Afghans teach Afghans leadership, education, professions

Published Sept. 23, 2010
By Tech. Sgt. Chyenne A. Adams
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

KABUL, Afghanistan -- To many, the differences between the Afghanistan and American people seem numerous and insurmountable. But for the trained U.S. military support troops working shoulder-to-shoulder with their Afghan counterparts, the similarities far outnumber the differences.

Pohantoon-e-Hawaee, a specialized training facility in Afghanistan, is an example between the Afghanistan and American militaries. The schoolhouse is a campus where Afghans teach Afghans and Americans serve as mentors.

"It's so much more than you can explain on the surface," said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Glenn Hanks, 738th Air Expeditionary Advisor Squadron director of operations. "This place is being built into something very similar to what Maxwell Air Force Base serves as for the Air Force with programs for the entire air force, officer and enlisted. It is a place where Afghanistan air force airmen come to learn basic and advanced skills in a multitude of areas."

The school is based on three basic tenets: professions, leadership and education.

The professions area is considered the technical area of expertise. Once Afghan air force airmen graduate from their basic training, they come here to learn their military specialty - as a firefighter, military police officer, or more.

The leadership area is the development side of the schoolhouse, very similar to the U.S. professional military education program, with set milestones at various points in the career of an Afghan soldier.

The education tenet is the basis for the rest, with a general education degree program being built to assist in the literacy of all the Afghanistan troops that process throughout various courses in the school.

The chief of staff of the Afghanistan air force, Gen. Mohammad Dawran, visited P-e-H Sept. 23 and remarked to the mixed crowd of Afghans and Americans via an interpreter. The general reminded the crowd that the majority of Afghanistan's population was born and has been raised in a time of war, with no opportunity to go to school. He said the school gave the Afghan people a reason to be proud again, when all the airmen that process through become literate and better educated, and assist the Afghan air force in standing on their own two feet.

There are currently about 350 Afghan students enrolled in various courses at any given time. They're being taught by about 40 instructors, most with prior military experience, more than 10 years teaching experience and certified education credentials, according to Commander Hanks.

"The true success story here is the sustainability," he said. "(Coalition Forces) can come in and ramp it up, get the training going, but the fact that it is Afghans teaching Afghans and setting up short and long term goals is what's truly amazing."

The NATO mentors that serve as mentors receive specialized training via a four-week Air Advisors Course, but the commander said the true appreciation for the program comes upon arrival and immersion.

"The program was a great introduction into what we need to know to mentor our Afghan counterparts," he said. "But there's nothing like the 'see it, touch it, hear it, smell it' appreciation that comes once you're actually out here."

The commander's Afghan interpreter - Sayed-Subhan Hashimi says he's also proud to be a part of the training operations taking place. He's served as an interpreter for five years with Americans, two as a combat interpreter.

"I see here lots of improvements," he said. "After 30 years of war, it is nice to see people all have the same aim - prosperity and better life for the Afghan people."

Lt. Niamat Ullah, a former student and current class company commander, said the training provided here "presents educated soldiers to the people of Afghanistan," and that he's grateful for the work of Americans in ensuring their success.

"All the countries that have provided mentors, logistical support or in-depth training we are grateful to," said Afghan air force Col. Mohammed-Arif Angar. "These people have assisted us in standing on our own two feet - a great honor for Afghanistan."

Plans are underway to bring the total number of courses taught from 49 to 104 by the end of the year. Career tracks are being built for the enlisted and officer forces to ensure that initial training is a success and that troops return to the school for professional development throughout their careers. The training is being standardized to ensure that there is one fully developed Afghanistan air force.