Story and Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Vladimir Potapenko
KABUL -- "AAF Lt. Hashmatullah received the award for his exemplary leadership, and the fine example he sets for fellow "eagles" training in the program," said AF Lt. Col. John Howard. Col. Howard marked one instance during the past month that really singled out Lt. Hashmatullah as the "Warrior of the Month."
"He was going to be late to morning formation due to some trouble at home, so he called ahead saying that he had a plan on how to get back without missing the entire day," said Colonel Howard. It's this possession of accountability and professionalism, something that the Thunder Lab stresses, that Col. Howard believes makes Lt. Hashmatullah worthy of the honor.
"I'm very happy to be recognized," said Lt. Hashmatullah. "I've been trying very hard, and it feels good to see that paying off." The "Warrior of the Month" program is a reconfiguring of a previous initiative, "Warrior of the Week." Due to the size of the student body at the Thunder Lab decreasing, as a result of successful completion of the course, and advancement to follow-on training, Army Private First Classes Robert Harris and Sylvester White, both flight advisors attached to the Thunder Lab, came up with the idea to have a monthly award.
Most recently, members of the ADT met with Gul Rang, and Zabihulla, the owner of the demo farm site, at the Khas Konar District Center. At the meeting, ADT members and the Khas Konar agriculture leaders discussed potential cool storage locations, and the design of the greenhouse slated for installation on the demo farm.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Rick McLain, is the ADT’s project leader for Khas Konar. Despite the ADT’s accomplishments thus far in Khas Konar, McLain insisted that the team’s most important achievement so far has been to establish solid relationships with district agricultural leaders. “We want to help them in ways that will improve their long-term productivity, and we want to make sure they can sustain anything we start,” McLain said. “That means we’ve got to trust one another, and trust takes time.”
According to McLain, he's developed an especially strong bond with Rang and Zabihulla. During the Feb. 6 meeting, Gul Rang praised McLain as an “honest man” and “good partner. When Chief McLain says this thing or that thing will happen, then I know it will take place, because he's a man of honor,” Rang said.
While McLain said that his experience with Rang was that Rang too was an “honest” and “honorable” man, McLain reserved his highest praise for Zabihulla. “I’ve been to his farm 3 times so far, and he’s not a man with his hand out,” McLain said. “He reminds me of the old farmers I know in Iowa, who won’t ask you for help, but might accept it if you offer it to them the right way.”
Zabihulla is also the elder of the village, immediately adjacent to the proposed demo farm site. His sole interest in working with the ADT, Zabihulla told McLain during the most recent meeting, is improving the lives of the villagers he leads. “I've paid to put a well on this land, and I'm willing to sign a deed to give this land to the govt for the demo farm,” Zabihulla said. “I will give my time, my fortune and my land, if it will help my people.”
Soon after the search began, the Soldiers discovered several bags hidden in bushes, that turned out to be processed heroin and unprocessed opium. Further searching revealed evidence of a drug and IED-making lab.
The EOD team was immediately called to further exploit the site, and help identify unknown substances. The cache included 800 lbs of unprocessed opium, 100 lbs of processed heroin, 4 bags of sodium chloride; Bandoleer RPK ammo, 100 rounds of machine gun ammo, 4 full AK-47 assault rifle mags, 30 feet of copper wire, batteries, 3 bags of unidentified brown powder, 21 lbs of urea nitrate, a bag of hexamine, and 2 jugs of ammonia solution.
All drug-related items discovered were turned over to the ANA for evidence and destruction. The EOD destroyed all IED-making components.
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Keough and his team, Sgt. 1st Class Nealie Pearson and Staff Sgt. Josie McLean have to keep tabs on a variety of ammo for each TF falling under the 10th CAB. They also have the inconvenience of being separated from many of the units by miles of mountains and dirt. “We regularly visit the ammo supply points, and the people who run them,” Keough said. “We have to check up on the numbers we receive from the units.”
The team frequently receives reports on the stockpiles of ammo that units have, and the rates the units expend it. The team then determines the average consumption rate, and ensures that the unit has the ammo they need - without sending them too much.
“We're constantly shifting ammo,” Keough said. “We have to balance, making sure units have enough without having too much.” In addition to keeping the units supplied, Keough and his team are responsible for keeping costs down.
"He developed and enforced the brigade's Hydra-70 Rocket Recoverability program, saving the Army more than 800 damaged rockets worth over $836,000,” said Maj. Louis Barraza, the support ops officer for TF Eagle.
“There were 25 students having a class with their 2 teachers,” said Lt. Cmdr. Isgaard, CIMIC Support Team 3 officer-in-charge. “The kids were learning algebra and math. The teachers down there teach from Sat. to Thurs., from 8 to 10 for the children of Rahim Kalay and the surrounding areas.”
The current CIMIC team in Rahim Kalay is building upon the solid foundation left by the previous team members. After the last team built an actual classroom for the children to study, CIMIC Team 3 has been ensuring that class stays in session. The new CIMIC has also been lucky enough to inherit a safe and peaceful working environment. Over the past few months, the security of the local community has improved tenfold.
“Due to the improvement of the security situation, the children are now allowed to go to school,” Isgaard said. “They're coming and greeting us every time we go on patrol. They even come to say hello and talk with us.”
The markedly improved security climate will not go unappreciated in the future, as the CIMIC team is already making plans to further enhance Rahim’s education program. A larger school is already in the making in order to accommodate more students.
“Hopefully the school in Rahim will open in approx 2 to 3 months,” Isgaard said. “We hope to get some teachers from Gereshk to come and live in the village and teach the children. This will also make room for new children, not just 25 or 30 children at a time, but much more. And we’ll also have classes for females only.”
Staff Sgt. Theis Olsen, CIMIC Team 3 staff NCO-in-charge, firmly believes that this project and others like it, are not just for the short-term development of small communities. These small classrooms and school are the building blocks for a more prosperous Afghanistan.
“Education is the key for building up a country,” Olsen said. “Education is a way out of this farming country, and makes them think outside the box. It gives the kids an opportunity to be something other than farmers. For kids to know that there are things happening around the country not just in their own town, makes them understand that education is vital for the future down here.”
Lightfoot spoke of the 2 major accomplishments during his year tour. The first was helping his advisee, Col. Zalmi Amiry the mission support group cmdr, assume a more active role within the AAF. The second was building strong relationships between the 439th AEAS and the rest of the other sqdns in the wing, while supporting the mission as a whole.
Lightfoot thanked his troops one final time as the 439th AEAS cmdr. “The great things that were accomplished under my command were due to the great people that I had working for me. I couldn’t ask for a better group of airmen. I gave you the direction, and I watched you go forth and conquer,” said Lightfoot. He said that he knows that the hard work of the sqdn. members will continue under Col. Trayers’ command.
The new cmdr, Trayers, is the former Dep. Cmdr. of the 360th Recruiting Group, and was responsible for 9 sqdns which recruited the highest-quality enlisted members, line officers, chaplains, and health profession officers across the U.S. and Europe.
Trayers spoke about how he felt about being in Afghanistan. “It’s an honor for me to be standing here today. From the day that I found out that I was coming over here, I became very excited, because I was becoming a part of the great work that is being accomplished. I looked forward to this day,” said Trayers.
He also spoke directly to his subordinates in the 439th AEAS. “I'm honored to take the flag today as your new cmdr. As an officer in the U.S. AF, there's no greater honor then to be a sqdn cmdr. I looked forward to getting to know each and every one of you, throughout the coming year,” said Trayers.
Story and photos by Artur Weber
"This figure reaches up to 70%," said Polish Army Lt. Col. Kiszkowiak, Ghazni PRT dep. cmdr. Therefore the same few companies won the majority of auctions the PRT organized.
"Not because there are so few companies here, but precisely because not all companies know how to properly prepare documents," said Kiszkowiak.
"The Ghazni PRT wanted to give all the contractors the tools to competitively bid for contracts," Kiszkowiak said. "We explained how to fill out the necessary forms, what are the applicable time limits, where to send the bid, what the required attachments should include, how to communicate with the PRT, and what the most common errors are and what to do to avoid them," said Przemyslaw Kapuscinski, Ghazni PRT engr.
Gov. Khan said, "the Ghazni PRT initiative is a very good step toward improving cooperation between local contractors and the PRT. He said, "training will enable more companies to participate in PRT tenders."
The training for contractors was the first of its kind in Ghazni Prov. "We would like to have this type of training on a regular basis," said Polish Army Maj. Klimasara, PRT officer. "An additional, but very important, benefit of the training was that we could increase our database of Ghazni Prov’s companies and contractors," Kiszkowiak said.
According to the PRT, they're one of the biggest investors in Ghazni Prov. The active presence of the PRT provides dual benefits to the prov., and its residents. It enriches the prov. with schools, roads, bridges, etc., and the PRT contracts local companies, which hire local workers to complete projects.
Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ernesto Hernandez Fonte
Story and photos by Spc. Roland Hale
Feb 9, 2011 - 6:58:49 PM
"What makes the Guardian Café special is its staff," said Sgt. Corey Mankin, one of the NCOs in charge of the café. "The crews that run the café 24-hours a day make it more than just a place to eat," she said. "We're a huge morale booster for the Soldiers that come to eat," said Mankin. "Everyone's really thankful for the little things."
"The cooks making the little things, happen to come from a diverse background," said Mankin. "Some of the café's staff are culinary arts school graduates, while others entered the field on a whim," she said. "The one thing we've in common is that we all picked this job for a different reason," she said. "We've come together, and it's like we all have the common goal of making people happy."
Behind the scenes at the café, the crews work around the clock to keep the café stocked with food from the camp's main dining facility. A typical meal offers 2 or 3 meats, a starch, and a vegetable. For those flying during meal times, the café offers sandwiches and other snacks throughout the day. "We don't always have what they want, but we try to keep everyone happy," said Mankin.
Spc. Ricardo Morales is one of the brigade's cooks who work at the café. His main responsibilities are "setting up the food and making sure that it stays fresh," he said. "It's a hard job," he said. "We do a lot of work that no one sees."
Despite his busy days at the café, Morales said he prefers to work there over the camp's main dining facility. "Here we get to be more personal with the people that come in," he said. "It's good to make people happy."
The café will get new mgt. this spring, when the brigade is scheduled to be replaced by a unit from the California NG.
Sgt. Joshua Pearman, an instructor from the Combat Ready Team, 1st Sqdn., walked Iraqi vehicle crews through the step-by-step process of checking their Humvees for daily mission readiness. “We’re teaching them how to do ‘before, during, and after checks’ on their Humvees,” said Pearman.
“The class had good benefits for us, and I learned a lot of things, especially when we got our hands on the vehicles,” said IA Sgt. Dafer Hussain. Pearman led Hussain and his crewmembers through the methodical process of checking fluids, belts, tires, seatbelts, and other parts, as the Iraqi soldiers took notes, jotting down deficiencies.
“We’re teaching them how to keep the problems small, instead of letting them get bigger,” said Pearman, noting how even minor faults can place a mission in jeopardy. “It keeps the crew rolling; it keeps the mission going safely.”
U.S. soldiers of 4th AAB, 1st Cav. Div. are leading Iraqi units through a 25-day training cycle at GWTC as part of Tadreeb al Shamil, Arabic for All Inclusive Training, an Iraqi-led initiative to train IA bns on collective unit skills, as they shift to national defense ops.
“It means a lot to me, because it’s very good skills and experience,” Hussain said. “It’s also very useful for civilian life, if I get out of the Army.” Hussain said that he expects to eventually become a trainer himself, sharing the knowledge learned at GWTC to fellow Iraqi soldiers, after U.S. forces transition out of Iraq.