UNIPATH STAFF
Devastatingly accurate and destructive against the enemy, artillery has been an Afghan Army success story. Nowhere is this truer than in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces, where Train, Advise, Assist Command-East (TAAC-E) works with the Afghan 201st Corps to put rounds downrange. From artillery to mortars to air support, the Afghan colonel in charge of fire support is passionate about pounding his enemies into submission; his TAAC-E advisors are equally passionate about ensuring he has what he needs to succeed.
Col. Ahmed Jan, fire support officer, 201st Corps, is a rare breed. A former Afghan Northern Alliance fighter, his life’s goal is to destroy the Taliban. Yet in spite of seeing so much war — and being so proficient at it — he has remained compassionate.
“We have a culture of protection here,” Col. Ahmed said. “This war goes way beyond killing. The mission is important, but I say to you: We are building relationships. We are building trust.”
That said, he and his Soldiers “aren’t just up here sipping tea.” As he gathered with Soldiers around a map covering several eastern provinces, Col. Ahmed pointed out exact spots where the enemy had made deadly mistakes — and where the Afghan Army in turn saw great success. When district centers have come under fire, the Afghan artillerymen respond lethally.
The strong relationship between Col. Ahmed and U.S. Army Capt. Dennis M. Kelly has been the linchpin of this success story. The two men are close: When they meet, they ask first after each other’s families before getting down to business. And after the recent loss of some of Col. Ahmed’s men, Kelly instinctively stepped back for a bit, allowing the two to share their pain from a distance. It’s apparent that the strong relationship between these Afghan and American partners inspires success.
“Without a doubt, relationships are key to success,” Capt. Kelly said. “It’s why we’re here.”
As a result of this cooperation, Col. Ahmed’s monitoring, management and employment of artillery has been a decisive success story. And although artillery is only one piece of the puzzle, it’s an important one. Accurate artillery is capable of turning a battle around within seconds.
Though the enemy has tried rockets, direct attacks and car bombs, the Afghan Army hasn’t lost a single piece of artillery in TAAC-E. And every piece of artillery — represented by a giant red ring on the tactical maps — devastates the enemy. Source: U.S. Central Command Media