Advisor-Specific Predeployment Training. Intensive advisor-specific
predeployment training has allowed the MoDA specialists/advisors to be
immediately effective upon their arrival in Afghanistan. The deploying
specialist/advisors have received seven weeks of extensive training in cultural,
language, and advisory skills. The core competencies have been mentoring/
advisory skills focused on: (1) the promotion of local/host nation ownership of
their programs/projects, (2) the development/design of projects that can be
sustained over time, (3) the advisor's ability to demonstrate empathy, humility,
and respect; and, (4) the promotion of value and of doing no harm. Deploying
specialists/advisors have received intensive language and cultural instruction: 1.5
hours daily, with a ratio of one native speaker for every three students. In the
latter part of the course, specialists/advisors participated in a 10-day field training
exercise at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Indiana, which replicated
conditions of living/operating at a forward operating base, and which tested
mentoring/ advisory skills through the use of native Afghan role players and
interpreters.
“Embedded” Partnering. The MoDA program has placed the trained advisors
directly into MoD and MoI facilities, such that the advisors have continuous
interaction with their counterpart officials. This has allowed the U.S. advisor and
Afghan counterpart to constantly share information and work together throughout
the planning and execution of projects/activities, and, perhaps most importantly,
to build trust in one another and close personal relationships.
Extensive Use of Reachback. The MoDA program has encouraged extensive
use reachback to draw on the full range of DoD organizations and resources.
Reachback to parent and other organizations of DoD has occurred continuously.
Deployed MoDA advisors have reached back to obtain such diverse resources/
tools as an "English as a Second Language" curriculum; a computer skills
courses, command checklists for conducting audits; DoD procedures for
weapons accountability and ammunition management; "pull" and "push"
systems/procedures for delivering supplies; and, various logistics reporting
tools.
Security-related Manpower Development. Both the Afghan MoD and MoI
have established new "recruiting and training commands" within their ministries –
with responsibilities and resources for recruiting demographically representative
personnel and for establishing common training standards. These two ministries
also went on to implement comprehensive personnel systems that included
merit-based promotion and various career paths. The MoDA program has
contributed to these manpower development efforts within the MoD and MoI,
and the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan was extensively involved as well.
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