Afghan conference addresses communications issues

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  An American Airman spoke to more than 75 senior military communications professionals of the Afghan national army during a conference in July at Kabul.

The conference, "Building a Capable C4 Force," was held to discuss strategic communications networks, tactical equipment fielding plans, signal policy issues and training requirements. 

Representatives from each of the six regional corps, independent commands, ministry of interior and coalition forces attended. The Afghan ministry of defense hosted the conference.

Col. Christopher Cotts, the director of communications for the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan and one of the featured speakers at the conference, listed four challenges for the ANA: Training, maintaining and sustaining equipment, developing doctrine, and changing their perspective on communications.

Beyond the challenge of upgrading and deploying equipment, while training on it and using it to fight an insurgency, the ANA must also develop the means to maintain and sustain it, Colonel Cotts said.

While only two days in length, "this conference is vitally important because it assists in the accelerated development and build up of national communications capabilities," said Lt. Gen. Noori, the ANA deputy chief of general staff. The general also said efforts achieved during the conference would help set the stage for integrating ANA communications systems with other national ministries, a move which further enables security and stability throughout the nation. 

The first day of the conference was a day for critical assessment of current strategic and tactical communications plans. 

"In December, I issued my ANA strategic road map," said Maj. Gen. Mehrab Ali, the communications director for the ANA. "The strategic road map gave me, my staff and the regional commands much needed direction in the C4 arena. It outlined my priorities and established key milestones in six critical areas. This forum gives me an opportunity to measure success and determine where adjustments must be made." 

The general stated the conference will help all ministry of defense and corps communications personnel become more effective at coordinating and planning, ensuring no diminished capabilities during critical communications project fieldings. 

Continuous progress and improvement were also the focus during the first day of the conference. 

Essential to carrying out the ANA's communications plan is the corps senior signal leaders. Many of these leaders spoke at the conference, talking passionately about the need for all conference participants to work together, ensuring superior communications at the tactical and up to the national military command level. 

"We are ahead of the curve in the issuing of equipment and systems, while simultaneously putting strategic communications into place that will affect command and control at the national level," said Afghan Col. Sayed Aqa, a 209th Corps communications officer. 

The focus of day two during the conference was on sustainment functions. ANA communications officers provided updates of key sustainment programs, including strategies and developmental status on doctrine, budget, network operations, reporting, communications security and signal education. 

A highlight for the event was the capability demonstration by the communications support element, a strategic asset with the mission to deploy, install, operate and maintain long range, reach-back communications capabilities with national level headquarters. 

"Our success will be measured by our ability to put into place and sustain those C4 systems that enable security and stability throughout the regions while extending the national government and its services to all provinces," General Ali said.

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