CAS ON ANSF Focus Tornadoes go operational R & D in action in RC’s STATION A-10s return to Bagram New Hospitals in North, East Securing Sangin In this month’s Mirror June 2007 4 NATO and HQ n Young leaders workshop 6 RC-East n A-10s on watch over battlefield n Chiefs of defense meet 5 Focus on ANSF 8 Mehtar Lam Shura n McNeill tours police training n ANA base built up n Dutch OMLT on the road 9 Forward ops with Afghan National Army n Insurgents engaged in Paktika n Brits get aviation training Eyes in the skies n New Bagram hospital 10 RC-North n Tornadoes go operational 11 COMISAF visit n McNeill tours police training 12 Mixed recce co. n Protection through detection 13 Role 3 hospital n New facility opens at Marmal n Dari literacy classes for Marmal’s Afghan employees The A-10’s 30-milimeter Gatling gun Cover Photo by Sgt. Ruud Mol A-10s return to Bagram ........... A maintainer with the Tornado Wing at Camp Marmal opens the canopy to preapare the air- turn to page 6. craft for a mission. Photo by Sgt. Ruud Mol Tornadoes conduct surveillance ... turn to page 10. 2 ISAF MIRROR June 2007 Contents 14 RC-West n DCOM Stability visits The ISAF Mirror is a HQ ISAF Public PRT at Chaghcharan Information product. Articles, where possible, have been kept in their origi- nal form. Opinions expressed are those 15 Urgent care of the writers and do not necessarily n reflect official NATO, JFC HQ Brunssum PRT Farah treats Taliban’s young or ISAF policy. Photo credits are attrib- uted to the authors of the submission, victims after attack unless otherwise stated. Submissions can be e-mailed to: 16 Linking Farah [email protected] n New network stretches Articles should be in MS Word format (Arial), photos should be at least 4.5cm lines of communication and 300 dpi resolution. The ISAF Mir- ror is published monthly and aims to n More border patrol officers trained be available by the first Friday of the month. 17 Italian friends For more information, please call the n Students in Rome greet students editor at 0799 511230. The electronic version of this magazine at new Pharmakan school can be downloaded online at: www.nato.int/isaf EDITORIAL STAFF 18 RC-South Lieutenant Colonel Maria Carl n Qalat PRT gets new commander Chief, Public Information Technical Sgt. James Fisher 19 Securing Sangin Editor n Engineers build up FOBs for ANSF Technical Sgt. Michael Voss 20 Around RC-South Assistant Editor Sgt. Ruud Mol n Troops battle UXOs, IEDs Photographer 21 RC-Capital Back n 205th warriors assist students n GoA official helps save boy’s life cover The mountains 20 Compass points outside n Mezar-e Sharif Dutch troops celebrate Queen’s Birth- Photo by Sgt. Ruud Mol day with fun and festivities 3 NATO and HQ ISAF NATO’s Military Committee, and NATO’s NATO sponsors top officer. “We reviewed all our ongoing operations, particularly in Afghanistan, young leaders and discussed ways and means to continue work to transform our processes, organi- zation and work as needed to meet today’s workshop requirements and tomorrow’s challenges. Forty-five students from different The NATO chiefs of defence also regions of Afghanistan participated in assessed progress on missions in the Bal- A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer a two-day workshop in Kabul on 7 and kans, Iraq, and the Mediterranean. 8 May. The event, which was organised “We took stock of the situation in May 13, a day of by the international student organisation Afghanistan, which is this organization’s AIESEC, was the first of its kind to be number one operational priority,” said ISAF airpower Henault. “Real challenges remain for the sponsored by NATO’s Public Diplomacy From U.S. Air Force News Service foreseeable future, but we have good rea- Division in the country. Airpower supported the Interna- son for optimism at the overall progress The students were given briefings on tional Security Assistance Force troops country-wide of military related aspects of a wide range of topics. Some covered in Afghanistan in the following opera- the Afghanistan mission, including the de- different aspects of the development of tions May 13, according to Combined velopment of the Afghan National Army,” Afghanistan, such as the political require- Air and Space Operations Center offi- continued Henault. ments for stability, the role of non-gov- cials. “NATO has 37,000 well-trained, well- ernmental organisations and the private An Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped equipped and well-led men and women sector, as well as the contribution that multiple guided bomb unit-31s on insur- operating throughout the country, and young people can make. Another looked at gent compounds near Kajaki Sofia. The that figure continues to grow. In the south the role of the media in modern societies. B-1 also performed a show of presence in particular, we have seized the initia- A couple of briefings focused on the on frendly forces routes in the area. tive, consolidated gains from last year’s evolution of NATO-led operations in Af- U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets dropped operations and activities, and have strong ghanistan and of NATO’s wider relation- GBU-12s and fired 20mm cannon momentum from this spring heading into ship with the country. rounds at enemy vehicles and a sniper summer. That said, we remain concerned Key speakers included the Afghan near Tarin Kowt. The hits were con- about progress to develop the Afghan Na- Deputy Minister for Information and firmed successful. tional Police, as that is such an important Culture and an Afghan member of parlia- Near Now Zad, Navy F/A-18 Super element of day-to-day local and regional ment, as well as NATO’s Senior Civil- Hornets dropped GBU-12s on enemies security. We agreed to look at some ways ian Representative in Afghanistan, his in the area including a sniper. The JTAC and means to enhance military support spokesman and a representative of the confirmed the bombs hit their targets. and thereby help build more capability in Headquarters of the International Security JTACs are highly trained personnel this national institution.” Assistance Force. who advise ground commanders on ap- “The Military Committee agreed that propriate air power support, relay the resourcing the training and liaison teams ground commander’s intent to air power NATO members, for the Afghan National Army is a key pri- assets overhead and communicate with ority. These units, which provide a much aircrews for precision engagement. partner chiefs needed mentoring and support function, French Mirage 2000 fighters are a top NATO military priority that dropped GBU-12s and multiple flares need to be fielded if we are to further help of defence end supporting coalition forces confront- develop the structures necessary to allow ing enemy targets near Orgun-E. Afghans to eventually provide for their meetings Also in Orgun-E, Air Force A-10 own security,” said Henault. Thunderbolt IIs strafed enemy po- BRUSSELS -- Chiefs of defence from sitions with 30mm rounds, helping the 26 NATO member nations recently New Life in Kabul coalition forces taking fire in the area. wrapped up two days of intensive discus- Other A-10s provided a show of force sions at NATO Headquarters on a wide podcast supporting a convoy receiving mortar range of military-related issues. Chiefs and small arms fire near Ali Kheyl. The of defence and/or senior officers from With summer in Afghanistan a few show of force was reported successful 30 partner nations also attended the final weeks away, Nicholas Lunt, NATO’s civil- and the enemy dissipated. day of meetings, in Partnership for Peace, ian spokesman in Afghanistan - gives a feel In total, 47 close-air-support mis- Mediterranean Dialogue, NATO-Ukraine, for life in Kabul and beyond in an audio sions were flown in support of ISAF and NATO-Russia formats. diary, recorded live from Kabul. and Afghan security forces, reconstruc- “We made progress on a number of To enjoy the podcast, visit: tion activities and route patrols. key issues on the Alliance’s military agen- www.nato.int/multi/audio/isaf2-podcast/ Additionally, 15 aircraft provided re- da,” said Gen. Ray Henault, Chairman of index.html connaissance in the theater on this day. 4 ISAF MIRROR June 2007 Focus on ANSF NATO & HQ U.S. support team builds up ANA forward operating base Story by Sgt. LeeAnn Lloyd Village elders are still trying to find ways 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment for their people to live without fear. Over The soil beneath the boots of any Sol- time, that security will come from confi- dier in Afghanistan is most likely soil that dence gained in the ANA troops. Which was fought for. Once a location has been will lead to step two of the pyramid, Wag- acquired, firebases and camps are built up ner said. OMLT on the and ways are immediately sought to im- “The second step is using the ANA prove the quality of life for troops who to interface with the locals. We do that road with ANA will reside there. The same desire to pro- with Shuras; help build that rapport and vide the best to their fighters applies to the confidence so that the elders will actively Task Force Uruzgan Afghan National Army, and helping make seek out ANA soldiers for assistance with Public Information Office reports their ambitions a reality becomes the mis- village problems,” he said. “Then we can Afghanistan has a relatively young sion of a U.S.