The INFOOPS Training is Unstoppable

As a result of a long planning and coordination process supported by the advisers of the Train Advise Assist Command – North (TAAC-N), the part of the multi-million-dollar equipment belonging to the northern region successfully arrived at its destination, the Shaheen Camp of the Afghan National Army (ANA) 209th Corps.

After the successful transportation, Lt.-Col. Adina Mohammad Azad, head of the INFOOPS cell of the Corps led a three-day training course for 16 officers and NCOs of the brigades and battalions. Like every ordinary Afghan training, the training about the new INFOOPS equipment started and ended with opening and closing ceremonies drawing media attention.

At the official handover ceremony – opened by the commander of the 209th Corps, Maj.-Gen. Shah Mohammad Zakeri – a number of speeches were delivered, and Col. Mohammad Saleh, INFOOPS Chief of the general staff and Lt.-Col. Anthony Paulson, the representative of the US partners signed the official form certifying the handover-takeover. They set themselves the training goal of teaching the expert audience the use of this brand-new and state-of-the-art equipment in supporting the actions of kinetic sub-units in already planned operations and in those to be planned, by providing the population, the Afghan people with timely and as exact as possible information about ongoing operations.

Besides, the “students" have learned how they can use the new tools to promote the public image of the strength and activity of ANA troops, and to blunt the edge of enemy propaganda publications. The new equipment includes high-powered printers, cameras, Dictaphones and tactical handheld loudspeakers; still, the greatest expectations concern the use of six Radio in A Box (RIAB) sets.

The RIAB is capable of radio broadcast in tactical situations on a given frequency in a radius of 24 kilometers depending on terrain conditions, so anybody using a simple home radio set can tune in on it. The military can use this tool to effectively inform the population about what is happening where and when, and to strengthen public trust in the army as well.

Apart from technical and on-the-job instruction, another focus of the course was training in the maintenance of available equipment, which was provided by Corps IO Instructor WO Ali Mohammad.

The three-day training closed with speeches by Corps Commander Maj.-Gen. Shah Mohammad Zakeri and TAAC-N Commander Maj.-Gen. Andreas Hannemann. The two commanders emphasized the importance of keeping contact with the local people and the power of positive propaganda, and finally handed over certificates to the 14 soldiers who completed the training course, and to the head of the IO cell and his advisor who organized and implemented it.