KHOWST PROVINCE – For more than 100 years, there's been a battle ensuing within the Gorbuz District. The Nasradin and Bouri Kheyl tribes have been fighting over rights for occupancy and ownership of the Natgul Village. With multiple regime changes throughout the past century, each tribe holds some type of legal documentation that says the village is theirs.
In June, the fighting escalated with a total of 7 tribal members being killed between the feuding factions. The 2 groups set up fighting positions in the mountains, resulting in a stalemate lasting several months. “When they were up in the mountains, you couldn’t tell the difference between them or the insurgents,” said Army Capt. Joseph Malone, Co A, 3rd STB cmdr.
Through intense talks, CF were able to bring the tribes into an agreement to meet one another. From that point, GoA members began to work negotiations. "After much debate, each side partially agreed to a set of conditions that will once again help make the Gorbuz District one of the safest zones in Khowst Prov," Malone said.
The 1st condition was to bring their fighters out of the mountains, and relinquish their fighting positions. The tribes abandoned those positions in accordance with GoA’s Oct. 26 deadline.
The 2nd condition came to fruition Nov. 7, when when each tribe turned in their weapons in Khowst. “The biggest thing is that now the Gorbuz District govt can focus elsewhere,” Malone said. “They can focus less on fighting, and more on reconstruction and rebuilding.”
While the dispute is far from settled, the tribes are taking steps in a peaceful direction, allowing GoA the opportunity to take the lead and attempt to settle the conflict. “It's a great pleasure that tribal chiefs from both sides came to me and promised that they would dismantle all their posts and lay down arms,” said Gov. Naimi. “They also promised they would resolve their disputes through dialog in a peaceful way.”
The land dispute is set to be determined through the Khowst court system. Both tribes are willing to allow the judicial system to determine rightful ownership. “The 2 tribes swore they would accept all the resolutions of the mediators, and would live in peace and harmony with each other after that,” Naimi said.
Story and photos by Capt. Anthony Deiss
"November 11 is a day of reflection upon 'the heroism of those who died in the country's service, and with gratitude for the victory’ of the American Armed Forces in The Great War," continued Honken, quoting Pres. Woodrow Wilson, who originally recognized Armistice Day in 1919, commemorating the end of World War I. "Some 30-years later, under Pres. Eisenhower, that same honor of remembering the sacrifices of our nation’s fighting force was extended to all veterans, regardless of the conflict in which they served."
"I'm proud to be a veteran here in Afghanistan on Veterans Day," added Spc. Cassandra Hiemstra. "I'm the first one in my family to be here, and I feel very proud to serve for all the people that have fallen."
Two-time Afghanistan-war veteran Command Sgt. Maj. Darwin Rahder, said that this holiday has more meaning for him, as he watches younger Soldiers like Hiemstra experience it here. "The most exciting part of being deployed for a 2nd on Veterans Day is to watch the first-time deployed servicemembers being here on this day," he said. "Next year when they're home, it will have a whole different meaning to them."
During the ceremony, Chaplain Honken called for a moment of silence to honor America's veterans from all the conflicts, campaigns and wars in which they've served, and to show gratitude for their selfless heroism.
"I'm very proud to be a first-time deployed Soldier in Afghanistan on Veterans Day," said 2nd Lt. Michael Warkenthien. "I'm very honored to be serving in the footsteps of all the veterans who've gone before us, and sacrificed their lives before us."
Johnson said that training has gone very well, and the ANP has made significant strides in their progress. With an eventual handoff of operational control to the ANSF, and potential U.S. troop withdrawals, TF Patriot involvement with ANSF training is something to watch for in the upcoming year.
US Agencies Team Up to Support Iraqi Universities
Jeff Lodermeier, asst. cultural affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, speaks to a class of students at the University of Basra-N about scholarship opportunities and study abroad programs. (Photo by 1st Lt. Eoghan Cullen)
English language specialist, Christina Chandler, also provided training to English professors on the campuses. "The training seeks to modernize the skills of English professors and their students, many of whom will become English teachers in the future," Chandler said.
Along with sharing new paths of education with these students, and new ideas of instruction with professors, the PRT opened a door for communication between students and American Soldiers.
This came as a change of pace for the Soldiers, as they were enthusiastically received by the students at both campuses.
"Students will come up to you just to talk, showing what they've learned," said Sgt. Christopher Sorensen. "This is my 2nd tour in Iraq, and my first time to have a chance for these kinds of interactions."
This type of interaction and support from U.S forces and ISF is exactly what Lodermeier hoped to gain from these visits. "These students are the future of Iraq," said Sgt. William Tyrell. "The knowledge that they obtain at universities will help make Iraq a more stable country."
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Story and photo by Spc. Roland Hale
Looking back after nearly 9 months of deployment, the 28-year-old twins, (in twin-like unison), said that they never expected to be in Iraq, or the military for that matter. “We do everything together, obviously, and we’ve done lots, but we never thought we’d be doing this,” said Lane.
Before they enlisted, Lane and Casey graduated from East Carolina University with bachelor’s degrees in psychology. They returned home looking for work, and after 2 years of working odd jobs, decided to give the Army a shot. “In college you couldn’t get us anywhere near a recruiter, ROTC, or anything like that,” said Lane, “but after a few years, we started to get interested in the possibility of joining.”
“We thought we could join the Army in a mental health related field, and help out the troops coming home with issues like PTSD,” said Casey. No positions were available, however, and the twins enlisted as communications specialists – not quite their first choice, but they figured that after spending a few years among the enlisted ranks, they could transfer to the mental health field with a little front line experience.
They've still managed to get some psychology related work in between their normal duties though. Both sisters have taken turns working at the Taji Warrior Resiliency Campus, a facility on Camp Taji designed to provide deployed troops with access to mental health support, and other tools to build their morale and welfare. “We’re very lucky to get to work here,” said Casey. “We get to help people, sometimes if it’s just by talking to them.”
Some peers in their unit have named Lane and Casey the 'double trouble,' "which fits, they said, because they are “like 1 mind in 2 bodies.” The twins’ similarity doesn’t end at their uncanny resemblance, they said. Lane and Casey earn the same Army physical fitness test score, eat the same food, read the same books, and use the same words.
“Being twins is fun, and it’s normal for us; we’ve been sisters our whole lives,” said Casey. “I think that being in the Army, and especially being in Iraq, has brought us even closer than we were before.”