KABUL, Afghanistan –
Resolute Support Mission launched the first of its four-day In-country Key Leader Training, held at Camp RS, June 16-19.
This four-day training, a partnership between Resolute Support and Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan, provides two Security Force Assistance and Advisor Training days, a newcomer’s briefing day, and a day of Guardian Angel training. This holistic approach to training prepares new personnel for the SFA mission in Afghanistan with a focus on those who have come to advise key Afghan leaders.
“It was identified that personnel coming in-country, many from the Department of Defense, do not have the basic SFA training for the ministerial level that provides the baseline understanding of the advisory mission we’re doing out here as part of resolute support mission,” CSTC-A’s Key Leader Engagement Officer U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Natalie Trogus said.
Part of the baseline Trogus refers to is the understanding of the Resolute Support organization, which assists in helping Afghan leaders solve problems. When Afghan leaders bring issues to their advisors, knowing who the next person in the advisory process is can be key to finding solutions.
“This training will produce better advisors, specifically if they have not received advisor training in the United States or Poland (for NATO partner troops) prior to deployment,” RS Training Branch Head, German Army Brig. Gen. Rene Leitgen said. “Not all theaters are created equal and not all advisor missions are the same; specific training for the Resolute Support Mission is essential to success in Afghanistan.”
The departments within RS that support advisors in coordinating solutions are the Essential Functions. The EFs provide the framework for achieving Afghan sustainability.
EF 1: Multi-year Budgeting and Execution of Programs
EF 2: Transparency, Accountability, and Oversight (prevent corruption)
EF 3: Rule of Law and Counter-Corruption
EF 4: Force Generation (recruit, train, and equip the force)
EF 5: Sustainment (supply and maintenance)
EF 6: Strategy and Policy Planning, Resourcing, and Execution (plan, resource campaigns)
EF 7: Intelligence
EF 8: Strategic Communication
“The more you know about the Essential Functions, the more effective you’re going to be at providing solutions to your Afghan counterparts,” CSTC-A Commanding General, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Richard Kaiser said.
The first block of training explained the relationship between RS and NATO, and gave students a better understanding of how the linkage between this headquarters and its higher command works. It also gave the incoming personnel an understanding of how RS nests itself within NATO’s objectives.
“I know the information is complicated for those arriving to RS, but I would say rather it’s comprehensive. They need to understand the background and overall context of this mission,” RS Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Johann Langenegger said.
Resolute Support is coordinating with military training programs stateside to create a long-term solution to assure U.S. service members arriving in Afghanistan receive proper SFA advisor training and a sufficient understanding of what RS is and does to help increase the capabilities of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.