Meet the Team

Embedded Training Team Primary Staff. These people worked on the team with me, their primary function was to teach the Afghans
Team Chief/Officer in Charge/Senior Mentor: Major (Later Lieutenant Colonel) Andrew Valquist:
Deputy Team Chief: Major Hesco (later replaced)
Deputy Team Chief: Major Adam Davidson replaced Major Hesco
Intelligence Adviser: Yours truly Lt, then Capt Scott Shane
Operations Adviser: Captain Steve Nowak
Logistics Adviser:  Captain Brian Arthur
Communications Adviser: Captain Graham Brawny
Senior Enlisted Adviser: Gunnery Sergeant Luis Casanova
Motor Transport Adviser: Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Soltz
Communications Chief: Staff Sergeant (Later Gunnery Sergeant) Steven Young
Senior Medical Adviser: Petty Officer First Class (HM1) Joshua Kucera
Junior Medical Adviser: Petty Officer First Class (HM3) Andrew Kirell
Assistant BAT operator: Lance Corporal Slobodan Lekic


Primary Marine Staff.  These people were something like our superiors, but the command relationship was often blurry.   In theory, they were the primary mentors to the Afghans, but in fact, they were much more focused on the Marine units below them. 

Commanding Officer (CO):  Colonel Eric Schmitt
Executive Officer (XO): Lieutenant Colonel Declan Walsh
Administration Officer (S1): Howard LaFranchi
Intelligence Officer (S2): Major James Kraus
Operations Officer (S3): Lieutenant Colonel John Walcott
Logistics Officer (S4): Major Tony Capaccio
Communications Officer (S6): Major Sebastian Abbot

Primary Afghan Staff: These were the people that we were supposed to lead and train to take over when the Marines go home.  Many of these people were gone for much of the time, but were still nominally in charge.

Commander: Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Shujai
Executive Officer:Colonel Mohammad Sarwar
Administration Officer: Various
Intelligence Officer: Major Tawoos (Last Few Months)
Operations Officer: Colonel Kareem
Logistics Officer: Various
Communication Officer: Major Fazilwali