nastyleg
11-03-2009, 11:27 PM
The United Kingdom took over leadership from the Netherlands of the International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command South in Afghanistan yesterday, Sunday 1 November 2009.
The transfer of Authority was marked in a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, which saw Major General Nick Carter take over the command from his Dutch counterpart Major General Mart de Kruif, who has undertaken the role for the past 12 months.
The Deputy Commander of US forces in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, also attended the ceremony.
There are approximately 34,855 troops under the Regional Command (South) and Major General Carter will have command for the next year.
There are four regional commands in Afghanistan under the operational control of ISAF. Each one is assumed by a lead nation and is responsible for coordinating all regional civil-military activities conducted by the military elements of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). The Regional Commands are each composed of:
* a Command and Control (C2) Headquarters; and
* a Forward Support Base (FSB) that is an essential logistic installation, created to provide supply, medical and transport hub in each region to assist the PRTs in their mission to extend the Government of Aghanistan's authority.
The C2 HQ and FSB for Regional Command South are both based at Kandahar Airfield.
There are four PRTs under RC (S)'s command; Kandahar, Lashkar Gah, Tarin Kowt, and Qalat.
"It is a great honour for me to return to Afghanistan for a second tour and to be given the opportunity once again to help the Afghan people rebuild their country after 30 years of war."
Major General Carter
In summer 2009, ISAF troop levels in RC (South) increased from 20,000 to nearly 40,000. The additional forces allowed ISAF and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to expand security in the six provinces of southern Afghanistan, setting the conditions for improvements in reconstruction, development and governance.
Major General Carter said during the ceremony:
"I should start by thanking Major-General de Kruif and his team for all they have done in Southern Afghanistan during the last year. They have managed a significant uplift in forces and advanced the campaign. My team now has a well-established platform from which further progress can be made.
"It is a great privilege to be given command of so many troops from so many different nations, and I am clear that Regional Command (South) draws its strength from the multi-national nature of its composition.
"It is a great honour for me to return to Afghanistan for a second tour and to be given the opportunity once again to help the Afghan people rebuild their country after 30 years of war.
"I much look forward to drinking tea with you to listening to your views, and to working alongside and supporting you in this endeavour."
Major General Mart de Kruif said:
"Over the last twelve months I have learned that operating within a coalition is a source of strength, not a weakness. The great intellectual diversity and depth that was brought to the fight allowed us to establish a holistic approach, making good use of different cultural backgrounds.
From left: Major General Mart de Kruif, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez and Major General Nick Carter
From left: Major General Mart de Kruif, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez and Major General Nick Carter
[Picture: Liepke Plancke]
"We always found workarounds for caveats and showed that NATO delivered us the mechanism to operate. NATO works.
"In the last couple of months, Afghanistan moved into the spotlight, brought there by significant events like the elections or Commander ISAF's Initial Assessment Since then a lot of energy has been spent on discussions on the performance of ISAF.
"I will not join these discussions, eventually history will tell. But I will tell you that the concept is right, what we need now is resourcing for the concept and strategic patience to let the concept mature and bear fruit."
Addressing the staff of RC (S), including Afghan troops and civilians, Major General Mart de Kruif said:
"Despite all the discussions, dangers and distractions, you did not only conduct counterinsurgency operations, you lived counterinsurgency.
"While operating in some of the most volatile regions in this country, you fought shoulder to shoulder, you kept your respectful attitude, connected with the people, showed enduring and empowering commitment and endless sacrifice.
"Over the last twelve months I have learned that operating within a coalition is a source of strength, not a weakness."
Major General Mart de Kruif
"You lived amongst the people, day and night, and protected them from the insurgency. You deprived the insurgency of their momentum and took the initiative to our side.
"You secured central and southern Helmand, expanded our footprint in Uruzgan and Zabul and stabilized Kandahar City. And you made the elections possible."
He ended his address saying:
"Over the last twelve months, more than 3,000 Afghan National Security Force's soldiers and officers and 284 Coalition forces made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives so that the people of Afghanistan can live in peace.
"I would like you to spend a moment of reflection, honouring these brave men and women and pray that their families and friends may find the strength and courage to continue with their lives and contribute to a better world."
The transfer of authority comes almost a month after Brigadier James Cowan, Commander of 11 Light Brigade took over command of Task Force Helmand from Brigadier Tim Radford OBE (19 Light Brigade).
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/UkTakesOverIsafsRegionalCommandSouth.htm
The transfer of Authority was marked in a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, which saw Major General Nick Carter take over the command from his Dutch counterpart Major General Mart de Kruif, who has undertaken the role for the past 12 months.
The Deputy Commander of US forces in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, also attended the ceremony.
There are approximately 34,855 troops under the Regional Command (South) and Major General Carter will have command for the next year.
There are four regional commands in Afghanistan under the operational control of ISAF. Each one is assumed by a lead nation and is responsible for coordinating all regional civil-military activities conducted by the military elements of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). The Regional Commands are each composed of:
* a Command and Control (C2) Headquarters; and
* a Forward Support Base (FSB) that is an essential logistic installation, created to provide supply, medical and transport hub in each region to assist the PRTs in their mission to extend the Government of Aghanistan's authority.
The C2 HQ and FSB for Regional Command South are both based at Kandahar Airfield.
There are four PRTs under RC (S)'s command; Kandahar, Lashkar Gah, Tarin Kowt, and Qalat.
"It is a great honour for me to return to Afghanistan for a second tour and to be given the opportunity once again to help the Afghan people rebuild their country after 30 years of war."
Major General Carter
In summer 2009, ISAF troop levels in RC (South) increased from 20,000 to nearly 40,000. The additional forces allowed ISAF and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to expand security in the six provinces of southern Afghanistan, setting the conditions for improvements in reconstruction, development and governance.
Major General Carter said during the ceremony:
"I should start by thanking Major-General de Kruif and his team for all they have done in Southern Afghanistan during the last year. They have managed a significant uplift in forces and advanced the campaign. My team now has a well-established platform from which further progress can be made.
"It is a great privilege to be given command of so many troops from so many different nations, and I am clear that Regional Command (South) draws its strength from the multi-national nature of its composition.
"It is a great honour for me to return to Afghanistan for a second tour and to be given the opportunity once again to help the Afghan people rebuild their country after 30 years of war.
"I much look forward to drinking tea with you to listening to your views, and to working alongside and supporting you in this endeavour."
Major General Mart de Kruif said:
"Over the last twelve months I have learned that operating within a coalition is a source of strength, not a weakness. The great intellectual diversity and depth that was brought to the fight allowed us to establish a holistic approach, making good use of different cultural backgrounds.
From left: Major General Mart de Kruif, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez and Major General Nick Carter
From left: Major General Mart de Kruif, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez and Major General Nick Carter
[Picture: Liepke Plancke]
"We always found workarounds for caveats and showed that NATO delivered us the mechanism to operate. NATO works.
"In the last couple of months, Afghanistan moved into the spotlight, brought there by significant events like the elections or Commander ISAF's Initial Assessment Since then a lot of energy has been spent on discussions on the performance of ISAF.
"I will not join these discussions, eventually history will tell. But I will tell you that the concept is right, what we need now is resourcing for the concept and strategic patience to let the concept mature and bear fruit."
Addressing the staff of RC (S), including Afghan troops and civilians, Major General Mart de Kruif said:
"Despite all the discussions, dangers and distractions, you did not only conduct counterinsurgency operations, you lived counterinsurgency.
"While operating in some of the most volatile regions in this country, you fought shoulder to shoulder, you kept your respectful attitude, connected with the people, showed enduring and empowering commitment and endless sacrifice.
"Over the last twelve months I have learned that operating within a coalition is a source of strength, not a weakness."
Major General Mart de Kruif
"You lived amongst the people, day and night, and protected them from the insurgency. You deprived the insurgency of their momentum and took the initiative to our side.
"You secured central and southern Helmand, expanded our footprint in Uruzgan and Zabul and stabilized Kandahar City. And you made the elections possible."
He ended his address saying:
"Over the last twelve months, more than 3,000 Afghan National Security Force's soldiers and officers and 284 Coalition forces made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives so that the people of Afghanistan can live in peace.
"I would like you to spend a moment of reflection, honouring these brave men and women and pray that their families and friends may find the strength and courage to continue with their lives and contribute to a better world."
The transfer of authority comes almost a month after Brigadier James Cowan, Commander of 11 Light Brigade took over command of Task Force Helmand from Brigadier Tim Radford OBE (19 Light Brigade).
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/UkTakesOverIsafsRegionalCommandSouth.htm