“The biggest asset the NG brings to theater is the civilian skill set of the Soldiers,” said 1st Sgt. Greg Lebeau, noting the presence of plumbers, carpenters, electricians, and heavy equipment operators in his unit. “Not only are we a full inf co, but we're basically a construction crew at the same time.”
This has translated to the Conn. unit building reinforced fighting positions, latrines, and even additional living quarters on the tall hillside they occupy with ANA forces. “We also put our own little extra pride in it, as well as expediting all the projects,” Lebeau said. “The quicker we get it done, the more time we can spend training the ANA. Our bn is great about pushing us the materials we need to do the projects.”
Sgt Daniel Parreira, previously hired Spc. Forrest Scott to work with him at his civilian construction co. Since they have teamed back up during this deployment, everyone now refers to them as “The Dirt Brothers.”
Parreira has done construction for a dozen years, including house remodelling and high-end cabinet work. Afghanistan has provided challenges for his skills. “You have to get really creative,” he said. “It’s tough going from million-dollar homes to building huts from plywood.”
All 3 brought their personal tools for the deployment, and has provided them for the unit’s use. “It’s fun. It makes the day go by quicker,” Scott said after spending the day helping build the floor of a new hut to house visitors to the base. “You almost forget you’re in Afghanistan.” Lebeau noted he sometimes has to stop Seretny from spending too much time on various projects, and remind him to get meals, as well as a proper amount of sleep.
Seretny, who works for his town’s highway dept as a foreman and jack-of-all-trades, is a self-taught mechanic who drove a bulldozer around his family farm, even before he was old enough for a driver’s license.
An armored bulldozer is his vehicle of choice at Najil, where it's been used to expand the base landing zone, level ground for a shower facility, and rework the road leading to the base’s highest watchtower.
Some projects have been more unusual. When high winds knocked down the latrine at the watchtower, Parreira spent 3 days rebuilding it. He also customized the latrine by adding recliner armrests, a cupholder and a swing arm mount for a M-240B machine gun. “I got carried away with it,” Parreira said, smiling.
Others in the unit pitch in for the larger projects. Together they've built a loading dock for trucks, worked a series of drainage projects to prevent water from flooding some of the buildings, and remodelled a storage shed into a living area.
“If they don’t have a piece of equipment to do the job, the first thing they do is build the piece of equipment, and then do the job,” Lebeau said, noting his men complete their construction tasks faster than any deadline set. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
As more materials roll in, the unit is planning more developments for the base, including the construction of a motor pool and maintenance bay. “I’ll be on that ‘dozer until the day I leave,’” Seretny said.
While it serves as creative relaxation for many, the outcome can be just as enjoyable as the work itself. “After you build it, you get the same satisfaction,” Parreira said. “You can look at it and say, 'I did that.'”
(left), Spc. Forrest Scott and Sgt Daniel Parreira align a beam for the foundation of a new hut.
GHAZNI PROVINCE – At the Andar District Center, ANP gather around a photo, June 5, of the former Andar police chief, Col. Patang, who recently died fighting the insurgents during a patrol, May 22. “He was a good man,” one ANP said as he gazed at the photo while others asked to see it. The Ghazni PRT had taken the photo of Colonel Patang in the past, and offered it to the ANP as a gift to thank them for their hard work.
ANP at the Andar District Center unload a radio antenna, June 5, that was transported by the Ghazni PRT in a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle. It belongs to the Shilgar Radio Station, which lost their previous antenna when a car ran into it. Since the PRT was headed to Andar, the team delivered it to the District Center. The Afghan radio station will provide news coverage to Andar, Giro and Deh Yak districts, as well as to Ghazni City.
An ANP receives medical attention for a minor injury at the Andar District Center from Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Turner, Ghazni PRT medic. Turner treated 4 ANP during the PRT’s visit. Two of them had minor injuries from that morning’s firefight, and 2 others had illnesses that had been left unchecked. The ANP were grateful for his medical assistance and watched in interest as he cleaned up wounds and provided medicine.
ANP stand guard at the Andar District Center and meet the Ghazni PRT, who brought sand barriers, fruit, and photos. The ANP had just fought off small arms fire that morning, and were still standing strong, when the PRT arrived later that afternoon. The ANP were able to provide info to the PRT to help in the assistance of stabilizing the district.
Farmers from the Sabari district set up a gravity-fed, irrigation system, during the hands-on portion of the class, June 1. The irrigation process uses rubber tubing with small openings every 4 inches to water crops.
Both courses incorporated techniques and tools that are easily duplicated on either large or small scale with tools purchased from the local bazaar. Sabari farmers who attended the training were given a gravity-fed, drip irrigation system starter kit and composting tools. “The farmers were very appreciative of the training and the tools they were given,” said an ADT interpreter.
"The first course, composting, taught the benefits of recycling organic materials to create a fertilizer that increases the soil nutrient levels, in turn improving crops. Additionally, the compost acts as a soil conditioner and as a natural pesticide," said Umbarger. Following the composting course, the team taught the benefits of the gravity-fed, drip irrigation system. “I've seen the system set up in other areas of Khost prov., and we hope to bring that capability to Sabari farmers,” said Umbarger.
Overall, the training was well attended, thanks in part to the support of the district gov., said 1st Lt. David Tressler, Khost PRT Sabari civil affairs officer. “The gov. recorded a radio announcement, which got the word out and brought additional farmers to the district center,” Tressler said.
With the overwhelming success of the training, the ADT plans to have more courses at the district center. “Some things locals have voiced to us while on patrol, such as grain storage and animal husbandry, have already been put in the works, and we hope to bring them to Sabari in the near future” said Umbarger.
Young farmers from Sabari district juggle tools on their shoulders, after receiving compost training at the district center, June 2.
Army Spc. Andrae Camp, and Sgt 1st Class Eric Umbarger, 2nd Bn, 19th Inf ADT, assemble irrigation system starter kits for the farmers who attended the course.
Sgt. 1st Class Umbarger talks to farmers from Yaqoubi Khalay during a patrol, June 3. Members of the ADT walked through the village to ask what types of training the farmers would like to see held at the Sabari district center.
CJTF-82 in Afghanistan, Bagram Media Center
PAKTIKA PROVINCE – Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Pete Kowall, provides security during a mission in Sharana district, June 4. Although Kowall is a culinary specialist, he works for the Paktika PRT as a supply tech, and also works as a gunner for the PRT while on missions outside the wire. He's a vital member of a team of roughly 100 military personnel and interagency partners throughout Paktika prov., whose mission is to help legitimize the GoA through development, governance and agricultural initiatives. Kowall is deployed from Navy Consolidated Brig, Charleston S.C., where he fulfills a special duty assignment as a corrections specialist.
Paktika PRT NCO-in-charge of personnel, Navy Chief Petty Officer Richard Mora, provides security. Although Chief Mora is the administrative dept head for the PRT, he also augments the PRT SECFOR element as a personal security detail for PRT members, while on missions outside the wire. Mora is deployed from Naval Op Support Center, El Paso, Texas.
Story and photos by Spc. Roland Hale
With temperatures soaring over 100 degrees, Soldiers with the CAB, 1st ID. on Camp Taji, took a break from their daily duties, June 6 to celebrate the birthday of the 1st ID - famously known as the Big Red One - and the 66th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy, France. The Soldiers took part in a 5-km foot race, and a volleyball tournament. Also in celebration, the bde re-enlisted 111 Soldiers on Taji Army Airfield. The Soldiers raised their right hands to take the oath of re-enlistment while standing around a several hundred square-foot painting of the 1st ID's insignia - a Big Red One. "Good vibes, great energy," said Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Thomson, the CAB's senior NCO. "About 400 Soldiers turned out this morning to run in the spirit of the 1st ID, to show their support for those who paved the way for us." The 1st ID was activated on June 8, 1917, and has played a key-role in each of the nation's major conflicts since then. During the D-Day invasion, Big Red One Soldiers landed on Utah beach, one of the more famous fronts of the assault. Today, Thomson said, the good vibes and great energy are also evident in the mass re-enlistment ceremony. "The fact that so many participated in the run and in the volleyball tournament, and in the re-enlistment, is an indication that morale in the bde is high," said Thomson. In the middle of the day's celebrations, however, the celebrating CAB Soldiers were reminded of their mission when the explosion of a nearby IED echoed across Taji. "In everything we did today we took a moment to remember the division's history - and sure enough, we're still in a dangerous place," said Thomson, speaking about the explosion. "Iraq has come a long way, and it's entering a new phase of the op, but it was a reminder that there are still dangers out here. We're still warriors."
By Spc. Dustin Gautney
Also taught during the class was weapons repair and how to diagnose weapons malfunctions. "We had the Iraqi armorers take apart the weapon systems and showed them how to use gauges to check that each individual machine part was properly gauged and working, and how to fix the discrepancies themselves," said Sgt. Long.
To Sgt. Long's surprise the Iraq armorers took to the training very quickly, and had more questions about advanced weapons repair and maintenance then he originally thought the armorers would have. "I was really surprised; the Iraqi armorers really wanted to know every detail on repairing the weapons systems," said Sgt. Long. "They wanted to know exactly what we do with our systems, and to show us what they do with theirs, so we both could compare and work with them, to learn what details that they could improve on. The cooperation between our armorers and theirs showed the level of camaraderie both services have for each other."
An interpreter with Co C, 296th BSB, 3rd Stryker BCT, 2nd ID, comforts an Iraqi girl with a broken leg, during a joint medical civil action program in Al Hamid, June 1.
When the U.S. Forces with Charlie Co, 52nd Infantry Regt, attached to 5th Bn, 20th Inf Regt, arrived at the village, the IA had already searched the clinic and the surrounding buildings, ensuring the facilities were safe enough to allow for the medical mission to occur. Meanwhile, an eager crowd gathered in the courtyard, awaiting medical care. As U.S. Forces established an entry control point, the Iraqi Soldiers cordoned off an area to search the residents before allowing them to enter the clinic. "They really took charge of the situation," said Capt. Andrew Marsh, cmdr of Charlie Co. "We couldn't have done this without them."
While people waited outside, medics and doctors from both the 296th and 5/20 Inf., both of 3 SBCT, 2nd ID, set up shop inside the local clinic, which is usually run by one doctor. It's comprised of 4 rooms, connected by a shallow hallway amid walls lined with medical diagrams, ripped straight from medical textbooks.Patients ranged from a small girl with a broken leg, to an elderly man in a makeshift wheel chair, but all were seen and given the same attentive care. "We saw at least 200 people come through here today," said 2nd Lt. John Hutchison, a plt leader with C Co. Today was a success; we had no problems, and everyone walked away with a smile."
In addition to receiving medical care, the residents were able to interact with Iraqi Soldiers, which is a rarity for them because nothing ever disturbs this quaint little town. As they waited in line for the MEDCAP, the Soldiers talked with the villagers, strengthening their relationship."There's nothing here, only desert all around between here and Iran," said Mohammed, an Iraqi co cmdr. "It was beautiful to come here to see these people, give them medicine, and help them out together with U.S. Forces.""I'm very glad that our IA partners are doing such an outstanding job," said Hutchison. "They could have easily pulled this off without us being here."
Army Spc. Nicole Langley, a combat medic with Co C, takes the blood pressure of an elderly man in a makeshift wheelchair.
BAGHDAD – ISF killed 4 suspected AQI members and arrested 3 criminal assocs during a joint security op in northern Iraq, June 5. In an area approx 40 kms south of Mosul, ISF and U.S. advisors searched multiple buildings for a suspected senior AQI leader allegedly involved in VBIED and IED attacks. As the security team approached the building in which the suspect was believed to be located, individuals inside the target compound lobbed grenades and fired automatic weapons at the SECFOR, who acting in self- defense, returned fire killing 4. Info and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest 3 suspected AQI criminal assocs.
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