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Canada’s training mission in Afghanistan – Metro US

Canada’s training mission in Afghanistan

Canadian Forces Col. Mike Minor is the NATO commander in charge of the Advisory Group to the Kabul Military Training Centre (the largest Afghan army training facility)talks about Canada’s legacy in Afghanistan.

Who are the trainers?

I have a team of about 500 coalition personnel from about 10 different nations working with me. Our role is to advise Afghanistan’s premier training centre where they train up to 60,000 officers each year.

That’s almost the size of the entire Canadian Forces. Our aim is for this training centre to sustain the Afghan National Army … after we’re gone.

When will that happen?

The transition will start as early as next year. That’s the key to sustaining the Afghan National Army as we move forward. We’re essentially training trainers so they can effectively train soldiers themselves.

What will be Canada’s legacy in Afghanistan?

Certainly our operations in the south fighting the counter-insurgency were pivotal here. But around Kabul now, I’ve had many nations come up to me and say “clearly Canada has it right.” We went into the fight, we did an outstanding job and things are better in Kandahar. Now is the time for transition … so the Afghans can do it themselves.