www.isaf.nato.int/article/news/task-force-wolverine-s-partnership-with-macedonians-ana-anp-pays-off.html100528-F-2507B-037 CHARIKAR, Afghanistan - Col. Mollah-Azizi, a member of the Afghan National Army, meets with members of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Vermont National Guard, and the Macedonian Embedded Task Force at the Operations Coordination Center Provincial, the province headquarters of the ANA, May 28, 2010. The two teams work together in a joint partnership to assist with mentoring the Afghan National Police and the ANA. (ISAF photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball)
Task Force Wolverine’s Partnership with Macedonians, ANA, ANP Pays Off U.S. Air Force
Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball
ISAF Public Affairs Office
CHARIKAR, Afghanistan –Deployed forces from the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the Macedonian Embedded Task Force work together in a joint partnership to assist with mentoring the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army of Parwan Province.
The Macedonians’ Special Forces Regiment and the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Vermont Army National Guard, have been part of a state partnership program since 1993, but this is the first time they have served together in a combat zone.
“We have always had small training units working with Vermont when we first started our partnership,” said Macedonian Army Command Sgt. Maj. Zoran Flipovski, the command sergeant major of the Macedonian Special Forces Regiment. “Last year, our officials started talking about doing more to deploy together as coalition forces. That’s how this deployment came about.”
The two teams trained together prior to their deployment at Fort Polk, La., focusing on counterinsurgency operations, individual Soldier skills and some language training for the Macedonians. The training also allowed the two teams to iron out their differences ahead of time.
“Our two militaries do things a bit different, so we had time to figure it,” U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Forest Glodgett, brigade command sergeant major, 86th IBCT, said.
The two units have been in place for about three months. The joint teams go out on missions nearly every day.
Their mission on May 28, began with the preparation of a half dozen Mine Resistant Ambush Protected-All Terrain Vehicles. The crews looked them over to ensure they were running smoothly and all equipment was present and secured.
After a pre-mission brief to take accountability and discuss the day’s operation, the joint team of U.S. and Macedonian Soldiers saddled up and convoyed to the Parwan provincial capital, to visit local Afghan national police stationed at ANP provincial headquarters in bustling downtown Charikar. Located just up the road is the Operations Coordination Center Provincial, the provincial headquarters of the ANA.
A small contingent of 86th IBCT members are stationed here to mentor their ANP and ANA partners to take care of their own security, logistics, medical, intelligence, communications and emergency management procedures within the province.
“The concept of the OCCP is only about eight months old,” U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class William Godfrey, assistant Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Logistics, 86th IBCT, said. “The initial challenge was for us to learn the Afghan systems so we can understand it enough to assist them. We’re past that now and making great progress.”
Each person on the mentoring team has an ANA and ANP counterpart. During times of disaster or emergency, the two entities will often work together to respond.
The system was put to the test earlier in the year, when a massive avalanche struck an area to the north, killing hundreds. The ANP and ANA quickly worked together in a rescue effort to get roads unblocked and rescue trapped and injured people.
“It’s impressive to see how far they’ve come,” Godfrey said.
The team is also assisting with a contract to renovate the OCCP compound.
“Our end goal is to create a force that can protect themselves, their own people and can respond appropriately to any situation,” Glodgett said.