Posted on Sun, Feb. 04, 2007

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S.C. NATIONAL GUARD

Training for Afghanistan: ‘It’s on now’

Troops who’ve been there talk of ‘endearing’ people, cultural difference, danger

By CHUCK CRUMBO

ccrumbo@thestate.com

MAJ. ERIC BLOOM

The Afghan National Army was called up to support the rescue attempt of Kam Air 737-200 that crashed in February 2005. S.C. National Guard members have helped train the Afghan army.

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Capt. Bryan Tolar felt butterflies and a rush of adrenaline when he loaded the first clip of live ammo.

“OK, it’s on now,” Columbia’s Tolar said to himself.

Minutes after she reached her base, Capt. Lisa Yanity went shopping.

“How cool,” the Columbia soldier thought.

In May, about 1,800 members of the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team may have the same reactions when they — like Tolar and Yanity before them — begin a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan.

The Newberry-headquartered Guard started arriving this weekend at Camp Shelby, Miss., for three months of training before leaving for Afghanistan. It will be following hundreds of other S.C. Guard members and reservists who have served in that country since a U.S.-led coalition toppled the Taliban-controlled government after Sept. 11, 2001.

The Taliban provided safe haven for Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaida terrorist network that launched terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., killing 3,000 Americans.

While Afghanistan has not received as much public attention as Iraq, soldiers who have served there say it’s dangerous. And it could get worse. The Taliban have promised to ratchet up attacks this spring.

Last year, more than 4,000 people, including about 170 troops from the United States and its coalition partners, died in Afghan fighting — the worst death toll since the Taliban were driven from power. Militants were blamed for a record 139 suicide bombings in 2006.

In an attempt to stem the violence, the Defense Department said two weeks ago it was extending the Afghan tour of 3,200 soldiers in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division by four months. In addition, the Bush administration wants to spend $10.6 billion on training Afghan security forces and reconstruction.

Still, the S.C. troops who have been in Afghanistan said they found the Afghan people to be hospitable, trusting and desirous of making their lives better. And the S.C. troops praised the Afghan soldiers’ bravery and willingness to fight.

“Just show the Afghan people respect for their way of life and they will respect you,” said Lt. Col. Chuck Johnson, an S.C. National Guard member who led a team of U.S. trainers embedded with an Afghan army unit.

‘THEY CAME UP AND THANKED ME’

The geography of Afghanistan is just as foreign to the South Carolinians as its culture and language.

Roughly the size of Texas, the landlocked Southwest Asian nation of 31 million people features nearly impassable mountains and desert terrain with little else between.

More than 80 percent of the country’s population lives in remote villages, much like their ancestors did in biblical times. Because there are few roads and bridges, a 20-mile convoy trip can take hours.

But Capt. Bob Gonzalez, another S.C. National Guard member who helped train the Afghan army, found the countryside enchanting and the people gracious.

“It’s just incredible seeing the country, the people and history being made before your eyes,” said Gonzalez, a banker in Charlotte. “The Afghan people are really endearing. I was surprised by how much they came up and thanked me. They really do appreciate us being there.”

Added Tolar, a member of the S.C. National Guard who returned in October after a yearlong deployment, “The Afghan people will give you everything. They have to make you feel welcome.”

Yanity, an Army reservist and counselor at A.C. Flora High School, was stationed at Bagram Air Base, near Kabul. As a medical technician attached to a civil affairs unit, Yanity spent much of her time visiting villages and clinics.

Accompanied by soldiers of the Texas National Guard who served as the medical team’s security force, Yanity felt safe enough to remove the 40 pounds of body armor strapped to her 5-foot-2-inch frame.

A soldier in body armor appears more threatening, said Yanity, who was in Afghanistan for a 12-month-stretch in 2004-05.

“They first thought we were the Russians,” said Yanity, referring the Soviet Union’s invasion and occupation of Afghanistan in 1980s.

DIFFERING CULTURES

Communication never is easy because Afghanistan is made up of diverse ethnic groups that have their own languages.

While an Afghan army unit may have a majority of soldiers who speak Pashtu, there were others who may only know Dari or Uzbeck, or 30 other minor languages.

“Something that would take you 15 minutes to do with American soldiers, might take three hours with the Afghans,” said Tolar, a chemical company sales representative.

Gonzalez learned some phrases so he could speak directly to the Afghan troops, as well as the children who always seemed to swarm toward U.S. soldiers.

“They understand their culture is different from ours,” Gonzalez said. “They have a good sense of humor and we joked a lot with each other. But sometimes you have to be careful.”

A remark that might be funny in one language could fall flat or even be an insult in another.

One cultural difference that bothered the South Carolinians was the treatment of women in the Afghan society.

Adult women in the predominantly Muslim country usually wear shrouds to conceal their faces. Their role is subordinate to the male.

Seeing a man beat his wife in public is common and the U.S. troops, told to be respectful of Afghan culture, were not allowed to interfere.

“It was really hard not to get involved,” Tolar said. “They (women) are treated almost like property.”

Violence permeates Afghan society. Soldiers tell stories of bigger children beating up smaller ones just to get a piece of candy.

Afghan women also would become aggressive when waiting for medications, Yanity said. To create some order, Afghan security officials used sticks to beat the women and force them into line.

‘OPERATION ENDURING BOREDOM’

Because of the language difference, S.C. troops assigned to train Afghan army units will have to deal with a sense of isolation.

Typically two U.S. soldiers, an officer and senior noncommissioned officer, are assigned to work with an Afghan company of about 100 troops at bases in remote areas.

“Sometimes that was our challenge,” Gonzalez said. “We’d be 50 miles away from the nearest base, the only Americans around.”

The U.S. trainers, though, said they never feared for their safety with the Afghans and found their hosts were very protective of Americans.

“We trusted each other after two months,” said Johnson, who works full time for the Guard. “I would share meals with them in their villages and let them lead on combat missions.”

Tolar went on more than 40 combat missions with Afghan soldiers; 16 times they came under fire, he said.

In the first few firefights, Tolar said he shot back. But in later skirmishes, he assumed the role he had trained for, mentoring and advising the Afghan commanders.

The trainers were liaisons to coalition headquarters, using their radios to call for medical evacuations via helicopter and close-air support from U.S. fighter jets.

They also, Gonzalez said, were there to prevent any run-ins with other friendly units operating in the area.

Another issue all service members have to deal with while deployed overseas is boredom.

Because there is nowhere to go when they’re not on missions, U.S. troops have taken to calling the Afghanistan assignment “Operation Enduring Boredom.”

“Sometimes it boils down to walking up and down the same road day in and day out,” Gonzalez said. “You see the same rocks, you see the same pile of garbage and the same stray dog.

“Then you go back and get up the next day and do it again.”

Reach Crumbo at (803) 771-8503.

TIPS FOR TROOPS

Veterans of the Afghanistan war offer advice to members of the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team who will go to that country this spring. A sampling:

• Try to make the best of a tough situation. You can choose between being miserable or making the deployment an adventure.

• Afghans are curious about Americans and our way of life. They’ll want to see pictures of your family and know what kind of car you drive.

• Take along plenty of winter clothing. Daytime highs in the mountains hover around zero and snow will reach your hips.

• Killing time can be a challenge. Instead of firing off e-mails, write letters by pen and hand. Reading also is a popular way to pass the time.

• DVD players, iPods, and MP3 players are convenient for personal entertainment.

• If you have a laptop computer, don’t take an expensive machine. Powdery dust, which is a constant menace, could damage the machine. Also, keep much of your gear and belongings wrapped or sealed in plastic bags to protect against dust.

• Prepaid phone cards are a good, cheap way to call home. Cell and satellite phone service is spotty and expensive. E-mail probably will be the most convenient.

• Webcams will help the service member feel closer to what’s happening on the home front.

• Hand-held GPS receivers are popular. The more expensive models can be downloaded with maps of Afghanistan.

WHAT’S NEXT

About 1,800 S.C. National Guard soldiers will go to Afghanistan this year.

This weekend — Individual S.C. National Guard units began leaving for training at Camp Shelby, Miss., and Fort Riley, Kan. All of the troops scheduled to train at Camp Shelby are expected to arrive by mid-month.

Mid-May — The brigade combat team will leave for a year of duty in Afghanistan.