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# Illinois Guard leads task force training for Afghan army, police

By Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy, U.S. Army National GuardNational Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va. - Made up of just over 7,000 servicemembers, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix is charged with training and mentoring the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police.

The bulk of the task force is made up of Soldiers from the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the Illinois Army National Guard, who have made the mission a success despite austere conditions, the BCT's commander told the Pentagon Channel Thursday.

"As I travel around to visit my Soldiers in the different areas of this country, I'm really struck by the high morale and the dedication they have to doing their job as mentors," said Army Brig.

Gen. Steven Huber, commanding officer of CJTF Phoenix. "They stay focused, they watch their battle buddies, and they're really proud of the work they're doing. They're looking forward to getting back home to their families once the job is done."

For many in the task force, this isn't there first deployment, and that previous experience has been an asset.

"The majority of people in this task force have deployed before – mostly to Iraq – but some of them have been here before," said Huber. "Certainly that adds to their experience level and their ability to adapt to the climate and the culture and relate to the job they're doing here as trainers, mentors and building up forces."

Much of that mentoring and training is focused on logistics and support.

"They certainly know how to fight," Huber said about the Afghan national security forces. "It's the other systems they struggle with." He mentioned logistics, administration and pay.

Once those issues are addressed, he said, it will go a long way in helping the Afghanistan government become more self-sufficient.

The training mission may be a daunting task, but it's one that may be made a little easier as the task force almost doubles in size by the end of the year.

President Barack Obama's decision to increase troop levels in Afghanistan will allow for a greater focus on training in specific areas of the country.

"We are going to get resourced with two brigades, whereas currently we are resourced with just one," said Huber. "We will have the 48th (Infantry Brigade Combat Team) coming out of the state of Georgia, coming in to take over the task force headquarters and take over mentoring missions in the east and the north. And then the 4th Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division will take over the same mission for Phoenix in the west and southern part of the country."

Some predict that the increase in troop levels will mean an increase in violence directed at U.S. forces. But that is speculation, said Huber, adding that the Soldiers of CJTF Phoenix are well-prepared.

"We're trained to handle any situation ... trained to deal with things like IEDs and other items from the insurgents," said Huber. "I think as far as the security situation, we are able to handle the situation and perform our job."

And that's because of training prior to going overseas. "I think the training we receive before we get here is paramount," he said. "We went through Fort Bragg, (and) we received full spectrum training there as well as specific training dealing with IEDs and insurgents and base defense.

"All of that wrapped together serves well for any Soldier, whether doing the mentoring mission or any other mission here in Afghanistan."

For Huber, success in this mission comes down to one thing. 

"It all boils down to basic trust and understanding," he said. "You work with (those in the Afghan army and police) and understand their culture and understand where they're coming from.

"It goes a long way to building that trust and camaraderie, which goes toward someone being able to teach and train."

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