Nuristan PRT attends Nuristan’s Provincial Development council meeting

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team attended the Provincial Development Council meeting with Nuristan leaders to prioritize project developments for villages in the province, Oct. 30. Leah Kaplan, a United States Agency for International Development representative for the Nuristan PRT, from Denver, Colo., (LEFT) and Abdual Ghaffar, the Regional Senior Engineer for the National Rural Access Program, based out of Jalalabad, (RIGHT) discuss the recent success of programs that employ locals to work on community based projects that build up their villages. (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team attended the Provincial Development Council meeting with Nuristan leaders to prioritize project developments for villages in the province, Oct. 30. Leah Kaplan, a United States Agency for International Development representative for the Nuristan PRT, from Denver, Colo., and U.S. Army 1st Lt. Julia Malouin converse with provincial council members on the crucial developments  needed for the future of Nuristan.  (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

CONGRATS!!! To NOW Petty Officer 1st Class Frank Garza!

Petty Officer 1st Class Frank Garza is a hospital corpsman, fleet marine force, and combat air crew medical specialist. He has been in the U.S. Navy for 8 years, and is currently a corpsman instructor at the Naval Hospital Core School in Great Lakes, Illinois. HM(FMF/CAC) Garza is from San Antonio, Texas. In his spare time at home, he enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife and daughter. What are his dislikes? "Kimchi!" Other than that, he feels everything should be tried once before a decision is made to dislike something. Wise man Garza, wise man!What is his most memorable experience so far this deployment?: "The concept of the different branches, never working together before, becoming a good mesh and working together to be the best PRT team. Especially the brotherhood I experienced in Barg-e Matal. That was a great experience."

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Spc Lucido and Lt. j.g. Gross posing with their save the ta-tas t-shirts!

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PRT Nuristan medics treat former afghan border police officer Amputee

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


NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Combat medics and a doctor from Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan disinfected and re-stitched sutures on the leg of Sayed Sharif, native from Tupak village, a former commander of an Afghan Border Police unit in the Kandahar Province.

Six months ago, Sharif returned to Afghanistan after living in Iran for 16 years and attended a police academy in Kabul. When he graduated, he became a 2nd Lt in the Afghan Border Police.

“In the past we didn’t have a stable government, but since Karzai was elected, we hope to have a stable government, that’s why I came back to serve my country,” Sharif said.

September 2009, Sharif was clearing out culvert with his men in the Kandahar province, when an anti-personal mine went off causing him to become an amputee. He quickly received medical attention and surgery from Canadian doctors in the Kandahar Province. After his surgery he relocated to his native village, Tupak.

When asked if he regretted his return to Afghanistan he simply replied, “I don’t regret my return to my country, I’m proud to serve my country and I lost my legs serving my country. If the ABP would take me back, I would be ready to work.”

PRT Nuristan medics came across Sharif during a civil assessment in the Tupak Village. Once they heard his haunting experience and examined his sutures on both legs, U.S. Navy Lt., Dr. Jennifer Dreiling, native from McLean, Virginia, recommended he come to Forward Operating Base Kala Gush for treatment on the wound on his left leg because it had started to open.

The doctor and her staff cleaned the wound and re-stitched sutures to prevent them from coming undone in the future. Dr. Dreiling commented, due to the fact that he lost his legs to an anti-personal mine, “I certainly have never seen anything like this, he’s lucky to be alive.”

Sharif will come back to FOB Kala Gush in two weeks for a follow up appointment.

NURISTAN, PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Dr. Jennifer Dreiling native from McLean, Virginia (LEFT), Airman 1st Class Destiney Dowdy, native from Russellville, Arkansas (CENTER) and Petty Officer 2nd Class Frank Garza, native from San Antonio, Texas (RIGHT), medics from the Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan, disinfect and re-stitch sutures on the leg of Sayed Sharif, native from Tupak village in Nuristan, on Oct 22. Sharif was a former commander of an Afghan Border Police unit who lost both of his legs by an anti-personal mine while clearing a culvert in the Kandahar province. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

 

NURISTAN, PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy Dr. Jennifer Dreiling native from McLean, Virginia, a medic from the Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan, re-stitches sutures on the leg of Sayed Sharif, native from Tupak village in Nuristan, on Oct 22. Sharif was a former commander of an Afghan Border Police unit who lost both of his legs by an anti-personal mine while clearing a culvert in the Kandahar province. (U.S. Air Force/photo 2^nd Lt Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

USAID Mission Director visits PRT Nuristan and 2-77 Field Artillery ReGiment

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


NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – William Frej, the U.S. Agency for International Development Mission Director, and other USAID representatives met with the commanders of the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team and 2nd Battalion,77th Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force Steel , and Jamaluddin Badrm, the governor of Nuristan, Oct. 21, to discuss the relationship between USAID and its military counterparts.

Frej has worked 20 years for USAID and is the head of USAID Afghanistan team, that provides billion of dollars for development programs for Afghanistan

The Nuristan PRT is the first that Frej has visited on his tour of bases where PRTs are located in Afghanistan. His goals consisted of viewing field conditions, receiving an update on USAID projects and the working relationship between military members and his field officers.  

Frej said the visit was to, “Improve our ability through our PRT development advisors to support the military in a much more subtenant way in the next coming months.”

U.S Navy Cmdr. Russell McCormack, commander of the Nuristan PRT  and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Forsyth, the 2-77 Field Artillery Regiment commander, shared with Frej their joint vision for the progression of Nuristan and what each unit offers to its development.

“Today was important because it enabled the USAID representatives at the Afghan level to understand the problem and issues in Nuristan so that they can better assist the PRT and Task Force Steel in development, planning, and execution,” Forsyth explained.

Also, Jamaluddin Badr, governor of Nuristan, provided the history of Nuristan, challenges that Nuristan faces and to thank USAID for all of their support in rebuilding his country.

“Sons and daughters of this nation run away, but you stay, I appreciate that,” Badr said.

Frej was greatly appreciative and his response to the governor was, “You have our commitment to help development in Nuristan, that’s why we came here." 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Agency of International Development mission director, William Frej, listens as Nuristan governor Jamaluddin Badr explains the conditions and possible solutions of the province during a briefing on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Oct. 21. The briefing was held in order to inform USAID, Regional Command East, and Provision Affairs personnel on the status of the field activities of the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction and their progress. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)(RELEASED) 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Forsyth, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment from Murray, Ky, briefs the U.S. Agency of International Development mission director William Frej on the conditions and security of the province during a briefing on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Oct. 21. The briefing was held in order to inform USAID, Regional Command East, and Provision Affairs personnel on the status of the field activities of the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team and 2-77’s progress. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)(RELEASED) 

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Navy commander of the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, Cmdr. Russell McCormack from Hampstead N.H., meets with the U.S. Agency of International Development mission director William Frej, and Nuristan Governor, Jamaluddin Badr, in order to brief them on the conditions and security of the province on Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Oct. 21. The briefing was held in order to inform USAID, Regional Command East, and Provision Affairs personnel on the status of the field activities of the Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team and their progress. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)(RELEASED)

Tupak and Wolij Village

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan, visits Wolij village October 17, to inform the village elders and school teacher’s that their project proposal for a wall to be built around the girl school was approved. Staff Sgt. Shawn Christiance from Elko, Nevada, introduces himself to a village boy. (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan, visits Wolij village October 17, to inform the village elders and school teacher’s that their project proposal for a wall to be built around the girl school was approved. Army 1^st Lt. Julia Malouin, from Manhattan New York of Nuristan (LEFT), Pfc. Jason Dixon from, Payson, Utah (CENTER), and Kathryn Hoffman from Washington D.C. (RIGHT) discuss school curriculum with the teachers of Wolij village. (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Provincial Reconstruction Team Nuristan, visits Wolij village October 17, to inform the village elders and school teacher’s that their project proposal for a wall to be built around the girl school was approved. Army 1^st Lt. Julia Malouin, from Manhattan New York of Nuristan, goes over an English book with the local children. (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne) (RELEASED)