DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 500/10
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
MTF-1 hands mentoring reins to MTF-2
A
new chapter in
Australia’s mentoring mission in Afghanistan has started
with the
official Transition of Authority between Mentoring Task Force
-
One
(MTF-1) and
Mentoring Task Force
-
Two
(MTF-2) taking place at Multi National Base –
Tarin
Kot on the 20th of October.
The drawing down of the MTF-1 flag marked
the conclusion of an eight-month
deployment,
which saw Australia’s mentoring role expand to include responsibility
for the entire Afghan National Army (ANA) 4th Brigade.
MTF-1 Commanding Officer, LTCOL Mark Jennings, said the greater mentoring role
achieved by the Australian contingent is something the troops can be proud of.
MTF-1 was originally responsible for mentoring two Kandaks (battalions) and since
August the role has expanded to mentoring the 4th Brigade’s five Kandaks, as well as
the headquarters.
“We’ve taken on extra tasks and expanded into new areas since arriving
in February
this year,” LTCOL Jennings said.
“MTF-1 soldiers can walk away from the mission with their heads held high.”
MTF-1 achievements included:
Clearing areas in the Mirabad Valley region and the construction of a new patrol
base to assist the ANA 4th Brigade to establish an area of operations for a new
Kandak to provide security to the local population there;
Raising
a new mentoring team to operate in Deh Rawud and achieving
a
mentoring and partnering relationship with the 1st Kandak: and
Providing
security in partnership with the ANA 4th
Brigade for the Afghan
National Elections across Uruzgan province.
Much of MTF-1’s success was also attributed to
the genuine mateship developed
between the Australian and Afghan soldiers.
DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MTF-2 has now officially taken over the reins and its
commander
LTCOL
Darren
Huxley believes it is up to the challenge.
“I’ve come with a force specifically designed to do the tasks we’ve been given,”
LTCOL Huxley said.
“Our training has prepared us extensively for the tasks we’re going to face here.”
Imagery of the ceremony is available at:
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
