Alaska Guardsman assists Mongolians with Afghanistan training

By Maj. Mark Binggeli
Alaska National Guard

From left to right, Army Maj. Mark Binggeli, Mongolian Expeditionary Task Force tactical advisor for the Alaska Army National Guard, United Kingdom Lt. Col. Jeremy Morgan, Infantry Branch School senior mentor, and Lt. Col. Dondogdorj JavkhlanbayarJavkha, senior national representative and Mongolian Expeditionary Task Force contingent commander, post for a phoot at the small arms ranges on Camp Scenic in Darulaman, Afghanistan. (Photo courtesy of Mongolian Expeditionary Task Force)
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CAMP SCENIC, Afghanistan, (6/15/10) -- Traveling south from the Afghan capital city of Kabul, Mongolian Expeditionary Task Force leadership conducted an initial reconnaissance with elements of the British Army cadre and Alaska National Guard at Camp Scenic, the future site of the Afghanistan National Army's Infantry Branch School.

This task force is establishing and staffing this new school with the mission to train future Afghan National Army infantry soldiers, and our purpose on this visit was to get oriented with the facilities, security, and infrastructure of the camp. Lodging, dining facilities, offices, classrooms, and training areas are all being improved and tailored to meet the needs of the school.

The Afghan Army Military Police are currently using this site as a training center, but beginning in July, around 400 Afghan National Army trainees will arrive and begin the first infantry class at Camp Scenic.

By winter, the school will phase in additional classes until it reaches capacity of up to three courses operating simultaneously with up to 1,400 trainees in camp.

Touring the camp, the group discovered this area has military history going back centuries. Kabul itself is over 3000 years old, with numerous empires fighting over the city for its strategic location along the south and central Asian trade routes.

In Darulaman, at the base of the mountains, stand the king and queen's palaces. In recent times, Soviet forces stormed the Kings Palace in December 1979. President Hafizullah Amin was executed along with his family and his personal body guards. The majestic palaces still stand, but are in ruins now, marking the era of Russian and subsequently Taliban occupation.

Camp Scenic is nestled between the palace ruins, and Camp Dubs, named after United States ambassador Adolph Dubs who served in Kabul, was kidnapped and subsequently killed during a failed rescue attempt in 1979. This area continues to be key terrain and will now be the starting point to train and develop the Afghan National Army of the future.

At Camp Scenic, Afghan National Army infantrymen will learn to conduct dismounted patrolling techniques in training lanes leading up to small arms and mortar range training where they will hone individual and squad level skills.

The Mongolian Expeditionary Task Force will provide mentors to the Afghan National Army on Russian weapons. The task force unique experience with the Russian heavy machine guns and mortars fill a niche that the United States and United Kingdom soldiers do not possess. This training will be in addition to the task force providing a Mobile Training Team at the Kabul Military Training Center teaching Afghan
Soldiers in the use of Russian artillery pieces.

Building on the past and current success of the Field Artillery Mobile Training Team, the Mongolian Expeditionary Task Force is optimistic that their infantry mentors will make a lasting impression on the combat arms capabilities of the Afghan National Army at Camp Scenic.

Editor's note: Maj. Mark Binggeli of Wasilla, Alaska, is an Alaska Army National Guardsmen working as a tactical advisor to the Mongolian Expeditionary Task Force in Afghanistan. Binggeli is working as a tactical adviser to the Mongolians while they provide Fixed Sight Security on Camp Eggers in the Capitol City of Kabul. He serves as liaison for base security operations, and mentor - providing insight into the U.S. command structure, logistics, and staff operations. He is in the middle of a six month deployment to Afghanistan.

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