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Members of the 14th SAF Contingent train for new tasks in Afghanistan

In February members of the 14th SAF Contingent will start training for tasks they are going to take over in Afghanistan this autumn. The training will be conducted in five phases.
The first, one-month phase of the training will take place in Slovenia in the form of national training and preparations. OMLT members will train in individual skills and tasks they will carry out in OMLT. Within the first phase of training, they will become familiar with the situation in Afghanistan and with the method of communication with members of the Afghan Army. They will receive training in signals and communications and in handling personal armament, marksmanship training, training in the usage of topographic maps, fight against improvised explosive devices, international law on armed conflict, air support direction and rules of engagement.
The Slovenian Armed Forces will conduct the second phase of the training in the Joint Multinational Readiness Centre in Hohenfels in Germany in the form of 14-day field exercises. Within the second phase, OMLT members will train for the conduct of tasks within the international operation ISAF and practice standard tactical-technical procedures. The training will be carried out in the form of field exercises in the area of mentorship, insurgency prevention and fight against improvised explosive devices.

The third phase of the training will be conducted prior to the departure for Afghanistan and will be focused on the verification of readiness which will be carried out in the fourth phase in the Combat Training Centre in Postojna. The purpose is to check the equipment, legal basis for deployment and readiness of individuals and the team.

The last, fifth phase will be conducted within the transfer of duties in Afghanistan, as a preparation of Slovenian soldiers for the take-over of duties immediately after the deployment. During the transfer of duties, OMLT members will become familiar with the unit they are going to train and with their area of responsibility. Within the last phase of the training, the assessment of readiness of individual teams will take place.