Afghan Warrior

The 33rd battalion of the Afghan National Army {ANA} graduated last week with more than 512 soldiers and NCOs from the Kabul Military Training Center and moved to Central Corp. The Afghan National Army {ANA} is improving and progressing very well. Most former militia join the ANA after participating in the DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration) program. The former Afghan militia realizes that the fight is over now and Afghanistan's interests are now protected by the Afghan National Army. The central government has one professionally-trained army. It is an army that comprises soldiers and officers from all ethnic backgrounds with no collective ethnic or local allegiances. At the moment the Afghan National Army has the ability to extend the authority of the central government throughout the country. In an emergency, over 19,000 ANA can be deployed to fight against the enemy. The ANA will expand to 43,000 in the next twelve months and will reach a total of 70,000 by December 2007. Disarmament of the AMF (Afghan Militia Force) is scheduled to be completed by June 2005. All of the former AMF personell will have started their reintegration training option by June 05. The disarmament program is beginning to draw to a successful close and those AMF that wait may miss out on the training options. Currently the AMF can choose to sign up for assistance with vocational training, running their own businesses, working in agriculture, training as a teacher, joining the national police and joining the ANA. The DDR program is growing daily. Together the DDR and the expansion of the ANA will ensure a secure and prosperous future for Afghanistan and it's good news that Afghan militia who fought against the Taliban are now retraining to rebuild our country. The maintenance of peace is the bright future of the brave nation.