a solemn responsibility that you have chosen to accept and one that you must faithfully undertake to discharge fairly, honestly and with courage. You owe this to your people and they should expect nothing less.”
Provincial Police Reserve units have recently been formed in all provinces across Afghanistan and draw their members from local towns and villages rather than a national recruiting base.
The SOTG Commanding Officer said the men come from the same communities that they will now serve and protect.
“They understand the local issues, and the bond with their local communities is very important,” he said. “Being a policeman in Afghanistan is not easy. They risk their lives everyday to serve their people. ”
Australian Special Forces have been closely involved at every stage in the evolution of the Oruzgan force, with Special Forces mentors working alongside Afghan trainers and interpreters in order to raise the unit.
The mentoring and training included classroom lessons and joint operations with the Special Operations Task Group out amongst the local population.
“Training them to be Afghan police officers is only part of the work. The key is in training them so they, in time, can assume the responsibility for training later courses.” the Commanding Officer said.
“The objective is a self-sustaining unit, one that’s able to recruit, train and operate without the need for outside support. With the commitment these officers have demonstrated, we’ll achieve it.”
The last few weeks of the course provided a special challenge for the new graduates, taking place over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours.
“These men continued training throughout Ramadan, going without food and drink during some extremely hot days for over twenty days now. It’s been a fantastic effort” the Commanding Officer said.
The new policemen are under no illusions about the difficult, and dangerous, job ahead now that graduation day is behind them.
While their work at the grass-roots village level keeps them close to the communities they need to protect, it inevitably increases their exposure to insurgents attempting to dominate these same communities through threats, intimidation and violence.
In the words of one Australian Special Forces mentor, “You don’t need to look any further than that risk to understand the strength of their desire to see Afghanistan become, once again, stable and secure.”