US military reconstruction teams that are heading off to Afghanistan to help rebuild the Southwest Asian nation are training at Ft. Bragg, N.C., before deploying for yearlong rotations. Airmen are among soldiers and sailors who comprise 12 provincial reconstruction teams that have been training at the Army facility since January. Air Force officers lead six of the teams. Training skills include tactical security, combat training, communications, checkpoints, perimeter guard duty and language training. The teams began deploying last month.
The Pentagon released its new National Defense Strategy late Jan. 23, emphasizing a new commitment to the Western Hemisphere. But while that focus garnered most of the headlines, the strategy’s subtle shifts on China raise questions about how the Trump administration aims to leverage U.S. military power in the Indo-Pacific.
