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Resolute Support Essential Function 5

Monday, March 23, 2015

What is it?

Resolute Support mission Essential Function 5 helps to sustain the force through Logistics and Maintenance, Medical, Information, Communication and Technology.

The Essential Function 5 (EF5) mission is to train, advise, and assist (TAA) the Afghan Ministries of the Interior and Defense on building logistical and maintenance capacity and capability, in their logistics, maintenance, medical, and information, communication and technology fields. EF 5 is divided into three sub-missions:

  • (1) EF 5.1: fulfills the mission of advising and assisting the Afghan Police and Army in logistics and maintenance of vehicles, equipment, and weapons at the Corps and national levels of the logistics system of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). EF5.1 also advises senior officers and civilians within the security ministries.

  • (2) EF 5.2: responsible for training, advising, and assisting the Afghan Army and Police on point of injury care, ground medical evacuation, medical logistics, equipment maintenance, medical support planning, and medical staffing. Additionally, advisors are responsible for ministry level advising aimed at developing a comprehensive National Healthcare System.

  • (3) EF 5.3: train, advise, and assist the Afghan security ministries in the field of communications, information, and infrastructure. Under EF5.3, Resolute Support strives to ensure a stable, solid and secure communications infrastructure that is sustainable into the future.

What has the Army done?

The Army contributes individual Soldiers to support U.S. commitments to the NATO-led Resolute Support mission. Soldiers are advising personnel in the Afghan Ministries of the Interior and Defense as well as the Afghan Army Corps.

Why is it important to the Army?

Developing sustainable logistics capabilities is critical to the success of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in their ability to keep forces in the field supporting the people of Afghanistan. The U.S. Army and its logisticians are vital to the effort to ensure Afghanistan never becomes a safe haven for terrorist again.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

The Army will continue to contribute individual Soldiers throughout the end of 2016 to support the Essential Function 5 efforts as part of the NATO-led mission. As the mission continues to transition to a normal embassy presence beyond 2016, the Army will continue to be a key component of the TAA mission.

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