Camp Marmal

Camp Marmal is the largest base of the Bundeswehr outside of Germany. It is adjacent to the Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi International Airport in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains. The camp was opened in September 2005 and has expanded in recent years. The camp gets its name from the bordering Marmal Mountains.

Camp Marmal hosts the staff of the German Armed Forces in Afghanistan, Regional Command North of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), as well as the Quick Reaction Force (QRF), stationed at Camp Mike Spann, composed of Easy Company 1-167th Infantry Battalion.

Major General Jörg Vollmer has been commander of RC-North since 23 February 2013, as well as leader of the German ISAF contingent and commanding general of the German Special Forces Division, serving under the NATO ISAF commanding general, U.S. General Joseph Dunford. He is replacing Major General Erich Pfeffer. Vollmers's deputy commander is United States Marine Corps Brigadier General John Bullard.

More than 5,000 soldiers are currently stationed at Camp Marmal. Additional forces come from the United States, Croatia and 14 other NATO countries. From Camp Marmal, ISAF soldiers conduct work in northern Afghanistan related to physical security and joint civil/military projects, in addition to the major task of supplying the five Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT).

RC-North supports five PRTs: Kunduz, Feyzabad, Meymaneh, Pol-e Khomri and Mazar-e Sharif. RC-North supports and protects the nine provinces under their military administration through reconstruction efforts. Foremost is cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and Afghan National Security Forces. The base hosts a large medical center for ISAF forces and also local civilians. The base has been heavily involved in supporting German combat operations in Afghanistan in early 2009.