There are 735 new Afghan Commandos as of October 2018. A graduation ceremony was recently conducted at the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) at Camp Commando. The ANASOC School of Excellence is located near Kabul, Afghanistan.
The Commandos, now authorized to wear the distinctive red beret, completed a 14-week long Commando Qualification Course (CDOQC) that assesses and trains them to become part of the Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF). Most of the graduates will join one of ten Special Operations Kandaks (or battalions). During the training course the soldiers participate in individual skills training, weapons training, and then collective training at the team, squad, and platoon level.
Some Commandos will be selected to attend advanced and specialty training such as the Cobra Strike Maneuver Course, Call for Fire training, and ANASOC’s weapons maintenance course. The Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF) are doubling in size – as is the Afghan Air Force. Approximately 70% of the offensive operations conducted by the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) is conducted by the ASSF.
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Photo: ANA Commando Graduation October 2018. Photo by MSG Felix Figueroa, NSOCC-A, October 16, 2018.
