Khowst PRT helpKhowst PRT helpsssecure easternsecure easternAfghanistAfghanistan an - Page 10- Page 10

JJune 11,une 11, 20072007 wwwwww.cfc-a.centcom.mil.cfc-a.centcom.mil

Freedom Watch Page 2 June 11, 2007

ArmyArmy celebrates 232nd birth-day with ‘Call to Duty’WASHINGTON - Installations andcommands all over the world will cele-brate the Army's 232nd birthdayThursday.

With the theme "Call to Duty -Boots on the Ground - Army Strong,"the celebration honors Soldiersanswering the call to duty during oneof the most dangerous periods in his-tory.

"Today's Soldiers symbolize thenobility of selfless service," said Sgt.Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston,reflecting the Army's heritage. "Today'sSoldiers are motivated by an unwaver-ing belief that they will be victoriouson the field of battle, because we havefought this way since 1775 and alwayswill."

Special birthday events beganSaturday and continue through the fol-lowing week, with a cake-cutting cere-mony at Walter Reed Army MedicalCenter Tuesday and a Twilight TattooWednesday at the WashingtonMonument.

On Thursday, Acting Secretary ofthe Army Pete Geren, Army Chief ofStaff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. andPreston will participate in the annualwreath laying ceremony at ArlingtonNational Cemetery's Tomb of theUnknowns.

Air Force Californians honor youngestservice with Air Force Week SACRAMENTO, Calif. - TheCalifornia governor officially declared

here June 4 the start of Air ForceWeek, which was designed to informand educate the public about theimportant roles the Air Force plays insupport of the nation's defense.

There were numerous events sched-uled throughout Air Force Week,which ran through June 10 includingperformances by Tops in Blue, an openhouse at Beale Air Force Base, Calif.,and the Capitol Air Show featuring anaerial demonstration by the U.S. AirForce Air Demonstration Squadron,the Thunderbirds.

"Our nation's Air Force is one ofthe most elite military organizations inthe world," Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger said. "It forms thecornerstone of our nation's defensestrategy and its ranks are filled withthose who tamed the wild blue yonderto ensure the safety of our sky. Duringthis time of war, we extend a specialsalute to those currently serving inconflicts around the world."

"I was honored to join with my col-leagues in the California state capitol tohonor the Air Force," said CaliforniaLt. Gov. John Garamendi. "It's was avery, very good week."

DoDGates emphasizes importanceof Krygyz Air Base in fightingterrorBISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan - DefenseSecretary Robert M. Gates June 5

thanked Kyrgyzstan for its continuedsupport for operations in Afghanistanand the Global War on Terrorism.

During a joint news conference herefollowing a meeting with Lt. Gen.Ismail Isakov, the Kyrgyz defense min-ister, Gates said he looks forward toexpanding the two countries' bilateralrelationship and security cooperationarrangements.

Gates said his "frank discussions"with Isakov addressed a range ofissues, including the continued U.S. useof Manas Air Base to supportCoalition efforts in Afghanistan. Acontingent of about 1,000 U.S. troopsbased here provides logistical supportfor Operation Enduring Freedom.

The secretary reminded reportersthat use of the base - an issue that hasgenerated debate in some circles here -is critical in fighting global extremism.

"I think what is important for thepeople of Kyrgyzstan to understand isthat our use of Manas is in support ofa larger war on terror in whichKyrgyzstan is an ally of virtually everyother nation on earth," Gates said.

Gates emphasized the impact the airbase has in that effort. "We are allworking to try and prevent a resur-gence of the Taliban in Afghanistan,"he said. "Our use of Manas is one wayin which Kyrgyzstan can play a verypositive and constructive role in coop-eration with many other nations, notjust the United States."

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry Simmons

Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chiltontalks with Christina, 4, (left) andIsabella, 5, after the Air ForceWeek California ProclamationCeremony June 4 at Sacramento,Calif.

Photo by Cherie A. ThurlbyDefense Secretary Robert M.Gates conducts a news confer-ence with Lt. Gen. IsmailIsakovich Isakov, Krygyzstan'sdefense minister, in Bishkek,Kyrgyzstan, June 5.

ContentsPAGE 2

Defense DigestPAGE 4Honoring fathers this Father’s DayPAGE 5Reporters visit Bagram for media dayPAGE 6ROK forces host Asian-pacific Heritage DayPAGE 7Secretary of Defense visits troops deployed to KandaharAirfieldPAGE 8-9

82nd Airborne goes ‘All the Way’ during OperationAchillesPAGE 10Khowst PRT winning the fight in AfghanistanPAGE 11Freedom FocusPAGE 12Task Force Pacemaker builds FOB Logar from scratchPAGE 13ANA trains, leads with support of SoldiersPAGE 14Airmen clean up around Camp Cunningham

Freedom Watch Page 3June 11, 2007

COVERSpc. Thomas Siler, 2nd Platoon, 1st Battalion, 151st

Infantry Regiment gunner in the Arizona National Guard,gives his squad leader the thumbs up after setting up a secu-rity checkpoint near the site of a ceremony celebrating theopening of a new district center for Sabari district inKhowst province, Afghanistan. (Photo by Army Pfc. MicahE. Clare)

Freedom Watch is a weekly publication of Combined Joint Task Force-82.

CJTF-82 Commander Army Maj. Gen. David M. RodriguezRC East Public Affairs Officer Army Lt. Col. David A. Accetta

Freedom Watch, a Department of Defense publication, is published eachMonday by the American Forces Network - Afghanistan Print Section atBagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Printed circulation is 5,000 copies per week.

In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4, this DoD newspaper is anauthorized publication for members of the U.S. military overseas.

Contents of the Freedom Watch are not necessarily the official view of, orendorsed by, the U.S. government or the Department of Defense.

Deadline for submissions is noon local each Friday. All submissions aresubject to editing by the AFN-A Print Section, located in Bldg. 415, Room205, Bagram Airfield. We can be reached at DSN 318-231-3338.

88--99Photo by Army Sgt. Tony J. Spain

Paratroopers from 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute InfantryRegiment, 82nd Airborne Division patrol through the "heart ofTaliban country" of the Sangin valley in the morning as OperationAchilles continues in the Helmand province of SouthernAfghanistan.

77

Photo by Army Sgt. Tony J. SpainU.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates sits down with troopsin an open forum conversation at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan,June 4.

Freedom Watch StaffCommander - Air Force Maj.

John BryanSuperintendent - Senior Master Sgt.

Richard SimonsenNCOIC - Air Force Staff Sgt.

Oshawn JeffersonEditor/Print Chief - Senior Airman

Brian Stives

Visit the CJTF-82 Web site atwww.cfc-a.centcom.mil

COMMENTARYPage 4 Freedom Watch June 11, 2007

By Senior Airman BrianStivesAmerican Forces Network -Afghanistan

A 12- and 10-year-old boy and achainsaw ...

I'm not sure what picture thosewords paint in your mind, but inmy mind, that picture isn't pretty.

My 12-year-old mind, on theother hand, wasn't thinking aboutthe horrors of what could havehappened when I decided, alongwith my brother, to use our grand-father's chainsaw during the con-struction of our Top-Secret SuperG.I. Joe Fort in the desert behindour grandparent's home inChaparral, N.M.

Construction was well underwaywhen we ran out of material tobuild the walls of our super fort.We knew there was no way on earthwe could defeat Cobra (G.I. Joe'snemesis) with a half built superfort, and with the future of theworld at stake, we felt it was ourduty to use my grandpa's chainsawto cut down a few small mesquitebushes to finish the fort.

We got a little carried away andcut down more bushes than weneeded. What we didn't need forthe fort, we left lying on theground.

No doubt we saved the worldfrom Cobra's evil tyranny, but wenearly lost our backsides in theprocess and not from a fast-moving,highly-sharpened chainsaw blade.

I only remember my dad beingangry once or twice while I wasgrowing up, but this bush-cuttingincident was one of those times.He was livid when he came homeone afternoon and asked if weknew who cut down the bushes onour grandparent's land. Being a

brave (and sometimes brain-celldeficient) boy, I confidently said,"No," and left the room beforeanyone could figure otherwise.

For months afterward, I lived infear of the doom I knew wouldinevitably come when my dadfound out the truth. I didn't returnto the Top-Secret Super G.I. JoeFort for a long time. I decidedCobra could take over the fort andthe entire world - as long as my dadnever found out what I'd done.

More than 10 years later, I finallyworked up the courage to tell himwhat really happened. I think I was22, and I made sure I had a thickbook stuffed firmly in the seat ofmy britches whenI told him I wasthe moron who'dcut down thebushes and lied tohim so many yearsbefore. I wasrelieved when hesimply chuckledabout it, onlyvaguely remember-ing the details.

But that's theway my dad isabout many of thenegative thingsI've done in mylife. He doesn'tremember most ofmy failures, buthe's got a prettygood memorywhen it comes tomy achievements -both as a child andan adult.

Now that I'm afather, I believethat's how manydads are. I know Idon't remember

many of the bad things my son did,but I can tell you all about thetimes he's made the A-honor rolland trophies he's won bowling.

I've always wished my dad ahappy Father's Day, but now thatI'm following in his footsteps, I'mlearning to truly appreciate what awonderful dad he's always been.

I hope everyone who reads thisstory has similar tales they remem-ber about their fathers. But the twomost important things to rememberas we honor dads this Father's Dayare: first, don't let your child playwith a chainsaw; second, make sureyou tell your dad he's special thisSunday.

Honoring fathers this Father's Day

Photo by Alex Dorgan-RossAir Force Staff Sgt. Joe Neubaur holds his daugh-ter, Katlyn, in the passenger terminal after return-ing from a deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan,as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Neubauris assigned to the Dover Air Force Base, Del., 436thAerial Port Squadron.

Story and photosBy Spc. Nathan W. Hutchison 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -Local and international media representa-tives visited here Tuesday for a com-mand-hosted mediaday organized bymembers of theCombined JointTask Force-82Public AffairsSection and MediaOperations Center.

The media weregreeted at the gateand airfield by publicaffairs personnel andescorted to the JirgaCenter for an intro-duction to CJTF-82 leadership.

Army Maj. Gen. David Rodriguez,commanding general, 82nd AirborneDivision and Combined Joint TaskForce-82, addressed the 28 media dayattendees on the mission and commit-ment to the Afghan people.

"Media specialists play a key role insupporting free speech and the capabilityto keep the people of Afghanistaninformed," said Rodriguez.

The reporters were then invited intothe Egyptian and Korean hospitals, themain contributors in treating injured andill Afghan citizens in the Bagram area.

Several militaryleaders briefed themedia on the effortsby American andCoalition forces toensure safety andsecurity while pro-viding aid toAfghanistan in ahazardous, andsometimes hostile,environment.

Additional brief-ings included operations and intelligence,projects and education in Kapisa andParwan provinces, the rewards programfor weapons information, improvisedexplosive device awareness and media onthe battlefield.

After lunch, the media was driven tothe flightline where Army Staff Sgt.

Albert Culanding and his team gave ademonstration on escalation of force.

This event involved tactical militaryvehicles and support from several Armypersonnel.

"It's good to let the media and localpeople know the steps we take to ensuretheir safety, as well as that of their fami-lies," said Culanding, a mobile reactionforce section leader.

Culanding said that their (Soldiers) jobis to find and prevent potential threats,but the sanctity of innocent lives is amajor priority.

The media also saw aircraft used byCoalition forces in Afghanistan.

"The media day was very good, and it'snice for us to be involved in the militaryand Coalition activity," said AhmadHanish, a reporter from Radio Liberty.

Hanish said the Afghan people areuninformed so they don't always differen-tiate between the Russian forces beforeand Coalition forces here now.

"This is quite different, so it is our jobto inform the people about their(Coalition forces) efforts," said Hanish."The Afghan people get the wrong ideaabout foreign forces, so when they hearabout the achievements of Coalitionforces it is very good."

NEWSJune 11, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 5

Reporters visit Bagram for media day

Reporters interview some of thepatients at the Egyptian hospi-tal, one of the main hospitalsproviding treatment to the localpeople.

Republic of Korea Lt. Col. Ill Kor Kim, ROK hospital commander, discussestheir role in aid to the Afghan people during media day.

“The media day wasvery good, and it’s nicefor us to be involved in

the military andCoalition activity.”

- Ahmad HanishRadio Liberty reporter

NEWSPage 6 Freedom Watch June 11, 2007

Courtesy Republic of Korea Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -The Republic of Korea Support Group,participating in Operation Enduring

Freedom at Bagram Airfield,Afghanistan, held "Asian-Pacific HeritageDay" May 31 to display the beauty ofKorea's culture and the excellence ofROK Armed Forces with an exhibitionkiosk, lunch buffet and variety of shows.

Asian-Pacific Heritage Day is a cultur-al festival hosted by Combined Joint Task

F o r c e - 8 2every year. Ithelps providethe Coalitionforces fromthe AsiaPacific regionwith anopportunityto share theirtraditional cul-ture and intro-duce theirarmed forces.

This helps enhance understanding withone another and set the condition for asmooth combined operations.

For this event, the ROK SupportGroup prepared Taekwondo demonstra-tions, which is increasingly gaining popu-larity on the base, and a dance perform-ance by B-boy. Also, a cultural exhibitionkiosk was set up to display Korea's histo-ry, culture and the ROK Armed Forces'contributions to world peace.

"ROK Forces Support Group is seenwith much value by the Coalition forceson BAF, not only as a Coalition partnerparticipating in Operation EnduringFreedom, but also as a vitalizing factor inlife on BAF," said ROK Col. Jang SooJeong, ROK Forces Support command-er. "We will continue to make efforts topromote the prestige of the Republic ofKorea and Republic of Korea ArmedForces."

ROK forces hold Asian-Pacific Heritage Day

Story and photoBy Army Sgt. Timothy DinneenRegional Command-East Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD,Afghanistan - A deputy supply officerserving with Combined Joint TaskForce-82 will be driving a new 2008Toyota Tacoma pickup truck he wonin the annual Braxton Bragg Chapterof Association of the United StatesArmy raffle when he returns to FortLee, Va.

Army Capt. Jaren Paul Powell, aWashington, D.C., native, bought thewinning raffle ticket from Sgt. 1stClass David Moore.

"I've always felt being a member ofa team includes supporting programsand activities within the Army com-munity," said Powell. "They (AUSA)are one of the voices of the Army tohelp with things Soldiers depend onlike medical care and retirement. It

helps the Army family."The self proclaimed "die hard"

Washington Redskins fan and free-lance sports photographer said heenjoys touring Civil War sites and willtake advantage of his new wheels toexplore the rolling hills of thePetersburg Battlefield in Virginia.

"I chose the slate metallic ToyotaTacoma because of its dependabilityand reliability compared to the rest ofthe vehicles," Powell explained as onlya supply officer could when choosingamong the 10 vehicles offered. "It willsave on delivery charges for movingand hauling."

Powell will receive his new truckwhen he redeploys to Fort Lee andsaid winning the ticket was unexpect-ed.

"You never expect to win or havesomething like this happen to you,"Powell said. "You kind of wonder ifanyone ever really wins raffles andclearing house drawings. I was justsupporting the program."

Soldier wins 2008 Braxton Bragg automobile raffle

Army Capt. Jaren Paul Powell,Combined Joint Task Force-82deputy supply officer , won the2008 Braxton Bragg automobileraffle.

Photo by Petty Officer Second Class Janell PaughMembers of the B-boy performance group dance duringthe “Asian-Pacific Heritage Day” celebration May 31.

Courtesy International SecurityAssistance Force Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Af-ghanistan - During a visit toAfghanistan, U.S. Secretary ofDefense Robert M. Gates shookhands and sat down with 30 service-members at Kandahar Airfield in anopen conversation forum June 4.

The U.S. troops candidly talkedabout their experiences while ondeployment and had a chance to askquestions of the secretary.

"It was good to meet him. It’s notevery day you get to meet theSecretary of Defense," said ArmyPfc. Brian Chiassom, HeadquartersHeadquarters Company, 1stBattalion, 508th Parachute InfantryRegiment, 4th Brigade CombatTeam, 82nd Airborne Division. "Itwas a good experience all around. It

was a relaxed environment. Everyonefelt comfortable asking questions tothe Secretary of Defense," he contin-ued.

The Secretary also met with lead-ers at the Regional Command-Southheadquarters to discuss operations inRC-South.

NEWSJune 11, 2007

It’s nice to meet you.DariAz deedean-e-shuma khoosh halshudam.(Oz dee-dawn-a-shoo-mash hooshhaul shoo-dahm)

PashtuDa tasoo leedena sokha khoosh halshooma.(Dah tah-soo lee-deh-nah sow-ha hooshhaul shoo-mah)

On average, Afghans in the U.S. place a high value on education. In Islam, education is valuedmore than wealth. Most children of Afghan refugees and Afghan immigrants are college-educatedor enrolled in a university.

Dari/Pashtu phrase of the weekDari/Pashtu phrase of the week

Photo by Eric Aubrey

Freedom Watch Page 7

Photo by Army Sgt. Tony J. SpainU.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates sits down with troops in anopen forum conversation at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, June 4.

Secretary of Defense visits troopsdeployed to Kandahar Airfield

Gereshk.The Sangin valley is one of the most

productive poppy growing regions inthe world. That, coupled with its repu-tation as a Taliban stronghold, madeconducting missions in the valley a truetest for the Paratroopers.

"The fighting in Sangin was a lotmore intense," said Spc. Jacob Allen,3rd Platoon, Company A, 1/508th."There was a lot more Taliban activitythan what there was during the Ghorakmission," he said.

In the Sangin district, Paratroopersbegan their assault clearing buildingsand ridding the area of Taliban. Then,after completing the mission, theyhelped the local Afghans communicatewith the IRoA and provide security.Much of the same was to be expectedon the mission near Gereshk.

Unlike missions in Iraq and else-where in Afghanistan, the terrain doesnot allow the luxury of a HMMWV.Paratroopers must move on foot carry-ing all their gear as they advance for-ward through poppy fields, jumpingirrigation canals and fighting theTaliban into the dawn.

Finally getting a chance to rest, theseexhausted Paratroopers made a com-mand post out of an Afghan farmhouse. They set up guard positions

around the perimeter and found a placeto sleep on the rock-hard, unevenground beneath them.

"I applaud all the efforts of theseguys. They have tolive under fairly aus-tere conditionswhen they come outhere. There are noFOBs (ForwardOperating Base),there's no internet,there's no ice creamor dining facilities.So they have tosuck it up a littlebit," said Mennes.Winning heartsand minds

After most ofthe fighting dieddown, theParatroopers movedinto phase two oftheir operation,which consisted ofproviding securityand humanitarianassistance to thelocal populace.When a father showed up with his sick11-month-old child at the Paratrooper'scommand post, Spc. Fred Rawcliffe,

combat medic,3rd Plt., Co. A,1/508th wasthere to provideaide.

"His dad toldme he had beenvomiting on andoff for about amonth and hehad diarrhea,"said Rawcliffe."I just checkedout some of thecommon causesfor childrendoing that, likeear infections, orpossiblyteething."

Rawcliffe also found out that theywere still feeding the child dry milk andthat he was not eating a lot of solidfoods.

"I told them heneeds to be comingoff the milk, espe-cially if it is not hismom's milk, and goto solid food. Also,make sure to keephim hydrated incase he is teething,"said Rawcliffe.

Events like thesecould win over sup-port of the Afghanpeople and make iteasier for theParatroopers toaccomplish theiroverall mission.

According toMennes, the meas-ure of success isnot about bodycounts of enemyTaliban combatants,but rather givingthe people of

Afghanistan a sense of security in theirgovernment so they can bring in theANSF for long term security.

"In this part of the operation, whatwe try to do is accomplish a networkwith Afghans and help them form astable, peaceful and prosperousAfghanistan," Mennes said.

One of the main methods to do thisis to host local shuras to meet local eld-ers and discuss problems and concernsin their local area.

Mennes says the purpose of theshuras is to try and establish a contactbetween his Paratroopers and the localsas well as between the locals and IRoA.

"In Sangin, we were really success-ful," said Mennes. "We stood up thefirst couple of shuras and after that theAfghans started running their own."

The 1/508th hosted three shuras forthe locals and a medical engagement tohelp Afghans who need treatment.

June 11, 2007 Page 9Page 8 Freedom Watch FEATURE

“I applaud all the effortsof these guys. They

have to live under fairlyaustere conditions when

they come out here.There are no FOBs(Forward Operating

Base), there’s no inter-net, there’s no ice cream

or dining facilities. Sothey have to suck it up a

little bit.”- Army Lt. Col. Brian Mennes

1st Battalion, 508th Parachute InfantryRegiment, 82nd Airborne Division,

battalion commander.

Story and photos By Army Sgt. Tony J. Spain22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

HELMAND PROVINCE,Afghanistan - The sounds from roar-ing engines and spinning rotors fromthe British CH-47 Chinook piercethrough the night as the aircraft carriesParatroopers of the 1st Battalion, 508thParachute Infantry Regiment, 82ndAirborne Division, on an air assaultmission into the lower Sangin Valleynear Gereshk district.

Landing under the cover of darknessin southern Afghanistan's Helmandprovince, the "heart of Taliban coun-try," the back ramp of the Chinook

drops and Paratroopers make their wayoff the helicopter to pull security. TheChinook begins to kick up dirt anddebris as it roars off into the darknessleaving these Paratroopers in the poppyfields of the Sangin Valley.

This is the latest air assault missionfor the 1/508th in a series of sub-oper-ations under "Operation Achilles," anoperation ongoing since early March.Many of these Paratroopers spent morethan 40 days in the first and secondsub-operations of "Achilles," only toreturn to the battlefield after a six-dayregrouping period.

It is just another day for the elitegroup of Paratroopers from the 82ndAirborne Division. The Paratroopershave a rich history since World War IIof living up to their "All the Way"motto by doing whatever it takes toaccomplish what their country asks ofthem.

These Paratroopers are going intoplaces that have not had a previous U.S.presence and are being met with heavyresistance at times, said Army Lt. Col.Brian Mennes, battalion commander,1/508th. "It shows there is nothing

they can't handle with competence, andthat is impressive," he said.

"Achilles" was launched at therequest of the Islamic Republic ofAfghanistan government and is thelargest Coalition operation to date. Itinvolves approximately 5,500 ISAFSoldiers, including 1000 Soldiers fromthe Afghan National Security Force andclose to 1000 Paratroopers from FortBragg's 82nd Airborne Division.

Nicknamed the "Red Devils," the1/508th continues to play a key roll inconducting the largest air assault mis-sions of Operation Enduring Freedomin a region that has not seen militaryoperations since the Soviet Union'soccupation in the 1980's.

There have actually been three sepa-rate operations within "Achilles," saidMennes.

The first mission was in the Ghorakvalley and was pretty calm, he said, andexcept for some minor skirmishesTaliban fighters were virtually nowhereto be found.

The second and third missions tookplace in the Sangin Valley, one in theSangin district and this one near

82nd Airborne goes ‘All the Way’ 82nd Airborne goes ‘All the Way’ during Operation Achillesduring Operation Achilles

Army Pfc. Emanuel Alzate, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, is on patrol asthe sun rises in the Sangin valley of Southern Afghanistan. The Sangin valley is one of the most productive poppygrowing regions in the world and has a reputation as a stronghold for drug lords, Taliban and al-Qaida making it oneof the most dangerous places for Coalition forces in Afghanistan.

A look into Achilles:How Paratroopersplayed key rolls in

two phases of operations

Army Spc. Fred Rawcliffe, medic, 3rd Platoon, CompanyAlpha, 1/508th PIR, 82nd Abn. Div., checks the ears ofan 11-month-old child during phase two of their opera-tion in the Sangin valley in Southern Afghanistan.

Story and photoBy Army Pfc. Micah E. Clare 4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASESALERNO, Afghanistan - Less than 10miles from trainingcamps that producedmany of the Sept. 11,2001, terrorists, ateam of Coalitionservicemembers areworking together tomake sure the area,once home to OsamaBin Laden's organiza-tion, becomes anenvironment that willdeny such people asupport base everagain.

But for this joint-service team, spear-heading the fight against terrorism inEastern Afghanistan's Khowst provincedoesn't involve executing tactical militaryoperations, but in providing reconstructionassistance.

The Khowst Provincial ReconstructionTeam, based at Forward Operating BaseChapman near Khowst City, serves as themain effort in rebuilding Khowst provinceby distributing humanitarian aid, mentoringlocal government officials, planning forconstruction projects and providing securi-ty for important events, said Cmdr. DaveAdams, commander of the Khowst PRT.

"We're a reconstruction organizationwith a military arm," Adams said.

PRTs were established in Afghanistanwhen it was realized in 2003 that unitsneeded to focus on winning the securityfight, and a separate military organizationwas required to head up the badly neededreconstruction efforts.

The Navy and Air Force answered thecall and stepped up to assist, explainedAdams, a submarine officer of 21 years,

who volunteered for this command.A team of military advisors, United

States Agency for InternationalDevelopment and Department of Stateofficials, joined together as a PRT; a boardof directors working to synchronize theirefforts and resources.

The Khowst PRT has brought assis-tance to the provincein the past few yearsby sending its ArmyCivil Affairs teams tolive in local commu-nities to send backupdates on areaneeds. Many con-struction projectssuch as irrigationsystems, diversiondams, wells, schoolsand roads have beenset into motion bythe PRT in this way,Adams said.

"These projectsserve not only to improve the quality of lifefor the residents, but also to put shovels inthe people's hands, providing them withjobs," Adams said.

A big part in bringing these quality oflife improvements is the necessity for secu-

rity, he said.This is where the PRT security force

comes in, typically provided by the ArmyNational Guard.

"Good security is vital for the PRT'smission to be successful," said Army 2ndLt. Cory Marr, platoon leader for theArizona National Guard’s 2nd Platoon,Company B, 1st Battalion, 158th InfantryRegiment, who provides security andmaneuver support to the Khowst PRT.

The security is beginning to take care ofitself, he said.

The overall security in Khowst hasimproved greatly, which is the result oflocals seeing the many improvements thathave come in the past year, the fruit of theirefforts in securing a safe environment,Marr said.

This has allowed the PRT to extend itsreach, he explained.

"In some of the more remote places wego, the locals have become extremely help-ful to us," said Spc. Doug Schletz, aninfantryman in 2nd Platoon. "They used tolook at us like we were aliens, but recentlythey've seen what we're here to do forthem, like seeing us helping the ANSF pro-vide security for many of their events."

This is a big step forward in winningthe fight in Afghanistan, Adams said.

June 11, 2007Page 10 Freedom Watch NEWS

Khowst PRT winning the fight in Afghanistan

“These projects servenot only to improve the

quality of life for theresidents, but also to

put shovels in the peo-ple’s hands, providing

them with jobs.”

- Cmdr. Dave AdamsKhowst Provincial Reconstruction Team

commander

A convoy from the Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team visits a dis-trict center in the Spera district of Khowst province, Afghanistan. ThePRT members visited Spera to assess the area's security situation.

Cephas AndersonUnit and occupation: World Wide LanguageResources supervisorTime in the military: Six yearsHometown: Killeen, TexasWhat service do you provide on BagramAirfield? I ensure the packages everyone onBagram sends has the proper postage (if any isneeded) and meets other requirments to besent.Most memorable moment in Afghanistan:Meeting all the different people who comefrom Washington, D.C. to visit all the Soldiers,Sailors, Marines and Airmen here.What do you miss most about home? I miss my family.Hobbies: I like playing chess and reading.The first thing that you're going to do when you get

back: I am going to visit my church.Interesting personal fact: I am a minister preaching at thechapel here and just love helping and meeting people.

June 11, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 11FREEDOM FOCUS

If you have high-quality photosof servicemembers supportingthe Coalition mission or enjoy-ing well-deserved off-duty time,please e-mail them to free-domwatch@swa.army.mil.Please include full identifica-tion and caption information,including who is in the photoand what action is taking place.Photo by Cmdr. Tim Zysk

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELDPHOTOS FROM THE FIELDNavy Lt. Morgan Ellison,Combined SecurityTransition Command -Afghanistan DetaineeOperations Department per-sonnel officer, works withthe Afghan National Army toinventory AK-47s prior totransfering them to the ANAGuard Force.

Photo by Senior Airman Brian Stives

NEWS

Story and photosBy Army 1st Lt. Kenya V. SaenzTask Force Pacemaker Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASELOGAR, Afghanistan - Combatengineers are building a forward oper-ating base from the ground up in theLogar province. The completion ofthis new FOB, which is in a key loca-tion, will reinforce the link betweenU.S. forces and Afghan NationalSecurity Forces.

The 585th Engineer Companyfrom Fort Lewis, Wash., is construct-ing 26 wooden shelters, called ButlerHuts, to provide living quarters forthe Soldiers. Two larger woodenstructures, called Sea Huts, are beingbuilt for use as a Dining Facility andTactical Operating Center. Guardtowers, latrines and laundry facilitiesare also being built. The constructionat FOB Logar will support up to 300

Soldiers."The con-

struction isgoing well. Theproject is esti-mated to becompleted bymid-summer,"said Army Cpt.Samuel Escobar,the 585th En.Co. commander

At FOBLogar, the 585this establishingpositive rela-tionships with local nationals, AfghanNational Army and the AfghanNational Police.

"The intent is to link up with theAfghan National Army and shareresponsibilities," Escobar said.Currently, the ANA and ANP are aid-ing the engineers by helping providesecurity at the FOB. They also ensurethe contracts with Afghan civilians

run as smoothly as possible."It is a great honor to build a FOB

from scratch where you can actuallyemploy a full company to conducthorizontal and vertical constructionsimultaneously, which also requiresgreat emphasis on synchronizing thelocal national contractors, life supportand equipment readiness for such amission," said Escobar, a Rio Piedras,Puerto Rico native.

The combat engineers of the585th are setting the pace inAfghanistan. They have the ability toconstruct roads and build FOBs any-where in Afghanistan. FOB Logarwill be able to provide future troopswith the facilities needed to accom-plish missions. FOB construction,such as Logar, will enable joint andmulti-national forces to partner withAfghan forces in order to enhancethe stability and security ofAfghanistan.

Page 12 Freedom Watch June 11, 2007

Task Force Pacemaker builds FOB Logar from scratch

Soldiers of the 585th Engineer Company secure cor-rugated metal from a crane to place as the roof of theguard tower.

Soldiers of the 585th Engineer Company horizontal construction pla-toon level the land to place wooden living quarters.

By Army Sgt. LeeAnn Lloyd22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP TOMBSTONE, Afghan-istan - Making sure the AfghanNational Army is properly equippedwith the logistics and supplies it needsto conduct operations throughout thecountry can be a difficult task, but ateam from the 205th Regional SecurityAssistance Command is up to the chal-lenge.

The 3rd Brigade Logistics SupportTeam here works day in and day out tomake sure the ANA's 3rd Kandak, 205th"Hero" Corps, is taken care of so thoseANA troops can go out and take care oftheir own. The LST also serves as back-ground support to British OperationalMentoring Liaison Team, whose directmission is to teach and mentor ANASoldiers about Western doctrine.

"Essentially our mission is to providethe ANA [with] what they need supplywise, and to ensure the British are teach-ing them American doctrine," ArmyCapt. Matthew Blackwelder, supply offi-cer with the 3-205th said.

Blackwelder said the thought strikesmany as odd: Why would British Soldiersteach American doctrine to the AfghanArmy? The answer is simply that the Waron Terrorism remains a multinationaleffort as Afghanistan moves toward astate of peace and prosperity.

"By and large, the British way of doingthings is much like [ours]. Their standingoperating procedures do not differ dra-matically from ours, but the terminologyis different … So sometimes you justhave to cut through the different vernac-ular to get to where you're going,"Blackwelder noted.

Maintaining doctrinal continuity is avital part of providing solid mentorship tothe ANA, according to Army Maj. MarcDaniels, the 3-205th operations officer.

"The ANA have subscribed to our

doctrine. What that means is you can'tteach them one type of doctrine downhere in the 205th, and then be able to goback up to the 207th or the 209th andteach those Soldiers different doctrine.We are trying to establish continuityacross the board, so the ANA can func-tion with any kandak (similar to U.S. com-pany size) throughout the country andthe same standards still apply, regardlessof the location of the Soldier," he said.

The willingness to learn, coupled withthe tenacity of Afghan soldiers, neverceases to amaze Blackwelder.

"Tactically, they know how to fight, andthey're not afraid to fight. They are tough.They are very willing to go out and dowhat needs to get done," Blackwelder said.

Daniels recalled a recent event whentheir 3-205 LST supply convoy was hitwith an IED, and the ANA were rightthere to help move supplies out of thedamaged vehicle. They also proved them-selves during that event when an escala-tion of enemy forces in the area attackedwith indirect fire. Daniels said the ANAdismounted their vehicles and chargedinto fields without hesitation. The ANAwere successful in detaining eight insur-gents that day, even after one of theirown vehicles hit a mine and was disabled.

"The ANA, they reacted very well.They reacted exactly as they were sup-posed to in a situation like that," he noted.

The knowledge that the ANA has ofthe terrain and local villages plays a vitalpart in ensuring the security of ISAFforces.

"This is their country, they know theground. In fact, after that ambush, theyended up pointing things out that mademe wish I had included them in the plan-ning process. There are things I may havepicked up on if I had one of them withme leading the convoy," Daniels said.

One thing that seems evident to theLST is that the ANA has the ambitionnecessary to perform the missions thatensure the security of their people.

"When it comes to fighting and beingwarriors, these guys are all over it,"Daniels said.

LSTs throughout Afghanistan willcontinue to provide the support neces-sary for soldiers of the ANA to sustainoperations, because they know that oneday, the ANA will be able to handle it ontheir own. The Soldiers of the 3-205thLST have seen first-hand how the ANAis capable of fighting the good fight astheir potential continues to shine throughwith every mission.

NEWSJune 11, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 13

ANA trains, leads with support of Soldiers

Photo by Army Capt. David Kline Two Soldiers with the Afghan National Army help Soldiers fix a tireafter the vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device April 10in Helmand province.

Story and photosBy Air Force Staff Sgt. Craig Seals455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - Airmen from the 455th AirExpeditionary Wing have been vol-unteering their spare time to helpclean up an area of CampCunningham at Bagram Airfield,Afghanistan in order to make roomfor a living condition upgrade.

Airmen living in CampCunningham currently reside inButler Huts that have lasted beyondtheir original expectancy. The currentplan is to relocate the B-Huts to acleared off area of the camp to makeway for sturdier relocatable buildings.

"As of right now, we're startingoff with 18 of the huts to relocate,"said Chief Master Sgt. Russ Pollard,455th Expeditionary MissionSupport Group chief enlisted man-ager and mayor of CampCunningham.

"We've been working on this everyday for the last few weeks," said

Pollard. "One of our biggest hurdleshas been the moving of the barriers

at the edge ofthe camp. Thesolution is tohave our civile n g i n e e r i n gfolks assist withthe moving."

"We've hado u t s t a n d i n gshow of effortfor sandbagremoval, butthere is more tocome. This isjust phase oneof the project,"the chief said."We've got adeadline of

June 15 to move the first of the B-Huts."

While the clean-up effort has onlybeen going on for a few weeks,enough Airmen have volunteeredand the clean-up is nearly complete.

The 18 selected B-Huts will bemoved to the cleared off area of thecamp while the new relocatablebuildings will be placed in the B-Huts' original spots.

While the displaced Airmen mayexperience a few growing pains orinconveniences, this project is aimedat the long-term improvement ofAirmen's living conditions while sta-tioned here.

Any Airman interested in volunteer-ing to assist with the clean-up or withany other Camp Cunningham projectmay contact Pollard at 231-3258.

FEATUREPage 14 Freedom Watch June 11, 2007

Airmen clean up around Camp Cunningham

Airmen from the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing remove sandbags inpreparation for an upgrade to the deployed Airmen's living quarters onCamp Cunningham at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan May 22.

Senior Airman Bradley Luu, 455th ExpeditionaryCommunications Squadron, removes sandbags inpreparation for an upgrade to the deployed Airmen'sliving quarters on Camp Cunningham

ENTERTAINMENTJune 11, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 15

Fill in thegrid so thatevery row,every col-umn, andevery 3x3

box contains the

digits 1through 9.

SUDOKULast Week’s Solutions: Difficulty: Medium

Puzzle courtesy of Pappocom

By Air Force 1st Lt. Tony Wickman

Alaskan Command Public Affairs

ACROSS1. First American Army gener-al8. Blueprint10. Oklahoma town11. Train12. Clauswitz's famous "___ of

war"13. Singular tooth (two words)15. Sign of Aries17. CENTCOM leader forOEF/OIF18. Ancient army weapon20. Mil. pay statement21. Used to increase music out-put23. Zeus' wife25. Indian princess28. stock offering (abbrev.)

30. Follower of Communistleader32. Spring mon.34. Army bed36. Mar37. General: got 1953 Nobelprize40. Army field need41. Actress Arthur of GoldenGirls43. Story44. Abides by46. Pie ___ mode50. General: "Old Blood &Guts"54. General: "I shall return"59. Nobody (two words)60. Army branch61. Sphere62. Worry63. Noble gas64. Still

DOWN1. Pancake alternative2. Idolize3. Epics4. Pontiac muscle car5. Soft mineral6. Last general with 5 stars7. Emperor who let Romeburn?8. General: led US in WWI

9. Army branch13. Alias abbrev.14. Above ArmyCommendation Medal16. Honest ____19. Disney22. Type of Italian dish24. Duty for Beetle Bailey26. "The Greatest"27. Number of lives a cat has?28. Middle East country29. Army commissioningsource31. Last Army CJCS33. ALS, SOS, ISS, AWC35. State home to Wright-Patt38. Path, in short39. Army gear harness(abbrev.)40. Box-shaped wagon on rails42. Cleopatra killer?43. Coach45. Thai money47. Den48. Teen concern49. Period51. Old English for at once52. Singer Keith53. Succeeding55. Back part of a ship56. Explosive57. Vase58. Type of bread

Happy Birthday, U.S. Army

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Freedom Watch Freedom Watch June 11, 2007June 11, 2007