Radio Show Talking with Heroes interviews Nuristan PRT Servicemembers

By U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Talking with Heroes, a radio show based out of Colorado Springs, Colo., interviewed three servicemembers from the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, live, Jan. 8.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Kathleen Leach, operations specialist and native of Smithfield, R.I.; U.S. Army Sgt. David Starkey, security force team leader and native of Reno, Nev.; and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mason Sullivan, a combat medic and native of Boston, Mass., were chosen to do the radio interview with host Bob Calvert.

The three were chosen to do the interview with Calvert because of their continuous hard work and professionalism. Also, they served as a representation of the joint mission of the PRT to help promote development and governance throughout Nuristan province.

“It is refreshing to see a media portal that cares about the positive stories in Afghanistan and Iraq and the troops that are here.  Very seldom do you see the good news stories broadcast over the airs or on television without it having a negative impact,” said Leach.

The servicemembers spoke on what their responsibilities add to the PRT mission by providing information on various topics like female engagement team, promoting female literacy and equality, security efforts in order to operate in a hostile environment, and the effort to educate local nationals on proper medical care.

Calvert started his radio talk show when his daughter and her husband both enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Calvert was looking for a way to support his daughter and other warriors, especially after his son-in-law returned from multiple deployments with injuries, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and other challenges many servicemembers and families face after deployments. 

Eight years later, 100 aired audio programs, 100 video clips from trips to Iraq, and over 5,000 monthly readers on his online news site featuring stories from Iraq and Afghanistan, he found a way to support not only his daughter and son-in-law, but every servicemember fighting on behalf of the United States.

Nuristan PRT would like to thank Calvert for his constant support and sleepless nights ensuring that the every Solider, Sailor, Marine, and Airman’s story is told.   

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Kathleen Leach, Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team operations specialist from Smithfield, R.I., is interviewed by Dave Carlson from the Talking with Heroes radio talk show out of Colorado Springs, Colo., via phone, as U.S. Army Sgt. David Starkey, native of Reno, Nev., with the Nuristan PRT security force, waits for his interview on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Jan. 8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins, Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs) 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mason Sullivan, Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team medic from Boston, Mass., is interviewed by Dave Carlson from the Talking with Heroes radio talk show out of Colorado Springs, Colo., via phone, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Jan. 8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins, Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs) 

ANA at Kalagush receive Completion Certificates for Delta 30 Howitzer Certification

By U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army Field Artillery Soldiers with the 4th Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 201st Corps, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush await to be awarded completion certificates for certifying on the Delta 30 howitzer, Jan. 9. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Forsyth, 2nd Battalion, 77th FA Regiment commander, and native of Mayfield, Ky., presented the certificates to the Soldiers. (Photo by U.S. Air Force 2Lt. Natassia Cherne, Nuristan PRT) 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – An Afghan National Army Field Artillery Soldier with the 4th Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 201st Corps, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, holds up his completion certificate for certifying on the Delta 30 howitzer to his fellow ANA servicemembers, Jan. 9.  U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Forsyth, 2nd Battalion, 77th FA Regiment commander, and native of Mayfield, Ky., presented the certificates to the Soldiers. (Photo by U.S. Air Force 2Lt. Natassia Cherne, Nuristan PRT) 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army Capt. Rahman Gul, commander of the Field Artillery section of the 4th Kandak, 2nd Brigade, 201st Corps, on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, presents U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Forsyth, 2nd Battalion, 77th FA Regiment commander, and native of Mayfield, Ky., with a thank-you gift for helping his ANA Soldiers complete the certification process on the Delta 30 howitzer, Jan. 9. Forsyth presented the certificates to the ANA commander and his Soldiers. (Photo by U.S. Air Force 2Lt. Natassia Cherne, Nuristan PRT)   
 

Eastern Afghanistan coalition forces disarm IED

By U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins
Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. servicemembers at Forward Operating Base Kalagush teamed up to respond to a call from the National Directorate of Security about an improvised explosive device found in eastern Afghanistan’s Nengarach village, Dec. 31.

U.S. Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment were on their way to a security shura in Alingar when they received a call from Hanan, the NDS chief, stating there were rumors of an IED located near the Nengarach village.

The rumor was reported the day prior, and prompted the NDS and an Embedded Training Team with the Afghan National Army to set up security that day and immediately look for the device, only to come up empty handed.

Viewing the search as a personal failure, NDS Chief Hanan decided to wake his troops up early morning, Dec. 31, to search the area again for the explosive device, and were successful. Feeling accomplished in his task, Hanan immediately notified Task Force Steel of the find and that more security and a professional team to deactivate the device were needed.

Right away, the mission shifted from going to a security shura to locating a small propane tank filled with 10 to 15 pounds of explosives, and disarming it.

Coincidentally, the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team was already there on a security patrol.

“We were doing a morning dismounted security patrol from Quandalay to Nengarach village,” U.S. Navy Lt. Brian Ferguson, Nuristan PRT convoy operations officer from Annapolis, Md., said. “We got a call from 2-77 wanting assistance in locating an IED and deactivating it.”

Once the two teams met up, they requested an explosive ordinance disposal team for assistance. An EOD team from FOB Mehtar Lam, in Laghman province, was already in the area and were the quickest to respond.

“After we got the word there was an IED, we drove there and saw that it was about 200 feet off the road, hidden in a ravine,” U.S. Army Capt. Rich Ingleby from Salt Lake City, Utah, said. “We were glad to see [Nuristan PRT], because we really needed the extra help. All of us came together to set up a vehicle patrol base, and went down to the site.”

“Along with EOD, eight of us went down there,” U.S. Army Sgt. Samuel Sharp, 2nd Bn., 77th FA Regt. intelligence section chief from Fairfax, Va., said. “There were four [from the 2nd Bn. 77th FA Regt.], two from PRT and two from the 984th Military Police Company, 759th MP Battalion, who are attached to the [2nd Bn. 77th FA Regt.]”

After the propane tank was blown up, pictures were taken of the damaged area so Coalition Forces could follow up on the site and reconstruct all damages.

“I think all of us coming together really highlighted the security of overall Afghans,” Sharp said. “It shows their trust and ability to work with coalition security forces, coalition civil assistance groups and their own Afghan security for the immediate, positive benefit for Afghanistan.”

Servicememebers get interviewed on the radio show Talking with Heroes

Listen to Nuristan PRT servicemembers OS1 Leach, Sgt. Starkey, and SrA Sullivan be interviewed by Bob Calvert on his show Talking with Heroes.

Thank you Bob Calvert for getting our story out there!

Check out the link to hear the interview.

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=19487&cmd=tc

Thank you for all the Christmas love

Nuristan PRT would like to thank all the people who donated over a 100 gifts, this hoilday season. We would like to thank Danvers Bank and Debbie Lastih from Operation Troop Support in Danvers, Ma. We would like to thank, Bethany Costa, native from Dartmouth, Ma, Beth Miller from Colfax, NC and Operation Care Package in Joliet, IL. Lastly, we would like to send out a very special thank you to Village Bapist Church in Destin, FL for all the wonderful carepackages they sent to the men and women of Nuristan PRT.

Thank you again!

Nuristan PRT delivers assistance to Barge Matal

By U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan –Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team delivered materials to the village of Barge Matal to help the village rebuild and compensate for lost of property by anti-Afghan forces the night of Dec. 29.

The summer of 2009, AAF set in motion a series of attacks on the villagers of Barge Matal, coalition forces, and Afghan security forces.

Due to the attacks, many homes and the village sawmill, which was the only source of economic activity for the village was burned down.

U.S. Navy Lt j.g. Christopher Saunders, Nuristan PRT engineering officer, and native of Camarillo, Calif., facilitated purchasing of the parts for the sawmill.

“The sawmill was the heart of economic activity in Barge Matal,” Saunders said. “The destruction of the sawmill by AAF was a huge blow to the... community, and it became our top priority to get a new band saw to the village in order to get the lumber industry going again.”

The village micro hydro, which provided Barge Matal with electricity, was also damaged by the attacks.  Fortunately, Nuristan PRT was able to deliver the necessary parts to get the micro hydro functioning again.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Russell McCormack, the commander of the PRT and native of Hampstead, N.H., and a personal security detachment met with local villagers to discuss the items being delivered to their village.

 
The villagers gathered the items and thanked the commander for providing funds and equipment for the people of Barge Matal in order to reconstruct their community and lives. 
 

FOB Kalagush hosts weight lifting competition

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Sgt. John Mills a Dallas native, lifts over 200 pounds as U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Judah Crawford from Pasadena, Calif., spots his performance during a weight lifting competition on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Dec. 31. The competition helped to boost morale among U.S. servicemembers and civilians around the FOB as they brought in the new year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Kristopher Wilson, personnel non-commissioned officer-in-charge, from Camden, N.J., dead lifts 365 pounds as U.S. Army Sgt. Leveron Moore from Memphis, Tenn., monitors his performance during the thousand-pound challenge on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Dec. 31. U.S. servicemembers and civilians around the FOB participated in the wieghtlifting competition to celebrate the coming year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)