In Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan Security Forces face ruthless and determined insurgents.
But they also face an almost unbelievable lack of literacy
As Col William Gerhard of NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) points out, soldiers must be able to shoot, move, and communicate. But in Afghanistan, these necessities are made even more difficult because only 14 percent of new recruits can read or write. In fact, many cannot identify the letters in their name nor the serial number of their weapon…
But NTM-A is working to change that. Their Afghan National Security Forces literacy program enables more effective training, serves as an important recruiting tool, and helps install the rule of law while reducing the impact of corruption.
Eventually, NTM-A hopes to raise the Afghan National Army and Police forces to full functional literacy, at the third-grade level. But there’s a long, long way to go…
Bottom line: Here are some Dari Flashcards we used in Afghanistan. Imagine not being able to read either side of the card…
* Photo by TSgt Adrienne Brammer, USAF, from flickr
** Photo by SSgt Rachel Martinez, USAF, from flickr
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