An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Airmen teach ANP and ANAP about tactics and training

  • Published
  • By Capt. Nora Eyle
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
FORWARD OPERATING BASE MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan --  Staff Sergeant Daniel Smith, non-commissioned officer in charge of the Police Technical Advisory Team (PTAT) has been stationed at the Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan for almost four months.

Since day one, he and his team have been training 10 to 20 Afghan National Police (ANP) and Afghan National Auxiliary Police (ANAP) every week about community policing, use of force, hand to hand combat, searching and handcuffing, ethics, riot control, rifle fighting, offensive and defensive tactics, as well as other skills.

"This PTAT program will have touched virtually every ANAP & ANP in the Laghman province by the end of our tour," said Sgt. Smith.

Senior Airman Zackary Osborne, Security Forces Police Tactics and Training (PTAT) mentor underlines the program's importance. "The PTAT program is really important, because it is a tool that refines, and reshapes these people's way of thinking, and makes the ANP and ANAP better police officers," said Airman Osborne.

"Training of the ANP and ANAP are critical to the long term stability of Afghanistan," said Lt. Col. Robert Ricci, Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team commander. "Nothing happens without security in this nation. The ANP and ANAP are the first line defenders against insurgents and general crimes to the public."

The training of the ANP and ANAP in Laghman Province actually happens in several stages. First, individuals are trained at the Regional Training Center in Jalalabad for basic police duty. Then, they are trained by the PTAT personnel that include Tech. Sgt. Drayton Denson, Staff Sgt. Daniel Smith and Senior Airman Osborne for one week, where they concentrate primarily on tactical level tasks and capabilities. Lastly, the individuals are placed back in their district units where the Military Police platoon assigned to the Forward Operating Base can work with the personnel in the field to put into practice what the PTAT spent time teaching.

It is six days of intense training for the students. "After one week of classes, Sgt. Smith and I conduct paperwork and prep for the next class on the seventh day, and then start again on Saturday," said Airman Osborne. "It's a pretty hectic schedule."

The students all work hard to perform their tasks and Airman Osborne has been impressed by their efforts. "They show a real understanding for all the subjects, but the ones that stand out the most are ethics, and use of force. They all want to become better at their job," he said. 

But the ANA and ANAP are not the only ones who are learning things; the instructors are also getting educated by their students. "I am learning phrases some Dari but more Pashto than anything," said Sgt. Smith. "The majority of the students speak several different languages form Dari, Pashto, Pashai and Urdu. So I try and pick up on the different dialects. I know my interpreter wishes I knew a lot of Dari, because he has to answer or ask questions in two different languages a lot of the time."

"Every day I see the ANP and ANAP getting better," said Lt. Col. Ricci. "If I were to take a snapshot from when we first arrived and compare it to where we are now and where we're going, the pictures would look nothing alike. Everyday they're getting better ... and I have my PTAT to thank for a significant part of that."

"Much as we seem to forget, policemen in the United States are often forgotten until they're needed ... well they're needed here," said Lt. Col. Ricci. "As the son of a policeman and the grandson of a policeman, I understand fully the important role they play in society. I've lived with it my whole life. It's no different here. The ANP and ANAP are going to help the long term stability of this region."

The instructors know that they are making a difference with their program. "It is always a good feeling when people come back to the FOB and say the ANP are doing a great job out there and they are showcasing their newly learned skills and are saying that they learned it from the PTAT Teachers," said Sgt. Smith. "Some of the students even mention Tech. Sgt. Denson, Airman Osborne, and myself by name. I am always glad to be able to help where I can. Especially knowing that the teaching it is leading to the Afghans securing their own land."

"There is enough reward knowing that the individuals you teach walk out that day knowing that they have learned something new or learned more about something that they already knew," Sgt. Smith said. "It is a great feeling to know that the subjects you teach to these people could be the very item that helps them save a life."

Since training started the Mehtar Lam PTAT program has trained over 200 ANP and ANAP students.