FORT BENNING, Ga., (Jan. 21, 2015) -- Five senior leaders from the delegation of the 203rd Corps of the Afghan National Army visited several training units on Fort Benning Jan. 12-15 to observe training briefings.
The purpose was to learn about U.S. Army training and take lessons learned back to their own regional training center.
"What we wanted to do was show the leaders of the 203rd Corps how we train and develop Soldiers and leaders here at Fort Benning because they have similar capability in their headquarters," said Lt. Col. Mark Andres, director, Commander's Initiatives Group.
Visitors from the delegation included Maj. Gen. Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, corps commander; Brig. Gen. Mohammad Asrar Aqdas, director of operations coordination center; Col. Mohammad Asif Sabori, corps training officer and G5; Col. Dur Mohammad Merza, corps finance officer and 2nd Lt. Mohammad Musadiq Yaftali, corps commander's aide.
"Different parts of Afghanistan have different levels of activity, but 203rd Corps is one of the most active when it comes to fighting enemy combatants," said Maj. Michael Provencher, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Train, Advise, Assist Command-East, Afghanistan. "These guys are busy in combat operations, but they still took the time to fly here to Fort Benning and look at our training institutions on how to make their soldiers better for combat."
Provencher said the 203rd Corps had more than 100,000 combat operations last year.
Provencher is one of the advisors to the 203rd Corps, specifically Brig. Gen. Aqdas' advisor. Provencher played a crucial role in the logistics of the leaders' visit.
"Back in Afghanistan, I work with (Maj. Gen. Yaftali) on different operations issues," Provencher said.
"Being one of the advisors to the 203rd Corps, I was a natural selection to bring them forward to Fort Benning, and also since I'm an Infantry officer, I know the terrain of many of the schools here."
Also with Provencher were Spc. Ullah Hedayad and Spc. Farhad Meskoob, linguists with the 52nd Translator/Interpreter Company at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
During the visit, the leaders met Maj. Gen. Austin Miller, commanding general, MCoE, met the school commandants, received briefings regarding numerous training brigades on post, received a briefing on the international military student office and received a formal tour of the National Infantry Museum.
"I think they've really enjoyed the briefings they have attended; they found them very informative," Provencher said.
The guests enjoyed the 30th AG Battalion (Reception) and the basic combat training briefings most of all, Provencher said.
"The (Infantry Mortar Leader Course) briefing they enjoyed a great deal where they got to compare what type of equipment they have and what type of equipment (the IMLC had)," Meskoob said.
Some of the briefings had a strong draw for courses where leaders could possibly send their students or things that relate to what they are already doing operationally in Afghanistan, Provencher said.
Fort Benning is currently hosting four Afghan students. Two of the students are in the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course, and two are in the Maneuver Captains Career Course. The delegation spent time with them.
The leaders were well received on Fort Benning, Provencher said, noting that all of their questions were answered completely, and they felt the installation was very accommodating to them.
"(The training units) offered to assist them, as well, if they needed assistance in the future to set up schools like the Rangers (have)," Meskoob said.
Upon returning to Afghanistan, the senior leaders will share what they have learned with the rest of the 203rd Corps and the Ministry of Defense's Training Directorate for Afghanistan, Provencher said. From that knowledge, they'll discuss ways they can implement some of the same strategies used here.
Funding for the visit came from Combined Security Transition Command, Afghanistan, Provencher said.
Aside from briefings, the group visited Atlanta, and uptown Columbus.
"To visit the United States, they were very excited to come here, not just to get the learning experience, but also experience some of our culture," Provencher said.
During a formal dinner, hosted by Maj. Gen. Austin Miller, commanding general, Maneuver Center of Excellence, there was an exchange of gifts, a custom in the Afghan culture. The leaders presented gifts of traditional Afghanistan clothes, while Miller presented a Ka-Bar and MCoE coins and commander's coins to the leaders.
"They're a partner nation," Andres said. "We at the Maneuver Center of Excellence want to deepen our relationship we have with the Afghan Army. We're trying to continue to foster that relationship."
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