30 May 2011
Kandahar, Afghanistan
Operation ATTENTION, Canada’s component of the NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan (NTM-A), will deliver training and professional development services to the national security forces of Afghanistan, in particular the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP).
Op ATTENTION is the third major Canadian Armed Forces mission contributing to multinational operations in southwest Asia, following Operation ATHENA (2003 - 2011) and Operation APOLLO (2001 - 2003).
Canadian Contribution to the Afghan Training Mission
While Canadian troops are fully prepared to defend themselves in the event of threat, Canada's training mission will be a behind the wire non-combat mission.
The Canadian effort will be concentrated in Kabul with two satellite sites at Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif. CAF members will fill command and training development positions at NTM‑A headquarters, and deliver training in areas such as leadership, health care, literacy improvement and the core professional skills of soldiers and police.
Canada has also agreed to provide trainers for the Afghan leadership of the Regional Military Training Centre at Herat, and medical mentors and trainers specialized in soldier skills and police competencies to serve in Mazar-e-Sharif.
The Theatre Activation Team was deployed in mid-March 2011 to establish the CAF presence in Kabul. Additional deployments through the spring and summer will build the Canadian team as it becomes an integral part of the NTM-A structure, reaching its full complement of personnel by November 2011. By then, the Canadian contingent will be conducting its full training mandate in Afghanistan.
After July 2011, Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan will centre on Kabul and focus on four key areas:
- investing in the future of Afghan children and youth through development programming in education and health;
- advancing security, the rule of law and human rights, including through the provision of up to 950 trainers and support personnel for the Afghan National Security Forces;
- promoting regional diplomacy; and
- helping deliver humanitarian assistance.
NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan
NTM-A, formed in November 2009, is a multinationalorganization supporting the Joint Command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). It aims to consolidate, standardize and strengthen training and professional development delivered to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) by ISAF.
Its mission is to support the Government of Afghanistan as it generates and sustains the Afghan national security forces, develops leaders, and establishes enduring capacity in order to enable accountable Afghan-led security.
In its first year (2009-2010), NTM-A focused on recruitment, increasing the quality of Afghan soldiers and police officers, and building the foundations of professionalization across the ANSF. In its second year (2010-2011), NTM-A priorities are:
- developing the skills of Afghan trainers and instructors,
- accelerating the development of leaders,
- building literacy and vocational skills, and
- developing enduring institutions, systems and enablers.
Training Accomplishments to date
Canada has been actively training ANSF for five years.
To date, Canada and its international partners have trained and mentored over 50,000 ANSF.
