Welcome to the Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII Official site.

     From this site, viewers can learn how American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines with help from coalition allies, are helping the Afghan National Security Forces grow and improve in their capacity to serve and protect their own country.

     Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII is the lastest rotation serving in Afghanistan for the purpose of training the Afghan National Army (ANA) and now the Afghan National Police (ANP).  Tremendous progress has been made over the last six years by each task force rotation.

     Task Force Phoenix I was launched by the U.S Army's 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) immediately following the collapse of the Taliban regime.  Every subsequent rotation has been comprised and lead primarily by Army National Guard commands.

     Phoenix II built up the first Afghan Corps in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Phoenix III took on the daunting task of splitting that corps into five seperate corps and locating them throughout the country at strategic centers.  Phoenix IV worked to build those corps to full strength.  Phoenix V implemented an aggressive program of dispersing Embedded Training Teams with deployed ANA forces throughout the country.

     The mission expanded further under Phoenix VI with the added responsibility associated of training and supporting the Afghan National Police, as well as continuing to train and mentor the growing Afghan National Army.

     Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII is led by the New York National Guard's 27th Brigade Combat Team and is comprised primarily of 1700 National Guard Soldiers from New York and hundreds more from many other states.  In addition, there are Active Duty Navy, Air Force and Marine personnel serving along with teams from coalition allies.

     Developing loyalty to the Government of Afghanistan and developing a disciplined and professional Army culture, that is ethnically balanced, is a guiding principle for building Afghanistan's Security Forces.  Without question, today the ANA is the most successful government instituion in the country.

     Building Afghanistan's Security Forces is a long term endeavor.  CJTF Phoenix is commited to helping bring Afghanistan's Army and Police to a level where they can conduct independent, self-sustained Counter Insurgency and security operations to defeat terrorism and provide a secure, stable environment within Afghanistan.  The goal is for Afghanistan to field professional, well-led, and well-trained army and police forces.  The police are the face of the Afghan government at the community level and a professional police force can set the conditions for security and good governance.

CJTF Phoenix VII
Mission Statement

CJTF Phoenix mentors ANA and ANP to conduct sustained, independent Counter Insurgency operations
in Afghanistan to assist the ANA to defeat terrorism within its borders.