Commission on Wartime Contracting

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Hearing December 18, 2009

Afghan National Security Forces Contract Training

The December 18, 2009, hearing of the Commission on Wartime Contracting reviewed the adequacy and oversight of contract training for Afghanistan’s national army, national police, and border police — organizations critical for stability as the United States moves toward its newly stated goal of beginning withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country in July 2011.

At the end of November 2009, Afghan National Army strength was about 96,000; it is expected to grow to 134,000 by the end of October 2010 (40% growth) and is targeted reach 240,000 by 2013 (80% growth). The Afghanistan National Police was near 94,000 and is expected to be almost 97,000 strong by the end of 2009. While there is no programmed end strength set for 2010, the U.S.-led Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan has proposed growing the ANP to 160,000 by 2013 (65% growth).

The U.S. government has spent more than $20 billion since 2001 to train, equip, and support the Afghan National Security Forces through the Department of Defense and Department of State. Unfortunately, reports from institutions like the Government Accountability Office, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the Department of Defense Inspector General, and Congressional Research Service have found rampant corruption and equipment shortages among Afghan forces, plus poor contract-management capabilities and lack of accountability that present challenges to the training mission and to the achievement of U.S. objectives.

Additional U.S. military units are being deployed to assist training in Afghanistan, but contract personnel are also heavily engaged in training both army and police units there. The hearing took testimony from and posed questions to federal officials and representatives of key training contractors DynCorp, MPRI, and Xe.



Video:

12/18/2009 Hearing Video Panel 1 Panel 2 Panel 3
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