America's North Shore Journal

Mullahs, or Muslim religious leaders throughout Baraki Barak in Logar Province, Afghanistan, gathered at the local District Center to receive Mosque improvement packages, distributed by Soldiers from Task Force Iron Titan, September 16-17.

The Mosque kits included several large rugs, a smaller prayer rug for the Mullah, paint, a new speaker system, and light bulbs. Possibly, the most important part of the kits was solar panels to provide electricity for the Mosque.

Soldiers of Able Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based out of Fort Drum, N.Y., and their Afghan National Army partners are not standing idly by as many Afghans in the Baraki-Barak District of Logar province do without some “modern day essentials.” They are providing some remote villages with electrical power generators in a project affectionately known as “Extreme Make Over: Afghan Edition.” The intent is to help increase the quality of life for the Afghans–one small village at a time.

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Jared C. Monti, a Military Occupational Specialty 13F Fire Support Specialist, was a Targeting NCO assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York. He distinguished himself by acts of conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty against an armed enemy in Gowardesh, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan.

Every summer, the Kuchi tribe migrates through the Daymardad district of this central-Afghanistan province, allowing their animals to graze in the open pastures belonging to the Hazara tribe. This frequently has sparked violent territorial disputes.

The U.S. forces operating before in this valley offered a blunt assessment of the threat for Hogan and his forces.

“You don’t come into the valley without fighting your way out,” he said.

“This is Wardak province, and I’m responsible for security. … Tangi Valley is part of that, and if we need to go in there we can,” Gallahue said. “We’ll take the physical terrain from the enemy, … and we’ll take the people away, because the people are the prize in this fight.”

Finally, Haight said, he wants people here to be able to trust and understand the local and provincial government. He does not predict a “Jeffersonian democracy” any time soon, but if people come to believe in the government, they will have eliminated most of the insurgency.

“We saw that it was an isolated valley and seemed to be very poor,” Army Command Sgt. Maj. James Carabello of the 32nd Infantry Regiment’s 1st Battalion, said. “The elders said they wanted two things: a new road and security by coalition forces during the construction. That valley has a great deal of potential and we came through on our promise.”