MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS, Hawaii -- Whether engaging in patrols or executing physical training in boots and utilities, Marines train like they fight.
For Marines assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the knowledge of this mantra is first-hand. In cooperation with contractor Defense Training Systems, the battalion exercised military operations in urban terrain at MCTAB May 20 to 27.
Instead of utilizing American role players, DTS employs Afghan nationals hailing from all areas of Afghanistan — ranging from the Helmand Province to Kabul and Kandahar.
“DTS is responsible for identifying, contracting, recruiting, vetting and maintaining ethnic foreign national personnel to be used by federal agencies for training purposes,” said Bill Hayes, mission lead, DTS.
In addition to making the training more realistic, these personnel help the Marines solidify key leader engagement skills and interaction with local nationals.
“The Afghan role players make a huge difference in the realism of MOUT training,” said Sgt. Patrick Kennedy, platoon sergeant, 2nd platoon, Company F, 2/3, and a native of Portage, Ind. “Most of them don’t know much English and this forces us to utilize the interpreters and ANP [Afghan National Police].”
Based on the conditions they were tasked to produce for 2/3, DTS examined their pool of role players to produce the correct number of men, women and elders for the Afghan cadre, Hayes said.
After practicing their roles and running through scenarios, the role players maintain in character for the length of a training evolution. While most of them speak English, they aren’t allowed to while in role, Hayes said.
“We’re helping paint a realistic picture of what the Marines can expect when they deploy to Afghanistan,” said Obaid Malikyar, West Coast team lead, DTS. “By giving them an idea, we’re helping save their lives. Once the local population supports the Marines, their jobs will be much easier.”
Hayes said it’s beneficial for Marines to interact with real people who have firsthand knowledge of Afghan culture, ethnicity and customs.
“When Marines have contact with Afghans here, it can take the edge off their meeting when they’re in Afghanistan,” Hayes said. “The Afghan nationals can help create situations to replicate any condition Marines are likely to encounter.”
Both during training and in country, having Afghan nationals on patrol is helpful for the platoon’s safety and building rapport within the villages, said Lance Cpl. Jordan Christman, squad leader, 1st squad, 2nd platoon, Company F, 2/3, and a native of Houston.
“When we were entering villages on our last deployment [with 2/3, March to November 2009], we’d bring the interpreters up to the front of the patrol,” Christman said. “It helps to have a local face up front instead of only Marines.”
Using Afghans as role players in the scenarios gives the 2/3 Marines a more realistic picture of the differences and cultural divide between the two parties.
“The way we do the training is very helpful because this is exactly what they’ll see in Afghanistan,” said Nizar Hazrati, Afghan foreign language specialist, DTS, and a native of Wardak Province, Afghanistan. “It helps them learn the culture, work with the elders and react to the villagers.”
Helping prepare Marines for combat holds a place in Hazrati’s heart. In 2008, his mother’s uncle was killed in an attack in Afghanistan. “I’m just doing this job to help save lives,” he said.
Educating the Marines and preparing them to deal with the cultural differences builds a level of respect, cooperation and trust between the two parties even before the Marines set foot in country, Hayes said.
“Having a baseline of experience is the key,” said Sgt. Maj. Chet Houston, battalion sergeant major, 2/3, and a native of Ark City, Kan. “Tailoring the training on a basic level here gives us something to learn from instead of nothing. The DTS guys do a great job of tailoring the training to our mission.”
In recognition of Afghanistan’s urban terrain and an ever-changing enemy, training scenarios are constantly evolving.
“This training evolution is a laboratory,” Hayes said. “If the Marines aren’t responding in the way they need to, we’ll adjust the scenarios and conditions.”
Noted as part of the ethnic and cultural orientation process, these adjustments often include the introduction of stress and friction via small arms fire and improvised explosive devices, Hayes said.
“When you see some of the Marines come into the city for the first time, you can tell they’re kind of nervous,” Malikyar said. “After they’ve gone through, however, we can tell the training’s made a difference and they know how to react to the villagers and elders.”
Former service members with combat experience working alongside the Afghan nationals are an invaluable resource to DTS and the Marines preparing for deployment. Having been in similar situations, they have plenty of knowledge and experiences to share.
“The [former] noncommissioned officers we employ speak the Marines’ tactical language,” Hayes said. “They understand the ebb and flow of patrols and what the senior Marines leading them are trying to accomplish.”
Along with the important knowledge and understanding of Afghan life and culture, many of the Afghan nationals employed by DTS have worked as interpreters in the past.
From 2005 to 2008, Mustafa Amanyar, interpreter and foreign language specialist, DTS, and a native of Kabul, Afghanistan, worked with the Afghan National Army, British Army and U.S. Army military police.
“We’re not doing this for the money,” Amanyar said. “The U.S. military helped my family and I for our future. We’re here to help Americans and Afghans be strong and for there to be peace.”