What is it?
NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) was established on Nov. 21, 2009 to assist in building the capability and capacity of the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF).
What has the Army done?
While NTM-A is a joint and multinational organization, consisting of all five services (traditional four plus the Coast Guard) and personnel from 28 other countries; the Army is the driving force of the organization. The Army has sent hundreds of individual augmentees with key specialties, female drill sergeants from the 95th Institutional Training Division and a composite battalion to fill trainer gaps throughout Afghanistan.
The Afghan National Army and Police have increased by over 64,000 personnel - the largest quantitative growth of any year of the Afghan National Security Forces. To improve ANSF quality, NTM-A has focused on leader development, offered literacy courses and worked to decrease attrition. These measures have begun the process of creating a better-trained, more-educated, professional force that will be self-generating and self-sufficient.
Why is this important to the Army?
The ANP and the ANA are responsible for protecting the sovereignty of Afghanistan from internal and external threats and serving and protecting its people. This is also the main effort of our counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned?
To date the NTM-A has focused on creating an infantry-centric force capable of participating in counterinsurgency operations, but the training is also laying the foundation for a more balanced and professional force. In the next year, the focus will shift to building the combat support and combat service support units to balance the ANSF and provide them skills for self-generation and self-sustainment. Only when these forces are built will transition be able to occur.
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