CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan -- Marines finished training the first-ever Afghan Protective Security Detail class at the Joint Sustainment Academy Southwest, Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Sept. 29.

The PSD course taught the attending Afghan security forces how to provide personal security for high profile officials, similar to the role U.S. Secret Service details provide for American government officials.

“Assassinations of political and military leaders are common in Afghanistan, which deteriorates the security for Helmand province,” said Robert Josleyn, an instructor and curriculum developer for the PSD course. “This course teaches Afghan soldiers how to effectively protect high-level targets against assassination attempts.”

The 35 members of the Afghan Uniformed and Border Police completed a rigorous 12-day course, which taught a variety of skills to help prepare them to thwart assassination attempts of the officials they will be protecting, including close-quarter marksmanship, battle tactics, tactical driving and protective security formations.

The Afghan police in attendance worked long, hard hours, but remained vigilant and enthusiastic throughout the course, and the instructors were impressed throughout the training process, said Josleyn.

“Considering how quick the course is, the students really did pick up all the lessons we taught very fast,” said 1st Lt. Thomas Malone, the JSAS training team’s leader, and a Glen Burnie, Md., native. “Especially with the tactical driving session … many of the students had never driven before. But now they can operate a vehicle in a variety of tactical situations.”

Other instructors were impressed by the level of enthusiasm displayed by the students.

“The students always enjoy weapons training,” said 2nd Lt. Abdul Wahab, a PSD instructor from the Afghan Interior Ministry.

“Getting hands-on with the various weapons and tactics is always popular amongst the soldiers. It builds their confidence and helps them become more capable as personal security police officers.”

Wahab also said that the class was very important for the security and development of Helmand province.

“These are the ones who are going to save the lives of Afghan military commanders and government officials,” said Wahab. “They protect the people who are at the front of bringing peace to Afghanistan.”

“The Joint Sustainment Academy Southwest instructors want Afghanistan to become a prosperous nation,” added Terry Walker, the training advisor for JSAS, explaining the relevance of the course. “In order for this to happen, Afghan leaders have to be able to safely interact with the public to know their concerns. The students of this course are critical for this, because they provide the security that allows this process to take place. This course and its instructors are constantly adapting to meet emerging requirements that the Afghan Security Forces need to save lives and defend their leaders.”

For more on this and other stories from Regional Command Southwest, including follow-on interviews with service members featured in this story, please contact Tim Love at tlove@dvidshub.net and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. Also, be sure to check out the Regional Command Southwest Roundup, a weekly selection of the top stories from combat correspondents in Helmand and Nimroz provinces.