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Afghan National Army (ANA)

The Afghan National Army (ANA) falls under the control of the Ministry of Defense (MoD).At present (Feb 2012) there are about 176,000 members of the ANA.  1.

Early 2000s.  The first units of the present-day Afghan National Army were established in late 2002.  The training classes were battalion-sized units, called Kandaks, and consisted of 500-900 men. The very first battalion (1st Battalion, Afghan National Guard) was trained by personnel from the British Army.  Subsequent trainers were Special Forces detachments from 1st Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group followed by 5th Battalion 19th Special Forces.  Once trained a Kandak would be deployed, advised and assisted by a Special Forces detachment from the CJSOTF-A, to different parts of the country. In the early 2000s training was conducted at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC).  Conditions were harsh with little equipment for the recruits (uniforms, boots, weapons, etc.) and buildings with no heat.  The pay was a paltry $30 a month and desertion rates were extremely high.

Vetting of Recruits.  Current procedures (instituted in March 2011) for vetting recruits for the ANSF is an eight-step process.  This includes:  (see 2.)

     1)  Valid Tazkera (Afghan identity card)
    2)  Two letters from village elders or other guarantors
    3)  Personal information, including name, father's name, village, and two photos
    4)  Criminal records check through MoI, supplemented with an Army G2-record check by Ministry of Defense
    5)  Application with validation stamp from recruiting authority
    6)  Drug screeing
    7)  Medical screening
    8)  Biometric collection (fingerprints, Iris scan, etc.)

Organization.  The Afghan National Army has six corps headquarters and one Capital Division.  In addition to the infantry units there are military police, intelligence, router clearance (for IEDs), combat support, medical, aviation, and logistic units.

Afghan Air Force.  The Afghan Air Force is part of the Afghan National Army.  The Afghan Air Force was created in 2007 and currently (as of Feb 2012) has 5,000 personnel.  It has a variety of aircraft to include helicopters and light fix-wing aircraft.

Sources of Info on ANA

 Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF): Training and Development.  ISAF Media Backgrounder.  February 2012. Provides info on current state of the ANSF as of February 2012.  Adobe PDF file available here.

Afghan National Army Special Forces.  The ANASF are the elite of the ANA. Their training base is Camp Moorehead near Kabul.  Recruitment for the ANASF is very selective and the training is difficult and comprehensive.  Learn more about the ANASF.

Afghan National Army.  WikipediA.

Publications and Reports about the ANA

June 2011.  Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).  Background paper for media by ISAF.

May 10, 2011.  "No Time to Lose".  Promoting the accountability of the Afghan National Security Forces.  Joint Briefing Paper. Oxfam.

April 2011.  "Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan".  Department of Defense.

March 15, 2011.  Statement of Gen Petraeus Before Senate Armed Services Committee. General Petraeus.

News Articles about the Afghan National Army (ANA)

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Endnotes

1.  Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF): Training and Development.  ISAF Media Backgrounder.  February 2012. Provides info on current state of the ANSF as of February 2012.  Adobe PDF file available here.

2.  Statement on Use of Afghan Nationals to Provide Security to U.S. Forces.  Presented to the House Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, January 31, 2012.  Accessed here on February 2, 2012.