The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Warhorse Pide is an Army-funded news-letter authorized under provision of AR 360-1.
Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. Issue 92 Feb. 25, 2012 Crazy Troop, AUP build momentum Story and photo by Sgt. Seth Barham 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., PAO P rofessionalizing the Afghan Uni- formed Police in Kandahar City has been Combined Task Force Bi- son’s main focus during it’s time in theater. e Soldiers of “Crazy” Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Divi- sion have taken this mission to heart while operating in Sub District 7. “(U.S. Soldiers) have learned every AUP by name and they know their fam- ily and where they are from— just like we would for our own Soldiers,” said Capt. Matt Pratt, commander of “Crazy” Troop. “ese troopers have done a fantastic job in taking ownership of this professionalization effort, learning their AUP partners and helping them get better every day.” During a recent clearance operation in the southern portion of the Sub District, the professionalism of the AUP was evident. “We were going to come down here and run a joint reconnaissance mission with the AUP, but aſter doing a thorough map reconnaissance their commander decided they would do it on their own,” said 1st Lt. Conor Kinkead, a platoon leader with Head- quarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment. “He came down here and looked at the terrain and looked at the routes he wanted to take and then he came back and adjusted his plan ac- cordingly.” e AUP were in the lead from begin- ning to end of the operation including the aſter action review. “What we saw today was the AUP breaking out a map board, conducting a final patrol brief, doing pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections before we Capt. Matt Pratt, the commander of “Crazy” Troop and 2nd Lt. Jonathan Bass, an officer with “Crazy” Troop, walk together during an operation with Afghan Uniformed Police in Sub Distric 7. pushed off,” Pratt said. “is is all the result of the work over the past 60-90 days – this partnership has some great momentum.” Pratt believes “that we are working ourselves out of a job here.”. “And we are go- ing to continue our efforts with the AUP to make sure they are a professionalized, sus- tainable force and capable of securing this Sub District and the people of Afghanistan.” Spc. Jeffrey Lynch, a communication specialist with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, reads a signal meter while Staff Sgt. Mark Strickland, a spectrum manager with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., shoots an azimuth at Lam, Feb. 21. e Soldiers are attempting to align a satellite dish. e process is very temperamental and time consuming. Satellite configurations Photo by Sgt. Ruth Pagan 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., PAO
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Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. Issue 92 Feb. 25, 2012
Crazy Troop, AUP build momentumStory and photo by Sgt. Seth Barham2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., PAO
Professionalizing the Afghan Uni-formed Police in Kandahar City has been Combined Task Force Bi-
son’s main focus during it’s time in theater. The Soldiers of “Crazy” Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Divi-sion have taken this mission to heart while operating in Sub District 7. “(U.S. Soldiers) have learned every AUP by name and they know their fam-ily and where they are from— just like we would for our own Soldiers,” said Capt. Matt Pratt, commander of “Crazy” Troop. “These troopers have done a fantastic job in taking ownership of this professionalization effort, learning their AUP partners and helping them get better every day.” During a recent clearance operation in the southern portion of the Sub District, the professionalism of the AUP was evident. “We were going to come down here and run a joint reconnaissance mission with the AUP, but after doing a thorough map reconnaissance their commander decided they would do it on their own,” said 1st Lt. Conor Kinkead, a platoon leader with Head-quarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment. “He came down here and looked at the terrain and looked at the routes he wanted to take and
then he came back and adjusted his plan ac-cordingly.” The AUP were in the lead from begin-ning to end of the operation including the after action review. “What we saw today was the AUP breaking out a map board, conducting a final patrol brief, doing pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections before we
Capt. Matt Pratt, the commander of “Crazy” Troop and 2nd Lt. Jonathan Bass, an officer with “Crazy” Troop, walk together during an operation with Afghan Uniformed Police in Sub Distric 7.
pushed off,” Pratt said. “This is all the result of the work over the past 60-90 days – this partnership has some great momentum.” Pratt believes “that we are working ourselves out of a job here.”. “And we are go-ing to continue our efforts with the AUP to make sure they are a professionalized, sus-tainable force and capable of securing this Sub District and the people of Afghanistan.”
Spc. Jeffrey Lynch, a communication specialist with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, reads a signal meter while Staff Sgt. Mark Strickland, a spectrum manager with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., shoots an azimuth at Lam, Feb. 21. The Soldiers are attempting to align a satellite dish. The process is very temperamental and time consuming.
Satellite configurationsPhoto by Sgt. Ruth Pagan2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., PAO
Warhorse PridePage 2 Issue 92 Feb. 25, 2012
The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Warhorse Pide is an Army-funded news-letter authorized under provision of AR 360-1. Contents of the Warhorse Pride are not necessarily the view of, nor endorsed by the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry Division. All editorial content of The Warhorse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public
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Col. John S. Kolasheski...................2nd BCT CommanderCommand Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa..............2nd BCT CSMMaj. Kevin Toner................................................2nd BCT PAOSgt. Seth Barham..................................................PAO NCOICSgt. Ruth Pagan......................................Layout and DesignSgt. April York.........................................Layout and Design
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and then be responsible for training the rest of the soldiers at the PSS.” A total of eight PSS’s sent representa-tives to receive the training and equipment. “We are familiarizing them with the book and the program so they can use it to teach everyone else,” Prince said. The two Soldiers, along with their inter-preter, taught the AUP how to operate the CD player and CD program and how the books coincide with each lesson. “I think it will work out alright because these guys are really paying attention and seem really motivated,” Prince said.“I have received the training. Now, I will go back and help my PSS to receive the training,” said 2nd Lt. Abdul Waris, an administration clerk with PSS 10. “I feel happy to be able to help my friends and fellow soldiers to learn to read.” “I appreciate the invitation to be able to be part of this literacy program,” said Sgt. Mohamad Dawod, a patrolman with PSS 9. “I feel happy being able to serve my people this way.” “I’m trying hard to learn all I can and I’m excited to be here learning to teach,” said 3rd Lt. Niamatullah, a checkpoint command-er with PSS 17. Though the train-the-trainer is a one-time event, Lopez will make weekly trips to each PSS to monitor how the training is being received.
Bison trains AUP to instruct literacy classesStory and photos by Sgt. Ruth Pagan2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., PAO
Being able to read is sometimes a skill taken for granted by many Ameri-can adults but in Kandahar, where
some reports claim the literacy rate is around 16 percent, being able to read is a valued achievement. hThe Soldiers with 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, are helping to professionalize the Afghan Uniformed Police by equipping them with the ability to learn to read. “The program initially was played on the radio but because of their patrolling schedules the AUP could not learn properly,” said Capt. Richard Lopez, the stability line of effort chief for 1st Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg. “We put the program on CD for them so they can learn at their own pace.” The literacy program comes on eight CDs with about 46 half hour lessons and a lesson booklet. The entire program takes about 16 weeks and will enable the AUP to read at a third grade level. “The way it works is, they’re given a
book and listen to the program, either on ra-dio or CD, and they follow along in the book,” said Sgt. James Prince, a psychological opera-tions sergeant with 325th Psy. Ops. Company attached to 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. “They start out learning the alphabet then they progress to sounds and words; they also practice writ-ing everything.” Realizing the radio literacy program wasn’t working as effectively for the AUP the CD program became a logical solution to ac-commodate the AUP’s patrolling schedules. “We pitched the literacy program (on CD) to the AUP commanders to see if they were interested,” Lopez said. “One of the PSS commanders suggested that we send a proctor from each (Police Sub Station) to learn how the program operates, as a train-the-trainer
While AJ Khan Agha, a civilian interpreter for 1st Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg., 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., speaks to a class of Afghan Uniformed Police, Capt. Richard Lo-pez, the stability line of effort chief for 1st Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg. takes notes Feb. 19. The two men are helping to professionalize the AUP by equipping them with a literacy program on CD. The program will enable the AUP to read at a third grade level within 16 weeks.
Third Lt. Niamatullah, a checkpoint commander with PSS 17, pays close attention to instructions being given Feb. 19. The class of Afghan Uniformed Police was taught how to operate the CD player and CDs that contain the literacy training program.
Afghan Uniformed Police from various Police Sub Stations within Kandahar City inspect their literacy training booklets Feb. 19. The AUP received a train-the-trainer class on how the literacy training program works and will return to their PSS’s and instruct their fellow AUPs on how to operate the program.
