Army Command Sgt. Maj. Kemp Freund, 57, of Ellicott City, heads up training sessions for Maryland National Guardsmen before their deployments.
Freund served with the Guard in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2007, and is one of the instructors teaching 18 Maryland Guardsmen, who be will deployed to Afghanistan in September to work with that country’s military.
Freund recently shared his experience in Afghanistan with The Examiner at the Guard’s training facility in Hancock.
What is Afghanistan like?
It’s mountainous, but not like here [in western Maryland]. Imagine all of these trees gone. You can look up that mountain and see snow-capped peaks. The dust there is immense. The road we are training on [in Maryland] would be considered an improved road in Afghanistan. Many are not passable, and you can be 2,000 feet above your vehicle in some of the outposts. It can be a beautiful country. I see why they wouldn’t want us there.
What’s the greatest obstacle these Guardsmen will face in Afghanistan?
Building trust. Obviously, they are apprehensive about you being there, because they think we’re an occupying force. And they think we’re there to change their religion, but that’s not what we do.
Is the Afghan Army prepared to defend the country?
They’re improving, and it does take a while to get up to speed to properly defend the country. They’re now forming brigades. Several different countries, not just us, help in training the Afghan soldiers — the Italians, the British, the French. When all is said and done, the Canadians are the last to wrap everything up.
Wouldn’t that be confusing to a soldier, having to learn the ways of varying militaries?
It could be, but you have to remember that when they go out into the field, they’re going to be working with these countries. They need to have some familiarity with their tactics and commands.
