Spanish special operations forces sharpen Afghan commando sniper skills.

Spanish Special Operations Advisory Team (SOAT) members, assigned to Afghanistan’s National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) School of Excellence (SOE), held a two-week sniper specialty refresher course for Afghan Commandos currently deployed throughout the country. Master Sgt. Felix Figueroa, NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan Public Affairs, reports.

A Spanish SOAT mentor assigned to ANASOC’s School of Excellence provides rear sniper support (spotting) for a Commando sniper student during a two-week specialty refresher course near Kabul, Afghanistan, Sept. 30, 2018. (NATO Photo by U.S. Army Master Sgt. Felix Figueroa, NSOCC-A)

The Spanish comprise ANASOC-SOAT’s Mobile Training Team (MTT), travelling throughout Afghanistan providing tailored training at the behest of ANASOC Special Operations Battalion (SOB) Commanders. During the two-week specialty course training period, Commando students travelled to Kabul area the class. Coached and mentored by the Spanish SOAT, Commandos refined their breath control and body positioning techniques and worked through calculating numerous variables when presented with actual targets. "Snipers are more than just shooters,” said Staff Sgt. Buffon, a Spanish ANASOC-SOAT mentor. "Snipers provide crucial data to decision makers, that when acted upon, can change the enemies’ psychology on the battlefield allowing friendly ground troops the freedom of movement needed to secure the operational environment.”

Spanish Special Operations Forces are one of the 41 coalition nations serving in Afghanistan as part of the Resolute Support Mission (RSM). They Train, Advise and Assist (TAA) Afghan Special Operations Forces, mentoring Afghanistan’s most capable counterterrorism partner, the elite Commando units of the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC).