A small elite group of Afghan National Army 209th Corps

A small elite group of Afghan National Army 209th Corps soldiers complete one of their last days of the NATO Weapons Fielding T3 (Train the Trainer) Course Aug. 8, which will enable them to independently instruct ANA soldiers throughout the northern provinces in Afghanistan on the mechanical fundamentals, familiarity and marksmanship of NATO weapons. The ANA 209th Corps is replacing their old Soviet-style weapons with six different types of NATO weapons including the M-16 rifle, M240B machine gun, M249 light machine gun, M2 .50 caliber machine gun and the M24 Sniper Weapon System. On Aug. 7, the same soldiers received certificates of appreciation for their dedication as primary trainers in assisting U.S. and coalition mentors instruct the 209th Corps 1st Brigade over the course of seven months.