Afghan soldiers bolster credibility in ‘cordon and soft knock’ mission

WATAPOOR, Afghanistan — Mountain-worn Marines with 1st Platoon, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division were ready for the “cordon and soft knock” mission — even though their feet told them something else.

The Company F Marines had finished descending a monstrous mountain earlier Friday after spending several days climbing and patrolling the mountain in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province as part of Operation Pil.

By 2 p.m. Friday, the 1st Platoon Marines were back on the road with Afghan National Army soldiers, heading to a village near Watapoor to search houses.

Platoon commander 1st Lt. Stewart Geise reminded Marines and Afghan troops that in their tired state they still had to remain alert as anything could happen at anytime.

When the platoon entered the village, one group of Marines took to the high ground to provide security for fellow Marines and Afghan National Army troops.

Being a “soft knock” mission, Geise approached Afghan homeowners — through an interpreter — and asked if Afghan troops could search their homes. All the homeowners obliged and no enemy weapons were uncovered during the searching that lasted about three hours Friday afternoon.

Using the Afghan troops to perform the searches bolsters the credibility of the Afghan soldiers, fosters relations in the village and gets them used to conducting such mission, Geise said.

“Cordon and knock missions are more civil and encourage good relations with the people,” he said. “At the same time, we’re putting more pressure on the enemy so he knows he won’t have a safe area.”

— Steve Mraz

Ellie