State Department leadership visits team Nangarhar

Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides and Ambassador William Todd, Coordinating Director for Development and Economic Affairs for the Afghan Embassy, visited Forward Operating Base Finley-Shields, March 16, to review progress made in Nangarhar and assess the state of civil-military relationships within the units stationed here.

“We’re just trying to be informed on what you all do here,” Nides said. “Your civ-mil relationship makes me very proud.”

The visit began with a briefing on operations in Nangarhar led by U.S. Army Col. Andrew Poppas, Task Force Bastogne commander from Janesville, Wis.; Kate Byrnes, TF Bastogne senior civilian representative from Sarasota, Fla.; and David Gallalee, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team civilian team lead from Washington, D.C.

The topics of the briefing ranged from standard military operations aimed against insurgent forces to the state of governance and development in the region.

“I think the delegation was very pleased with our operations,” Gallalee said. “We were able to articulate the successes we’ve had here in eastern Afghanistan and received a lot of helpful feedback from the deputy secretary and his team.”

Following a tour of the base, the deputy secretary and his staff gathered the civilian personnel from across Nangarhar to discuss challenges they face in a largely military-run environment.

“As far as I’m concerned, the military and civilians here in Nangarhar work incredible well together,” said Gallalee. “Both of our cultures offer a unique perspective on this fight and bring a different set of tools to the table. Only by working together can our vital mission here in Afghanistan succeed.”

Nangarhar PRT visits licensed rickshaw factory

(From left to right) Dr. Rodney Stubina, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team senior field program officer from Gainesville, Fla.; Mouhsen Habib, Nangarhar PRT provincial governance and development officer from Lake Forest, Calif.; and Laiq Shah, Nangarhar PRT senior deputy field program officer, talk with Halliem Gul, owner of the only licensed rickshaw factory in the Nangarhar Province March 2.



U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team commander from Dallas, watches two of the 30 employees at the rickshaw factory in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province attach an engine onto its frame March 2.



Halliem Gul (left), owner of the only licensed rickshaw factory in the Nangarhar Province of eastern Afghanistan, explains the process to fabricate some of the parts used during assembly to Laiq Shah (right), Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team senior deputy field program officer, and Dr. Rodney Stubina, Nangarhar PRT senior field program officer from Gainesville, Fla., March 2.

During a tour March 2 at the only licensed rickshaw factory in Nangarhar, vehicle bodies are stacked to the ceiling waiting to be placed on a frame. The factory generally produces about 30 rickshaws a month.

Nangarhar PRT connects with Zangoui

The Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team conducted a dismounted patrol March 7 to Zangoui to get to know local residents and discuss challenges faced by the village.

“We’re out here trying to connect to the people and show them that we have a vested interest in, not only our security but theirs as well,” said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Kevin Peterson, Nangarhar PRT security advisor from Littleton, Colo.

According to one villager, one of the most prominent issues in Zangoui is a lack of power.

“We don’t have electricity from the government, so we use personal generators, which cost 70 rupees (about 80 cents) per kilowatt,” said Dawo Jan, painter and resident of Zangoui.

Other villagers cited concerns ranging from security to agricultural challenges.

The unit also engaged with the local children. According to Peterson, the PRT often acts as friendly representatives for the coalition in Nangarhar, and Afghan children are normally the first to engage the unit to discuss their lives.

At one point, Peterson found himself surrounded by a crowd of kids near a school. He learned from them how to count to 10 in Pashto and showed the children how to count in English.

“You guys have to tell me if I’m doing it wrong,” Peterson said to the children after struggling to say eight in Pashto. “You guys are my teachers.”

Given the close proximity of Zangoui, the PRT often makes these missions on foot.   In addition, dismounted patrols traditionally include multiple groups of personnel interested in talking with the villagers. At one time during the visit, the PRT had four separate conversations going on along a relatively lengthy stretch of road. All the moving pieces and lack of armored vehicles make keeping everyone safe a difficult task, but U.S. Army 1st Lt. Rico Piatelli, Nangarhar PRT infantry platoon leader and resident of Danvers, Mass., thinks it’s worthwhile all the same.

“I love getting out here and talking to kids,” Piatelli said. “A lot of times, you go on missions and everything moves quickly. This gives you a chance to get out here and talk to these kids and the adults. You get to have a good time and relax a little bit, even though it is a heightened security risk.”

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Rico Piatelli, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team infantry platoon leader from Danvers, Mass., plays catch with Afghan children during a mission to Zangoui Village March 7.