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KABUL, Afghanistan (May 14, 2008) - Afghan National Army
soldiers at the Afghan National Detention Facility here showcased
their skills during an emergency action plan exercise May 11.
The exercise validated the detention facility's brigade and
battalion leadership, security platoon support, and the soldiers'
search techniques and actions upon the notification of a missing
detainee.
The battalion commander picked three soldiers to simulate
escaped detainees. After briefing the role players, Combined
Security Transition Command Afghanistan military personnel headed
out to separate parts of the facility to observe the exercise,
deliver exercise messages to the soldiers, and note their
reactions.
Before the exercise, the Afghan soldiers were trained on
standard operating procedures involving a missing detainee. After
developing their own emergency action plans, the soldiers rehearsed
their actions independently.
Army Maj. Dawn Hilton, Combined Security Transition Command
Afghanistan military police operations mentor and trainer,
facilitated the exercise.
"Each section has been trained independently," she said. "This
exercise tests them collectively to see how they work together and
what procedures they use."
The Afghan soldiers successfully relayed exercise messages of
the missing detainees to the noncommissioned officers and officers
in charge of their sectors. Shift supervisors then communicated the
detainees' physical description to the commanders and search teams.
Following the distribution of flyers containing the missing
detainees' information, the search teams found the role players and
returned them to the prison.
"All of our success with this exercise came from the hard work
of our mentors and friends," said Lt. Col. Bhadur Shah, the Afghan
battalion commander. "All of the information they gave us helped us
to be successful. We knew nothing before."
Shah said the surprise of the exercise really tested his
soldiers' reactions and knowledge of what to do in an
emergency.
Hilton said Afghan leaders did very well for their first
exercise and proved that they can sustain operations and lead their
soldiers in a similar emergency situation.
"This exercise was very productive, said Gen. Haji Safiullah,
detention facility commander. "Now, my soldiers know how to deal
with this sort of situation, and the input from our mentors will
help us to improve."
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