Small Wars Journal

NTM-A / CSTC-A Update Brief

  1. Blog
Tue, 12/15/2009 - 5:41am
SWJ received a nice e-mail from LTG Bill Caldwell (Frontier 6); Commander, NATO Training Mission -- Afghanistan, as well as, Commanding General, Combined Security Transition Command -- Afghanistan; that included an update brief on NTM-A / CSTC-A efforts and way ahead. Major areas and issues addressed in this 11 December 2009 briefing include:

- Who NTM-A / CSTC-A are and what they do

- A NTM-A / CSTC-A table of organization

- NTM-A / CSTC-A priorities

- Afghanistan National Security Forces - now - objective - future goal

- ANSF growth key points

- ANSF recruitment, retention and attrition overview

SWJ wishes NTM-A / CSTC-A the best in accomplishing this most difficult and important mission.

Comments

"an MI structure for the ANA is long overdue. The problem is, just like the rest of what I saw in the presentation, that we will likely be shaping them in our own image"

Hurts to agree. I watched the start up of the intel sharing structure between ANP, ANA, NDS, and ABP. While to us, having an intel fusion center is good (perhaps a bit clannish in practice), information is power in Afghanistan. Who wants to give away influence?

Though the US dropped some bucks on translating fairly current US FMs into Dari and Pashto, it never seemed that the Corps CPXs showed a hearty embrace of them. The classic observer technique is to see how the unit thinks it will be successful, then work from that point.

God help em, Spanish, Italian, and US mentors all at once. How will the Afghans make something work with the MOD/MOI, their log system, and the local situation?

IntelTrooper (not verified)

Tue, 12/15/2009 - 2:07pm

Permalink

Yes, an MI structure for the ANA is long overdue. The problem is, just like the rest of what I saw in the presentation, that we will likely be shaping them in our own image, not to match the asymmetric threat they are facing. I thought that was the first lesson of SFA/FID in counterinsurgency.

Some comments on the last slide:

Bank expansion. Also supports commercial development. Paying contractors in cash is tough when the largest denomination is roughly $20. Better using electronic transfers (banks still drag their feet, but...). Twofer.

UAH. This has me divided. FP versus maintenance support and fuel. UAH are big, bulky, and perhaps are not the best for the really remote and urbanized areas (lost three mirrors in one day). Question to the doctrine folks - the UAH is not an IFV.

Death benefit. Bingo. The lucky survivors got a $1,500 one time payment.

Housing. The folks I worked with were of the opinion their housing was substandard and told me that the funds were siphoned off in Kabul.

Specialized units: Engineers! I would have happily sold my two Navy officers (they were very good) in order to get a Combat Heavy. Whole lotta roads need repair. Improve the abysmal stretch of HWY 1 east of Herat to the Badghis border. Reduce the isolation of Badghis and speed the "delivery of government services". Afghan face, Afghan hands. Heck, SeeBees would be great, but Afghanistan has no Navy I'm aware of.

Let us press it.