Afghan soldiers rescue villagers from flash flood

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Grateful Afghan villagers are rescued from flash floods by Afghan National Army Soldiers July 28. The ANA Soldiers rescued over 200 villagers from flash flooding Read more

330th MPC build rapport

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – A young boy sits on a table at a convenience store while members of the 330th Military Police Company, Police Combined Action Team, buy juice and Read more

ANP Search for illegal weapons

KHOST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan National Policemen and members of the 330th Military Police Company, Police Combined Action Team, search a goat herder’s house for illegal weapons and evidence of Read more

Patrols help keep peace in Pech Valley area

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Children from Kandigal village in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province follow U.S. Army Pfc. Richard J. Sandoval of Fresno, Calif., radio operator for 3rd Platoon, Company B, Read more

Convoy fights off insurgent ambush

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Pfc. Aaron R. Will of Tampa, Fla., a gunner with 2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Bulldog, reloads his Read more

Mississippi’s bomb hunters: Army National Guardsmen fight roadside bombs

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Soldiers of 1st Plt., 287th Engineer Co. pray before leaving on a route clearance mission in southeastern Afghanistan July 18. Since their arrival in theater in Read more

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Marine Corps ETT, 2-77 Field Artillery Steel Warriors train ANA in artillery

Written by U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs Tuesday, 17 November 2009 08:50

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Forward Operating Base Kalagush’s Marine Corps Embedded Training Team 5-5 and with Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force Steel, teamed up to train Afghan National Army soldiers on the D-30 122mm Russian Howitzer, Nov. 11.

“The ANA do artillery training five times a week, along with infantry tactics, and they conduct patrols to show locals they have government presence within their area,” said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Bradley Brill, the team’s leader and a Sitka, Alaska native.

The artillerymen were firing at a site used by anti-Afghanistan forces to launch attacks on FOB Kalagush. It was the first time the ANA fired in a counter-fire operational mission.

“I have taken it on as my personal mission to ensure these men of the ANA are capable of doing independent firing operations,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Forsyth, 2nd Bn., 77th FA commander and Mayfield, Ky. native.

The ANA went through a seven-week certification program, similar to the training that U.S. Army artillerymen receive to be certified on their weapons.

“If we can’t get them operating independently and have them do their job without us, then we’re failing our mission,” Forsyth said. “Part of our combined action plan for them is to become sound, confident artillerymen and have the ability to secure their nation.”

Once the ANA finished the certification process, Marines and Soldiers hope they will be able to do their own firing missions and man their own weapons 24 hours a day, like the Coalition forces on FOB Kalagush do.