Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Assaults into Zharay District to fight Taliban Page 5 Combat Engineers keep the roads safe Page 6 Zharay Children prepare to go to school with all-new school supplies and backpacks Page 7 Infan-tillery: From cannons to combat Page 8 A first-hand look at the life of a Medic Page 9 Tactical Savvy leads to Success Page 10 Faces from Home Page 11-12
Dreadnaughts Aces fight insurgency Zharay water shura studies water issues Page 13 Zharay district officials, Soldiers release five detainees from Nalgham Page 14 Hutal Residents Celebrate Eid-al-Fitr with a Concert in the Park Coalition forces kill two enemy insurgents, destroy recoilless rifle Page 15 Dreadnaught Soldiers recognized for showing courageous restraint Page 16 Building a Modern Armys NCO Corps Page 17 Spartans re-open Mullah Omars Village Page 18 Faces of the Spartans Page 20 Legal center opens in Zharay District Page 22
www.1id.army.mil www.facebook.com/pages/4th-squadron-4th-cavalry/144632792217854
Become our fan on Facebook! See the latest photos, news and video shout-outs from Spartan Soldiers! www.facebook.com/TaskForceSpartan
Spartan Soldiers and Families, Nearly two months ago, our team made history by becoming the first unit ever to reach the Arghandab River, the southernmost point in the Zharay district of Kandahar province. With the help of our partners in 3rd Brigade, 205th ANA Corps, our units continued pushing the Taliban south, and making our operational objective of To the River, a reality. As the first phase of our campaign plan To the River is now complete, it is important to note the efforts it took to get here, as well as the efforts it is taking to make our next phase of To the Core a success. Whether it was clearing new roads, building strong-points, taking the fight to the enemy in places like Nalgham and Shia Choy, and protecting the population in Hutal and Senjaray, our Spartans are winning in this demanding area. It is through their actions that the campaign plan we developed back at Fort Drum is coming off the page. The 10th Mountain Divisions Command Group just recently transferred responsibility of Regional Command-South to the 82nd Airborne Division, and have now made their way home to the North Country. The Spartan BCT was fortunate to fight for our own Division and we all believe in Mountain 6s statement, This is the time, this is the place, and we are the team. 3BCT looks forward now to fighting for the All-American Division, led by MG Huggins and CSM Lambert. All The Way, Sir! As we enter into the deployments seventh month since arriving in April, our impact on defeating the enemy is being noticed by the Afghan people, who are feeling more secure in their villages. At the local level, Afghan elders are starting their own shuras, or meetings to influence security, stability and governance among the population. In Sangsar, Spartans helped raise a giant Afghan flag, Sept. 19, that waves above the birthplace of the Taliban and hometown of Mullah Omar. Children there are attending a new school, and enjoying a sports field to play soccer and volleyball. Their families can shop at the newly-reconditioned bazaar nearby. This is a stark difference from the days when Mullah Omar hanged a rival warlord from a tank barrel in the very same spot. Our second phase of To the Core, turns our focus to the central Zharay district, where Spartan Soldiers are getting after it and making their mark known by conducting rapid air assault operations and interdicting insurgent leaders and networks. These operations are solidifying gains made against the enemy, and helping to drain them of their resources and manpower. As we approach the 30-day point in this phase, we are seeing tremendous victories being made on a daily basis. In this issue for September, you will read stories of Spartan Soldiers who are doing everything from keeping the roads and routes safe, providing medical care to Afghan women and families, capturing Taliban fighters and weapons, to training future Afghan Army Non-Commissioned Officers how to lead Soldiers. As we approach the fall season here, we are beginning our next fight a non-lethal surge with school and medical clinic openings, distributing wheat seed to area land owners and farmers, and initiating the Civil Service Department, a program that will give Afghan civilians a chance to become skilled tradesmen and open their own businesses. None of this would have been possible years ago in Zharay and Maiwand districts. The Taliban know that their grasp on the area is slipping dramatically, and the Afghan people know their families will share in the victory over the enemy this year, as they watch their children safely attend school. I continue to be very impressed with the support we are receiving from Families and Friends back home who support Spartan Soldiers on a daily basis, as well as many North Country organizations. Your actions do not go unnoticed, and its through your help that the Spartan Brigade can focus on the mission at hand, and continue to win! With Your Shield, Or On It! Climb To Glory! All The Way! COL Patrick Frank Spartan-6
Spartan Times
Sgt. Ramone Villablanca of Company C, 1st Battlion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division uses a minehound to check for improvised explosive devices after soldiers blew an anti-personnel obstacle breaching system during Operation Steel Lion III on August 27, 2011, at Strong Point Alizi in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
ingress point for insurgent activity throughout the district. Their plan was simple, but dangerous: Land behind the enemys lines of defense south of the Arghandab River and cross the dry riverbed before dawn, then clear a path through any improvised explosive devices, secure a row of compounds along the north side of the river and establish a strong point to be occupied by Afghan security forces. Instead of fighting their way in from the north as the Taliban expected, they would drop in by helicopter to the south, surprising the enemy and avoiding a swath of fighting positions and IED emplacements. Youre behind the enemys defenses so you become almost cut off from friendly support. It can be very successful, or it can be very
dangerous, said company commander Capt. Dennis Call, of Albuquerque, N.M., who led the assault. Sometimes, to be very successful, you have to take some risks. Company C knows about success and risk. Their village-based operations, in which they earn trust and gain support from locals then fortify areas with U.S. and Afghan security forces, have been hugely successful throughout the summer. But theyve had to fight for nearly every inch of ground theyve taken in Nalgham. Aside from being a major access point into the Zhari district, the region is also part of the spiritual homeland of the Taliban, having produced many of its founding high-level members. The Taliban have fought relentlessly to control it.
Continued on page 3
Since the company deployed in late March, seven soldiers have been killed and 25 wounded. Someone has been killed or severely wounded in every major operation the company has undertaken. They expected Steel Lion III to be no different. We didnt sit around and talk about it, but most people went in there thinking, Somebodys going to lose their foot, or somebody might get killed, said Sgt. 1st Class Carter Conrad, of Scottsville, Va. In the days leading up to the mission, soldiers at the companys headquarters at Combat Outpost Nalgham who werent assigned to the operation kept checking in with those who were slated to go. Hey man, be safe. Ill see you in a couple of days, they told 1st Platoons 2nd Squad leader Sgt. Jessie Arrowood, of Travelers Rest. S.C. In the back of their minds theyre like, Oh God, whos not coming back? Arrowood said. Moving out In the field near Ahmed Khan, soldiers received word around 3:15 a.m. that the helicopters were inbound. Within a few quiet moments, they were kneeling on the landing zone, ready to board. When the Chinooks landed, their powerful twin rotors kicked up a blinding cloud of earth that slammed the soldiers, dusting them like powdered doughnuts. The blast of debris caked their eye protection, and most struggled to see as they loaded and lifted off. Less than 10 minutes later, as they hovered to land, a heavy earthy scent wafted through the cabin and an unexpected rush of
Spartan Times
cool air greeted them as they filed out. The ground was moist and slippery from irrigation canals. That wasnt the dry riverbed they expected. As soldiers adjusted their night-vision goggles, they realized they had been dropped into a massive old-growth marijuana plantation, about a quarter-mile west of their targeted landing zone. Sir, are you sure we didnt land in Guatemala? Zimmerman asked Call as they readied to move out. Pushing east out of the cannabis field proved arduous for the soldiers, heavily loaded with obstacle-breaching equipment, radios, ammunition and extra rations. Marijuana plants towered over them as they slogged through the canals. Ready at dawn When they cleared the marijuana field and turned to cross the riverbed, soldiers found their footing along the smooth rocks and they significantly picked up their pace. Just before dawn, they were assembled on the north bank of the Arghandab, right where they wanted to be. As the darkness lifted, the soldiers readied themselves for the assault. The scouts flanked left as Arrowoods squad moved through the center and fired the first line charge of explosives, setting off any IEDs in their path. The rocket blew a straight line to the center compound. It couldnt have been more perfect. It was just a one in million shot, Arrowood said later. As the rest of the company moved along the cleared path, 2nd Squad pushed forward and quickly blew another line charge, which breached a mud wall on the south side of the center compound. Using an IED detecting device known as a MINEHOUND, soldiers cleared the way and moved inside. A man soon appeared and lifted his shirt to show he was unarmed. He told soldiers he was the owner and quickly offered to cooperate. If he was afraid of the Americans, he never revealed it. The scouts moved in, blowing line charges and taking another compound to the west. The rest of Company C secured yet another compound to the east. It wasnt long before soldiers had set up fighting positions around the compounds and on the roofs. They settled in for the counterattack they were sure would come that afternoon. We dont have to worry about fighting IEDs now. If the enemy comes at us, were fighting from a covered position. Thats a fight that plays to our strength, Call said. As soldiers watched from their positions, Kiowa Warrior helicopters hovered low, covering the troops on the ground. Its a welcome sight for the infantry soldier on the line, seeing the big guns overhead. Later that day, soldiers laughed and hollered as an A-10 Warthog and an F-16 fighter jet passed over in a show of force, shaking the ground as they flew by low and fast. Back at company headquarters at COP Nalgham, soldiers had been making their way into the command post in a steady stream, checking to see how the mission was unfolding. Weve given so much. Weve given lives and limbs and sweat and blood, Spc. Russell Stamann, one of the soldiers who remained back at the COP, said later.
Continued on page 4
What the guys are doing outside the wire, pushing as far as they have, is amazing. It says a lot about our companys mettle, about our companys toughness. As the afternoon drifted into evening, the owner of the compound brought out fresh grapes for the Americans, then settled in for some tea with the ANCOP officers, whom he befriended. The counterattack never came. As night fell, an air of ease settled in as soldiers began to realize they had taken the Arghandab at Nalgham without a shot fired or a soldier being blown by an IED. We leapfrogged their entire front line of defense and came in their back door, which they really didnt have guarded, Conrad said. As relief forces with Company A pushed toward the newly secured Strong Point Alizi, Company C readied for the almost two-mile hike back to Strong Point Kakaran, just south of Ahmed Khan, where their vehicles were staged. The scouts stayed behind to link up with Company A. I had a blast. That was the second most fun day Ive had in Afghanistan behind when the Mavericks won the NBA title, Zimmerman said. It is a pretty historic operation. Frank said. No one has held Nalgham in a decade. Its been a tough fight all summer. The Taliban fighters have been used to being attacked from the north, he said. This is the first time weve been able to attack their southern defense. I think they saw those helicopters land in the Horn of Panjwai and they moved out. According to Call, the moral vic-
tory couldnt come soon enough for the company thats suffered a battalions worth of casualties in the five months it has been deployed. In addition to controlling a road nicknamed Montreal that links them to Company A on the west, and securing two major fighting positions along that road, they also hold two strong points in villages in the north of Nalgham named for Company C fallen soldiers.
Spartan Times
We were all leery of the costs. Every time, its cost us blood, Call said. Now were going to build a strong point that we dont have to name after a soldier thats been killed. Article and photos by Laura Rauch. Used with permission from Stars and Stripes. Copyright 2011 Stars and Stripes.
Soldiers with Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division move forward after an anti-personnel obstacle breaching system is blown at dawn during Operation Steel Lion III on August 27, 2011, at Strong Point Alizi in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.
Spartan Times
Spartan Times
Soldiers in Alpha Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, clear a road of Improvised Explosive Devices with the Doking.
courtesy photo
Its one of the Armys remote operated arsenals, its a robot with separate attachments, said Sgt. Adonys Lendof, squad leader in Alpha Company, 3rd BSTB. It has a flail, a mine roller, and a blade and we use it to clear in front of us so we are not actually stepping on any IEDs. The Doking is about three feet high and about five feet long. The engineers have four that they use every time the battalion in Spartan brigade requests their presence on a patrol. It hasnt hit any (IEDs) yet, but it keeps us and the infantry from being the first ones down the route, said Lendof. Alpha Company Soldiers have a standard way of completing their mission as a team. We take out the whole squad (on mission), Lendof said. The Doking is in the front, the operator behind it with his security detail, and another engineer behind that with a mine detector.
The Soldiers are still adapting to their new mission in Afghanistan. Even though they are effectively using the equipment to clear roads of IEDs, most of them had never even seen the Doking until they deployed in March. However, they quickly learned how to use the equipment, and are glad for the added safety it brings them and other Spartan Soldiers. I didnt even know it existed until we got here, but its pretty easy to get the hang of, said Pfc. Nate Oncea, a combat engineer in Alpha Company, 3rd BSTB. (I) feel a lot safer walking down a route after (the Doking) has been down it, Alpha Company Soldiers play an important role in the overall Spartan mission in Afghanistan, and their new equipment is helping them accomplish that mission. We are providing mobility, counter mobility (and) survivability to the infantry, Oncea said proudly.
Spartan Times
An Afghan boy receives a new backpack from Zharay district officials and the 3rd Brigade, 205th Army Corps at Now Ruzzi school during a tour by the officials there, September 6.
Spartan Times
Soldiers in 4th Battalion, 25th Artillery Regiment, and Afghan National Army Soldiers clear a building in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, while conducting an Infantry patrol trough the villages surrounding Combat Outpost Azimjan Kariz.
courtesy photo
Spartan Times
When asked to write about a typical day in the life of an aid station medic, it confused me because there is no such thing. In the simplest terms, I am a person who does the work required of me no matter what it may be. As a female in an infantry unit, I am able to cover some areas of operation that males are not able to cover; I am able to help the Female Engagement Team by going out and engaging the entire population both male and female. That is an opportunity many have not been able to enjoy. I am able to see the family dynamics that exists amongst each family in the villages. As a medic in the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, Main Aid Station, I was afforded the opportunity to participate in two Combined Medical Engagements where we brought care to the poor families who may not be able to travel or afford medical care. We positioned ourselves in one location and the families were informed of our presence. Both engagements provided the citizens with a place to go for medical care and to discuss any issues they may be having. I have learned that, while Afghan males are cognizant of the medical facilities, the women are often not able to leave their homes and children to seek medical attention. Afghan women are the same as any female in the states. They worry about their bodies, their
Spc. Nataskie Francis, a healthcare specialist in 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment on a mission in the Zharay
courtesy photo
children, and their safety. They are welcoming, funny and they are most appreciative of any help that is given to them. As a female, I am happy to assist a fellow female, as a medic I am happy that my work is appreciated. I have also learned that as an African American female, I bring a different aspect to each engagement. With each encounter I believe I help to reduce the xenophobic views of the village inhabitants that are not accustomed to seeing someone of my skin color. In doing so, I believe that my efforts and that of every female working in this capacity are able to demonstrate that we care about building the people up and ensuring that they are able to sustain themselves in the future. When in the aid station, I nor-
District.
mally revert to my job as a healthcare specialist. I help conduct sick call for the American Soldiers as well as the Afghan National Army. At times, when a trauma such as motor vehicle accidents or gunshot wounds to local police comes in, it is my job to get vitals and evaluate my side of the casualty. While performing that task, I also remain vigilant to the needs of the fellow medics, the recorders and most especially the casualty. I concentrate on fixing the casualty, getting them packaged and evacuated as quickly as possible to the next level of care. For many, the responsibilities of a medic are a mystery, but I believe if we continue to touch the lives of everyone, whether injured or not we will affect positive changes that will ultimately benefit the populace and our Soldiers.
Spc. Nataskie Francis, a health care specialist in 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment on a mission in the Zharay District.
courtesy photo
Spartan Times
A Soldier in 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment patrols to stop insurgent activity.
courtesy photo
ity, however, they were still unable to close with and destroy the enemy. Despite returning from another patrol with nothing to show for it, Petersen learned something that would serve him well for future operations. They dont leave the area they fight from, he said. They never do. Armed with this knowledge, Petersen set out for patrol. They moved to their positions again in three elements, this time using two of the elements to draw fire from the enemy, while placing the third element in a position to surprise the fleeing insurgents. The insurgents opened fire from the same position as the last two days. As soon as 2nd platoon established fire superiority, the enemy began to retreat, but as they did, they moved directly to the third element. The Soldiers gained positive identification of an insurgent with a weapon peeking out from a
covered position. The next time the insurgent appeared, Dawg Company Soldiers fired upon the insurgent and killed him. This is what weve been training so hard for, this right here; after four or five days of being shot at and remaining patient, to finally be in the right place at the right time to take out the enemy is just what we as Soldiers need, Sgt. Matthew Lepak, an infantryman in Dawg Company, said. Petersens tactical savvy coupled with his platoons competence served as a morale boost for all of Dawg Company and TF Chosin. They are not the ghosts that are waiting to shoot at us like it once seemed, said Petersen. They are guerillas who arent well trained. We can outmaneuver them. Our movement techniques are second to none, we can move where we want and not be seen, and now they will always be second guessing about our whereabouts.
Spartan Times
Regardless of the mission set, Charlie Company will continue to conduct combined operations, build rapport with leaders and foster a relationship with the local population.
Spartan Times
coalition forces during an air assault operation in central Zharay district, August 15. Two of them were captured after riding away on a motorcycle from a suspected enemy compound. A third man riding along, remains in jail as a suspected insurgent leader. The other three detainees were captured in a different compound with homemade bomb-making material and pictures of insurgents with weapons hanging on the walls. During the release ceremony, each of the men was read an oath that said Afghan government and coalition forces leaders have agreed that their release benefits the peace and partnership between all ethnic groups. It also obliged them to become a contributing member of the community in the historic ef-
Former detainees raise their right hands during a reading of the detainee release oath by a coalition forces interpreter, during a detainee release ceremony held at the Zharay District Center.
fort to rebuild [Afghanistan]. The former insurgents then each inked their thumbprint on the oath, a traditional Afghan method used in place of signing a document. Haji Abdul Wali and the Mullah also signed sections of the oath guaranteeing the mature and peaceful future actions of these men. Before their release, the five men were enrolled into a biometrics database, which would alert coalition forces if they are ever detained again for insurgent activity. Col. Frank concluded the ceremony by reminding each of the men that in Pashtun culture, promises are kept, and their thumbprints on the oaths signified their obligation to stay away from insurgents operating in the area.
Spartan Times
It was a complete and extremely pleasant surprise to see a local band had set up and was playing for all the children and adults alike, said Lt. Col. Kidd. The park was thriving and everyone was in good spirits. The people of Maiwand have truly taken ownership of the new Hutal Park. Eid al-Fitr is a three-day Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramazan, the month of fasting for Muslims. Afghans celebrate it by visiting with family and friends, hosting dinners and parties, and even buying new clothes.
An enemy insurgent team armed with an 82mm recoilless rifle was killed and the weapon destroyed after coalition forces observed the team firing a round toward a coalition forces base near Ghariban. At 2:20 p.m., Sept. 11, coalition forces observed three suspicious persons near the village of Burmohammed carrying the recoilless rifle. One of the insurgents then fired a single 82mm round towards Strong Point Gariban, a nearby base occupied by Soldiers with Combined Task Force Spartans 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regi-
Spartan Times
Soldiers in D Company, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment were recognized by Col. Patrick D. Frank, commander of 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, for courageous restraint in combat, September 4.
expected of his Soldiers while they are deployed and in hostile environments. You dont fire on reflex, you assess on reflex. The 2-34 Armor Soldiers realized that even though they were getting shot at, it was just a mistake that their Afghan partners were making because of misinformation and not a hostile attempt to harm them. While it was within their rights as Soldiers to shoot back and defend themselves, these Soldiers choose to take the high-ground. Instead of immediately returning fire at the Afghan base, they took cover and waited to clarify the situation with the Afghans. After a few minutes, the Afghans realized that they were shooting at American Soldiers and not at insurgents like they had initially thought.
These guys did the right thing, they held off, they paused then carefully moved back to the checkpoint to (talk) to the check-point commander, said Kidd. Americans and Afghans were able to discuss the issue immediately afterward. After discussing the issue, Soldiers found out that the reason the Afghans shot at the American Soldiers was because the bases leadership failed to inform the tower guard that Soldiers would be coming onto the base to work with them. What we have right here is a squad that has done it perfectly, (they) are a textbook example of how those engagements should go, said Col. Patrick D. Frank, commander of 3rd IBCT.
Spartan Times
An Afghan Soldier in 4th Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 205th Afghan Army Corps, graduates the Non-commissioned Officers Academy.
When creating the idea for a Non-Commissioned Officer Academy for junior NCOs, Headquarters Battery realized it needed to focus on one particular topic: the company-grade planning and decision making process called the Troop Leading Procedures. One major obstacle to this goal, however, was an inconsistent literacy rate. Though it is an Afghan Army requirement to have some basic literacy skills to become an NCO, the level of education varies greatly, due to thirty years of conflict in the war-torn country. We recognized that Afghans are a very visual people. To teach them effectively, we needed to teach them in a way that spoke to them, not the way we are used to teaching US Soldiers, said Sgt. 1st Class Wardell McGhee, from Cleveland, Ohio. We realized that many Afghan Soldiers were very interested in map reading, so thinking about this when we were building the classes, gave us the
perfect idea. HHB leadership tailored the instruction around the Troop Leading Procedures in planning for a short tactical mission as the courses capstone exercise. By teaching junior NCOs how to read a map, they were able to graphically depict mission building and utilizing a terrain model, or sand table to orally brief their mock mission to fellow students. I can now use what I learned here and brief my Soldiers before each mission. When my Soldiers know what is going on, they perform better. said Sergeant Ashuqullah Logari, the distinguished honor graduate from the first NCO Academy Class. One ingenious idea to assist the students in remembering what they had learned, was to create a smart card that followed the lessons taught over the two-week course.
Continued on page 19
Spartan Times
Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill, the command senior enlisted leader for International Security Assistance Force, participates in a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside leaders from the 3rd Brigade, 205th Afghan Army Corps, during a ceremony to kickoff projects in Sangsar, the birthplace of the Taliban, Sept. 19.
NCO continued
U.S. Soldiers constantly rely on their own smart cards, so creating one for the ANA makes sense. If all the course fundamentals are on one document that can easily fit in your pocket, youre more likely to reference it and more likely to use it, said Sgt. Erik Marconi, from Indianapolis, Ind. McGhee, the primary instructor for both classes of the Afghan NCO Academy, is the spirit behind the training. He knows that his instruction not only provides the tools to develop effective junior leadership in a fledgling army, but that his students in the classroom today, may be receiving enemy fire and faced with important decisions on the battlefield tomorrow. The best way to continue the lessons learned in the classroom is to encourage effective partnership immediately following graduation.
Spartan Times
The Afghan National Army Basic Sergeants Leadership Course at FOB Azizullah prepares junior leaders to lead ANA soldiers and to foster a professional working relationship between ISAF, U.S. and ANA Forces, McGhee said. By teaching, coaching, and mentoring these junior ANA leaders in accordance with Afghan and U.S. military doctrine, on basic leadership tasks and drills, (our) forces will improve their working relationships and better understand what it takes to work together for a common goal. When Americans think about the War in Afghanistan, armed conflict is often the first image they think of. However, a vital part of the coalition forces mission is to support the growth in capacity and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces. Without placing the development of our Afghan counterparts first and foremost, the American military cannot hope for a long-term and sustainable peace for Afghanistan. Headquarters Battery of 4-25 Field Artillery, clearly understands the importance of training future Afghan Army leaders, and by using effective teaching methods, they have ensured that the armys Non-Commissioned Officer Corps has all the tools to develop into a highly successful security force for the benefit of the Afghan people. At the conclusion of the graduation ceremony, Caywood expressed his thoughts to his fellow NonCommissioned Officers. These Soldiers should be proud of what they accomplished in two weeks. To make you realize that what your battery implemented can shape the senior leaders of the Afghan Army tomorrow, truly makes this mission worth it, he said.
An Afghan Soldier in 4th Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 205th Afghan Army Corps hands graduation certificates to ANA Non-commissioned Officers that have completed the NCO course, Sept. 18.
Schools continued
Today, a giant Afghan flag was raised, a new school was opened, a village bazaar project was completed and a sports complex with volleyball courts and soccer fields was opened, Carabello continued. The opening of the school is a significant event for not only the Afghan people, but for Spartan Soldiers as well. The school is a symbol of the progress that is being made in the area through the partnership and hard work between Spartans and their Afghan counterparts. It shows the Soldiers of the Battalion that their hard work and efforts are recognized and appreciated throughout the command, said Helwig. It helps provide validity to the work they have been doing; many times our Soldiers do the projects and ship them out without ever seeing the end result. With this initiative they were able to see the project all the way through to completion.
Spartan Times
Members of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, have a piece of home with them while they are deployed in South Afghanistan. A Syracuse University basketball and football were sent to give the troops an Orange connection.
The Afghan flag was raised at the Sangsar
School, Sept. 19.
photo by Spc. Melissa Stewart
An infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, patrols with an Afghan National Army Soldier through the villages of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Soldiers in 2-87 Infantry have worked hard to build a strong relationship with Afghan National Security Forces, as well as local villagers in their areas of operations.
Spartan Times
Judges, district officials, and lawyers from all over Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, cut the ribbon officially opening the new Zharay District legal center, Sept. 13.
by Staff Sgt. Daniel Jones, and the welders of 710th Brigade Support Battalion, the Legal Center was transformed from four connexes to its present form in just over six weeks. Once in place, the Zharay District center and the Community Service Department took over, painting the center in a matching color scheme, and building a brick courtyard between the buildings. New furniture and carpeting added the final aesthetic touch. This was a real team effort, said Larchick, There is no way this could have come together as quickly and as well as it did without the combined efforts of everyone involved. The new Legal Center is multipurpose: it provides a workspace for prosecutors, and also serves as a venue for those wanting to settle minor grievances or address other legal issues. The hope is that it will eventually serve as a centerpiece for higher-profile court cases. Such visibility will help promote rule of law efforts throughout the prov-
ince, as well as serving notice to the local population that a legitimate judicial process is in place. Afghans have grown accustomed to living in a state of lawlessness, and, until recently, under Taliban rule, where a strict interpretation of Sharia (law) often resulted in harsh punishments, including public executions. The aim of the legal center is not to undo the past, but rather to build hope that future systems will protect its citizens, and provide a means to facilitate and manage both criminal and administrative legal matters. The building is made of wood, steel, and cement, but its foundation is built on the most basic ideal of jurisprudence: that all persons enjoy certain inalienable rights and freedoms, and that those rights and freedoms should be protected by government institutions and due process considerations. The legal center is the first step toward that idea and in building a better and more just Afghan society.
Contributors
Spartan PAO Section
Capt. Kevin Sandell PAO OIC Staff Sgt. Bruce Petitt PAO NCOIC/ Broadcast Journalist Sgt. Patrick Guerra Broadcast Journalist Sgt. Melissa Stewart Print Journalist/ Layout and Design
Spartan Times
Capt. J. Kevin McKittrick 4-25 Field Artillery Chaplain (Capt.) Omari Thompson1-32 IN Public Affairs Representative Capt. Benjamin Roark 4-25 Field Artillery 1st Lt. Matthew Lecours 4-25 Field Artillery 1st Lt. Safir Lakhman 2-34 Armor Sgt. 1st Class John Santamaria 3IBCT Legal Spc. Nataskie Francis 2-87 Infantry