Military Review English Edition March-April 2015 | Page 61

FEMALE ENGAGEMENT TEAM

(Photo by Spc. Kristina Truluck, 55th Signal Company Combat Camera)

Sgt. Lidya Admounabdfany writes down information from a local woman 17 December 2011 at the Women's Center near the Zhari
District Center outside of Forward Operating Base Pasab, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Admounabdfany is a member of 3rd Brigade
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division's female engagement team and is gathering information so the team can distribute blankets and
winter clothing to the women and their families.

why there was a need, because the engagement
team was not a line item listed on the brigade
MTOE, the unit was seen as a logistical liability
and not as an asset that needed to be equipped.
As the 4th SBCT training plan was developed, a
strong relationship was formed between FET leadership and the Comprehensive Soldier and Family
Fitness team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The
training plan focused on the “whole soldier” concept—developing soldiers who were well rounded
physically, mentally, and spiritually. Soldiers were
selected for the team by demonstrating maturity,
a willingness to adapt, and a strong commitment
to teamwork. The training plan developed with
Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness team
featured several sessions on the development of
team identity, communication, building mental
toughness, goal setting, and resilience. This was
combined with a concentrated effort to build
MILITARY REVIEW  March-April 2015

“engager skills” that included work with Fort
Huachuca mobile training teams and cultural
training programs to ensure team members were
well versed in interpersonal skills, report writing,
cultural sensitivity, and communication.
Further training was conducted with the brigade
military police platoon to focus on detainee operations and personnel and vehicle searches. This would
be a critical point in developing a new MOS. It is worth
noting that women fill