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315th SFS commander trains Afghan policeman at Bagram

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. David Dobrydney
  • 455th Air Expeditonary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  As retrograde operations continue apace, a group of Afghan National Police members came here Feb. 25 for a three-day course in counter-improvised explosive device awareness.

"As we slowly transition and the [Afghan National Security Forces] have the lead ... they're out there daily patrolling," said Maj. Shawn Swarz, Task Force 455 operations officer. "This training not only protects them, it protects the Afghan people and ultimately it protects the coalition forces."  Swarz is also the commander of the 315th Security Forces Squadron.

The training was operated under the auspices of Combined Joint Task Force-Paladin, with a mix of U.S. Air Force, Army and civilian instructors.

"The Task Force decided as part of one of our initiatives to increase the capabilities of our ANSF partners," said Army Capt. Ryan Johnson, TF 455 assistant operations officer.
"So the goal we're trying to achieve is ... they can conduct unilateral operations and for us to advise and assist them as needed."

After two days in the classroom, the students were taken out to the field. Despite snow and frigid temperatures, the students watched their comrades as they practiced vehicle sweeps and tactical movement around a suspected IED.

Matthew McWatters, a former Marine Corps explosive ordnance disposal technician, coached the students through multiple scenarios. McWatters, lead instructor for the training, said the goal of the course is not to make the policemen into EOD.

"It's not their duty to render safe or reduce explosive hazards," McWatters said, "but to identify those hazards for the locals and safeguard the scene so the proper handlers can arrive."

"When they leave here, they'll be well-prepared to say 'that's an IED ... I know that I shouldn't approach it and should stop other people from approaching it, and I know who I should talk to handle the explosive.'"

Swarz said that this course is the first of several planned for both the ANP and Afghan National Army that will cover multiple subjects.

"The classes are going to range from patrolling techniques to building searches," said Swarz.

The students meanwhile were glad to gain the practical experience of identifying IEDs and their triggers.

"As a company commander [we] face problems like this every day," said ANP Capt. Fazel Menallah, "I learned this so I could teach it to my people."