Connections

The Canadian military converges from all directions, filling the narrow alleys and thoroughfares of an Afghan slum. Dressed for combat, they stumble past burned-out tanks and derelict shops as they secure the village of Bazar-y-Downsview, shouting to the old men and children, "Stay where you are! Don't come out!"

"We call this Operation Shaking Hands," says Sergeant Edward Howard.

This operation, of course, is just a simulation. It's taking place in a fabricated plywood shantytown in an airplane hangar on a former military base in North York. The Canadian military built it to train its officers for missions in Afghanistan, and they've invited students in the Business School's International Project Management (IPM) program to challenge Civil-Military Co-operation (CIMIC) officers by portraying members of the various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan, where the economy and infrastructure are in ruins and hundreds of thousands are refugees.

"We invited the college to participate because it gives students the opportunity to work with the military in a situation similar to what they would find in a war-torn country. It gave our people the opportunity to work with those they'll meet in the field," says CIMIC's Sergeant Howard.

Working with the Canadian Forces and various civilian and government partners, CIMIC supports the NATO mission in Afghanistan by acting as a civil-military liaison and contributing expertise, information, security and infrastructure to the relief effort.

In one of three exercises on that cold Saturday in November, Humber students met CIMIC officers in an old boiler room that stood in for an operations centre in Kandahar. The military were to provide them with a security briefing and then listen to a development plan from each NGO. In teams of six, representing three different organizations, students told soldiers where they wanted to go within Kandahar and asked about safe routes. "They had maps and would tell us that this area or road was dangerous, that there were bombs or thugs in an area," says Kelly Barrington, who took the IPM program to round out her skills as a aquaculturalist in order to become a complete development worker. "We would ask questions, some of which they couldn't answer. We were taught to be tough, and that some day we would be working with these men and women."

"The NGOs are there before us and will be there after us," admits Sergeant Howard. "They are the ones who will provide sustainable development. We are there to bring stability so they can get on with it."

The student teams were involved in food distribution, health and welfare, and water and sanitation. Gabrielle Cole, who represented CARE, wanted to build three wells in a slum to replace those contaminated by a flood. She says her group received a map and were told where the hot spots were. Then they had to write a proposal suggesting locations for the wells and requesting funding from CIMIC. "The NGOs had to sell the project to us," Sergeant Howard explains. "It had to meet the military commander's aims and also promote what we hope to accomplish."

The sessions were followed by a "hot wash," wherein the students reported on the performance of the officers. Then they prepared for another round and another team of three soldiers. "The students were tough," admits Sergeant Howard. "They were knowledgeable about what they wanted. They challenged our guys and gals, which was what we wanted. They asked questions that we were not prepared to handle. They made us work on our presentation skills. Being challenged by a civilian organization is not as structured as the military. They don't have to take orders from us, and they do not have to be intimidated by us."

Sergeant Howard said the students did well, especially considering many had not had previous contact with the military. "I didn't understand the extent of the military and NGO cooperation," says Kelly. "I didn't know that specific officers were trained to work with civilian agencies. It's comforting to know the military actually reaches out and learns how to work with civilians."

That's exactly what soldiers learn in the International Development Institute (IDI) program they take at Humber. "We hope that all our people can be certified and take the program," says Sergeant Howard. "We really appreciate our relationship with Humber College and hope to integrate more with the program. We implement the knowledge we gain from this program in Kandahar every day."