Celebrating Eid and sports one volleyball game at a time

Photos by Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team - Public Affairs

091128-AF-2222C-062: NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Locals from the Lowkar and Dareng villages play in a volleyball tournament to celebrate Eid and to encourage children to play sports instead of doing drugs, Nov. 28. The volleyball tournament held in the Lowkar village had an attendance of about 200 people, featuring 32 teams made up from villagers from the Alingar and Nurgram districts. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

091128-AF-2222C-111: NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Lt j. g. Stacy Gross, from Lakeville, Minn., the information operations officer for the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, speaks with Said Rahman, the chairman of architecture from Lowkar village, about future construction projects for the Alingar District during the volleyball tournament to celebrate Eid and to encourage children to play sports instead of doing drugs, Nov. 28. The volleyball tournament held in the Lowkar village had an attendance of about 200 people, featuring 32 teams made up from villagers from the Alingar and Nurgram Districts of eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province. The Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team provided Abdual Raqeeb, the event organizer from Nangarach, radios and volleyball to hand out during the five day tournament. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

NURISTAN PRT CIVIL AFFAIRS TEAM WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS OF AFGHAN PEOPLE

Story and photos by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins
Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team - Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. servicemembers from the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team traveled to Forward Operating Base Blessing in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province to rebuild a connection with local Afghans.

“We were sent here to FOB Blessing to represent the central valley of Waygul and Wama,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. John McGlocklin, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Nuristan civil affairs team at FOB Blessing. “Because the people here don’t always have the means to travel all the way to FOB Kalagush, they have easy accessibility to the PRT with us here.”

The civil affairs team has been at FOB Blessing since mid-July and is attempting to develop relations with the community by giving them the means to initiate small self-help projects, such as water canals and storage tanks for clean water and better overall sanitation conditions, according to U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Burgess, Nuristan PRT civil affairs specialist.

So far, 23 projects valued at more than $70,000 have been distributed throughout various villages across the Waygul and Wama area. PRT members believe a major reason Afghans join with the Taliban is the severe lack of money. Employing Afghans with self help projects gives them economic development and teaches them alternative avenues to make money other than farming.

“There are five major valleys in the northern portion of the Task Force Lethal Area of Operation, and the Afghanistan PRTs impact two of them…Kunar and Nuristan. The civil affairs team here interacts with the people much more and communicates with the sub-governor almost weekly. That’s very important,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Brian Pearl, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Division commander at FOB Blessing. “They literally tie government and development together, from village, to district, to overall provincial level.”

When the local people saw Coalition Forces wanting to help, a spark ignited in them and they were more welcoming. Governors, village elders and shura leaders meet with the team often to discuss the progress of current village projects and the plans for future development in the area.

“We are the only ones here in this area,” McGlocklin said. “We need to remain accessible to the Nuristanis so they can receive the help they need from us.”

“The biggest thing is the interaction with village elders and local government in the Waygul and Wama valley,” Pearl said. “Once you empower the government, then you can reestablish relationship with the people. Without the PRT, the government and the community would be separate.”

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin Brzezniak, left, from Matawan, N.J., and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. John McGlocklin from San Antonio, Texas, with the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, sit with Muhammad Osman, the sub-governor of the Waygul District of eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, and shura members during a meeting to discuss ongoing projects in the area, on Forward Operating Base Blessing, Nov. 18. Osman hires local Afghans to work on PRT-funded projects, and meets with the civil affairs team twice a week to request additional supplies for self-help projects. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

091120-F-7498H-025: NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – A child from the Waygul District of eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province load bags of cement provided by the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team into a truck on Forward Operating Base Blessing, Nov. 20. Muhammad Osman, the sub-governor of the district, met with the civil affairs team two days prior to request additional supplies for self-help projects. Once he has a signed self-help project request form from the villagers, the form is sent to the PRT commander for funding and support. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

Nuristan PRT visits Alingar schools

Photos by SrA Ashley Hawkins

Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team- Public Affairs

 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Spc. Jason Dixon Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team civil affairs team member, hands out a self help project request form to a boys' high school teacher while visiting and assessing literacy within the Alingar District of eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Nov. 24. The PRT routinely visits local villages to promote education and literacy within the area, and help provide a stable economy for the people. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Teachers of the girls' high school show text books and daily lessons to the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, while team members visited and handed out self-help project request forms to the villagers of the Alingar District of eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Nov. 24. The PRT routinely visits local villages to promote education and literacy within the area, and help provide a stable economy for the people. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Servicemembers from the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team talk with the girls' high school teachers while visiting and handing out self-help project request forms to the villagers of the Alingar District of eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Nov. 24. The PRT routinely visits local villages to promote education and literacy within the area, and help provide a stable economy for the people. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Sgt. David Starkey with the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team security force guards a classroom while the team talks with teachers of the Alingar District girls' high school in eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Nov. 24. The PRT routinely visits local villages to promote education and literacy within the area, and help provide a stable economy for the people. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

Happy Thanksgiving

From all the servicemembers at Kalagush, happy Thanksgiving and we wish we could have celebrated with our loved ones.

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Capt. Erik Nerdalen, from Hicksville, N.Y., carves a turkey before serving Thanksgiving dinner to civilians and troops on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Nov. 26. It is the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment's tradition for senior non-commissioned officers and officers to serve their Soldiers during the holiday season to show their appreciation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

(U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

(U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

 

(U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

 

(U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

Nuristan PRT battles H1N1 misinformation

By Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne
Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team servicemembers took to the airways, Nov. 19, to combat misinformation put out by anti-Afghan forces about the growing H1N1 flu virus epidemic in eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province. U.S. Navy Lt.  Jennifer Dreiling, from

McLean, Va., the senior medical officer, and U.S. Navy Lt j. g. Stacy Gross, from Lakeville, MN, the information operations officer for the PRT broadcasted the public health messages about the virus on Radio Kalagush, a U.S.-funded Afghan radio station that broadcasts from Forward Operating Base Kalagush. 

According to Gross, the messages informed people how to react to the common cold or H1N1, signs and symptoms, and what to do if they suspect they have H1N1.

AAF in Nuristan province have been spreading misinformation on how the H1N1 is contracted and where it comes from.

 “Part of the aim of the messages themselves is to dispel those rumors like you can contract the disease by eating pork or that H1N1 was brought to Afghanistan and spread by Coalition Forces,” Dreiling said.

According to Gross and Dreiling, every radio message that Nuristan PRT puts out with useful information about the virus, is another opportunity to take power away from the enemy’s information campaign.

Dreiling felt that the radio messages were successful because, “the radio messages makes the people feel like they have control of their own situation, and it’s empowering for them to know what’s going on around them.”

The Nuristan PRT releases public health radio messages at least once a week, and the radio stations replays them throughout the week.

NURISTAN, PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Lt.  Jennifer Dreiling, from McLean, Va., senior medical officer for the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, records a radio message on Radio Kalagush, a U.S.-funded Afghan radio station that broadcasts from Forward Operating Base Kalagush, in eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, educating locals about the H1N1 flu virus, Nov. 19. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2^nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

Martin Specht, Focus Photography

Thank you Martin for telling our story. For more pictures taken by Martin Specht go to our facebook page!

 

 

 

Thanks again Martin :)

PRT Nuristan Congratulates Newly Promoted Servicemembers and Award winners

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – (From left-right) Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan, congratulate newly promoted servicemembers  Air Force, SrA  Destiney Dowdy, an Aerospace Medical Journeymen, from Russellville, Arkansas and Army Sgt. Joel Myers, Infantry, from San Antonio, Texas, November 13. (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

NURISTAN, PROVINCE, Afghanistan - (From right-left) Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan, congratulate award winners of the Army Achievement medal, Navy, OS1 Kathleen Leach, from Smithfield, Rhode Island, and Navy, HM2 Robert Dailey, from Rutherford, New Jersey, November 13. The Army Achievement Medal is awarded only in a combat area of operation, for distinguishing oneself by meritorious service or achievement. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

NURISTAN, PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan congratulate both newly promoted servicemembers and award winners of the Army Achievement Medal, November 13.  (U.S. Air Force/photo 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

Marine Corps ETT partner with 2-77 Field Artillery Steel Warriors to train ANA in artillery

By U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne
Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Forward Operating Base Kalagush’s Marine Corps Embedded Training Team 5-5 along with Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force Steel, teamed up to train Afghan National Army Soldiers on the D-30 122mm Russian howitzer, Nov. 11.

“The ANA do artillery training five times a week, along with infantry tactics and they conduct patrols to show locals that they have a government presence within their area,” said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Bradley Brill, the team’s leader, and Sitka, Alaska native.

The artillerymen were firing at a site used by anti-Afghanistan forces to launch attacks on FOB Kalagush. It was the first time the ANA were firing a counter-fire operational mission.

“I have taken it on as my personal mission to ensure these men of the ANA are capable of doing independent firing operations,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Forsyth, 2nd Bn., 77th FA Regt. commander and Mayfield, Ky. native.

The ANA went through a seven-week certification program, similar to the training that U.S. Army artillerymen receive to be certified on their weapons.

“If we can’t get them operating independently and have them do their job without us, then we’re failing our mission,” Forsyth said. “Part of our combined action plan for them is to become sound, confident artillerymen and have the ability to secure their nation.”

Once the ANA finished the certification process, the Marines and the Soldiers hopes heightened that they will be able to do their own firing missions and man their weapons 24 hours-a-day, like the Coalition Forces on FOB Kalagush do.

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Marine Sgt. Joshua Winans, from Utica, Ohio, observes as a member of the Afghan National Army verifies the coordinates of the sector of fire before loading and firing off 122mm artillery shells from a Delta 30 howitzer on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Nov. 11. The ANA were conducting a mission to shoot out a point of origin the anti-Afghan forces were using to set up rocket attacks on the FOB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins) (RELEASED)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Marines with the Embedded Training Team show members of the Afghan National Army how to properly load and fire 122mm Russian artillery shells from a Delta 30 howitzer on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Nov. 11. The ANA were conducting a mission to shoot out a point of origin the anti-Afghan forces were using to set up rocket attacks on the FOB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins) (RELEASED)

Happy 234th Birthday Day Uinted States Marine Corps

By Air Force 2^nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Provincial Reconstruction Team-Nuristan- Public Affairs

FOB KALA GUSH, Afghanistan – Kala Gush Marines celebrated the Marine Corps  234th birthday with fellow their fellow Marines in Meterlam with cake, laughter, and reflection of the USMC history, November 10. 

Marine Corps, Gunnery Sgt. Judah Crawford, 1st Lt. Bradley Brill, and Sgt. Joshua Winans, pose for a picture at the Marine Corps 234th Birthday in Meterlam, November 10. The Marines are with the Regional Corps Advisory Command Central, a part of the embedded training for the Afghanistan National Army, deployed on Forward Operating Base Kalagush. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

Nuristan PRT engages Tupak and Naylar villages with community self-help development projects

By U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne
Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team visited Tupak and Naylar villages Nov. 7, to assess the recent community self-help projects, which included the Nuristan PRT providing fertilizer for villagers and materials for a protection wall for Tupak’s girls school.

The Nuristan PRT has created an opportunity for communities to get involved with small-scale projects. Community self-help projects are projects costing under $5,000, where the PRT will provide either the materials, funds, or both, as long as the community provides the labor. The labor for the projects is on a volunteer basis.

“I believe that these projects benefit the Nuristanis because it gives the community pride in what they do,” U.S. Navy Cmdr. Rodney Ottinger, executive officer for Nuristan PRT, from Knoxville, Tenn., said “If you have to build something yourself, you are more likely to take care of it. The same concept applies for the community self-help projects, if they build a protection wall or retaining wall, they are more likely to protect it and fight against Anti-Afghanistan Forces who may try to destroy their work.”

In Naylar, many families who were unable to afford fertilizer this crop season were given fertilizer.After elders applied for the self-help project, the Nuristan PRT provided 124 bags of fertilizers to 100 to 200 families who were in need.

“I believe the community self-help projects will be successful because it teaches the Nuristanis to work together for the good of the community,” Army Pfc. Jason Dixon, a civil affairs Soldier from Payson, Utah, said. “The people will also learn to rely on themselves instead of coalition forces, because when we leave they will have to depend on each other and their government.”

In Tupak, Nuristan PRT servicemembers provided materials for villagers to construct a protection wall around the local girls school, allowing them to study without fear of harassment by male villagers.

In order for communities to be considered for a self-help project they have to follow a list of requirements. Villages must be green, meaning they must support their local government and coalition forces, report improvised explosive devices in their area or any enemy activity to local police, villagers cannot support Taliban or enemy forces and they must push out Anti-Afghanistan Forces from their communities.

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army 1st Lt. Julia Malouin, a civil affairs team leader and native of Manhattan, N.Y., with the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team visits the Tupak and Naylar villages in Afghanistan’s eastern Nuristan province, Nov. 7, to assess the recent community self-help projects, which included Nuristan PRT providing fertilizer for villagers and materials for a protection wall for Tupak’s girls school.  Malouin asks local villagers about the progress of the protection wall for the girl’s school. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan visited Tupak and Naylar villages in Afghanistan’s eastern Nuristan province,  Nov. 7, to assess the recent community self-help projects, which included the Nuristan PRT providing fertilizer for villagers and materials for a protection wall for Tupak’s girls school. (From right to left) U.S. Army 1st Lt. Julia Malouin, civil affairs team leader and native of Manhattan, N.Y., an interpreter, Pfc. Jason Dixon, a civil affairs Soldier, from Payson, Utah, and Mohammed Yunnus, the headmaster for the Tupak’s girls school and the village leader from the Tupak village, talk about future community self-help projects that would best benefit both villages.  (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan visited Tupak and Naylar villages in Afghanistan’s eastern Nuristan province,  Nov. 7,to assess the recent community self-help projects, which included theNuristan PRT providing fertilizer for villagers and materials for a protection wall for Tupak’s girls school. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Dailey, a corpsman from Rutherford, N.J., , looks at a young boy with an ear infection during the visit to the Tupak and Naylar villages. (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

U.S. SERVICEMEMBERS IN AFGHANISTAN HELP SUPPORT BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Story and photos by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins, Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Twenty-five U.S. servicemembers made the effort to help raise funds, in support of breast cancer awareness month, by participating in a 5 kilometer run around Forward Operating Base Kalagush,in Afghanistan’s eastern Nuristan province, Oct 31.

Members of the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team hosted the 5K run to help support the Save the Ta-Tas Foundation, founded in 2008, by the Save the Ta-Tas clothing brand.

U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne, Nuristan PRT public affairs officer, and Lt. j.g. Stacey Gross, PRT information operations officer, first came up with the idea when they heard of a breast cancerawareness month 5K run being held in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.

“Lt. Gross and I were going to go to Jalalabad and do the run,” Cherne said. “Then we thought we should do it here so that everyone who wanted to participate didn’t have to leave the FOB. FOB Fenty [was] doing a 5K through the Save the Ta-Tas foundation, so I looked them up, and worked with the foundation to raise money for their foundation by giving servicemembers the option to buy Save the Ta-Tas t-shirts. The people at the foundation were very supportive and really helped us get everything we needed in a two week time frame before the run. ”

Hosting the event at the FOB was a good chance for everyone who personally knew someone affected by the disease to show their support.

“Lt. Cherne came to me with the idea for the whole event,” U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Mobley, Nuristan PRT radio talker operator, said “I knew someone who died of breast cancer, so I wanted to give back to something that I felt was really worth the cause.”

Statistically, nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Approximately 1,700 men will also be diagnosed, and 450 will die. It is the second overall cause of death among women, aside from lung cancer.

The Save the Ta-Tas foundation was introduced in order to promote cancer awareness and aid in a fight to find a cure for the disease. The 5K event made it possible for 57 t-shirts to be sold from the foundation’s website, raising a total over $900, in which a third was donated to help the effort.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Randall Maurer with 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force Steel, finished first, with a time of 20:47. U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Bradley Brill and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Cory Cummings, a gunnery sergeant with2-77, finished second and third, with their times being 21:00, and 22:58, respectively.

For more information on the Save the Ta-Tas Foundation, visit www.savethetatas.com.

 NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. servicemembers pose for a group photo before the breast cancer awareness month five kilometer run, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Oct. 31. The run was held in order to promote awareness of the disease and raise money to help find a cure. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)(RELEASED)

 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. servicemembers run during the breast cancer awareness month five kilometer run, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Oct. 31. The run was held in order to promote awareness of the disease and raise money to help find a cure. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)(RELEASED)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Mobley from Valdosta, Ga., Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team radio talker operator, records runners' times during the breast cancer awareness month five kilometer run, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Oct. 31. The run was held in order to promote awareness of the disease and raise money to help find a cure. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)(RELEASED)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Lt. Brian Ferguson, Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team convoy operations officer from Annapolis, Md., runs during the breast cancer awareness month five kilometer run, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Oct. 31. The run was held in order to promote awareness of the disease and raise money to help find a cure. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)(RELEASED)

Halloween Party

Thank you to all the people who sent candy and Halloween decorations. FOB Kala Gush ended October with a bang and lots of candy!

(U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

(U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

 

Thank you again!