KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (Aug. 19, 2014) -- Approximately 15
Afghan National Army Soldiers with National Engineering Brigade and
Afghan civilian engineers came to Kandahar Airfield, Aug. 9-13, to gain a
better understanding of the bridge technologies coalition forces have
brought to their country.
As International Security Assistance Forces prepare for the end of
Operation Enduring Freedom later this year, Afghans are taking on more
of the responsibility of ensuring logistics and communication routes,
including ensuring bridges repaired or built by ISAF are kept in repair.
Staff Sgt. Ronnie Wilhelm, of Sunrise, Florida, section leader with the
814th Multi-Role Bridge Company, out of Fort Polk, Louisiana, and one of
the primary trainers for the Afghans, explained that they were training
them on steel truss bridges used by coalition forces, namely the
Mabey-Johnson and the Acrow. Wilhelm said both are so similar in design
that the training is compatible, even though they have different parts.
"The important thing we're learning here is how to use steel structures.
Because of the training, we know how to assemble them. It's a new
technology for Afghanistan because we've been constructing concrete
bridges. The steel bridges will be good for our students to learn," said
an Afghan engineering professor who asked that his name be withheld.
The training the 814th provided will allow Afghans to support their own infrastructure and be less reliant on coalition assets.
"When they leave this training they will be able to inspect and maintain
the bridges here in theater," said Wilhelm. "It seems like every time
we deploy as engineers we build three or four bridges, and it adds up
over time. There are definitely hundreds theater wide, and we're the
last U.S. bridge engineers here in theater. With this training they'll
be able to maintain the bridges themselves."
Staff Sgt. Mathew Schnell, from Louisville, Kentucky, a member of the
814th who helped train the Afghans, explained that it was important for
both the Afghan National Army and Afghan civilians to be a part of the
training.
"The public might have to help with these bridges. Most of these bridges
are main line bridges used by civilians as well as the Army," he said.
Schnell explained that these bridges give the people of Afghanistan
freedom of mobility, especially during the flood season. They allow
Afghan soldiers to get where they need to be to protect their people,
and they allow commerce to flow year round.
The 814th taught fewer than 20 Afghans, but the impact of the training will be felt all over Afghanistan.
"This training will be good for us as well as our university," said the
Afghan engineering professor. "We will take these materials and teach
our students. So instead of teaching one person or two people, we'll
have the materials to teach 500 students a year."
The Soldiers of the 814th said they were surprised at how much the
Afghans already knew. Once they overcame language barriers, the training
went so fast that more advanced training was a possibility.
"We had to tailor it (the training) to be a little more advanced because
they were already used to the things that we were teaching them," said
Wilhelm. "So we stepped up the training and taught them some things we
weren't planning on teaching them, more about the design of bridges and
more advanced repairs."
"The Afghan soldiers have been very receptive to the advanced training.
They're very eager to learn about all the components they didn't know
about," said Schnell. "They gave me the impression they're here to
learn. They're showing me that they've retained everything we're
teaching them. I fully trust that they are able to continue with the
bridge repairs and the missions that lay ahead."
Though these bridges are located thought the country, an Afghan engineer
with the Ministry of Public Works, who wished to remain anonymous, said
this was the first time he had been trained on these bridges.
"The U.S. military trained us and we learned very useful things. I know I
can build this bridge myself. I know all the parts, and if something
is missing I can get the right part."
Schnell explained that the hardest part of the training was the language
barrier. He said at first it was difficult to get an interpreter who
could explain the technical parts. Even when they did find one, there
were some parts that didn't have a Dari or Pashtu word. They taught the
English name for the pieces and then the Afghans developed their own
words for the parts.
"They're great," said the Afghan professor, about his American
instructors. "When you know the language there is no problem. When you
don't there is sometimes problems translating."
With training moving faster than expected there was an opportunity for
Soldiers from both nations to come together and learn from each other.
"The best part is just being able to talk with them," Willhelm said.
"Just the interaction alone has been really good because we're all
engineers. The best part isn't even the training itself as much as being
able to talk with some Afghan soldiers and civilian engineers, hear
some of their experiences and hear some of the questions they've had."
Wilhelm also said that it was good for the younger U.S. Soldiers to interact with the Afghan soldiers.
The Afghan professor added that with increased security, it will be
possible to bring more experts to teach here in Afghanistan, not just
for building bridges but all kinds of civil engineering projects.
http://www.army.mil/article/131927/Fort_Polk_unit_teaches_building_bridges_for_a_better_Afghanistan/
By Spc. Ariel Solomon
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