<

American Soldiers Training Afghan National Army
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
By SFC Kathleen T. Rhem
U.S. Army
American Forces Press Service

Franks said the coalition forces are working with the Afghan interim government to train 2,000 to 3,000 soldiers in 600- man units over the next six months.

WASHINGTON -- AFIS
American soldiers training members of the Afghan national army will likely contribute to the future stability of Afghanistan, the general commanding operations in the region said today.

Army Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. Central Command, said he visited last week with members of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, from Fort Bragg, N.C., who are responsible for training the Afghan forces. He also met with "four or five hundred young Afghans who have signed up to be a part of that force."

"I am pleased that our forces have begun training the Afghan national army," Franks said to reporters in Tampa and via satellite connection to media assembled in the Pentagon. He added that the American soldiers involved are "doing a terrific job at that."

He said training the Afghan national army will "certainly be one of our more important projects in the days, weeks (and) months ahead, because the national army of Afghanistan is going to be an essential element of their long-term security."
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

Dan