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ANA, AAF combine training curriculum (Video)
By U.S. Navy Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class John Pearl, Regional Command-West Public Affairs
Feb 5, 2011 - 4:42:14 PM
SHINDAND, Afghanistan - Afghan National Army soldiers and Afghan Air Force pilots participated in joint training at Shindand Air Base Feb. 2, 2011.
Two separate classes, including the ANA-led Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer Battle Course and NATO Air Training Command Afghanistan MI-17 pilot training combined curriculum and practiced combat troop insertion.
The first two pilots training on MI-17's at Shindand will graduate this month. The next class is scheduled to begin right away. According to 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group's Air Force Lt. Col. Jim Mueller, eventually all Afghan flight training will be at Shindand Air Base, including fixed wing and rotary.
Mueller said integrating flight training with ANA events simply made sense for both groups.
ANA soldiers practiced boarding and egress off the MI-17 in a simulated battlefield environment. The soldiers also secured the perimeter and bounded to a live fire range.
Sgt. Darren Ryan from the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment mentors the six-week ANA NCO Battle Course and said working with the AAF expands the capability of ANA students.
Ryan also said the ANA students selected for the course have already shown leadership ability and are extremely motivated.
In the air, Air Force Capt. Sean Masters instructs AAF pilots and said the students are already very good, but are learning to operate more tactically.
In addition to flight instruction, AAF pilots learn how to conduct mission planning, pre-flight briefs and overall crew command and control. Masters said the pilots have a strong command of English, however repetition builds confidence.
Both training programs are growing. The ANA NCO Battle Course is already run by Afghans. For the AAF, Mueller said, "The way we're going to define mission success is when the Afghans can take over all phases of the training program from brining in the students to teaching the academics to teaching the flight training."
Masters said the students are eager to learn from NATO partners, and understand the training they receive will contribute to the betterment of Afghanistan's future.
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