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  Australia's Mentoring Role in AfghanistanAustralian forces in Afghanistan have adjusted their operations to include a role in mentoring the Afghan National Army. Natochannel takes a look at the work of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force provided by the Australian contingent in Afghanistan. Shotlist: Australia is the largest non-NATO troop-contributing nation currently operating in Afghanistan, providing close to 1,100 soldiers – who are primarily based in the Southern Province of Uruzgan. In previous years, the primary goal of the Aussies here have been reconstruction efforts – but as of October 2008, this changed with the deployment of the new Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force – known as an MRTF. Soundbite, Lieutenant Colonel Shane Gabriel, Commanding Officer 1 MRTF: 'Our mission here as the mentoring and reconstruction task force is the initial rotation of adjusted Australian commitment from October last year, built on 2 years of a Reconstruction Task Force that provided engineers working the development line of operation and now it incorporates an Operational Mentoring Liason Team who mentor the second Kandak of 4th ANA Brigade.' As well as engineers who aid reconstruction and development efforts in the province, the MRTF's primary aim is to provide mentors who work with and train the increasingly capable soldiers of the Afghan National Army. Soundbite, Lieutenant Colonel Shane Gabriel, Commanding Officer 1 MRTF: 'Our main effort is mentoring, and we provide all elements of the battlegroup to support that. Key to this, as an example, is our combat team with which we conduct partnering operations with the 2nd Kandak, and they have been very active in daily combat operations ensuring that the insurgents' freedom of action is significantly reduced in this AO, and we provide a secure environment for local nationals which also facilitates our development work as well.' The soldiers of the MRTF have worked hard – both in taking the fight to the insurgents, and providing mentoring and reconstruction efforts to the area. Several soldiers have lost their lives in this effort. Australians serving here usually do a six month tour, but with the new-model task force, it has been extended to eight months. Soundbite, Lieutenant Colonel Shane Gabriel, Commanding Officer 1 MRTF: 'Eight months, yes, we are the first rotation to do that, but I believe as long as you have a fair warning of it – as we did – you can pace yourself accordingly, but of course the blokes are well and truly ready for a well-earned break at the end of it!' This is Josh Fortune for the NATO Channel, Uruzgan Province.
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