The Mentors of all Afghan police and military definetely face difficulties, language,illiteracy, and culture to mention a few. This news article is about a Bomb training mentor. Captain Dave Solaux
Solaux, one of the Canadian military's experts in explosive ordnance disposal, is among the mentors who are working with a select group of ANA recruits qualified for the job of cleaning up the countless explosive perils that litter the Afghan countryside.
Some are decades old. Most, however, are a fresh menace, the work of insurgents who turn to the improvised explosive device - often fashioned from unexploded Soviet-era shells - as a cheap and effective means of wreaking havoc on coalition forces.
Canada knows all too well the IED's potential for chaos and carnage. Others, however, appear oblivious: Solaux's headache is the result of one of his prize students, Mohammad, refusing to wear his a heavy blast-protection suit because of the heat.
There was a time we were working and the temperature was 40 or 50 (C), so that is a problem for us, Mohammad complains through an interpreter.
I told you last week that you would wear the bomb suit today, Solaux snaps back.
It's a painfully slow process, but in the end Mohammad and his two companions eventually locate their objectives: two inert IEDs, planted by Solaux and his colleagues for their trainees to find.
BRAVE MEN
Finding Afghan soldiers capable of being part of an explosive ordnance disposal team is a difficult task; each one is worth his weight in gold, particularly in a country where the vast majority of people are illiterate.
That's what makes the often painstaking training process well worth the effort, Solaux says.
We should have a thousand of these guys, he says. We're getting more and more, but it's a very hard course - they've got to be able to read and write before they go to the EOD school, and that's where we lose a lot of them.
For Mohammad, the persistent dangers of the job are what make it worthwhile.
This is my favourite job. I will work a long time at this and if this is dangerous I like it, he says.
This is really a dangerous game for us, so we work hard and learn everything about IEDs. I like to have the opportunity to take out the IEDs.
The learning curve is a steep one, however. IEDs may be simple enough to make, but understanding the specific concepts at work in the disarming process - electrical currents, pressure plates - can be a complex affair.
Not only that, but Afghans tend to work at a different pace, Solaux adds.
We've got a fast tempo. Something has got to be done and we do it right away, but these guys - their tempo is so much slower, he says.
These guys, they're so much more relaxed than we are. What might take us an hour might take them three hours.
Fellow mentor Sgt. Chuck Florian says the Afghans are a pleasure to work with - particularly those who are keen to defuse bombs, because they're serious about their jobs and desire to help their country.
It feels good because you know they're actually learning, Florian says. You know they want to make a difference whereas some ANA, they're just in it for the couple hundred dollars a month.
These guys want to make a difference, they want to make a better Afghanistan.
During their exercises, when a trainee makes a mistake, they're told they've just died, Solaux says. Their reaction speaks volumes about their level of commitment.
They take it hard, not because they died, (but) because they've failed us, he says.
We trained these guys and showed them exactly what to do, so it's mostly they're kind of sad because they let us down. They're very loyal.
Father, Brother,Uncle,Friend certainly a member of Canada's Invisible Army.
A thought for the familiy of Cpl Megheney killed in Afghanistan by a friend. This was a tragic incident. The strength shown by Mrs Megheney on her news confrence was amazing. She thanked her sons fellow soldiers , and the military in general. After the heartbreak of losing her son, she said he was a proud soldier and confident in his mission. Now that the case is over may the healing process begin.
One thing the Invisible army has now a days is communication via a computer. Far faster than our RC Sigs bouncing radio signals of the ionasphere.
At that time it was so wonderful to speak with my wife and kids over all those miles from Egypt to Petawawa. Teaching the kids that the conversations were one sided and that they had to say over to allow me to speak. Thanks RC SIgs
However the stresses are much more immediate in the families when they hear of caualties with no ID till NOK are notified.
I hope this photo will bring a smile to the faces of some of our invisible army.
Daddy Daddy when are you coming to play with me?? woof woof.
Again is he returning or deploying?
Once again it is RED FRIDAY let us show support for all our troops and the members of Canada's invisible Army.
Remember Everyone Deployed
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
