Thousands of ANA, ANP Forces Graduate; Commit to Protecting Afghan Citizens
By ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
Jul 31, 2010 - 11:42:00 AM
Blackanthem Military News
KABUL, Afghanistan - More than 4,000 Afghan National Police and Army personnel graduated from various training courses July 29 and are ready to deploy to areas around the country to help improve security and stability.
"The Afghan government is doing a very respectable job training, equipping and deploying thousands of new troops and police officers as it works to meet its goal of 243,000 forces," said ISAF Commander General David Petraeus. "On behalf of ISAF, I commend the government of Afghanistan and its security forces on their resilience and dedication to protecting the lives of its citizens."
The security forces recruits spent weeks training in small-arms marksmanship, reading and writing, hand-to-hand combat, leadership development and other areas.
"I have often said that the decisive terrain in Afghanistan is the human terrain," the general continued. "The people of Afghanistan must have a government that remains committed to providing a safe and functioning environment that is free from the brutal tactics of the Taliban who show little respect for human life and little regard for the protection of innocent civilians."
International Security Assistance Forces partner with the Government of Afghanistan to help train and mentor Afghanistan's newest security forces personnel.
The largest graduating class July 29 was the graduation of Kandak 135 with 1,380 soldiers. Other courses included the ANA Basic Officer Training Course, the ANA Noncommissioned Officer Basic Course, the ANP Uniformed Police Patrolman course, the ANP Noncommissioned Officer Course and the ANP Boarder Patrolman course.