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TAAC-Air trains web conferencing

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. J. LaVoie
  • Train, Advise, Assist Command - Air
FOWARD OPERATING BASE OQAB, Afghanistan --  The Train, Advise, and Assist Command-Air mission is to develop a professional, capable, and sustainable Afghan Air Force. One of the primary struggles for air advisors in completing this mission is the geographically distant nature of the units, most of which are located in areas without coalition security. One section has begun a program to overcome this obstacle.

The programs section has begun bringing the Afghans it advises to Kabul to teach them conferencing software. This technology will not only allow the advisors to train from a distance, but it also allows the Afghans to coordinate on their activities, develop their own training, and communicate effectively .

“The software connects all of them; it brings them together from all of the different units,” said Haqani Meerrbig, TAAC-Air interpreter and class instructor. “It is an opportunity for distant units to make contact, talk, share information and even share documents. It brings them closer.”

This capability is significant for a TAAC whose partners are spread throughout the country.

“We will be able to ‘face-to-face’ advise all 33 locations,” said an Afghan Air Force budget development contractor. “We are now able to reach out to those units and ask them what their concerns and needs are – something we haven’t done before, because we can’t fly out to all of these units.”

So far, 16 unit representatives have been trained in two hands-on classes, which start with skills as simple as turning on the computer and opening the program.

“Many started by saying they did not have the internet, but we found out they just don’t know how to use it,” said Meerrbig. “Once we show them they can use it, they are becoming familiar with the technology and better computer users. When they come, they lack the skills, but this program helps them connect.”

Over the next few months, TAAC-Air intends to continue the classes until all units have at least one trained airman per section. At that point, the Afghan Air Force should be able to sustain this capability, to improve their inter-unit coordination.