CAMP MAIWAND, Afghanistan — Ten Afghan soldiers from the unit responsible for the security of Camp Maiwand, Logar Province, Afghanistan, participated in training April 2 to improve their entry-control-point procedures at the home base’s main entry point.
Before the training, the U.S. Security Forces Advise and Assist Team assigned to Camp Maiwand worked alongside the Afghan Garrison Support Unit in overhauling security.
“One thing I’ve noticed since we started working on the ECP was that they took ownership and started doing it themselves really quickly. As an adviser, that’s something you look for,” said U.S. Army Sgt.1st Class Luis Robles, a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, and the 4th Brigade Garrison Support Unit advisor with SFAAT 1, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.  
The exercise consisted of three U.S. Army noncommissioned officers training five Afghan National Army NCOs and five ANA privates on the proper procedures for handling vehicles approaching the gate to their base. This included searching both military and civilian vehicles and searching individuals who either arrive in those vehicles or on foot.
Robles, the lead training instructor, gave the first block of instruction, which was on vehicle checkpoint procedures. He instructed the Afghan soldiers on how to properly stop a vehicle and told them what to look for in and around the vehicle. He explained the difference between searching a military vehicle and a civilian vehicle and talked about why all searches are important and should be conducted seriously and thoroughly.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Lucas Worthy, a native of Stuart, Fla., and a military policeman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4-3 Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th IBCT, instructed the ANA soldiers on searching an individual. He emphasized the importance of using another soldier as an added security measure and demonstrated proper techniques for disarming and disabling a possible threat.
“With this training, the Afghans are steadily improving,” Worthy said. “They already showed signs of knowledge of what they’re doing. I think they’ll be able to pass it on to their soldiers and it will be really effective.”
U.S. Army Spc. Josue Rivera, an infantryman with HHC, 4th IBCT, and a native of Lansdale, Pa., told training participants to remain watchful while on guard and report anything suspicious. Rivera also went through what it means to be relieved of guard duty.
The day’s training concluded with the standing orders that apply to all guards.
“This training was valuable because the Afghans worked hand-in-hand with us and helped to secure the FOB better than it was,” Rivera said.
“It was very good. We learned many things today like how to stop the vehicle, how to search the vehicle and how to search a person. It will help everybody — especially us — so when the enemy comes, we know how to act against them,” said Afghan National Army Staff Sgt. Ainudin Characiawall, an infantryman in a security coy with 4th Brigade, 203rd Corps, and a native of Kabul, Afghanistan.
The ANA soldiers present were assessed on their abilities to properly search vehicles and individuals, and were presented with certificates of training during a ceremony that doubled as the official opening of their main entry control point.
ANA Col. Muhammad Zaman Malang, Garrison Support Unit commander for the 4th Bde., 203rd Corps, and Robles cut a ceremonial ribbon to commemorate the partnership and hard work that went into improving the entry control point.