Oklahoma ADT agricultural assessment proves productive

Story by Army Sgt. John Sklaney III, 2-45th ADT Sgt. Maj. Lorn McKinzie, 2-45th Oklahoma ADT senior NCO, meets with Afghans from the Amad Abad District of Paktya Prov. The purpose of the meeting was to plan for future projects the Afghans and the ADT want to complete during the spring and summer.

---

PAKTYA PROVINCE – Soldiers of the 2-45th Oklahoma ADT went to Amad Abad Village, Dec. 15 to discuss agricultural projects with Afghan officials, and how to strengthen the relationship between the GoA and locals. “The ADT would like to replicate the successes of past teams, and work with the district leaders to assess the needs of the village,” said Sgt. Maj. Lorn McKinzie. "Managing the needs of the Afghans is critical to the ADT," McKinzie said. “The U.S. needs to have unity of effort in helping the Afghan govt achieve the goals of a self-sustaining govt,” said Col. Robert Roshell, ADT cmdr. “Revitalizing agriculture is crucial, because it will allow Afghanistan to become an exporter of agricultural produce, versus an importer of commodities from the outside, specifically Pakistan.” The Afghan elders discussed poultry training, which was very successful this past summer with the previous ADT. McKinzie said that the ADT would be able to conduct poultry training, since the only major requirements for the training are a place to conduct the training, a qualified Afghan to teach the course, and a list of students interested in participating. “Poultry training takes place in a classroom and practical exercise environment of approx 60 students,” said Sgt. Lacy Spanier, ADT senior female advisor. “At the conclusion of the training, each student is provided 20 chickens to take back, to continue raising and breeding.” Another agricultural project addressed by the village elders was beekeeping, since bees provide a quick, manageable and easily maintainable source of pollination of crops. Crops that require pollination in Afghanistan are apples, almonds, melons and cucumbers. “Approx 60 students from across the district are allowed to attend the training,” said Spc. Crystal Sims, ADT project mgr. The students are chosen based upon families who have orchards or farms, which require pollination for agricultural production. During the training, the students learn about bee biology, social structure of the hive, wintering the hive, feeding, and basic hive maintenance. The ADT’s mission will allow the Afghan farmers to increase agricultural production across the district, and Paktya Prov. as a whole. Increasing agricultural production will further strengthen the relationship between the govt and local Afghans.

USO Holiday Tour comes to Bagram

NANGARHAR PROVINCE – Several entertainers, sponsored by the USO, visited servicemembers. The group included comedians Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan; athlete Lance Armstrong; and special guest Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During their visit they received a short briefing on what TF Bastogne accomplished thus far in their deployment, and were escorted around the area to meet servicemembers. “Welcome to FOB Fenty,” exclaimed TF Bastogne cmdr, Army Col. Andrew Poppas. "The area has improved considerably, but it’s a hard fight wherever we go," he continued. At the conclusion of the brief, they received coins in honor of their visit to Fenty, and in return, they wished the colonel and his TF a Merry Christmas. The group was also taken to one of the hangars and shown the AH-64 Apache helicopter, an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter, and a medical helicopter. The group then visited the weapons range. They received the opportunity to fire various types of machine guns, shotguns, rifles and a pistol. “It was intense,” said an excited Armstrong after firing the M4 rifle, AK-47 and MK48. “I don’t do a lot of that. It’s pretty crazy ... a lot of power.” After firing, the entertainers and athlete made themselves available to the servicemembers at the range for autographs, conversation and photos. “It was a lot more fun than I was expecting,” said Spc. Jerrett Ransom, member of the quick reaction force (QRF), Transportation Plt, Co A, 426th BSB. “I think everyone out here had a good time shooting guns.” As their tour of FOB Fenty was winding down, the group stopped by the dining facility to eat, then gathered at the USO, where they sat, talked to servicemembers, and signed a few more autographs. “Lewis Black was a pretty nice guy, and Lance Armstrong was nice, too,” said Spc. Anthony Gordy. “I wasn’t expecting them to be as ‘hooah’ as they were.” Before departing, the group commemorated the trip with group photos with the troops at the USO building. "This was a great experience. Today was a lot of fun," said Black.

Kunar PRT attends Manogai District elections

Written by AF 1st Lt. Nicholas Mercurio, Kunar PRT KUNAR PROVINCE – More than 250 elders from the Manogai District descended upon the governor’s compound in Asadabad, to hold elections determining the 45 members of the official district shura, formally called the District Community Council. Manogai, located in the heart of the contentious Pech Valley, is currently the epicenter of violence in Kunar. However, the danger did not stop the elders from attending the elections, a positive sign of their willingness to participate in the legitimized Afghan process. Opening the ceremony, Haji Badir spoke in glowing terms of the previous shura, and shared his optimism for the future. “The previous shura was very successful,” he said. “I'm proud that we can come together as brothers, to choose our new shura.” The previous shura Badir spoke of began as a response to corruption in the Pech Valley, when 150 community leaders and elders held a public jirga in the Nangalam Hotel, Manogai District, March 5. However, instead of ostracizing their community from the Afghan govt, in effect, the people of Manogai became closer to the legitimate parts of the govt., by formalizing a community role in development and governance. These ties, which were strengthened in April when 250 key leaders from numerous tribes in Manogai established the district shura, were further reinforced by achieving the official recognition of their representative body by the provincial govt during the elections, Dec. 9. Two members of the provincial administration even call Manogai District home. One, Mea Hassan, the Dir. of the Provincial Council, who was born and raised in Manogai, provided encouragement to the elders assembled. “Manogai District is the most diverse in Kunar, and we'll make its shura something to be proud of, an example for Gov. Wahidi, and for the rest of Kunar.” An elder of the Manogai District searches for a seat before the Manogai District Community Council elections take place. Dec. 9. The elections, held at the provincial governor’s compound in Asadabad, signified the official recognition of Manogai’s shura as a governing body. An elder from the Manogai District gathers with others to elect the members of the officially recognized USAID Afghan Social Outreach Program shura. The ASOP shura program provides salaries for the elected members of officially recognized shuras known as District Community Councils.

Next step to Ghazni 2013 project

Story and photos by Artur Weber, TF White Eagle, PA Ghazni Provincial Gov. Musa Khan speaks to a crowd during the celebration of the newly constructed conference hall in the governor’s compound, Dec. 15. The building can accommodate more than 600 people, and is part of plans for Ghazni City’s World Islamic Cultural Center, scheduled to be complete in 2013. GHAZNI PROVINCE – The U.S. Amb. Karl Eikenberry and the Polish Amb. Maciej Lang were 2 distinguished visitors who attended the ceremony. The facility cost more than $185,000, and financed by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A press conference followed the meeting, during which Amb.Eikenberry announced a sister-city partnership between Ghazni City and Hayword, Calif. This partnership is in addition to the already established regional partnership between Ghazni Prov. and the Kujawsko-Pomorski region of Poland, which occurred during Khan’s recent trip to Poland. Eikenberry praised Gov. Khan, on his inclusive approach to working closely with CF on both security, development, and governance issues. Also his recognition of his vision and active approach to bringing peace and prosperity to Ghazni. Eikenberry also praised and reported the significant function of the local ANA and ANP within Ghazni.

---