Daily Afghan-Iraqi Update/11-04
By AF Master Sgt. Sarah R. Webb
Army 1st Lt. Russell Dasher teaches a boy how to give "daps" as Staff Sgt. Donald Ottaway looks on at the Andar district bazaar in Ghazni province, Sept. 20, 2009.
Civil affairs members of the PRT conducted a course designed to coach, mentor and train the Andar police officers. The instruction covered techniques on how to interact with the population, gather info and develop relationships and trust between the police and the people they serve.
“We would like the people from Andar to see the police team working closely with CF,” said Spc. Hyrum Robb, civil military ops center NCO. “Then we want the Afghan police officers to take the lead with confidence in their training.” “We're hoping that the police officers will continue to use the engagement techniques and become welcome members of the village,” Robb said. “As devoted members of the village, they'll have the trust and confidence of the people that they serve. We want the villagers to have a positive view of their govt and feel comfortable telling the police about any problems they have, to include insurgent activities.” “The purpose of holding the practical exercise at the bazaar was to have the police officers observe, as civil affairs engaged with the public,” Robb said. “After our engagement, I chose 2 police officers to speak to a shop owner and his customers while being observed by the civil affairs team.” When Robb asked the police officers how they felt they did, their huge smiles showed how proud they were of themselves, and how well they felt they were received by the people. “We learned that when we talk to the shop keepers, they tell us that we're not the dangerous people that they thought we were,” one policeman said. “He told us that we're just humans like them. This is good for us to hear.” A squad leader for the police team agreed. “Shop keepers are happy that the police are here asking them questions, Sayeed Shah said. “This is the first time we’ve asked what they want, and this is the first time I’ve felt like the shop keepers are giving us honest answers.” One village elder was so touched by the interaction that, on the verge of tears, he begged the police officers for help to solve his village’s security problem. Before this event, Robb said, the village elders and police had no interaction or communication. Shah promised they’d do their best. “Some of us have been working honestly for the last 10 years,” he said. “As we have the last drop of blood in our bodies, we will do our job.”
Members of the ANP look over questions designed to help them engage with local shop keepers.
Pfc. Kristin Day, Civil Affairs specialist, and Spc. Hyrum Robb, civil military ops center, NCO, both assigned to Ghazni PRT, train ANP on techniques for how to interact with people, gather info, and develop relationships and trust.
Abdul Raziq, Kunar chief of justice, speaks to 70 mullahs and religious leaders, Oct. 27, 2009 in Asadabad about the rule of law. Kunar prov. hosted rule of law training to teach influential people about legal rules and constitutional rights. The Kunar dir. of Hajjand Religious Affairs approached CF for assistance to teach religious leaders about legal wareness, constitutional law and rights, as well as about anti-corruption, anti-insurgency and anti-drugs. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian Boisvert)
KUNAR PROVINCE – The training focused on Afghanistan Constitutional law and penal code, women’s rights, security and the upcoming run-off elections. “When people think of rule of law, they think of working with courts and prosecutors. The goal is to spread legal awareness to as many people as we possibly can. So, not only are we going to work with the court system, but we're trying to find alternate ways to get the word out,” said Army Capt. Craig Scrogham, TF Mtn Warrior rule of law attorney. “Two other ways are the Hajj and Religious Affairs depts, which is what we did today, and tribal leaders training. We’re attacking from 3 different angles, instead of focusing on just the courts.”
In Afghanistan, there's no separation of church and state, and it becomes important to reach out to religious leaders. Article 3 of the Afghanistan Constitution states no law shall be passed that is contrary to the beliefs and provisions of Islam. “Fifty of the 70 attendees today preach and teach at mosques and speak to up to 500 people each. By my math that is about 25,000 people who we've reached and spread the message of legal awareness and supporting the govt,” Scrogham said.
According to Mullah Waliullah, a religious scholar and theologian at the Islamic Institute, the people of Afghanistan want peace and security. “It's important for us to have peace and security. When we're in a community where there is peace and security, people are willing to go to mosque because they're not scared. If there is no peace, a person can't go to Hajj, or give his charity to poor people, because they're afraid. A farmer cannot plant his crops without security. It's the responsibility of the religious leaders and scholars to teach people the right, responsible way.”
Waliullah told the attendees that people must sit together and bring peace, and use the teachings of Mohammad and the Quran to guide them. “Allah brought everyone together and brought gladness and life. People must sit together and bring peace,” Waliullah said. “Scholars and theologians, we have to know this. How will we bring peace and security? If security comes in a country, city, district, village or valley, it comes under the rules, laws and regulations of the country. We must get together and respect the rules and laws of Afghanistan, because it's an Islamic country and its people are Muslims.”
By Army Spc. Matthew Thompson, Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO
By Staff Sgt. Mike Alberts
BAGHDAD – The British Council has agreed to support the design and development phase for the Iraqi Int'l Academy (IIA), which will be home for instruction in advanced English language and cultural training for the GoI.
The IIA is being developed by advisors from Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq, and the Iraqi Ministerial Training and Development Center. Tony Reilly, dir. of the British Council in Iraq, called the Iraqi Int'l Academy “a bold and visionary initiative to establish a center of excellence in English language teaching, cultural awareness and professional development.” He added that the British Council is delighted to be playing a modest but meaningful role, alongside the GoI, and U.S. allies, as a strategic partner in the ambitious undertaking.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Leven Pressley-Sanders, academic team lead and David King, academy senior consultant from Iraq Training and Advisory Mission – Ministry of Defense, welcomed the British Council’s commitment to the IIA. They added that discussions were underway with other int'l partners needed to help deliver the excellence and quality that is required across the whole IIA curriculum.
The British Council, which serves as Britain’s int'l cultural relations body has supported the IIA project in recent years by conducting a fact-finding visit and holding an English language curricula workshop with U.S. advisors.
Meetings with local leaders are key to finding out where humanitarian assistance is needed, said Long. "We've a healthy relationship with our local Iraqi neighbors and understand some of the hardships that many Iraqi families face on a daily basis. These bags are a real kick-start to a family that barely meets basic needs," said Long.
To date, Troop B has delivered more than 100 bags consisting of basic food supplies, flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar and salt to 10 different villages in their area of ops. "I feel good about the distributions. You can see how happy this makes the local villagers," said Pfc. Stephen Smith. "Most of the villages now seem friendly towards us when we visit them again."
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When the instruction began on the basic anatomy of the heart, one corpsman's experience reassured the medics of their instructors' knowledge. "This is where my expertise comes into play," said Chief Petty Officer Jeanie Kittleson, a corpsman with CLB-46, and a physician asst in the U.S. "For some people, it may be deceiving where the heart is actually located, but it's actually in the center of the chest, not to the left where most people think it is."
Throughout the entire class, the Iraqi medics took notes and asked questions, showing the instructors their enthusiasm for learning. "It's great to see them retaining the info we give them," said Richards. "It shows that they're paying attention and actually have an avid interest in learning. They even practice during the rest of the week when we're not here for them."
Though the corpsmen teach classes every Monday on Camp Mejid, the medics are slowly becoming less dependent on them for knowledge and supplies. This process of phasing out the aid of the corpsman will make it easier for the Iraqis when all U.S. service members eventually depart Iraq.
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Engine Check
(Photo by Senior Airman Chris Hubenthal)
Senior Airman Casey Warner, 64th Expeditionary Helicopeter Maintenance Unit crew chief, inspects the engine controls of an HH-60G Pavehawk, as part of a pre-flight inspection on Joint Base Balad, Oct. 27, 2009.
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Arms Full
(Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Carmichael Yepez)
A group of Iraqi girls show off the backpacks they received during a humanitarian aid mission to the Manara primary school in the village of Manara, north of Mosul, Oct. 24.
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