Blog Posts tagged with "ISAF"

Although the news tends to cover the myriad of crises that EUCOM is involved with, it often overlooks the vitally important and enduring missions that truly underpin the long-term success of EUCOM. Let me offer you an example. Part of EUCOM ‘s mission is to conduct work with our international military counterparts in order to build their military capacity. Sometimes we do this alone – military to military – and other times we find opportunities to work with other partners in the public or private sector.

A case in point: In early March, we teamed up with Project Hope, a non-profit medical service organization, to work with us and our Baltic allies in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on some of the most relevant, important issues facing all of our forces: wounded warrior care, veteran care, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are committed ISAF partners conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. These countries each rank in the top half of total ISAF troop contributions, as well as per capita fatalities. Lithuania leads a Provincial Reconstruction Tam (PRT) in Chaghcharan; Latvia has contributed soldiers to PRT and Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT) missions for the last 4 years in Afghanistan; and Estonia is operating alongside coalition forces without caveats in some of the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan.

Like most countries involved with the ISAF mission, the Baltic nations have experienced a relatively high amount of casualties, IED related injuries and PTSD. Like all contributors, they are confronting the challenges of caring for severely wounded, ill, and injured military personnel and their families post deployment.

EUCOM’s Military to Military Contact Program, one of EUCOM’s oldest and most effective security cooperation programs, began working with the Offices of Defense Cooperation in our Baltic embassies to plan an event with our allies which facilitates information sharing for pre- and post-deployment medical care, including the identification and treatment of TBI and building a Warrior Care plan.

The Project Hope mission includes educating health professionals, community health workers, and strengthening health facilities all over the world. For this event, Project Hope provided nationally renowned specialists in neurosurgery and psychiatry to team up with a director from the Department of Defense Wounded Warrior Program, a senior DOD policy analyst and U.S. Air Force Europe’s 3rd Air Chief of International Health. With the help of our ODCs, this team of experts traveled to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia where they worked alongside members of the Ministries of Defense and Health, along with civilian medical, hospital and university personnel.

What a success! This mission proved an important first step in a continued partnership of exchanges and collaboration on these crucial issues for soldiers and veterans who have served their nation and NATO proudly.

We are learning more and more how TBI can lead to problems with PTSD, depression, drugs and alcohol, and seeing more clearly the tangible effects of the bloodless trauma from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We all grapple with these tough problems. Learning from each other – across nations and public/private sectors – and sharing lessons learned and best practices is the truest form of international and public-private cooperation. This collaboration with Project Hope and the Department of Defense in the Baltics embodied that spirit perfectly.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

More blogs on the Project Hope/Wounded Warrior Care visit are available here: Exploring Wounded Warrior issues in partner nations

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We just finished an excellent two-day meeting in Brussels with the 28 NATO Defense Ministers -- including, of course, my bosses Secretary of Defense Bob Gates and Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The meeting focused on one expected challenge -- Afghanistan -- and one new issue, Libya.

North Atlantic Council (NAC) in Defence Ministers Session. Photo by SGC Edouard Bocquet, French Air Force

On Afghanistan, the meeting was attended by not only the 28 NATO Defense Ministers, but also their counterparts from around the world. There are 48 troop contributing nations in the coalition in Afghanistan today and all were represented at a very senior level. As an example of the "larger than NATO" group, I had a good meeting with the Honorable Stephen Smith, the Defense Minister of Australia -- they contribute more than 1,500 troops in Uruzgan Province and are doing superb work.

I briefed the Ministers as did General Dave Petraeus, who flew into Brussels en route to the US, where he will testify in front of the US Congress about our progress and challenges in Afghanistan.

Both our briefs highlighted the progress to date and the challenges ahead. In the progress category, we addressed the "silent surge" of nearly 70,000 Afghan Security Forces; there are now 270,000 Afghan police and army across the country. Operations in southern Afghanistan are conducted in a ratio of 1:1 coalition and Afghan forces. The Afghans absorb 75% of the casualties. They are showing their readiness to begin the transition process this summer.

The challenges include corruption, difficulties across regional borders (we just discovered a significant cache of Iranian projectiles in western Afghanistan), and implementing governance evenly across the country. Yet even there we see progress: Marjah, in southern Afghanistan, which just over a year ago was run by the Taliban, recently had a 75% turnout for their local elections. Schools are literally packed to capacity. And the numbers of weapons caches revealed to coalition troops by local Afghans has increased fivefold in a year -- a key counter-insurgency metric.

So both Dave and I spoke of "cautious optimism" and "progress that is fragile," but compared to where we were a year ago, I'm heartened.

NATO Secretary General, H.E. Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, during his welcome remarks at the meeting of Defence Ministers, NAC, NATO HQ, Brussels, Belgium. Photo by SGC Edouard Bocquet, French Air Force

Libya was a complicated discussion, as all the nations realize the challenges of the situation there. NATO is conducting 24/7 surveillance with AWACS -- NATO’s eyes in the sky -- and ships under my command from the central Mediterranean, and we are preparing detailed plans for a range of options, as Secretary-General Rasmussen said after the conclusion of the conference. A United Nations Security Council mandate will be key, and whatever the Alliance does must meet the tests of need, legality, and regional support. Much will change over the next few days, as the situation is very fluid.

The Ministers also touched on everything else we are doing operationally, from piracy to air policing to plans for missile defense and new technology to relations with Russia and the situation in the Balkans.

For an Alliance passing 60 years, we sure are busy!

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

The United States European Command (USEUCOM) plays an important role supplying the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. I’d like to explain how building business relationships with companies in the USEUCOM area of responsibility can have a positive effect on that effort.

To date, more than 30,000 shipping containers passed through USEUCOM’s geographical area of responsibility on supply routes known as the Northern Distribution Network (NDN). Most of the container contents include consumable supplies and materials originating in the United States and Western Europe. While the NDN demonstrates a global distribution capability, opportunities exist to reduce transit time and shipping costs by purchasing items from qualified sources along the NDN closer to Afghanistan.

Last September, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) teamed with the General Services Administration (GSA), the United States Embassy in Latvia, and USEUCOM to host a procurement conference in Riga, Latvia. A major NDN shipping port and developed European Union economy make Riga an attractive market from which to purchase supplies and materials to support the ISAF mission. One hundred nine Latvian businesses attended this conference to showcase their products and learn how to register and compete for contract opportunities.

Early results from the Riga conference are promising. The Latvian business publication, Dienas Bizness, reported this month that DLA placed an order with a local food company for bottled water and juice directly attributed to the September conference.

DLA evaluated a number of businesses that show high potential as long-term sources for future contracts. The engagement in Latvia follows the path of NDN procurement conferences the USEUCOM co-sponsored with United States Transportation Command in May 2010 in the Southern Caucasus countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan emerged as a leading DLA fuel source and Georgia’s importance as a GSA supplier grew significantly during 2010.

Ultimately, businesses must offer quality products at competitive prices to serve as government suppliers, but the potential to significantly increase the number of suppliers along the NDN is very real. Continued engagement with local businesses and economies is yet another way USEUCOM, its interagency partners, and allied nations are Stronger Together.

Maj. Michael Belko, US Air Force
Chief, Operational Contract Support
EUCOM J4

Last week, I had a good visit to Afghanistan -- three days, including a swing through Helmand in the south.

The security situation in Helmand Province was significantly different this month than it was when I last visited in January 2010. I was especially struck by the continued improvement in the performance and size of the Afghan security forces down south. In 2010, there were roughly 10,000 ISAF servicemen and 2,000 ANSF in Helmand Province, roughly a 5:1 ratio. Today, there are 30,000 ISAF and 30,000 ANSF – a 1:1 ratio with Afghan forces increasingly in the lead. Afghan flags fly across the province, schools are open, bazaars are thriving. There is a sense of progress.

This is especially significant because Helmand and Kandahar have historically been the heart of the insurgency and the Taliban's stronghold. They've been pushed out of some of the most important terrain to them. Of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan, Helmand accounts for 45% percent of the violence -- if we can succeed here, we're on track for overall success.

Here I am getting an operational update of the progress in Afghanistan by General David Petraeus. Photo by MSGT Edouard Bocquet, French Air Force

We are beginning transition in 2011 with a goal of full transition to Afghan-led security operations across the entire country by 2014. During my time with General Dave Petraeus and his team, I was briefed on their proposed transition plan. It looks good. We'll formally review it shortly and move up to NATO headquarters for final approval.

In the months ahead, we'll continue to see fighting and losses, especially in the south. There are big challenges ahead -- governance, corruption, and difficulties with cross-border operations from Pakistan -- but overall, I am cautiously optimistic.

I spent my third and final day with the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan at the Kabul Military Training Facility (KMTC). As we drove from one side of KMTC to the other, I witnessed Afghans training on everything from simple battle drills like React to Contact, to complex Route Clearance Drills, drivers training, and marksmanship. Some of these training events were being run by ISAF forces; however, more and more, Afghans are taking over the training of their own security forces. This is a significant milestone toward a truly self-sustaining and self-generating Security Force.

I want to give you a sense of one event that said a great deal to me:

Before boarding our plane for the return trip to Belgium, I attended the Commissioning Ceremony and the swearing of the military oath by two dozen young women joining the Afghan National Army. It was an emotional moment.

I'm shaking hands with the newly graduated female officer candidates after attending their oath (commisionning) ceremony. Photo by MSGT Edouard Bocquet, French Air Force

They stood in a tight military formation under a picture of the Afghan heroine Malalai of Maiwand, famous for her role in defending her country in the 19th century. After marching, each of them swore, "I am a loyal daughter to the people of Afghanistan ... I will be a disciplined officer of this country ... I will be loyal and honest ... my priorities will be defending territorial integrity, national freedom ... I will even spill my blood in serving my country ... May God help us to succeed."

Think how that picture looks to the Taliban. It is part of a country where today 7 million children go to school, with 3 million of them young girls. Under the Taliban, no females were allowed to attend school. The young women officers are part of the new generation of women emerging in Afghanistan. I chatted with each of them, and all were articulate and impressive. They are the new face of Afghanistan, and I believe they will help lead their country to a brighter future.

Amidst all the challenges, there is reason for hope. These young women are part of that.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Remember the 1992 movie Under Siege with Steven Seagal playing Casey Ryback, an ex-Navy SEAL turned cook who saves the day as terrorists attack a U.S. Navy battleship? Well, 1-10 SFG (A) has their own version of Casey Ryback in Sgt. Javier Rodriguez-Torres. Although there may not be any Hollywood movies currently in production about Rodriguez-Torres’ exploits, there very well could be one day.

Imagine what the movie might look like though…working with a Special Forces Operational Detachment –Alpha (a bunch of Green Berets) and local Afghans running counterinsurgency missions in the heart of Taliban country. Sgt. Rodriguez-Torres, playing himself of course, is the head cook, in charge of preparing three daily feasts for at least 50 hungry warriors at a time (using anything available; turning it into a gourmet meal). On a fairly regular basis, however, he must also deal with Taliban fighters outside the perimeter, attempting to overrun the base and claim it as their own. The enemy is well equipped, with AK-47s, PKM machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and 107mm rockets.

In the first scene, the men of Forward Operating Base Kutschbach are gathered for their pre-mission meal as the sun begins to set. All seems quiet, but the enemy has other plans for the evening. Rodriguez-Torres helps his three Afghan cooks with the finishing touches to the goat kebabs they’ve prepared, making sure they are properly seasoned. Then BOOM!! The whole building thunders because a rocket has exploded outside...then another one hits! Debris falls from the ceiling and the crackling of gunfire erupts. Dinner becomes an afterthought and staying alive is now the only game in town.

Some of the base workers jump under their tables, but the gathered Green Berets immediately jump to their feet and head outside to defend the base. They flow out of the wire with partnered Afghan National Army elements to meet the attack head on. Meanwhile, Rodriguez-Torres, after first making sure his Afghan counterparts are safe, bolts out the door and into the line of fire to man the mortar pit. On his way, he hears another inbound rocket and throws himself to the ground. It explodes just above his head; he feels the heat of the blast, but incredibly remains unscathed. He and his mortar team quickly figure out from where the rocket was launched and then begin crushing that area with counter-battery fire. The enemy, knowing that a Special Forces mortar pit is a key location to eliminate, directs their fire accordingly. For the mortar men, it’s not the most comfortable place to work, but there is no room for cowardice. They do their jobs quickly and efficiently.

Cut scene to the rocket launch site, where mortars are landing everywhere and the Taliban rocket launcher is running for his life. As he mounts his motorcycle, a mortar lands right on top of him, and he disappears forever. Good guys 1 – Taliban 0.

After thwarting the attack, it’s back to the kitchen grind, because the guys all still have to eat, and now as they come back inside the perimeter, they must also conduct final preparations for tonight’s mission. Nothing stops just because the enemy decided to vote.

Sgt. Javier Rodriguez-Torres: ready for anything. Photo by MSG Donald Sparks, SOCEUR Public Affairs

Thus is the life of a cook assigned to an Army Special Forces unit, and thus is the reason Rodriguez-Torres was awarded the Bronze Star Medal on Dec. 2, 2010. While assigned to ISAF Special Operations Task Force -10 as the Forward Operating Base Kutschbach primary food specialist, he displayed the intestinal fortitude and personal courage necessary to succeed under extreme fire on multiple occasions.  He did serve as an assistant mortar gunneryman during Taliban base attacks, and his actions most certainly contributed to the success of the overall mission.  Whether he was in the kitchen, operations center or the mortar pit, he always gave everything he had.  The life is certainly not for everyone, but it is exactly where those who believe like Rodriguez-Torres belong. It’s for those who believe that they are warriors first, and as warriors, they must be mentally prepared for any situation or circumstance...kind of like Casey Ryback...only for real.

MAJ Jim Gregory
SOCEUR PAO

We finished the Lisbon summit last week – really a high point thus far in the nearly 18 months I’ve been the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). While not without some challenges, overall the summit must be judged a real success.

Most importantly, we were able to deliver the three key initiatives we have been seeking for several years:

• NATO-Russia in a “true strategic partnership.” This means working with the Russians in a wide variety of venues. I’d put Afghanistan, missile defense, counter-narcotics, counter-piracy, and counter-terrorism at the top of the list. In particular, we have worked out a good set of concrete proposals for Afghanistan: logistics help to our coalition, sales of the very capable MI-17 helicopter, and possibly training of Afghan security forces in Russia. This is real progress. We’ll be working hard over the next few months to turn these potential areas of cooperation into real work together.

• Afghanistan transition plan. After briefings by both General Dave Petraeus and me, the 48 nations of the ISAF coalition agreed to a transition plan that will begin in 2011 and conclude with Afghan leadership by 2014. Coupled with the counter-insurgency strategy we have been pursuing, this sets out a very reasonable timeline for success. While the challenges remain daunting in Afghanistan, I remain cautiously optimistic that we will succeed. The key will be training the Afghan security forces to a level that permits them to take on these key responsibilities, and our NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan is doing exactly that.

• The new Strategic Concept for NATO. With the adoption of the first new Strategic Concept since 1999, the Alliance has a well defined path forward into this turbulent 21st century. The key elements of the new Strategic Concept, agreed to by all 28 NATO nations, include: Crisis Management; the Comprehensive Approach; Missile Defense; partnerships, especially with Russia; NATO Reform and Efficiencies; and cyber defense. The concept also emphasizes the traditional role of NATO as an Article V defensive Alliance, e.g. “an attack on one nation shall be viewed as an attack on all.”

Secretary General Rasmussen was superb in guiding the Alliance and the ISAF coalition members through the complex two days of dialogue and, ultimately, agreement on these three key elements.

Leaders from the Lisbon Summit

This week, the hard work begins at my headquarters in Mons, as we get to work on how to “operationalize” all of these good ideas. We have working groups tackling each of these key action items, and will be presenting our thoughts for political guidance and ultimately for implementation over the next six months.

The Summit was a good example of NATO moving out and responding to a changing world. We have lots of work ahead, but I came away with a real sense of confidence in the direction we are sailing.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell: Commander, NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan and Commanding General, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan

In the past ten months there has been measured progress in the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF); in quality as well as quantity. Since last November, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan has supported the Afghan Ministries of Interior and Defense to recruit, train and assign over 100,000 soldiers and police, an incredible feat. To achieve this, the training capacity was increased, moving from under 10,000 seats for police training alone to almost 15,000.

Quality improved, as well. The instructor to trainee ratio decreased from 1:76 to 1:29, greatly increasing the ability of trainers to give attention to individuals. Improvements like this led to an improved basic rifle qualification rate; increasing from an embarrassing 35% to 97%. To truly professionalize the force, however, will require even more attention to quality in the force – and trainers with specialized skills are required to accomplish this.

In order to develop the systems and institutions that are required to continue to professionalize and grow the ANSF, specialty training is required. Schools that teach skills like acquisitions, logistics, maintenance, intelligence, and even field artillery are needed to balance a currently infantry-centric force. Additionally, leader development courses like the police staff college, police and army officer candidate schools, and various non-commissioned officer development courses are needed. All of these specialty skills require trainers with the requisite skills – trainers that can only be found in the international community. Over the next ten months, our requirement for these trainers will double, with needed skill sets ranging from Mi-17 helicopter pilots and maintainers to doctors, police trainers to instructors at the signal school.

The impacts of not sourcing our trainer requirements are that training base expansions to increase capacity are hindered, specialty school development will be delayed, pace of specialty skills development will be slowed, and the professionalization of the ANSF will be hampered.

Essentially, the process of transition to the ANSF will be delayed; as the Secretary General of NATO said recently, “no trainers, no transition.”

If we do not resource the training mission in Afghanistan, we will not be able to achieve our goals for increased quantity and improved quality. We must not allow that to happen. We need to sustain the momentum we have achieved in the past ten months so that we capitalize on our achievements thus far. To create Afghan capacity that is enduring and self-sustaining we must professionalize the police, army, and air forces; create viable logistics and medical systems; and improve the infrastructure and the institutions that train and educate them…above all, we MUST have the trainers to develop them.

Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell, IV
U.S. Army
Commanding General, NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan

A superb staff officer from my years at U.S. Southern Command, Colonel Bryan Sparling is the Communication Director for the ISAF Joint Command (IJC), working for my good friend Lieutenant General Dave Rodriguez.  Bryan oversees the IJC’s work in Public Affairs, Information Operations, and Psychological Operations in Afghanistan today. 

In a recent email to family and friends, he did a nice job of laying out the task ahead and the stakes, with a focus on information.  I thought others might be interested in his thoughts and observations, and so I'm including him as a guest blogger today:

Members of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, meet with their counterparts from the Kunar provincial government to introduce the provincial agriculture leaders to get a better sense for how best to quickly assist the provincial government in providing more robust agricultural services to its citizens.

"The enormity of the mission here is hard to comprehend.  It is truly audacious.  We are simultaneously transforming a government and attempting to connect it to remote constituencies who deeply distrust central authority.  We are building infrastructure: roads, dams, power grids, and Afghanistan's first railroad.  And we are creating military and police forces while fighting side-by-side with them against an entrenched insurgency supported by a robust sanctuary in Pakistan. 

Progress is being made, but it is painstakingly slow.  This is in no way the same war that we entered in 2001.  This war has become about much more.  NATO is, with little argument, the most successful alliance in the history of the world.  And the nations of NATO, along with others, have, here in Afghanistan, effectively pushed all their chips into the center of the table.  The stakes are high.  With no hyperbole, what is being tested here is the mettle of liberal democracy.  The question in the air is whether the prosperous, free people of the world will stand and fight for their ideals against religious ideologues and criminal extremists empowered by global information technology.  Without a doubt this is an information war.

Daily we fight lies.  Ultimately it will be our actions that speak loudest and demonstrate to these people that we are not lying, that we are on the side of Truth, and that we honestly have their best interests in mind; that having a government responsive to its people and strong enough to enforce a monopoly on violence, having an educated populace and empowering another half of their population, women, to prosper are things that are truly in the Afghan, the Western and the American interest.

Pray for our leaders.  This is a crucial year."

Bryan N. Sparling
Colonel (OF-5), U.S. Army
Communication Director, ISAF Joint Command IO Director
USFOR-A Kabul, Afghanistan

An Afghan National Air Force member looks on as civilians load ballot boxes into an Mi-17 helicopter in Jaghuri, Afghanistan, Sept. 20, 2010.

That sums up the year ahead accurately.  We ARE moving forward with a focus on training the Afghan security forces and transitioning all security work to them.  A good example of the Afghan security forces' increasingly capable work is the recent Parliamentary elections.  Despite many boastful promises from the Taliban to disrupt them, the elections were safely conducted with only scattered and ineffective attacks, nearly 4 million votes cast, and roughly a 40% turnout -- comparable to parliamentary elections in many western countries.

Many challenges ahead, but with effective information operations, aggressive training programs, and a solid plan for transition, we can and will succeed.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Hila Hanif, U.S. EUCOM Special Assistant for Muslim Outreach

I recently had the opportunity to join Admiral Stavridis for a second time on a trip to Afghanistan. I worked in Kabul from 2005-2007 in the development field and had little exposure to ISAF operations during that time, so for me it has been a wonderfully unique experience to observe the work of the NATO Mission.

On this last trip we took a tour of the National Military Academy of Afghanistan. Years ago a friend of mine, a graduate of West Point, proudly told me about “East Point”, the military academy in Afghanistan modeled after West Point. Last week when I spoke to a professor at the military academy, as we ended the conversation, he emphasized “one important point that you should know, we are modeled after West Point.” The pride with which they both described this relationship gave me a sense of the bonds being built by the Afghan soldiers and their ISAF partners.

My family emigrated from Afghanistan to the United States decades ago, and while Afghans sometimes laugh at my Americanized accent, I was able to speak with some students and soldiers from the commando unit in Dari, one of the official languages of Afghanistan, to get their impressions of the progress of the training mission. They spoke very proudly of the development of the academy, but more importantly, they emphasized their eagerness to serve their country.

One of ADM Stavridis' military assistants and I at Forward Operating Base Morales-Frazier

It is a significant achievement that the military academy is graduating hundreds of new, well-trained Afghan military officers each year. But from what I saw, their achievements go beyond that initial goal. They are providing these students and soldiers with a quality education that is not available to a large segment of the population, and giving them knowledge and skills that will be useful for them and for their country beyond the battlefield.

Just as important as the skills they are developing is the professional ethos and unity among the students. The military academy is bringing together Afghans from different regions of a war-torn and fractured country to work together. This is no small feat in a country that spent years fighting along ethnic divisions. When I asked a few students what part of Afghanistan they were from, several of them answered “I’m from Afghanistan, just Afghanistan,” not wanting to be categorized by region. After I heard that response a couple of times I realized it was deliberate. Given the history and current state of ethnic tension in Afghanistan, it was great to hear that the students and soldiers in this program are looking to work together for a national cause and work beyond ethnic differences.

The NATO training mission has developed a great model for capacity building and it’s no wonder that the students at the National Military Academy were so proud to be part of the institution.

Hila Hanif
U.S. European Command Special Assistant for Muslim Outreach
Fellow, Office of the Secretary of Defense Presidential Management

Just back from two days in Kabul, and when I think back on the situation a year ago, the progress is very encouraging.

I met with Gen. Stan McChrystal, the commander of ISAF, his German Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Bruno Kasdorf, and his entire international team, as well as with a senior group of Afghan security experts, Generals, and Ministers and several hundred Afghan soldiers.

Meeting Afghan troops during my visit

Of note, I toured the Kabul Military Training Center, which is 20,000 acres and currently has nearly 10,000 trainees undergoing a series of warrior and combat training courses at all levels from senior officer to junior recruit. Each “kandak,” the Afghan equivalent of a battalion, comprises about 700 soldiers, instructed by our fine trainers. I saw them do everything from respond to Improvised Explosive Devices to administer first aid to attack mock “insurgents” to gather for leadership discussions. I came away impressed with their spirit and evident confidence.

Lt. Gen. Bill Caldwell, in his position of Commander of the NATO Training Mission, is in charge of training Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) throughout the country. He currently has over 30,000 Afghans in training as he builds their Army and Police to over 250,000 by this fall. Bill is full of energy, and brings a great deal of deep experience in training to the job. He has a multinational staff, with senior officers from most of the 46 nations that make up ISAF. Ensuring that he receives the right number and quality of trainers is my top priority as SACEUR.

Meeting one of our great U.S. Army soldiers.

Lt. Gen. Rod Rodriguez, a tall, rangy former West Point lineman leads ISAF operations across Afghanistan, with over 70,000 U.S. and 45,000 other NATO and non-NATO troops under his command. He briefed me on operations in southern Afghanistan, in the Taliban heartland, where progress is steady and the ratio of coalition to Afghan soldiers and policemen approaches 1:1 for the first time in the conflict.

Another strong leader is Vice Adm. Bob Harward, a Navy SEAL with a distinguished combat record in Afghanistan and a fluent Dari-speaker. Bob is in charge of US national detention operations, which will be the first key operation fully transitioned to Afghan leadership. He showed me the plans of the new Parwan detention facility and laid out the rule of law approach he is taking in partnership with the Afghan government and the international community.

As always, I spent time with both Gen. McChrystal and U.S .Ambassador Karl Eikenberry. They are a great team and fashioning an excellent civil-military partnership, along with other key leaders of the international effort. As the Afghan Deputy Minister of Defense said to me, “We will not deliver security from the barrel of a gun in Afghanistan.” He’s right – it will take the combined efforts of ISAF, the Afghan people, the international community, and the neighboring nations to succeed.

Receiving an update on the field from Army Col. Herman.

I’m encouraged and cautiously optimistic about Afghanistan. In addition to the good work by the security forces, there are increasingly good indicators about the economy and society (GDP up 20% last year; potentially huge mining deposits of iron, copper, lithium, and other minerals and metals; 12 million cell phones; 6 million children in schools, doubled over five years, over 40 % of them girls; number of teachers nationwide has doubled). Afghans seem to recognize this progress, and many national polls show strong confidence in the future of the country (70%+) and approval for the government (60%+), very favorable compared to many western countries.

Of concern, violence is up markedly over last year, largely the result of the efforts of both the ANSF and ISAF to take on the Taliban in their “home waters” down south. It will take perseverance and grit to get through what will be a dangerous and tough summer. The insurgency is stubborn and resilient, although largely ineffective in their attempts to attack our forces beyond the toll of IEDs. Overall, there are many challenges ahead; yet I would argue the prognosis for Afghanistan looks brighter today than a year ago, and I believe it will continue to improve.

For additional information, Michael O'Hanlon wrote a great article on the situation in Afghanistan. It's definitely worth reading.

Admiral James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander Europe

Headed home over the South Pacific after four days in Australia and New Zealand, strong allies and partners in Afghanistan as part of our 45-nation International Security Force – it was an excellent visit.

Maoris\' greet me with a traditional Wero challenge (Official NATO photo by MC2 Stefanie Antosh)

I was greeted in New Zealand by a traditional Maori "wero” or challenge and visited their evocative War Memorial with a statue of a mother and two young children. In Australia, I walked through their War Memorial and associated museum seeing panel after panel carved with the names of the fallen. These are nations that know conflict and war all too well.

As I reflect on our discussions, I am struck by the breadth of what the Kiwis and Aussies are doing across the spectrum of counter-insurgency work. The Australians have sent over 1,500 troops, a significant contribution for a nation with a population of just over 20 million; the New Zealanders have 220 people from a population base of just over 4 million.

In both cases, the men and women from Oceania are doing demanding special operations, training the Afghan security forces, flying aircraft in support of the challenging logistics tail, and engaging in the important work of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams.

In a talk I gave at the Australian Defense Force Academy, I highlighted the work of Corporal Brett Corrigan at the Provincial Reconstruction Team in training young Afghan men as carpenters. What an evocative image for what we must do in Afghanistan: create a generation of builders instead of a generation of bombers.

I also had a photograph of Captain Myles Conquest (what a perfect name!), of the Australian Army, who is part of the embedded partnering and training team with one of the Afghanistan Kandaks (battalions) operating in Uruzgan province. At the end of the day, the "success strategy” in Afghanistan will be based on our ability to train the Afghan security forces so we can draw down our own troops.

General Jerry Mateparae and I pose for a photo from the top of Mount Victoria, Wellington, New Zealand. (Official NATO photo by MC2 Stefanie Antosh)

The trip also included high level meetings with the Chiefs of Defense, General Jerry Mateparae of New Zealand and General Angus Houston of Australia. Both are the kind of straightforward yet intellectual leaders who truly understand what we seek to do in Afghanistan, where we cannot "kill our way to victory.” We found ourselves in seamless alignment on the need to focus on strategic communications, putting the Afghan people at the center of gravity, getting the civil-military balance right, and – above all – training the Afghan Security Forces.

As I look at all that is unfolding in Afghanistan, I am increasingly convinced we will be successful. The economy is beginning to click, there is great potential for resources based on strategic minerals, the body politic increasingly understands the responsibilities the international community expects it to take in fighting corruption and – from our perspective on the military side – we have stopped the Taliban momentum with the Marjah campaign.

Air Chief Marshal Houston presents me with a gift during my visit. (Official NATO photo by MC2 Stefanie Antosh)

As the spring and summer unfold, and the "clear, hold, build, and transition” strategy takes root in Kandahar and other parts of Afghanistan, I am cautiously optimistic that we will see momentum build. This will create the conditions for reconciliation and reintegration, led by the Afghans, to bring some of their "disaffected brothers” in from the cold. The upcoming international conference in Kabul itself and the Afghan "Peace Jirga” will contribute.

Certainly there will be hard days ahead, with casualties and setbacks, but on the whole I believe we are moving forward in Afghanistan. But these two nations are no strangers to challenges – from Gallipoli to the Pacific campaigns of World War II to the Cold War and through today's efforts, these are the kind of friends to have at our side. Having allies and partners like Australia and New Zealand will make all the difference.

Admiral James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander Europe

And so began the Afghan-NATO offensive into Helmad province, known as Operation Moshtarak – which translates roughly as “Together.” We are focusing on the area around a town called Marjah, where there has historically been a great deal of insurgent activity and heroin production.

Soldiers from six nations gather to hear the three senior officers involved in commanding Operation Moshtarak, Brigadier James Cowan; Commander 11 Light Brigade (UK); Brigadier General Moyaiyodin Ghori, Commanding Officer 3rd Brigade Afghan National Army; and Colonel Shirin Shah Afghan National Civil Order Police. Images by: SSgt Mark Jones (British Army)

There are about 10,000 troops directly involved, including about 5,000 Afghan Army and Police, and about 5,000 NATO forces – U.S., British, Danish, and Estonians – under tactical command of 2-star British General, Nick Carter and Afghan 1-star Shir Mohammad.

We are working very hard (and thus far have been successful) in minimizing civilian casualties. This has been at the heart of our strategy since last summer, and is different than any of the large operations that were conducted over the previous years in Afghanistan.

To accomplish this, we have been in extensive consultation with the people of the area – notably through Shuras and other local processes – and have truly listened to them. We seek to prevent any civilian casualties and in return have received a great deal of support.

At Camp Bastion the six nations involved in Operation Moshtarak are conducting battle preparations.

Tragically, while troops were in contact with insurgents Sunday, two rockets from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launched at insurgents firing upon Afghan and ISAF forces impacted approximately 300 meters off their intended target, killing 12 civilians in Nad Ali district, Helmand province. We deeply regret this tragic loss of life and will ensure we do all we can to avoid future incidents. The use of the HIMARS has been suspended until a thorough review of this incident has been conducted.

It is important also to know that this is the first Afghan-led operation of this scale. It was fully briefed to President Karzai by his military and police leadership and approved by him. They have real ownership and are partnering with us in approximately a 1:1 ratio of forces.

It is crucial to know that the military phase of this is NOT the decisive part – it is the introduction of governance and the follow-on economic activity that will be key. Again, that will be Afghan led but supported by the rest of the coalition. In that sense, the military part is not the “main event,” but rather the enabling function.

As Stan told me, and I agree fully, “this is only a step on a long road - and there will be twists, turns, and plenty of improvised explosive devices along the way.” I couldn’t agree more. The key will be to be steady in the four things upon which we’ve focused for months now:

- Protecting and partnering with the Afghan people

- Effectively communicating, both in Afghanistan and our nations

- Balancing civilian and military efforts

- Training and empowering the Afghan security forces

It is clearly “early days” in this operation, but as a model for how we seek to conduct operations, it is off to a good start.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander Europe

Maj. Kristi Beckman is the Chief of Social Media for European Command Public Affairs

As important as social media has become in the world, it is playing an ever-increasing role in the U.S. military. I’d like to highlight a great example from the International Security Assistance Force.

There are a couple of military public affairs troops who have begun a 30-day adventure through Afghanistan with the hopes of capturing some great examples of our brave U.S. and coalition men and women serving in Afghanistan.

Their story is entitled, "30 Days Through Afghanistan."  They have a great Web site which is their social media hub, so to speak, and you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter. I’m pretty excited to see what they will be able to accomplish. But the key to all of this is that they are able to reach people in the social media realm, so the reach is endless.

Mark Glaser, from PBS' MediaShift, wrote a blog today about this adventure and I was a bit taken back by the first commenter on this blog. The commenter stated that the U.S. military should stay out of the social media realm because it is perceived as nothing more than trying to legitimize U.S. foreign policy.

I, of course, do not agree in the slightest. Social media is merely another tool for our public affairs professionals to tell our stories. But what social media allows is for us to not just TELL our story, but to get feedback on our story. We are able to talk with people and take part in two-way communication. And not to mention, social media allows for the repurposing of the story ten-fold as opposed to hoping the media will spread the word or hoping someone might stop by our Web site and read about it.

There are thousands of amazing people in our U.S. and coalition militaries who deserve to be talked about. They are brave individuals fighting for basic human rights for others and fighting to defend our freedom. Oh, by the way, that freedom includes the freedom to talk in the social media realm and have an opinion!

I’d like to know other’s thoughts on this. Is there anyone else who thinks the U.S. military should stay out of the social media realm?

I’m back from spending a few days in Afghanistan last week – and I came away encouraged and optimistic about our approach.

In the course of three days in both Kabul and Herat, which is out west, I had the privilege to observe both ISAF and Afghan forces in action. With this trip complete and an important international conference on Afghanistan upcoming in London, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share a few observations with you.

My arrival in Kabul on Monday morning, January 18, amidst an insurgent attack in the capital was particularly timely. The Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) responded quickly and effectively to prevent the insurgents from disrupting government operations. It was inspiring to see firsthand the progress that Afghan forces have made, and the increasing responsibility they are assuming for their nation's security. All 15 insurgents were killed or captured, with a minimal loss of life on the Afghan side. Our NATO troops were NOT involved!

Here I am meeting the Afghan Kandak (Battalion) commander in Forward Operating Base Shindand.

This brings me to the subject of NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A). This mission is one of our top priorities. We must ensure that our NTM-A Commander, Lieutenant General Bill Caldwell, is fully resourced and capable of providing the essential training that will allow Afghan forces to take increasing responsibility for their nation's security -- as they did so admirably last Monday in Kabul.

I also flew out west to visit Herat, about 700km west of Kabul, where I was able to spend time with the Italian Commanding General Alessandro Veltri and his team of well over 5,000 NATO troops from a dozen nations. In Forward Operating Base SHINDAND, south of Herat, I met a brilliant Italian officer, Colonel Dei, who is supporting economic development through the establishment of micro-loan programs that supply Afghan women with seed money for small businesses. Such programs reach to the heart of the nexus between security, stability, and prosperity, and embody the comprehensive approach.

Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez shows me around the ISAF Joint Command at Kabul International Airport.

During this trip, I met with ISAF and Afghan leadership; I received dozens of briefings; I saw our troops in action. And at the end of it all, I left knowing that our efforts are making a real difference. The future of Afghanistan and the stability of the region are directly linked to the security of our own countries, our own citizens, and the broader international community. Our sacrifices have been great and more will be required of us, but they have brought with them a new momentum, matched by renewed international commitment.

Here I am with Italian Commanding General Allessandro Vetri during my visit to Herat.

The next big event is the London Conference on Afghanistan this week. I’ll be part of the NATO delegation, headed by Secretary General Rasmussen and accompanied by my good friend General Stan McChrystal. There will be a presentation on the security side of the situation, but the real emphasis of the conference is to match the civilian side of the equation to our military work. As I’ve said many times, we MUST get the balance right between the civil and military if we are to succeed – and we will.

At the conference, the United Nations and over 60 other delegations will be present to address the overall effort in Afghanistan. We’ll focus on governance, economics, and security. A key presentation will be by the Afghans themselves, as they lay out a course forward that includes everything from anti-corruption to ideas about reconciliation and reintegration of the Taliban.

Buckle up for 2010 in Afghanistan – it’ll be a fast ride, with lots of twists and turns. Yet overall I believe we can and will succeed.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

I've received a lot of good feedback on Afghanistan, including a series of comments and questions that center around how we will use the 37,000-troop uplift. Let me take a moment and share four quick thoughts that connect to a number of those questions.

First, I am very grateful to the nations that have contributed to this uplift. The entire NATO alliance and all our ISAF partners -- 43 today with more coming -- are committing themselves to success in Afghanistan. That is in and of itself a vital message to the people of Afghanistan AND to the Taliban that seek to overthrow the government and impose their tyranny on the population -- which does NOT support them.

Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell, IV, commander NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

Second, in terms of how we'll use these new troops, a significant number will be focused on training. All security must be local, and we'll be working very hard to train the Afghan Army and Police so they can ultimately take responsibility for their own nation. This will be challenging, but we've created a new NATO command - NATO Training Mission to Afghanistan - to lead it, and appointed Lt. Gen. Bill Caldwell, a superb general with a wealth of experience from service in Iraq, to command it. The new troops will also execute the strategy of protecting the Afghan people -- putting them at the center of the equation. This is classic counterinsurgency. In order to foster a climate of success, we must focus on the Afghan people for without their support, it will be impossible to root out the Taliban and stop further support.

Third, I think the "next big thing" that must happen in Afghanistan is a better alignment between civilian and military efforts. Everyone on all sides is working hard, but we can work smarter if we do it together. There will be a major international conference in London early in 2010 to discuss how to improve the interagency and military partnering. I'm confident the international policy makers involved will create the right structure to bring civil and military efforts together smoothly. We are truly "stronger together."

ISAF troops meet with local police and education officials in Chapahar District

Fourth, all of us involved in this undertaking have an obligation to do what I'm doing right now: communicate. We need to explain to the people of Afghanistan what we are doing and why. We have to put them first, and we must convince them to stand with us. Equally important, we need to communicate to the populations of each nation supporting ISAF what our approach is all about and why we think it is the right strategy to move forward. We must earn our allies' and partners’ support with good actions and credible communication. And finally, we must communicate to the Taliban themselves, and their allies, al-Qaeda, that we have the courage, the capacity, and the resolve to succeed in Afghanistan -- which I firmly believe we will.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Yesterday President Obama laid out the strategy for Afghanistan, and announced the addition of 30,000 troops. Today and Friday, the NATO Foreign Ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss a wide range of NATO topics, including Afghanistan of course. Secretary Clinton will lead the U.S. delegation. I will be there to brief the Foreign Ministers and I look forward to it. I will be joined by General McChrystal and General Ramms, my key team leaders focused on Afghanistan.

Early next week, at our headquarters here in Mons, Belgium, we will lead the "Force Generation Conference" at which all 28 NATO allies will pledge forces as did the U.S. I am confident we'll top 5,000 additional allied troops, and I expect more -- hopefully several thousand more -- in the months ahead.

This is a team challenge in Afghanistan, and in addition to 28 NATO nations, there are 15 other significant contributing countries to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, for which we are grateful. The United Nations supports this fully, with hundreds of workers "on the ground."
This is indeed a global effort.

This team effort also extends to the U.S. European Command with its support to NATO in the form of pre-deployment training of Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. These OMLTs will deploy in support of ISAF and NATO partners.

I am very confident that we have the right team in place in Afghanistan and Brunssum. The troop commitments demonstrate the resolve and determination of NATO and partner nations to support the Afghan people. We will focus on training Afghan security forces so that we can begin the gradual process of transferring security responsibility as soon as possible. I believe we will make significant progress within 18 months, which will allow us to begin to redeploy some forces. All of this will be based on conditions on the ground, of course, but I believe we can, will, and indeed must succeed in Afghanistan in order to avoid a return of Al-Qaeda to what Secretary Gates has correctly described as "the epicenter of global terror" under the former Taliban regime.

This is vital and I believe we will succeed.

Maj. Kristi Beckman is the Chief of Social Media for European Command Public Affairs

Well, the United States military continues to amaze me on the social media scene as we are marching forward into this wonderful new realm of communication and we’re having a blast…well, at least I am anyway! 

There have been some great strides made by our friends throughout the military to include the International Security Assistance Force, who just revamped their Web site to open up the social media channels.  Also, Incirlik Air Base is charging forward as well by getting their name in the Facebook and Twitter arenas.  Do any of you know what the George C. Marshall Center is?  Check out their Vlog about their social media endeavors.  And more and more military units are jumping on the bandwagon as well. 

The people European Command is reaching, the people we’re having two-way conversation with and the people who are showing interest are different than any of the folks we would have ever talked with before.  That’s the fun part.  It’s exciting to be able to make these connections and share our mission with so many different people throughout the world. 

In my last blog, I touched on what I believe are the three key steps that we all should take in establishing ourselves through social media.  Most importantly however, you must have a goal for what you hope to accomplish. 

EUCOM’s social media goal is to be transparent.  More specifically, our mission is to “Convey transparency, credibility and knowledge to establish relationships and followers in the cyber realm.” 

We’re hoping our Web site allows for that transparency with our blogs, our news stories, our tweets, our social media links to include Facebook, You tube, Flickr and Linked-In. 

So, are we transparent?

We’d love to get feedback on what you think about our site and what you’d like to see that we’re not doing. Be honest and critique us. We can take it!

Stuttgart is the capital city of arguably Germany’s most pro-American and economically strongest state or “Länder,” Baden-Wuerttemberg.  But even Baden-Wuerttemberg, home of Porsche, Daimler, SAP AG and European Command, recognizes a higher power, a strengthening political and economic capital.  No, not Berlin…but Brussels, nicknamed the “Capital of Europe.”

Last week, I spent two days in Brussels attending two European Union conferences “EU Smart Power” and “Energy Security” and got the chance to visit with my counterparts at the EU Military Staff. 

Baden-Wuerttemberg , home of the business-savvy Swabians, attaches such importance to the political and economic might of the EU in Brussels, that they even have their own “embassy” there, representing their “Länder” interests to the EU(and not trusting just Berlin to do so). I know this because sitting next to me among the 300 participants at the “EU Smart Power” conference was a representative from the Baden-Wuerttemberg mission to the EU.

This was an important week in the EU’s development as a world power, as the leaders of the 27 member states met the day after our conference to select the first EU President and EU Foreign Minister. 

So, why is this important to us at EUCOM?  Like Baden-Wuerttemberg, we may not want to leave dealing with the EU exclusively to Washington, D.C.  We may want to more “smartly” engage with and understand the EU via our mission there.

After all, the EU consists of 27 of the 51 nations of the EUCOM area of responsibility, our key allies and partners, along with 23 of the 27 nations also being NATO members.  These are the same nations that we are engaging with through our Theater Security Cooperation and Building Partner Capacity efforts.  We encourage their support to the International Security Assistance Force, better known as ISAF, through a whole of government approach. 

Much as EUCOM has endeavored over the years to better understand the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe staff with periodic exchanges, I recommend that it is now also appropriate to outreach to the Brussels through the U.S. mission to the EU.

Because the EU is an economic smart power and interagency giant while still a military midget despite 10 years of European Security and Defense Policy, I think this outreach should be interagency-focused. The Interagency Partnering Directorate here at EUCOM has a mandate from our commander, Admiral Jim Stavridis to partner with International Organizations and I believe our directorate should initiate this partnering.

We should begin by meeting with U.S. Team Brussels. This team consists of players well known to EUCOM, but it also comprises an entity that we should endeavor to know better, the U.S. Mission to the EU.  This “embassy” will receive a new Ambassador before the end of the year.  Once the Ambassador is in place, leading the interagency-strong country team, we should meet.  I’m thinking of a visit by Admiral Stavridis with select members of his staff and key interagency representatives traveling to Brussels in early 2010 timeframe. 

This would be a chance for “Team USA in Europe,” comprised of the EUCOM staff; U.S. Missions to EU and NATO and the Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to NATO; to gather, to listen to each other and to coordinate a Whole of Government Approach.  This would include interagency partners at EUCOM (USAID, Department of State, Immigration and Customs Enforcement); partners at EU (Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Agency, ICE, USAID) as well as the NATO partners (FEMA, DOS).

Just as this past week has been an historic one for the EU, it should also be a motivational time for EUCOM to recognize the growing clout of the EU and to outreach to it, engage it, and understand it via ‘U.S. Team Brussels.’  Talk about “smart power!”

I welcome any comments or suggestions that you may have in terms of strengthening EUCOM’s understanding of the EU via the U.S. Mission there.

Mike Anderson

Deputy Director, Interagency Partnering Directorate

I’ve just returned from Bratislava, Slovakia where the NATO Fall '09 Defense Ministerial was held, followed by an official visit to Slovakian senior defense leaders.

The Defense Ministerial is a chance for all 28 of the NATO Defense leaders (Ministers and Secretaries of Defense) to gather in a plenary session for a couple of days and discuss key issues.  Our new Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, led the event.

General Lubomir Bulik, Slovakia Chief of Defense and I walk to the office of the Slovakian Minister of Defense. This was my first official visit to the country since taking command of SHAPE in July.

Bratislava is Slovakia's historic capital perched on the Danube River. The city of a half-million in a country of some five million is full of lovely classic European architecture and within a few minutes drive from  the Tatra mountain range and hundreds of medieval castles and historic villages, some of them declared UN world heritage sites.

The conference began with speeches and a brief presentation of Slovakian culture, including short performances in opera, contemporary ballet, and vibrant folk dancing.  The President and Minister of Defense of Slovakia welcomed everyone, and we swiftly went off to a working dinner.  In the conference hall, a huge circular table seated all 28 Defense leaders as well as the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Italian Adm.Giampaolo DiPaola; the Commander of Allied Command Transformation, French Air Force Gen. Stephan Abrial; and me.  The dinner meeting was crisply run by the Secretary General, and afforded both me and Gen. Stan McChrystal, International Security Assistance Force commander, the chance to report on the situation in Afghanistan.

We followed up the next morning by a busy day of meetings and a working lunch that included the 28 NATO leaders, the 14 Ministers of Defense from Troop Contributing Nations who are engaged in Afghanistan outside of NATO (e.g. Australia, Sweden, New Zealand etc); Minister of Defense Wardak of Afghanistan; and Ambassador Kai Eide, the UN High Representative.  Both are good friends and colleagues doing hard work in challenging circumstances.  Again, the meetings focused on Afghanistan, the upcoming Presidential run-off election there, and the ISAF mission in general.

In addition to the obvious and vital discussions on Afghanistan, there was time to speak of the NATO Response Force, the Alliances “Quick Reaction” capability; transformation and the potential for reform and reorganization; missile defense and the new U.S. proposals with an eye toward NATO involvement; and a variety of other key issues.  Both Secretary General Rasmussen and Secretary of Defense Bob Gates highlighted the Alliance's solidarity during their press conferences, and I echo their sense of alliance solidarity across the wide range of topics.  There was plenty of spirited discussion and challenging questions, but I came away from the meetings – my first as SACEUR, although I’ve attended many in other jobs – with a very positive sense of the alliance and the individual leaders.

As the NATO conference concluded on Friday, I was invited to remain for a series of meetings with Slovakian defense leaders.  My host was the Chief of the Defense Staff, four-star General Lubomir Bulik.  He and I attended meetings with the Slovak Minister of Defense, Minister of Interior, and Chairman of the Defense Committee in the Parliament.  At each meeting, we discussed the strong Slovak commitment to NATO in general and the mission in Afghanistan in particular.  I was also able to discuss some topics of interest under my U.S. European Command hat, including mutual use of training areas for preparation of allies for the ISAF mission.

Adm. James Stavridis
Commander, U.S. European Command and
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

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I'm flying over western Afghanistan at 35,000 feet, just heading out of the country. We're passing over the Caspian Sea and soon will be over the Caucuses.  This is a complicated part of the world.

In three busy days in Afghanistan, I focused on Helmand province and the British and U.S. Marine Corps forces. Over the course of lunch with the provincial Governor - a man in his early 60s and a survivor of many challenging events in Afghanistan - I talked with him about the needs of the district.

Receiving a briefing at Forward Operating Base Shawquat in Nad e-Ali by British troop commander Lieutenant Colonel Roley.

"First is security," he said. "It is the mother of all development." When I pressed him for what comes next on the list, he said, "Education, health, and electricity." With us at the table was the leader of a British Provincial Reconstruction Team, a group of civilian aid workers focusing on development. He seconded the view, and spoke about the programs they are putting in place in this agrarian part of Afghanistan where sadly the principal crop is opium poppies.

The conversation reinforced my oft-stated view that in the end we will not deliver security in Afghanistan from the barrel of a gun. We'll need a few guns along the way, no doubt; but the key is getting the right balance of civilian and military work done in concert together.

My time at Forward Operating Base Shawquat, where British troops are working across the southern Helmand valley, was particularly illuminating. Their approach is clearly one of reaching out in positive ways to the surrounding communities in the heart of the Pashtun south.

I stood in a Sanger, an elevated guard tower built on the ruins of an old British fort from the second Anglo-Afghan war of the 1880s. The young soldier with me had plenty of firepower; but in talking to him, it was clear he'd been carefully briefed on holding back. "The most important bullet is the one you don't fire," one senior leader has said about Afghanistan. The restraint that allows the building of trust between our ISAF forces and the Afghan people is crucial.

After leaving the British operating base, I flew to the U.S. Marine enclave, the headquarters of Task Force Leatherneck, where the commander, Brigadier General Larry Nicholson briefed me before turning me loose to talk to his Marines and Sailors. Larry is a stocky Citadel graduate who has seen plenty of combat, and took serious shrapnel wounds in Iraq. He used a dried poppy stalk as a pointer as he outlined the area for me on a map tacked to his plywood wall. It's a long way from the Pentagon and laser pointers and power point presentations, I thought.

General Nicholson talked about the need for more Afghan troops in the fight alongside coalition forces, and I strongly agree. In fact, my key focus area going forward in my NATO command will be exactly that: training the Afghan security forces, both Army and Police. How does this end? It ends when we train the Afghan people to take care of their country. But they'll need us as a "bridging force" for several years to come, I think.

After a day in the south, I moved on to the capital. In my conversations with Army General Stan McChrystal - the leader of our NATO / International Security Force Afghanistan force of about 70,000 soldiers from 28 NATO nations and 14 other countries - it is clear that he is passionate about getting the civilian-military balance right, and also training the Afghan forces. His new assessment puts the Afghan people at the "center of gravity," and he is looking for the right ways to partner with the international civilian community.

I also met with Ambassador Kai Eide, the UN High Representative. He and Stan sound like solid teammates. Each is seeking the right balance of civilian and military effects, and each is a good-hearted and transparent partner to the other from all that I can see. And each clearly has a strong relationship with the international Ambassadors in Kabul, including Karl Eikenberry of the U.S., an old friend of mine.

The challenges are extraordinary, but so are the people in charge of meeting them. This is my third trip to Afghanistan in the past four months, and I'm cautiously - very cautiously - optimistic. I think the approach laid out - civil military balance, training the Afghan security forces, putting the Afghan people at the heart of the equation, smart communications that tell the story both in country and in capitals around the world - will move us in the right direction.

As the NATO Commander for operations and SACEUR I am very focused on this challenge; and as U.S. European Commander, I am equally aware of the international military partnering that must occur among all the nations involved, the majority from Europe. We really are "stronger together."

Admiral James Stavridis
Commander
U.S. European Command

The Georgian Minister of Defense will contribute an infantry battalion to serve under the United States supporting the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

In order to prepare the Georgian unit for deployment in March 2010 and follow-on deployments, U.S. Marine Forces, Europe, will begin a training program called the Georgia Deployment Program-International Security Assistance Force or GDP-ISAF. Marine Corps trainers will begin to arrive in the Georgia on/or about Aug.15 and will commencement with training on/or about Sept. 1.

GDP-ISAF is a two-year program consisting of four six-month rotations and culminating with a Mission Rehearsal Exercise at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany.

Each rotation is comprised of six phases. The phases are designed to support training at all levels, from basic first aid to the more advanced, battalion staff-level planning process. At the end of the six month train-up, the Georgian infantry battalions will be trained, equipped and integrated with U.S. forces in order to conduct operations in a counterinsurgency environment.

Georgia's offer to serve alongside NATO and ISAF partners is a vital contribution to the mission of bringing peace and security to Afghanistan.

The latest information on the deployment can be found at the Georgia Deployment Program page.

CAPT Ed Buclatin, USN
EUCOM Director of Public Affairs