CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — In the early morning sunlight, the Afghan National Army, Afghan Uniformed Police and Afghan commando students at Afghanistan’s Joint Sustainment Academy Southwest located aboard Camp Leatherneck, start a short march from the classroom to the range to demonstrate what they have learned in the Afghan Small Arms Weapon Instructor Course.



They are preparing for the rocket propelled grenade range and it’s easy to see the excitement in all the students by the way they are quick to answer any question the Marine Corps instructors ask, the overall joy and smiles as each student picks up their rockets launcher and ammunition.



“Me and the other students were so happy to shoot rockets for the first time, and we were so excited to learn,” said Afghan National Army 1st Sgt. Baibola Habid, a student at the Afghan Small Arms Weapon Instructors Course.



Under the watchful eye of Marine Corps instructors, the ANA, AUP and Afghan commando students learn everything they need to know about small arms in this six-week course. Following graduation they, can go back to their own units and teach their own students.



“The goal is to instill the confidence in them, and capability to instruct their fellow ANA or AUP,” said Marine Sgt. Derrick Thompson, an instructor for ASAWIC.



Afghan commandos, ANA and AUP from all over Afghanistan learned how to operate a wide range of small arms weapon such as pistols, assault rifles, machine guns and rockets during the course.



“I’m so happy to be in this course, because in this course we have people from different units from ANA, AUP, Afghan commandos, and we are together and learning together,” said Pvt. Ashmir Koboli, an AUP member and student in ASAWIC.



This course is a challenge for all the students who come through here, said Thompson. They go over the safety rules, how to properly clear the weapons, the different ways to carry them, how to disassemble and reassemble them, shooting positions, conduct a course of fire, and finally how to teach it all back to the class and the instructors.



“I’ve studied in several courses, but the teaching has not been very good,” said Habid. “I came here and it’s much better. I’m learning so much more and the instructors are always helping us.”



When students first get here they think they know it already, said Thompson. Toward the end when students realize the instructors are here for them and they genuinely care about teaching them, their attitudes change.



“My instructors are doing a very good job, and teaching us the right thing,” said Koboli. “I like being here.”



It is easy to see that all the students are glad to learn and eager to go back to their home units to teach their fellow ANA and AUP everything they have learned.



“My plan for when I get back to my unit is to start the same class, and I’m going to teach them the same things that I learned from here. I’m going to teach my own students.” said Habid, while smiling and holding his head up high with pride.

NEWS INFO Date Taken: 04.11.2012 Date Posted: 04.11.2012 11:11 Story ID: 86563 Location: CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF Web Views: 439 Downloads: 0 Podcast Hits: 0 PUBLIC DOMAIN This work, Small Arms Course sets up Afghan forces for success, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.