KABUL, Afghanistan – The first of several “Afghan Local Police in a box” shipments left the Afghan National Police Central Warehouse in Kabul Oct. 14, arriving at its destination Oct. 17.
These ALP pre-configured clothing and equipment shipments are transported from the capital to the ANP’s Regional Logistics Centers, where they sit untouched in a sealed container until the gaining unit shows up to sign for them.
Discussions with the regional commands and battlefield circulations to certain areas raised the issue of certain ALP units not receiving their allotted equipment, said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Laurie Moore, supplies and services branch chief for the Deputy Command of Support Operations (DCOM SPO) Logistics Operations Cell.
A number of teams from the Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan and NTM-A’s Deputy Command of Special Operations Forces also addressed the issue, said U.S. Army Capt. Ian Worcester, the chief adviser to the ANP Central Warehouse/ Interim Logistics Facility.
“The supplies were not recognized as ALP and were joined with the large inventory, this creating obstacle to further distribution,” said Worcester.
DCOM SPO hosted a series of meetings identifying the problem at the RLC-level. During these meetings came the idea of packaging ALP orders in a manner similar to medical supplies; packaged and sealed, specific for each unit, added Worcester.
Supplies shipped in this manner include organizational clothing and individual equipment items like uniforms, boots, T-shirts and socks, said Moore. The shipments may also contain weapons, ammunition and medical supplies, depending on what the gaining unit needs, she added.
Special operations advisers provide Moore’s section with a "push order" - an order mandated or pushed from the top down versus a unit ordering a shortage. She ensures the orders are submitted in a timely manner to the Afghan Material Management Center-Police. Moore also coordinates with the mentors and trainers at Regional Support Command-Capital for visibility.
The clothing and equipment items are packed in wooden crates recycled from communications equipment shipments, said Worcester. The ILF team developed a plan for filling, banding, marking and loading the crates specific to the order.
“Further refinement of the order process is necessary to make this a viable and sustainable plan,” said Worcester. “However, the first packaged order was a success.”
These push orders are a temporary solution to equip and re-supply the ALP. The ultimate goal is to have the RLCs set up their operations so they have ALP items on hand in their warehouse inventories and to have them properly support ALP units in the areas they cover, Worcester said.
“… (It) is a positive step in empowering the ANP and ALP to be self-sufficient and a strong step towards transition,” said Worcester. “As the convoys come and go, and the ALP crates are received by these units … they will know they are supported by a system which is no longer a confused barrier but a lifeline.”
NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan is a coalition of 38 troop-contributing nations charged with assisting the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in generating a capable and sustainable Afghan National Security Force ready to take lead of their country's security by 2014. For more information about NTM-A, visit www.ntm-a.com.