By Cpl. Aaron Rooks
By AF Capt. Tony Wickman
The roads and bridges are improving development by promoting commerce and transportation, said Daniel Dunleavy, USACE liaison to the Konar team. "If you give people mobility, you bring in prosperity,” Dunleavy said, citing a recently completed bridge in the Shigal Valley as an example. “They're now building a bazaar on the other side of the bridge, where before there was nothing. Wherever we put a road, commerce is right behind.” Just 2-1/2 years ago, 30 to 40 shops and a car dealership were in downtown Asadabad, Dunleavy said. Then, the U.S. Agency for Int'l Development completed the road connecting Jalalabad to Asmar, and now there are more than 200 shops and 4 car dealerships.
Regardless of where they're doing projects, the local people end up happy with the team’s efforts, Elling said."We're received very well because they know where we're building projects there are jobs and opportunities coming into their area,” he said. “Some are reluctant, but once they see the benefits they're very appreciative."
Konar PRT members take an aerial photo of the Saw Bridge construction project.
A combined force conducted an op in Helmand to disrupt a Taliban element working in that prov. In Kandahar, a force searched compounds known to be used by a Taliban facilitator for financing and the supplying of weapons, equipment and fighters into the region. A combined force searched a series of buildings in Kunduz known to be used by a Taliban element for financial and logistical support to ops in the region. In Wardak a force searched compounds known to be used by a Taliban cmdr to conduct several IED attacks in the region.While conducting operations in Garmser district in Helmand prov. and in a village SW of Kandahar City in Kandahar prov., forces received hostile fire. Reacting defensively to the small arms attack and precisely to prevent civilians from being harmed, they killed several militants. In Kandahar the force recovered a number of AK-47 rifles, fragmentation grenades, RPG rounds, belt-fed ammo, tactical vests and communication gear.
By Army Pvt. Jared Gehmann
“The whole experience has been surreal,” Velazquez said. “The deployment has moved by much faster than I expected, and I’m excited to go home.” A medic with the 82nd Abn Div’s 3rd BCT, she will be heading back to Fort Bragg, N.C., with much more to show for her military experience than tuition coverage.
The daughter of an Ecuadorian mother and a Colombian father, Velasquez left her home to join the Army in order to serve her countr, and hone her skills in her dream profession of becoming a nurse. Joining the military had always been in the back of her mind, she said. “I was in Junior Recruit Officer Training School in high school and had always thought about joining the Army but never had the guts to actually do it.”After high school, Velasquez wanted to go to college to pursue a nursing degree and go straight into the career field. However, after 3 years of school and completing all of her basic undergraduate classes, the then 21-year-old decided she wanted something more. One day while shopping with a friend, Velasquez said she finally mustered the courage to walk into a nearby military recruiting office, where she was offered benefits that were too good to refuse. “It all worked out perfectly,” she said. I chose to be a medic, so I could carry some of the experience and training I received in the Army, back over to my career field.”
Even with all the benefits and guarantees the Army offered her for a chance at a promising future, she said her family wasn’t as supportive as she had hoped they would be. “At first they tried to discourage me because they were afraid for my safety, but eventually they gave in, and now that I've been in for over 2 years, they are very supportive and proud of me,” she said. When not helping her fellow servicemembers, Velasquez is assisting Iraqis. During a recent combined humanitarian mission in the Baghdad suburb of Salman Pak, Velasquez was one of 6 female medics who visited an all-girl elementary school, where they gave out several school supplies and assisted Iraqi medical personnel by conducting several medical screenings and giving health tips to the women and children in the region. Velasquez said helping the people of Iraq has been the highlight of her deployment. “The humanitarian mission was my favorite experience in Iraq so far, because we got to help out the young girls, and it felt like we were making such a huge difference. It surprised me how friendly the Iraqi people were toward us,” she said. “The news always shows bombings and attacks that are happening in Iraq. You never see the good things we're doing here.”This past summer, he was promoted to chief warrant officer 2, with his wife attending the ceremony. Though married 19 years, deployments and training have never allowed his wife to witness any of his promotions. "I get my strength from her," said Gilbert. "I come home and see on her face how hard separation is on her, but then I see how strong she is, and I say, 'If she can do it, so can I.' It's backwards, but it works." As his children mature, they are better able to comprehend the importance of their father's work, but they're also craftier. Before his last deployment, his 3 children came together with a plan. "Daddy, you don't have to go this time," they said. "Why is that?" he asked. "Because we've put all our money together, so we can pay your Army paycheck." If it were only about the money.
Corps of Engineers Project Cleans Up Kirkuk
By Mike Scheck
Multi-National Division - North PAO
Iraqi and U.S. Forces detain insurgents in Kirkuk