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School of Excellence under Construction

Afghanistan Engineer District
Published June 27, 2018
Col. Colloton and staff visit the site where the Camp Commando School of Excellence is being built.
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Col. Colloton and staff visit the site where the Camp Commando School of Excellence is being built.

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BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Afghanistan District leaders checked the progress of construction at the Camp Commando School of Excellence in the Kabul province in early June.

The team – comprised of Col. Kimberly Colloton, district commander; Lt. Col. Frankie Flowers, officer in charge, Kabul Resident Office; John Rotter, Kabul resident engineer; and John Hughes, project engineer – met with the Camp Commando Engineer Advisor Team.

“Our partnership with the Advisor Team has been key to keeping this project moving toward completion,” Flowers said about Cpt. Ranny Choi and Anthony McCloyn.

“The advisors work with the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command,” he continued. “They serve as the advisors to the Camp Commando Facilities Engineer, so they are our link for utilities or other on-site issues that may need to be resolved.”

The $6.8 million project includes the construction of a dining facility, seven barracks, four classroom buildings, administration facility, walls, fencing, and pavement. It also includes associated water supply, sanitary sewer, and electrical systems, as well as power plant generator additions. The Afghanistan District awarded the design-build contract in November 2017, and the work is expected to be complete by September 2019.

Afghan National Army Special Operations Command’s School of Excellence is responsible for the assessment and training of Afghan special operations soldiers that fill the ranks of Special Operations Kandaks (battalions), Special Forces Kandaks, Cobra Strike Kandaks, and the National Mission Brigade. There are currently two Commando courses and a Cobra Strike Maneuver Course running simultaneously with more than 2,000 soldiers receiving Afghan-led special operations training.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division serves as USACE’s tip of the spear in one of the most dynamic construction environments in the world, STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, BUILDING CAPACITY, and ENHANCING SECURITY for our nation, allies, and partners. 

We SAFELY deliver agile, responsive, and innovative, design, construction, engineering and contingency solutions in support of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and other global partners to advance national security interests.

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