Operations Mentor Liaison Team in Afghanistan took its first step

By Capt. Ainaras Jonaitis

The first Police Operations Mentor Liaison Team (POMLT-1) in the Ghowr Province of Afghanistan is beginning to establish its footprint. Thursday, Nov. 25, the team took its first step to achieving its goal of a self sustaining Afghan National Police in Ghowr by hosting a meeting with the acting Provincial Chief of Police and Director of Training on Camp Whiskey. The POMLT Commander, Lt. Col. Zilakauskas and the acting police chief, Col. Zainallahbdin both agreed that cooperation between the POMLT and the provincial police can generate lasting positive results in the province for the safety and security of its residence.

The team is comprised of members of the Lithuanian Military, Lithuanian Public Security Service, and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. The focus of the team will be to coach, teach, and mentor the leadership and officers of the Afghan National Police in the Ghowr Province in order to help them develop a professional, effective and self sustaining police force.

POMLT started its activity in Ghowr in November together with the incoming rotation of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team.

POMLT personnel including Lithuanian and US troops, and PSS officers underwent pre-mission training in Lithuania.

The main aim of POMLT is to train, advice, and by other means support readiness of Afghan national police forces to complete relevant tasks in their mandate.

Police Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, established jointly with the U.S., is Lithuania's effort to intensify support to Afghan security forces in Lithuania's area of responsibility, Ghowr province, where the majority of national security forces are local police.

Reconstruction in Ghowr is ensured not only by the Lithuanian-led PRT, a part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, but also by the European Union Police Mission to Afghanistan which conducts its activity in coordination with the PRT.