(Host) The commander of the Vermont Guard in Afghanistan says there’s much progress to report as his soldiers prepare to end their year-long deployment.
Speaking at a press briefing from Afghanistan, Colonel Will Roy of Jericho said soldiers have reached a point in three provinces where all security is being handed over to the Afghan National Police, also known as ANP.
(Roy) "The ANP are in the lead in two of our provinces and in the third one, I expect in about 6 months that they will be absolutely in the lead, so we are definitely making huge progress."
(Host) Roy, who’s on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan says the kind of work his soldiers are doing doesn’t make headlines, but signals a new phase in the war – where security is being taken over by Afghans and economic development is taking place.
Nationwide, however, the Afghan National Police have been plagued by a number of problems including corruption, poor training, and a high rate of desertion.
The soldiers of the Vermont Guard are scheduled to begin returning home later this month.