Though the competitors were focused, the mood was still light. “Let’s go out here and have a good time, learn something about our coalition partners, and they’ll learn something about us. We’ll hug and drink chai tea afterwards,“ Gilbert said with a chuckle.
As the competition began, the words of encouragement volleyed from competitor to competitor.
‘Come on, lean into it; you got this.’ ‘Let's go; you’re alright.’ ‘Push it out.’ ‘Pick it up.’ ‘Keep it going.’ ‘Don’t stop; don’t lose it.’ ‘Looking good, your almost there.’ ‘Bend your knees; center mass, there you go.’ ‘One more turn.’ ‘Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, come on.’
Bravo team member Pfc. Joseph Machtemes agreed that the weather was the hardest obstacle to overcome. “The snow made it really hard to shoot, blurring the targets, the sweating, breathing really hard,” Machtemes said. In spite of all the obstacles Bravo pushed through. “We do what bravo does best. We’re the muscle of the bn. We just pushed hard right through and kept going,” Machtemes said. Bravo Co took the cup when all was said and done.
Gilbert noted their endurance and exertion. “Bravo won in the end. They just outlasted the rest of the competition. It’s a team effort, so it was a great event,” Gilbert said. Spc. Nathaniel Petter, the Bravo team leader, shared Machtemes’s sentiment. “You had to push your team as hard as you possibly could, keep them going all the way through, and make sure your heart was there,” Petter said. “Our team kept it going, we drove all the way through. The competition was outstanding.”
Coalition Troops Capture Militant Commanders
KABUL - CF in Afghanistan captured 2 militant cmdrs along with several other insurgents in separate raids, March 8. In Khost prov., a combined Afghan-int'l force arrested a cmdr linked to the Haqqani terrorist network, as well as several suspected associates and some automatic rifles. In Helmand prov., a 2nd combined force captured a Taliban cmdr and an unspecified number of additional suspects.
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CJTF 82 Public Affairs, Bagram Media Center
She said that her journey to success was not paved without obstacles, and her own fears. “Becoming a general, especially in Afghanistan as a female, is not an easy thing. I wanted to work hard and show other Afghan females that a woman can be a general,” she said.
However, the event wouldn't have been complete, without Gen. Mohammadzai sharing her 1st flight as a parachutist with the ‘Sky Soldiers’. “The first time I jumped, I screamed so hard, thinking that the parachute was just there, not moving anywhere,” she said. “There was nobody there to help me, and I thought I was just standing there not moving. I was so lightweight that all of my fellow parachutists were already on the ground, and I was still in this sky. When I reached the ground it was so comfortable. I didn’t tell my family, but when my mom found out she was crying and screaming, asking what kind of job I had chosen.”
General Mohammadzai said she hasn’t look back since, and has continued to pushed forward. The 2nd event, celebrating WID’s, and also a historic 1st, took place not far from Gen. Mohadmmadzai’s visit, in the women’s center of the Pul-E-Alam district, where more than 100 women attended, including Gov. Lodin of Logar prov.
“What was unique was having a girl read the Koran to open the ceremony,” said U.S. Army Capt. Ramona Fastow, TF Bayonet’s women’s affairs coordinator. “Literacy rate for women in Afghanistan is about 14 to 15%. The fact that this girl can read and have the support of her family to get up, read in public, gives other women hope.”
By the time the Afghan-led event started, there was only standing room available. Many women were excited to celebrate this day, but some wanted to see more changes, and voice other concerns that would improve the future of Afghanistan for women.
“It’s a good event, hopeful for the women of Afghanistan,” said a woman from the Baraki Barak district. “Compared to when the Taliban ruled, now there’s more freedom. We can go outside.” Another Afghan woman, from the Juyak district said that she would like to see more vocational programs, child-care, and children’s programs on the radio stations.
Gates Visits Afghan Army Training Center
By Jim Garamone
The goal is for the ANA to grow to 170,000 and the ANP to grow to 134,000 by October 2011. Gates said he supports Afghan Pres. Hamid Karzai's goal of 300,000 in the SECFOR, calling it realistic, though ambitious. The Afghan soldiers Gates spoke to will leave Blackhorse, where these units form, and join the fight in Helmand prov. "Recruits come here from basic training and join with their senior leaders," said Army Lt. Col. Brett Sylvia of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan CSTC-A). The units marry up with their equipment and go through increasingly complex training, starting with squads and moving on to plts., cos., and ultimately the whole kandak (bn).
The Afghan defense minister said he is optimistic about the future. The strategy is clear, he added, and he noted that working with the coalition has allowed Afghan officials to identify problems and craft responses. Gates stressed how much already has been achieved in Afghanistan and that the surge into the country has only just begun. In the past 3 years, the number of int'l forces has increased by over 100,000, he said, and training over that period has built the size of the ANA, and increased its capabilities. Since December, thousands of Afghans have volunteered for the army, and Gates expressed his gratitude to the soldiers here for making that decision and assured them of continued support.
"Your fellow Afghan soldiers are currently demonstrating valor on battlefield and assuming security responsibilities," he said. "The int'l community is here to support your efforts and help you develop forces."
By Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone Marshall Jr.
The Longhorn's distinct mission within TF Lightning Horse is a great source of pride to Capt. Maples, who recently took command. He reflected on his trooper's performance. "It's the largest troop in the sqdrn, and we don't have aviation or warrant officers," he added. "It's more like a traditional co. in the Army." He added, "the Forward Support Troop plays a major role in our current mission, and we're the only ones out here at Warrior, so we're doing it by ourselves. It's an immense job for a small group of Soldiers, but the Longhorns are getting the job done."
Troopers Have Towering Presence on Border
Iraqi Police Arrest 5 Suspected Terrorists
BAGHDAD - In Tikrit, IP and U.S. advisors arrested the suspected AQI leader for the northern cities of Tarmiyah and Mushada, March 12. He is believed to be responsible for numerous bombing attacks. Police also arrested 2 of his associates.