Lt. Col. Kyle Lear, the deputy commanding officer of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, presents Gen. Khatol Mohammadzai, the first female parachutist and general in the Afghan national army, with the title of honorary Sky Soldier. Photo by Spc. Daniel D. Haun

While many countries celebrated the economic, social and political achievements in honor of Women’s International Day, Logar province hosted two historic firsts to highlight the many accomplishments of women in Afghanistan, March 8.

The first event in celebration of WID was a visit to Forward Operating Base Shank by the only serving woman general in the Afghan national army and the first female parachutist, Gen. Khatol Mohammadzai.

Keeping in theme with the special day of promoting continual progress for women, Mohammadzai took this opportunity to speak to women Soldiers, highlight their contribution and also encourage Afghan women to do the same.

International Women’s Day, March 8, is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, it is a national holiday. Mohammadzai, the first female parachutist and general in the Afghan national army, spent the day speaking to the Task Force Bayonet command group and women of the Logar province.

She recognized the vital roles that women possess in the military.

“The whole world knows the military females are real heroes, they left their families behind and came to Afghanistan or to any other country, and are working shoulder to shoulder, and side by side their male counterparts,” she said.

Mohammadzai said that women must work to empower other women.

“These women [Soldiers] can make other women braver, and tell them what they do. Just as you made me brave today, and convinced me to come to come to Logar province, you can convince other ladies to come to the military and work with their male counterparts. Women can work alongside males in the community,” she said.

Mohammadzai spoke of unity and the female Afghan community.

She said that her journey to success was not paved without obstacles and her own fears.

“Becoming a general, especially in Afghanistan as a female, is not an easy thing. I wanted to work hard and show other Afghan females that a woman can be a general,” she said.

But the event would not have been complete, without Mohammadzai sharing her first flight as a parachutist with the ‘Sky Soldiers’.

“The first time I jumped, I screamed so hard, thinking that the parachute was just there, not moving anywhere,” she said. “There was nobody there to help me, and I thought I was just standing there not moving. I was so lightweight that all of my fellow parachutists were already on the ground and I was still in this sky. When I reached the ground it was so comfortable. I didn’t tell my family, but when my mom found out she was crying and screaming, asking what kind of job I had chosen.”

Mohammadzai said she hasn’t look back since and has continued to pushed forward.

The second event, celebrating WID’s and also a historic first took place not far from Mohadmmadzai’s visit, in the women’s center of the Pul-E-Alam district, where more than 100 women attended, including Gov. Lodin of Logar province.

“What was unique was having a girl read the Koran to open the ceremony,” said U.S. Army Capt. Ramona Fastow, Task Force Bayonet’s women’s affairs coordinator. “Literacy rate for women [in Afghanistan] is about 14 to 15 percent. The fact that this girl can read and have the support of her family to get up, read [in public], gives other women hope.”

By the time, the Afghan-led event started there was only standing room available.

Many women were excited to celebrate this day, but some wanted to see more changes and voice other concerns that would improve the future of Afghanistan for women.

“It’s a good event, hopeful for the women of Afghanistan,” said a woman from the Baraki Barak district. “[Compared to when the Taliban ruled], now there’s more freedom. We can go outside.”

Another Afghan woman, from the Juyak district said that she would like to see more vocational programs, child-care and children’s programs on the radio stations.

This event not only celebrated WID, but allowed women from various parts of Afghanistan to come together as one voice and share ideas to improve Afghanistan, Fastow said.

Celebrated globally March 8, WID highlights and promotes continual progress in the economic, political and social achievements of women in the past, present and future.

“Even though we are away from each other, I am in Kabul and you are in Logar, we are not far away in our hearts,” she said. “I am part of your body, as one of your hands. When you need me, I’ll be here to help.”

You have to work diligently in this community, she said.

“Becoming a general, especially in Afghanistan as a female, is not an easy thing. I wanted to do this, I wanted to work hard for it and show the other Afghan females that a female can be a general in this community,” she said.

This diligence is required not only as a commanding officer, but also as a parachutist, said Mohammadzai.

“As a parachutist, or as a jumper, you have to be a storm, you have to be an earthquake, you have to be something that can move the whole world with your jump,” she said. “We have all proved ourselves in the sky as parachutists.”

Mohammadzai said her first experience with parachuting was not without anxiety.

“Every time I was jumping, my mom could not sit in the house. She would go crazy running and walking around, praying to god for my safety. At the time I didn’t understand because I didn’t have kids. Now that I have kids I understand both the pain in life, and how sweet kids are,” said Mohammadzai.

Mohammadzai thanked her mother for playing such a vital role in her life.

“It was the prayer of my parents, my mom, that made me reach what I am today,” she said.

Prayer and hard work pushed her forward, she said.

“I had to work very hard; sometimes I was even scared for my life. I still went ahead and did it,” she said.

Mohammadzai said she grew brave because of all her hard work.

“If you receive, or get, or achieve something difficult, then you are so proud and always happy. If you get something easily, then you are always looking to the ground, you don’t think that you worked hard for it, you just got it. I’m so proud and I can talk to anybody bravely because I worked hard,” she said.

Mohammadzai left with parting words igniting a call to action for the women present.

“We should work to make our male co-workers understand that women can do something like this,” said Mohammadzai.

“I know males and females because I’ve worked with both and understand,” she said. “The reality is that women deserve more respect then what they are given.”

DVIDS
Story by Spc. Daniel D. Haun

Today’s Bloggers’ Roundtable was with Col. Paul Somersall, Regional Corps Advisory Command Commander. He heads the advisory teams for the Afghan 205 Corps, the “Hero” or Atl Corps. Col. Somersall is an upstate New Yorkers and a member of the New York Army National Guard.

The Afghan National Army‘s 205 Corps has the responsibility for the provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Nimruz and Oruzgan. It consists of four brigades, a commando battalion and three garrisons. It is presently under the command of General Shermohammed Zazai. The Corps has integrated artillery and air lift capacity. The Corps also supports a regional medical hospital dedicated to the security forces.

Col. Somersall’s command is advising the Corps down through the company level in all aspects of modern warfare, with emphasis on logistics and maintenance. The 205 Corps is in the heart of the fighting against the terrorists and their willingness to fight is not an issue. Intercepted Taliban communications, according to Somersall, warned against fighting one particular battalion newly equipped with the M-16 rifle since “they can kill us faster”.

Corps units are conducting their own resupply missions, by ground and air. Since August 2008 the Corps has moved over 90,000 tonnes of supplies using the MI-17 helicopters belonging to the Corps.

Col. Somersall repeated the gist of the statement that has been made by other American officers in Afghanistan, that if they had more, they could do more. Nimruz Provice, as an example, has no Afghan Army presence, only some police units. More Afghan troops, more NATO mentors, more funds for training and outreach to the civilian population, all of these items would prove valuable. The effects of the current programs are significant.

I asked the Col. about recruiting for the Army. He was quite emphatic that there is a demand to join the army among Afghans and stated that the Army is highly respected by the civilian populace.

The takeaway from this interview is the current ability of the 205 Corps and its units to plan and execute their own operations, whether combat or logistical. It is clear that the mentoring is being successful.

An Afghan commando works to release the chains on a hostage held by the Taliban in the Zerkoh Valley near Parmakan, Afghanistan, Herat province.

A team of Afghan national army commandos, advised by U.S. Special Operations Forces, attacked a Taliban sanctuary in western Afghanistan’s Zeriko Valley recently.

The combined forces sought to liberate locals in the stronghold established by a Taliban commander, who is coordinating both the acquisition and movement of weapons and supplies, and the movement and employment of Taliban fighters within Farah province.

The commandos and their SOF advisors landed in the village of Parmakan, July 16, 2008.

“Our intent was to put them into a dilemma where they could either come out and fight like men or run away and yield a position of significance while losing face among both the Taliban and the locals,” said a Marine SOF team leader, whose identity was withheld for security purposes. “On the first day we went in with the commandos, some of the Taliban fought and some ran away, but it didn’t take long for all of them to leave town. The entire operation was a huge slap in the face to the Taliban.”

Several Taliban leaders were the first to scurry away from the village, reinforcing the fact that they did not lead the first-rate fighting force they claimed. After routing the enemy, the commandos freed 16 local men held captive in the leader’s compound and destroyed several Taliban weapons caches.

“We wanted to gauge the Taliban’s fighting abilities, their weapons systems and their chain-of-command effectiveness within the Zeriko Valley,” said a U.S. SOF team sergeant. “Their failure to defend themselves only proved how inferior they really are as fighters.”

With increased commando operations and diminishing Taliban presence, the people living in the Zeriko Valley can lead safer lives.

“We have people from the Zeriko coming to talk to the commando leadership to thank the government for going into the valley,” said a Marine SOF team sergeant. “They are extremely happy that the commandos got rid of the tyranny they’ve been living with.”

The successful disruption of the Taliban in the Zeriko Valley can be directly attributed to the elite-warrior capabilities and unwavering professionalism of the commandos and the U.S. troops who advise them.

“The commandos performed flawlessly in the Zeriko Valley,” said the U.S. SOF team leader. “The operation was a testament to their hard work and dedication to this country. We couldn’t have reached this level of effectiveness without the Combined Joint Task Force-101’s Task Force Eagle air assets landing us right on top of the Taliban. The element of surprise took the wind out of their sails before the fight even started.”

The Marine SOF team leader said he believes the operation sends an important message to both the Taliban and the people of Afghanistan.

“The Taliban can go anywhere in this country and attempt to establish a sanctuary and we’ll be one step behind to drive them out,” the team leader said. “There will be no safe haven for Taliban fighters in this country. You can be sure of that.”

DVIDS
By Spc. Anna K. Perry
Combined Joint task Force – 101

Today’s Bloggers’ Roundtable was with Army Col. Thomas McGrath, commander of the Afghanistan Regional Security Integration Command-South. Our questions focused on the jailbreak in Kandahar on June 16 and the situation in the Arghandab district following that incident.

No NATO personnel were on site in Kandahar at the time of the jailbreak. Col. McGrath reports a truck bomb exploded at the main entrance, and a number of Taliban then attacked with RPG’s and small arms. The prison is not like those in the West, more of a compound and less of a fortress.

McGrath cannot state the number of attackers but suggests that it would not be impossible for it to have involved less than 50. He reports that the situation inside the prison has not yet been clarified and that it is possible that doors were unlocked prior to the attack.

The prison did not keep very good records on its inmates. Col. McGrath estimates that about 900 prisoners may have escaped, nearly all on foot. Of that number, perhaps 2-300 were Taliban.

The Afghan government responded quickly and an Afghan Army commando unit was in Kandahar within hours. Within the next three days, thousands of Afghan troops would be moved to the region.

Media reports at the time indicated that the Taliban had moved into the Arghandab district in force, occupying 18 villages, setting mines and blowing up bridges. Those reports were untrue.

A Canadian Army unit is stationed in the Arghandab region and the Taliban did not and do not have freedom of movement in the district. By June 18, two days after the breakout, Afghan Army and National Police units had moved into Arghandab itself and had pushed out into the district. In heavy fighting, 80 Taliban were killed and 25 captured. Ground troops were supported, for the first time, by Afghan helicopters.

In related fighting south of Kandahar, an additional 25 Taliban were killed.

Col. McGrath characterized the Afghan response as “decisive” and “overwhelming”. He stated that the national government and the security forces could not have conducted this operation last year, perhaps not even 6-7 months ago.

It has been a difficult week for ISAF forces in this region. 12 soldiers and Marines have been killed in the last nine days. McGrath reports that these losses are mourned by their comrades but that morale is high.

McGrath is very pleased with the current state of the Afghan security forces. There remain logistical challenges. His embeds, mentors, are only at 50% strength so he could do more if he had more personnel.