Since that time, one detachment has been deployed each year and the mission has continued to change and expand. The Drill Sergeant School was eventually turned over to the ANA and detachment Soldiers assumed mentorship of the Soldiers training brigade and developed the NCO Team Leaders course at Kabul Military Training Center.
Detachment 61’s mission as combat advisors will be to mentor and coach the ANA Soldiers to help them improve their leadership techniques and capabilities. Many of Detachment 61’s Soldiers volunteered for the mission wanting an opportunity to serve their country in a capacity they felt would make a difference. 1st Sgt. Warren Hood, 1/354, said “I hope I can leave (Afghanistan) with something vested in the country.”
Photo by Cpt. Jennifer Cotten, 95th Training Division (IET) Public Affairs Officer.
Family and friends look on during the ceremony as Detachment 61 Soldiers begin their journey to assist the Afghan National Army
Staff Sgt. Scott Hines, 1/415, said his goal was to remember he was an advisor and not a trainer. He said, “We don’t train them how to train, we advise them how they can improve their training.” It was apparent the detachment knew their job was not to make the ANA follow the U.S. Army standard for training Soldiers, but to assist the ANA in improving their own training techniques that were developed for their army around their culture.
Photo by Cpt. Jennifer Cotten, 95th Training Division (IET) Public Affairs Officer.
Attendees congratulate Soldiers of Detachment 61.
The detachment’s commitment to success was evident by Master Sgt. Douglas Pewitt, 1/354, who happened to be reading Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War against the Taliban prior to the ceremony. He said, “Our primary focus will be as mentors and we have to know the Afghans to facilitate their training.” He added based on what he had learned from his readings, he thought his biggest challenge would be to encourage the ANA to develop their NCO corps.
Following the ceremony, Duff spoke directly to the detachment and encouraged the Soldiers to continue to improve upon the mission as their predecessors had done and leave it better for their successors since plans for an eighth rotation are already underway.