Airman Basic Intelligence Course graduation

Published Feb. 4, 2011
By Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Petty Officer Jared E. Walker
438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Twelve members of the Afghan Air Force, including the first female student Sgt. Shakeela Rasa and two civilians, graduated from the Airman Basic Intelligence Course at Pohantoon-e-Hawayee, the Afghan Air Force's "Big Air School," Feb. 3.

Attending the graduation was Maj. Gen. Mohammad Dawran, the Afghan Air Force commander, who shared a few words with the graduates.

"The Afghan military is lucky to have the International Forces here helping to train and equip us. That is the best thing for the Afghan Armed Forces and classes such as this because with each graduating course we become better equipped as a military," explained General Dawran.

The class is based on NATO standards, so all material was written and taught to support NATO air operations. Each of the graduates completed 210 hours of classroom instruction covering over 50 topics.

"Topics range from critical thinking and analysis, mission planning, classified information protection and security, to the creation and delivery of a professional military intelligence brief in support of Afghanistan Air Force flying operations," said Tech. Sgt. Lee Marsters, AAF Intelligence advisor, with the NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan/438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group.

Sergeant Marsters said the training was conducted because there was a need to develop a professional intelligence capability in Afghanistan.

"Without these skills, the Afghan Air Force cannot be a part of NATO. This is only the second four month course that has been taught. Other intelligence courses being taught by coalition partners were not capable of addressing Intelligence Support to air operations," said Sergeant Marsters.

The course not only strengthens the AAF but also focuses on professionalism and teamwork.

"This is one of the only courses that combines officer and enlisted members in a combined course where they have to learn to respect one another and work as a team to graduate. Our class also serves to reinforce the need for proper chain of command and discipline from a headquarter level down to the squadron level. Additionally, it gives the AAF the ability to work with other nations on the level that NATO operates," said Sergeant Marsters.

Many challenges were faced by the students and their families during the extended training course.

"Being away from family for four months was a cultural challenge faced by the students. In their culture it is far more difficult for them to leave a female in charge of buying food, providing security at the home, and other goods and needs. It is a testament to their devotion to the course and dedication to bettering themselves that they were able to pass a mid-term and a final test with a 70 percent or better grade," said Sergeant Marsters.

After the graduation all of the students will go to their respective units across Afghanistan.

"We have students here from Jalabad, Herat, Shindand, Kandahar, Kabul, and Mazar-e-Sharif. Our class leader and his deputy will be working in Kandahar. They graduated with honors, meaning they had a 90 percent or better grade point average. The civilians will be course directors out at the AAF Air School during the next class. I am very excited for the graduates to go into the field and start doing their jobs," explained Sergeant Marsters.