A Marine from 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, uses a metal detector to sweep a culvert during a route reconnaissance mission of Route Red, which extends from Highway 1 to Shir Ghazay, Jan. 2. The purpose of the mission was to document inclines and declines in the route, sharpness of curves, the shortest width during the route, and where culverts were located or needed to be placed on the route to prevent wash out. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

Marine engineers with 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) have nearly completed two major route construction and improvement projects in Helmand province.

As of Jan. 3, elements of the Okinawa, Japan-based 9th Engineer Support Battalion completed the road surfacing phases of Routes Red and 611, which each provide north and south passage on their respective sides of the Helmand River. Additional measures are now being put into place over the course of the next month to ensure their permanence, while also marking total project completion.

“We’ll continue minor improvements along both routes, including culvert emplacements,” said Capt. Christopher Kaprielian, a native of San Mateo, Calif., and operations officer for 9th ESB.

The installation of culverts, Kaprielian explained, will allow for proper drainage of rain water, thus preventing the roadways from simply washing away.

Two Marines from 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, use a metal detector to sweep a culvert during a route reconnaissance mission of Route Red, which extends from Highway 1 to Shir Ghazay, Jan. 3. The purpose of the mission was to document inclines and declines in the route, sharpness of curves, the shortest width during the route, and where culverts were located or needed to be placed on the route to prevent wash out. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

Work on the routes began last year with 9th ESB’s predecessors, the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 7th ESB, which completed nearly half of the work before going home in late November.

“A lot of cross coordination was involved,” said Kaprielian. “The combined effort was truly unique.”

In terms of Route Red alone, he noted expert integration across the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to secure the volatile region through which Route Red intersects. Support from Regimental Combat Teams 6 and 8 was especially critical in allowing the engineers to continue construction efforts.

The enhanced roads are essential to International Security Assistance Force operations, and perhaps most importantly, the livelihoods of Afghan locals in the region due to the proximity of the routes to several major population centers. Safe roadways will present a viable means of transportation and facilitate economic expansion well into the future.

Route Red connects Gereshk and Shir Ghazay, while Route 611 serves as the main thoroughfare through the Sangin and Kajaki Districts.

Not unlike Route Red, the region through which 611 traces was also a hotbed for insurgent activity. Operation Eastern Storm, a major offensive spearheaded by the Marines of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, launched last October to secure the Upper Sangin Valley from the Taliban-led insurgency. The secured and improved route will now allow ground convoys to deliver equipment and parts required to install a third turbine at the Kajaki Dam, located northeast of the village of Kajaki.

The dam was built in 1953, and according to the United States Agency for International Development, the additional turbine is part of an ongoing project to bring more reliable power and irrigation to the region. Once operational, this enhancement will improve energy distribution through Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

Story by Sgt. Justin Shemanski
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One shopkeeper uses a single solar panel, mounted to the top of his shop, to power his printer. He runs a small-scale photography studio in the bazaar. Prior to the large-scale solar energy project, electricity was scarce in Nawa. Shop owners had to provide their own generator or solar panel to have electricity. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

A single solar panel is mounted above a shop, a wire runs from the panel into the shop and attaches to a car battery, providing the only source of power for the shopkeeper. The storeowner operates a small photography studio, where he takes photos in his shop and prints them out for his customers.

Situations like this are common for the shopkeepers in Nawa district who do not have a central power source.

Many residents throughout the northern half of Helmand receive their energy from the hydroelectric power plant located at the Kajaki dam. However, the power supply does not reach Nawa, which is located in the southern portion of Helmand province.

Now, with the help of a solar energy project in the district, there is a new opportunity for the shopkeepers in the Nawa bazaar. Nearly 150 shops in the bazaar will be able to receive steady power from the project.

Capt. Brandon Newell, Expeditionary Energy Liaison Officer for Regional Command Southwest and a native of St. Amant, La., says this is the first type of large-scale solar hybrid project in Helmand to date.

“We’re not just trying to introduce something that’s sustainable into their community,” explained Newell who also holds an electrical engineering degree from Louisiana State University. “We’re taking something that they understand at a smaller level and trying to provide them an opportunity at a much larger, more centralized capability, which will be much more reliable.“

Two long rows of solar panels were put together, mounted and welded to the roof of the Nawa district governor’s compound and wires were ran to a large storage container where the power is converted into consumable energy. The energy runs to different meters throughout the bazaar.

Solar panels used to collect energy emitted by the sun are mounted to the roof of the Nawa district governor's compound, Dec. 29. Shop owners in the Nawa bazaar will be able to buy electricity on a pre-paid card for individual consumption in their shops. Photo by Cpl. Meredith Brown

At this point, shop owners can wire the electricity to their individual shops, where they will install a separate meter. The district governor will issue the shopkeepers pre-paid cards that they insert into their specific meter. The amount of wattage that the storeowners buy dictates the amount of electricity that they can use. However, once a certain amount of electricity is bought, there is not a time limit on when they must use the power.

Two local Afghans serve as maintenance operators who are responsible for keeping the system up and running once everything is installed. The money raised from selling the power, pays the operators’ salaries and the left-over money accumulates for later maintenance or expansion.

“We’re not trying to dictate what the end product is for them,” said Newell. “We’re trying to facilitate an opportunity for them to take ownership and run the system, to use it for the benefit of individual shops and the benefit the entire community,”

After walking through the bazaar and talking with the local Afghans, Newell said sewing, lighting and running fans in the summer were common uses for the power.

Once the batteries arrive in Afghanistan, the shop owners will also have the opportunity to stay open later. Because batteries cannot be transported through the Pakistan border, power will only be available during daylight. Once the batteries arrive, they will serve as a storage system for extra power collected during the day that can be used throughout the night.

Sarwar Akbari, a renewable energy engineer who has been working on the project over the past few months, said the project is important because it gives the locals a chance to reasonably use electricity.

“Before they were using generators and single panels,” said Akbari. “The shopkeepers in the bazaar are very poor people. They can’t prepare fuel for the generators and purchase individual panels. They are very happy with us that we are finishing our project and are about to install the meters.”

The project is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.

Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown
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U.S. Air Force medics, Staff Sgt. April Deluna -right-, from San Antonio, assigned to the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team, and Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Rose, from Coleridge, Neb., assigned to the Nebraska Agribusiness Development Team, demonstrate proper arm-bracing techniques at the provincial women’s development center, Nov. 1. The medics taught basic first-aid skills to 13 women from the province. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Katherine Williams

Thirteen Afghan women received life-saving first aid training at a provincial women’s development center shura held in Paktya province, Nov. 1.

U.S. servicemembers assigned to the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Nebraska Agribusiness Development Team, both located on Forward Operating Base Goode, taught the women how to treat burns, lacerations and abrasions.

U.S. Air Force medics Tech Sgt. Rebecca Rose, with the ADT from Coleridge, Neb., and Staff Sgt. April DeLuna, with the PRT from San Antonio, conducted an interactive training program for the women.

During the one-hour course, the medics emphasized proper hygiene techniques such as hand washing and the use of gloves while treating wounds.

“The women learned the ‘cold, clean’ method,” DeLuna said. “They’d never heard to clean with cold, clean water and were using alternative methods to treat wounds.”

The women shared stories about their previous home-medical treatments during the shura.

“I’ve used cold potatoes on my children’s wounds to stop the burning,” one student said. “Potatoes and egg yolk both help to prevent the burn from spreading.”

Along with l training, the group also received first-aid medical kits, stocked with bandages, a gauze compress, gloves, antibiotic ointment and other supplies.

The shura was coordinated through Khalema Khazan, the Paktya Director of Women’s Affairs and the Team Paktya Women’s Advocacy Group.

The DOWA is an Afghan ministry-appointed position, with the authority and obligation to raise awareness of concerns and advocate for Afghan women.

“I want a common understanding for every woman to know their rights and freedoms under Islam,” Khazan said. “We have shuras in the women’s development center for Paktya women to teach them important skills.”

In the past, Khazan has organized town meetings, or ‘shuras,’ health workshops and media engagements for women in Paktya.

“Education is very important,” she added. “Our center is focused on teaching the more than 40,000 women in Paktya.”

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Afghan utility workers prepare power lines at the Kajaki Dam to receive a new primary switch center. USACE Photo

A small contingent of soldiers play a huge role in improving and maintaining southern Afghanistan’s electric power infrastructure, primarily in Kandahar City.

These non-commissioned officers, deployed from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ only active duty unit, the 249th Prime Power Battalion at Fort Bragg, N.C., are all prime power specialists assigned to Task Force Breshna Barq. Established in the summer of 2010, the task force’s primary mission is bringing more and more reliable power to Kandahar City.

“These soldiers are responsible for electric power outside the wire,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Thomas Black, deputy commander of Task Force Breshna Barq. “Locally, four soldiers are based at the USACE-built and managed power stations in Kandahar city — two at the Bagh-e-Pul power station in western Kandahar and the others at the Shurandam Industrial Park power station.”

The initial task force mission was two-pronged: daily oversight and contract management for the installation and commissioning of two $40 million, 10-megawatt diesel-fueled power plants and the validation and assessment of about 40 kilometers of 20-kilovolt, overhead medium-voltage feeder lines. The electric lines distribute electricity to satisfy the industrial, business, agricultural and residential demands of one third of Kandahar City’s 480,000 residents.

- Editor’s note: Keep in mind that all the fuel for these plants has to be trucked into the country. -

“We are here to assist in the development of the Afghans’ outdated electrical distribution networks throughout the region so businesses can thrive and stimulate the economy,” said Staff. Sgt. Mario Sanchez.

Once the two power stations were commissioned, the task force members began overseeing the $10.3-million operations and maintenance contract for the power stations and developing and managing $7.2 million worth of “starter kit” tools and materials for DABS (Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat), the Afghan power utility company.

The starter kits include transformers, medium and low-voltage cable, distribution panels and tools. Also included are electrical test equipment, bucket trucks, and pole truck with a trailer. The kits will provide the Afghan utility with the resources it needs to accomplish immediate, lasting, effective and reliable repairs in Kandahar province so they meet the needs of their Afghan customers.

As the conditions and needs evolved, the prime power team took a mentoring role on as well.

“We work with the utility company to maintain the power systems and train their employees,” said Staff Sgt. Alex Brown. “They really do want to improve their way of life and are willing to work hard at it.”

Sgt. Joshua Strausbaugh agreed and added: “In the United States, there are many codes that must be followed when working with electricity to ensure safety. In Afghanistan, they don’t have these kinds of regulations. Fortunately, the utility employees picked up quickly on the whats and whys that we were trying to communicate to them.”

Safety is an essential component of all USACE projects, said Air Force Col. Benjamin Wham, South District commander. “Our first priority is keeping people safe. We must share that fundamental value with our Afghan partners.”

The team worked hard to accomplish their goal of safely getting more power production and effective distribution inside Kandahar, and were gratified by the appreciation they saw on the faces of Kandahar City residents, said Strausbaugh.

The team’s work has also taken them to the Kajaki Hydroelectric Plant, where they installed special protective switchgear. This relatively inexpensive installation increased the reliability of the transmission lines to Kandahar and Helmand provinces. According to Black, a new diesel plant providing an equal amount of power would have cost $24 million.

A private contracting company was willing to install the switchgear at a cost of $1.5 million with an eight-month lead time. Instead, three Prime Power soldiers, working with and mentoring the Afghan hydroelectric plant operators and electricians accomplished the installation in six weeks for less than $150,000.

“The $150,000 for the primary switch center was borne by USACE as it had the item in stock,” said British Air Force Wing Cmdr. Charlie Allan, Regional Command Southwest development plans officer. “But that said, there was also a benefit to the power house staff who were given on-the-job training by the prime power team during installation.”

“Language barriers and the idea that ‘doing things the old way was fine,’ were issues we overcame working with the Afghans,” said Brown. “But the challenge of doing something that would improve the life of Afghans was worth it.”

From initial conception to completion took just 39 days, but the impact on the electric system was immediate, said Allan. The switchgear protects the two Kajaki turbines where none existed before and prevents hard shut downs of the grid and mechanical deterioration of essential generators. This, in turn, leads to a far more stable power supply to the people of Helmand and Kandahar and far fewer power outages leading to longer electricity availability per day.

“Regardless of how costs are measured, having prime power specialists in Afghanistan is an exceptional value,” said Black. They supervise, operate, install and maintain electric power plant and associated systems and equipment—the 249th is a unique unit with unique and valuable capability.

“The 249th has a really critical mission here,” said Air Force Col. Benjamin Wham, South District commander. “Afghans need electricity to develop and sustain their economy. By helping the Afghan utility company improve and maintain its electric power generation, this small group of soldiers delivers huge benefits. The outgoing crew has done an outstanding job training Afghan technicians and working with our private contractor to ensure Kandahar City enjoys reliable, stable power. I salute the outstanding efforts of the 249th soldiers.”

This team of prime power non-commissioned officers will return to the United States soon and will be replaced by a new team.

“There is still much to do,” said Sanchez. “Substations powered by the Kajaki Dam will need upgrades to increase power throughout southern Afghanistan. The new team will continue the mentoring and contract oversight mission.”

Story by Karla Marshall
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U.S. Army Sgt. Jacob Miller, a cavalry scout for Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment’s Task Force Slugger and native of Colona, Ill., explains to local farmers how an apple presser works in Maiden Shahr district Sept. 20. The hope is the farmers will take unsold apples and turn them into other products to make more money. Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Brian P. Glass, Task Force Patriot Public Affairs

To improve the economy in Wardak province, soldiers from the Georgia Agribusiness Development Team and Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment’s Task Force Slugger worked together to teach local farmers how to use an apple presser in Maiden Shahr district Sept. 20.

The soldiers already conducted the class in the Jalrez district, which local villagers came to in good numbers. So, it seemed to be a no-brainer to bring the class to Maiden Shahr.

“We mostly used it [the class] as a way to establish a connection with the people,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Jacob Miller, a cavalry scout for Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment’s Task Force Slugger and native of Colona, Ill. “We realize agriculture is the driving force in the lives of people here.”

Miller, who grew-up with an agricultural background, was the primary instructor for the class in Jalrez. He came to Maiden Shahr to teach the people what they would need to be successful.

“We built an apple press to show them methods to save apples that normally spoil,” said Miller.

Miller said the economic benefit for villagers in Maiden Shahr is too great an opportunity for the locals to pass up.

“Several tons of apples go to waste inside the valley, and giving them options to be able to sell these apples and still have a product that is marketable for them will improve their way of life,” said Miller. “Selling this (apple juice and cider) at their local shops will bring in money and also shorten their hunger season.”

Once Miller began demonstrating how to use the apple presser, the locals became interested in seeing how it worked first hand.

“Every class starts out the same way, with the Afghans being very stand-offish,” Miller said. “Then, their interest takes over and before we knew it they are out there grinding out and pressing apples.”

Miller said the apple presser works when apples are ground up, then the ground apple parts are put into a clean cloth. Next, the apple parts are put under a smashing plate and mashed to get all the juice out.

One local farmer was excited about the possibility of having an apple presser for all the apples he has.

“This is very important, this apple presser,” said Ahmed Khalil, a local farmer in Wardak. “I want to make one for my home and use it for my apples.”

The apple presser is easy for the local farmers to make at a low cost to them, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Kistler, Georgia ADT Wardak provincial commander and Lawrenceville, Ga., native.

“They have the wood,” said Kistler. “Some (local farmers) are carpenters and can do a better job than we can at putting it (apple presser) together.”

U.S. Army Sgt. Nathaniel Smith, non-commissioned officer in charge for the Georgia ADT in Wardak province and native of Dunwoody, Ga., said local farmers can obtain materials for building apple presses themselves and do not need the ADT to acquire such items., “[All] we give them is a step by step [class] on how to build this [apple presser].”

Once the demonstration was over and local farmers sampled the apple cider, the villagers came to Miller with questions about how to capitalize on the opportunity.

“One of the villagers said he can produce one ton of apple juice from all his bad apples that aren’t going to be worth selling whole,” said Miller. “He wants to know how he can bottle them, package them and where to sell them.”

That question gave Miller an idea for the next training class he will teach to Afghan farmers.

“This [class] will extend into canning and pasteurizing training,” said Miller.

Miller and other Georgia ADT personnel walked away from the class confident in the hope their training will help turn around the economy in Maiden Shahr and keep local farmers from siding with insurgents.

“[It would be] an increase in the economy. As they make more money, as they’re able to improve their way of life, the government will be able to draw taxes from it,” said Miller. “The people should become less volatile, because their lives have stabilized, they have food and won’t worry about their children going hungry.”

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Afghan National Army Private Mohammed Khaili, the 100,000th BWC graduate to go through literacy training, is awarded a plaque and pen at Kabul Military Training Center in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 28, 2011, in recognition of the Afghan National Security Force's accomplishments in the realm of education and literacy. Basic Warrior Training Kandak 162 graduated 1,287 soldiers, all of whom will continue military and literacy training at various Afghan National Army Branch Schools or the Consolidated Fielding Center in Kabul. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael James

The Afghan National Army graduated 1,287 soldiers from Basic Warrior Training at Kabul Military Training Center, July 28, including a special commemoration marking the graduation of the 100,000 Afghan National Security Force literacy program trainee.

ANA soldier Mohammed Khalil, graduating with BWT Kandak 162, was chosen to represent the 100,000th literacy graduate. He was awarded a commemorative certificate and writing pen.

“Education is vitally important. When we become educated, it gives us the ability to recognize our friends from our enemies,” said Khalil. “Education will take us from the darkness to the light.”

The recognition of the 100,000th graduate of literacy training represents a milestone in the professional development of the Afghan National Security Force, which consists of the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and Afghan Air Force.

Literacy training was integrated into the ANSF required curriculum in November 2009 and has been expanding rapidly since. There are currently more than 86,000 soldiers and policemen enrolled in some level of literacy training.

“I am the eldest of six brothers; I do all I can to provide for them,” said Khalil. “I am now able to take the lessons I learned in Basic Warrior Training and share them with my brothers.”

The goal set by Afghan and coalition leadership is for all literacy program students to read at a first grade level by the end of basic training. The literacy education received by such large numbers of young Afghans is expected to have far-reaching effects throughout Afghan culture.

“Literacy is the basic tenant for building partnering capacity and professionalizing an already very capable ANSF,” said U.S. Army Col. Ken Lenig, Force Integration Director, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan.

Today’s graduates of the Basic Warrior Training course will go on to attend branch schools and leadership courses offering specialization in military proficiencies as well as continued literacy training.

NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan
By: U.S. Navy Petty Officer Michael James

Female Engagement Team 13 member Lance Cpl. Jacqueline Veres smiles as she gives a backpack full of school supplies to an Afghan girl at the closing of the Sangin Youth Outreach Shura at Forward Operating Base Jackson, Aug 17. With a literacy rate of seven percent in Sangin, District Governor Mohammad Sherrif has recognized the need for education here. Through his outreach shuras to the community he impresses on the people the need for the children of Sangin to become educated so one day they will be able to assume leadership roles within the up and coming Sangin government. Sherrif realizes and tells the people “children are the future of Sangin.” Veres is from Canton, Ga.

More than 85 children from around Sangin attended the Sangin Youth Outreach Shura held by Female Engagement Teams assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, at Forward Operating Base Jackson, Aug. 17.

“It is important to work with the youth of Sangin because just like the kids in the U.S., they want to grow up to be something,” said Sgt. Juanita Towns, the FET 13 team leader. “So it is just best that we try to start them off on the right path at a young age vice letting them join the (insurgency) now.”

When on patrol with the battalion’s infantry squads the team members spread the word about the youth shuras and have recently had Afghan Uniformed Police officers help them in their endeavor to reach out to the children of Sangin.

The children, ages 1-14, were split into three groups in which they participated in age-appropriate informative stations and activities. This enabled the FETs to reach out to each age group more effectively, and is modeled after the cultural breakdown the children often gravitate towards on their own.

“It’s the first activity in Sangin for the kids, focused on the kids,” said FET member Lance Cpl. Jacqueline Veres. “So we are just trying to get them to see that we are here to help them, they can come to us and they can trust us.”

“The first one we had was a hygiene shura. The shura that we just had was a healthcare, education and activities shura,” said Towns, a Richmond, Va., native. “They played soccer, they did their time tables and the smaller kids just played with educational toys.”

With a literacy rate of seven percent in Sangin, District Governor Mohammad Sherrif has recognized the need for education here. Through his outreach shuras to the community he impresses on the people the need for the children of Sangin to become educated so one day they will be able to assume leadership roles within the up and coming Sangin government. Sherrif realizes and tells the people “children are the future of Sangin.”

“Children are the innocent ones in most cases,” said Towns, a parent herself. “If they are not educated there is just a repetitive cycle of insurgency and drugs. If you educate them when they are small there is an opportunity for them to be better than that and do positive things.”

Until last year, these children had not been afforded opportunities to break the trend and reach new levels. However teaching children how to do this is a challenging task since they lack the focus levels of adults. So the team had to mix things up to captivate their young audience and keep them interested in the shura.

“We know that they have a short attention span and if we talk to them for an hour like we do with the women then we are not going to get anything accomplished,” explained Towns. “If we have different activities and different things for them to do, they are going to participate, we are going to hold their attention longer and they are going to come back.”

Sometimes when the children do come back to the gates of the base they are looking for free hand outs and naturally are not interested in discussion of long term solutions. Other times the children show up wanting just to spend time with the teams. This requires the engagement teams to improvise and make the best of each situation.

“Even in between shuras we go to the gate and have 20 to 30 kids wanting to just come and talk to us,” said Veres a Canton, Ga., native. “We don’t really have anything planned sometimes, but we will just sit down and hold a mini-shura.”

The youth shuras in Sangin will continue to further expand their horizons to a new way of life that breaks the trend that plagues the region. In short, the activities give the youth something better, which is important to developing and educating the next generation of citizens and leaders in Sangin.

Youth shuras take place in several locations across Helmand province including the districts of Musa Qal’eh, Now Zad, Garmsir and Marjah.

“I think as soon as we stop having youth shuras we will see more insurgent activity, because we have actually given them something to look forward to every two weeks,” said Towns. “If they didn’t have that outreach on life then they would just do something bad that we are not ready to take the fall for.”

First Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

Story by Cpl. Benjamin Crilly
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A local father rejoiced with overwhelming emotion and relief when members of the Laghman Provincial Reconstruction Team presented him with a custom-made bed for his special-needs son.

Noor Ahmad is the father of Samir Ahmad, 3, who was involved in a life-changing accident in May 2010. Like most Afghan children, Samir was playing near his home in the city of Mehtar Lam, the capitol of Laghman Province. He ventured too close to the busy street and too far away from his family to react as a U.S. convoy moved through the city.

The driver of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle could not see the boy as his vehicle struck the child.

Samir lay on the road motionless. Medics from the convoy rushed to the child and found that he was miraculously still alive. They evacuated him to nearby Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam. Because his injuries were too serious for local treatment, medical personnel evacuated him to Bagram Airfield where a team of medical professionals worked for hours to save Samir’s life.

It is more than a year later, and Samir’s injuries have changed his life. He has been diagnosed with a form of neurological paralysis, which causes sudden, uncontrollable body movements.

Ahmad still brings his son to the base weekly so the medics can clean the child’s feeding tube and check on his condition. He needs constant supervision and care, especially at night when those sudden movements have caused him to fall out of his bed.

During a recent treatment visit to the medics at FOB Mehtar Lam, Ahmed relayed the story of how his son falls out of bed during his sleep.

Capt. Deana Porter, physician assistant and medical officer for Laghman Provincial Reconstruction Team, recognized the need for a larger bed with rails and more padding due to Samir’s condition. She turned to U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John Fitzgerald, medical technician, to discuss the possibilities of building a new bed for Samir.

He took charge of the project and met with the local carpenter in charge of maintaining the facilities for FOB Mehtar Lam, known only by his first name, Igor. Together, Fitzgerald and Igor designed and built a new bed specifically for Samir.

The six-foot bed with padded rails will protect Samir, prevent him from falling and is large enough to accommodate him for many years to come.

“I got with the contractors, gathered the wood, tools and hardware and, together, we built the child a bed that will keep him safe and last a long, long time,” said Fitzgerald.

Since the child is essentially bedridden, explained Fitzgerald, the new bed will provide him a safe place and allow his parents to rest peacefully, knowing their son won’t fall out of bed in the middle of the night.

Medics presented the bed to Ahmad July 20, which, coincidentally, was Samir’s third birthday. When he laid eyes on it, Ahmad’s face brightened and his infectious smile brought a mixture of smiles and tears to the medical staff.

Ahmad also managed to muster two simple words in plain English, “Thank you.”

He said it over and over as he pulled out a laminated photo of his son to show off to everyone.

“We just wanted to help mend a wrong,” said Fitzgerald. “We can’t change what happened, nor can anyone be blamed for that terrible accident, but we can offer everything we have to make life a little better for Samir and his family.”

The medics carried the bed out to the front gate and helped Ahmad load it into his transport truck to take it home with him. Ahmad never stopped smiling.

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Beekeepers from Gereshk and Kandahar teach nearly 20 Afghan students how to maintain a bee farm during a course in Gereshk, Helmand province, July 26-28. The course was hosted by a local beekeeper with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, British Royal Army and Danish Army.

Beekeeping is the latest buzz in Helmand province, Afghanistan, after a three-day course during which nearly 20 Afghans learned the perks of farming bees rather than poppy.

The course, hosted July 26-28 in Gereshk, took place at the province’s master beekeeping teaching farm.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, British Royal Army and Danish Army have been helping Afghans learn new agricultural skills such as beekeeping in Gereshk, Helmand province. A local beekeeper hosted a class, July 26-28, to teach other Afghans how to maintain bee farms.

Attendees received lectures by Afghan bee farmers from other provinces. These farmers had previously received training on bee farming from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, British Royal Army and Danish Army.

“The farmers wanted to have bee hives to be able to generate income,” said Don Welty, a senior agriculture advisor with the USDA, and a native of Stafford, Va. “They all know about the impact that bees and honey can make because it is mentioned in the Quran.”

The idea of an alternative crop like bees that would not be harvested and sold by insurgents appealed to coalition forces and the local government. The program began in April.

“This is a great program to help the farmers diversify their farming programs and make additional income for their families,” Welty said. “The goal is to have every farmer own five hives and generate up to $1,000 per year. This would generate much more money than poppy. Once the farmers have alternatives then it is possible for them to move away from poppy.”

The course covered several topics related to beekeeping, including hive preparation, pollination benefits, swarm capturing and queen bee management. The session ended with a hands-on practical application of beekeeping for attendees.

At the end of the seminar attendees were given a starter hive, basic beekeeping supply and a set of beekeeping clothes, Welty said.

Honey from northern Afghan cities such as Jalalabad is sometimes available in the Gereshk bazaar and locals hope the demand will increase with local production, said Abdulla, the master beekeeper at the course.

Coalition forces and local government officials hope to have local farmers begin producing their own honey in weeks to come and plan to provide more beekeeping seminars in the future.

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Story by Cpl. Katherine Keleher

The view of Bamyan Valley through the ruins of the City of Screams. The city was named for the wailing that followed the slaugher of local residents by the army of Genghis Khan in 1212.

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Bamyan province is what officials said they hope the rest of Afghanistan can become. Local businesses are open, men and women stroll around town and children play in the streets. It is as if someone forgot to tell the residents of Bamyan that Afghanistan is statistically one of the most dangerous places in the world.

Operational Coordination Center-East senior adviser, U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Chris Frey of Washington, recently led a delegation to Bamyan province to assess operations at the Bamyan Operational Coordination Center-Provincial.

The Bamyan OCC-P coordinates the activities of Afghan National Security Forces in response to emergencies and natural crisis’ throughout the province.

Currently, members of the OCC-P are working with ANSF units to ensure security for newly developed mining operations and the budding Bamyan tourism industry.

“Economic development is key to the region’s success,” said Frey.

OCC-E commander, Afghan army Brig. Gen. Daud Andurabi said he was happy to visit Bamyan.

“We would like to see how the security transition [to Afghan authority] is progressing,” said Andurabi.

One sign of Bamyan’s success is the presence of Afghan Uniformed Police officers rather Afghan soldiers patrolling the streets, he said.

Despite Bamyan’s beautiful natural setting and current state of security, the area has been no stranger to brutality in the past.

Bamyan City sits in the stately shadows of the once magnificent Bamyan Buddhas. The Taliban regime destroyed both Buddhas, but the enormous niches from which they loomed over Bamyan City still remain. Efforts are ongoing to restore one of the Buddhas to its former glory.

Afghan National Security Force members approach the larger of two historic Buddhas in Bamyan province, both Buddhas were destroyed by the Taliban regime.

The smaller of the two is covered in scaffolding and being rebuilt through a grant from the government of Japan and the Afghan Ministry of Culture.

Scaffolding hugs the facade of the smaller of two ancient Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban as the Afghan and Japanese governments restore the Buddha to its former glory.

There are also hundreds of caves in the cliffs that run parallel to the city. The caves were once used by Buddhist monks. Today, many of the caves are used by local residents as additions to their homes or stables for their animals.

Genghis Khan was also an unwelcome visitor to the province. The ruins of the city he destroyed, known by locals as the “screaming city,” are still here and open to visitors.

“The city got its name when Genghis Khan killed every living thing within its walls,” said Afghan National Police officer, Col. Ahmed Hussien Ibrahimi.

But despite the violence of its past, residents claim Bamyan is now the most secure province in Afghanistan.

“Bamyan is the beginning of security in Afghanistan” said OCC-P Bamyan Commander, Afghan army Brig. Gen. Muhammad Hashim Yaseen. “If we can secure the center, the rest of Afghanistan will follow.”

Senior military adviser, New Zealand army Lt. Col. Hugh McAslan attributes much of the region’s success to the efforts of Gov. Habiba Sarabi, Afghanistan’s first and only female governor.

“[Sarabi] is very effective and forward-thinking,” said McAslan. “A lot of our success can be attributed to her leadership and drive.”

Afghan President Hamid Karzai appointed Sarabi as governor in 2005.

“[Sarabi] has done a lot to encourage tourism, infrastructure and security,” said USAID Private Sector, gender awareness and women’s empowerment adviser Mary Jae Sushka of Scottsville, Va. “She is also an advocate on gender relations and women’s equality.”

Sarabi is also internationally recognized for her work in women’s education. She beat the odds as a college graduate in an area with woeful female literacy rates and then became a hematologist and a powerful advocate for the education of women.

In an interview offered at the Afghan Embassy in Japan, Sarabi described what led her to become politically active.

“I couldn’t just sit home and do nothing,” said Sarabi. “I changed my profession and became involved in social activities. It was because of the Taliban that I chose this path.”

Her path included political activism, the establishment of underground schools for women during the Taliban regime and her current position as governor.

A tour of Bamyan seems to vindicate Sarabi’s decision to enter the male dominated world of Afghan politics.

The director of the Provincial Reconstruction Team, Richard Prendergast of New Zealand, views the transition from military to civilian control of the PRT as another sign of progress in the region.

“The New Zealand Foreign Ministry took the lead at the PRT about a year ago,” said Prendergrast. “I have an excellent working relationship with Gov. Sarabi. My main focus is on governance and development due to the excellent security situation.”

Prendergrast and Sarabi both see tourism as a potential boon to the nation. They hosted a major tourism conference last month and investors have shown great interest in the area’s natural beauty. Afghan-based Kamair already agreed to offer several flights per week to Bamyan City after the air strip is enlarged.

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Photos and story by Capt. Kenneth Stewart

The Ali Haydar Primary School headmaster, village elders, village Afghan National Army chief and students celebrate the grand-opening of their first girls’ middle school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 3. Until now, girls were only able to complete 6th grade in east Paktika. The dome-shaped structure was donated by the Lamia Afghan Foundation and constructed by local Afghans

Sixth grade is no longer the limit when it comes to education for girls in east Paktika.

Elders, teachers and students from the Balish Kalay area in Paktika’s Urgun District celebrated the completion of their first girls’ middle school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 3.

Inside the dome-shaped structure that resembles a giant soccer ball, 14 girls sat in desks studying their Dari language textbooks prior to the ceremony. The Afghan National Army chief for Balish Kalay and his soldiers provided security alongside Paktika Provincial Reconstruction Team security forces soldiers.

For added safety, the middle school was placed adjacent to the primary school within the security wall. The structure, which arrived in Afghanistan in easy-to-assemble pieces, was donated by the Lamia Afghan Foundation, but was constructed by local Afghans.

Zarwana, a 12-year-old Afghan in 7th grade, spoke about her education and her personal goals with PRT members at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“My favorite subject is math and I want to be a doctor,” she said with a smile. “If I want to be a doctor, I have to go to school.”

Girls like Zarwana could play a pivotal role in the future stability of their district should they complete middle school, graduate from high school and go on to learn a service in the healthcare, education or engineering realms.

Female teachers and doctors are hard to come by in Paktika, which makes education and healthcare for the younger generations next to impossible, and creates a cycle of poverty and sickness.

“The problem is that our females aren’t educated and we have no female doctors,” said Khurshid Jaman, Urgun sub-governor.

Due to the conservative culture in Paktika, once girls reach their teenage years, it is considered inappropriate for them to be taught by male teachers unless the subject is religion. The same rules apply to healthcare. Male doctors are not allowed to treat female patients.

According to Mohammad Aziz, the Urgun deputy director of education, boys teach their sisters what they learned at school once the girls complete 6th grade and no longer attend school. For Dr. Bibi Hawa, the provincial director of women’s affairs, a second-hand education for girls is unacceptable.

As a follow-up to an Urgun District women’s shura held in April, Hawa held a meeting with Urgun District leaders May 2 to discuss her plans for a girls’ high school.

The DoWA’s idea was met with support from the village elders, and even arguments over which village would be best for the high school. With Paktika’s literacy rate at no more than 2 percent, there is a critical need to improve education.

Hawa said refurbishing the current schools in the province and adding the two girls’ middle schools is a start. A high school for girls will be yet another step forward should that plan come to fruition.

“Let your girls go to school and go to the shura,” Hawa told the Urgun elders and government leaders. “I’m not from Paktika province, but I’m here for the women. It makes no difference to me.”

A second dome-shaped middle school for girls will be constructed in Ali Haydar village and the elementary school there is slated for refurbishment. For now, girls’ classes are held outside due to the poor structural condition of the school.

Story by 1st Lt. Emily Chilson
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Workers pause south of Asadabad April 16 during one of 18 simultaneous canal cleaning cash-for-work projects for individual villages underwritten by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team. The ADT assessed progress on the projects April 16 and paid supervisors for the work they and their workers did May 4. Photo by Capt. Peter Shinn

The Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Team completed 18 small-scale cash-for-work canal cleaning projects serving an equal number of villages May 4.

The projects employed several hundred men for more than two weeks in April. Each project cost less than $2,000, but village elders said each project in their area had a significant impact.

“This was excellent,” said Mohammed Rahim, an elder from Thesha, a village south of Asadabad, the provincial capital. “We got our canal cleaned, and young men got paid for their work.”

Mahngal Khan, another elder from Thesha, agreed.

“This has been a very good project for the community,” Khan said. “I hope the ADT will do more of these kinds of projects, and I thank the ADT for doing this one.”

The ADT underwrote the projects after elders representing 18 villages approached the provincial government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and asked for help cleaning their canals, which are vital for water supplies and irrigation of agricultural land. Provincial GIRoA officials then discussed the matter with members of the ADT, according to U.S. Army Capt. Pat Birgy of Mount Pleasant, Mich., the ADT’s finance officer.

“These projects represented a good way to directly link the provincial government with these villages,” Birgy said. “Unfortunately, the provincial government doesn’t have sufficient resources to fund these kinds of development projects, but when it makes sense, as it did in this case, we can help out.”

The ADT, Birgy added, administered the canal cleaning projects through the provincial National Solidarity Program, which coordinates with Community Development Councils made up of village elders at the local level. Mir Zaman Momand manages the NSP in Kunar province, and he expressed gratitude for the ADT’s support of the canal cleaning projects.

“This is a great work for the people,” Momand said. “They appreciate it, and I personally appreciate it.”

Story by Capt. Peter Shinn
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Shindand Air Base is under construction. It is slated to be the primary training site for the Afghan Air Force, as well as a key base for regional Afghan security forces.

An Afghan worker throws a rock into a well to test for water in a collapsed karez on Shindand Air Base in Herat province that provides water to a thousand families in a nearby village on March 7, 2010. Coalition forces hired workers from the village to dig out the karez to provide work for the families in addition to the restoration of their water supply. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

Coalition forces and local Afghan villagers worked together to reconnect access to an underground karez that supplies water for over 1000 families in a village just outside of Shindand Air Base in Herat province on March 7, 2011.

The 300-year-old karez, an underground aqueduct, runs through the air base and collapsed after heavy rains flooded the area in February.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Steve King, deputy commander for the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group at Shindand Air Base, says that the accessibility of Commander’s Emergency Response funds has financed the hiring of Afghans from the village to work on the Karez.

“Through the CERP funds, we were able to hire those villagers to come in and fix the situation,” King said. “It was a win-win situation. We were able to get their drinking water and the water for their crops and fields back flowing again, and at the same time being able to offer them work, so the counterinsurgency [COIN] effect is huge.”

Afghan workers dig out the dirt with their bare hands. The process isn’t how coalition forces usually do this kind of work but it is the traditional way for Afghans who have been maintaining the karez for generations.

Afghan workers hoist up a worker from a collapsed karez on Shindand Air Base in Herat province that provides water to a thousand families in a nearby village on March 7, 2010. Coalition forces hired the workers from the village to repair the karez in order to provide work for the families in addition to the restoration of their water supply. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

“We would never consider being lowered into a karez hole via a manual wheel where it is actually perfect for this environment and the work that needs to be done,” said King.

Safety is a main concern for all involved in the project.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Robert Hilker, 838th AEAG fire department assistant chief of operations, heads up the effort to keep everyone involved in the repair project safe.

“Because the operations that are going on are between 25 and 35 feet below the ground, there is a high probability for collapse,” Hilker said. “We are on point to provide immediate entry to pull out Afghans in the event of an emergency.”

Supplies and safety equipment are also being provided.

“We have provided them with hard hats, flashlights, better rope than they had, D-rings and carabiners, anything that we had that would make what they do safer,” said Hilker.

The reconstruction effort and employment of Afghans has had a mutual benefit.

“We are learning as much from them as they are from us.” King said. “It has dramatically increased the goodwill amongst ISAF, the Afghan air force and the local villagers.”

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Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

Sgt. Randy Elmore, team leader, Zombie Response Team, 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, secures a reconstruction project along Highway 4 in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, April 8. The construction is part of a commander�s emergency response program-funded reconstruction project, which includes repairs to 7.8 kilometers of road from the Pakistan border into Afghanistan. Elmore is a Surprise, Ariz., native deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C. Photo by Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski.

A vital highway reconstruction project to repair stretches of road near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is progressing ahead of schedule.

Highway 4 is often referred to as the “Gateway to Kandahar.” The stretch of road is the economic corridor that allows passage from the Weesh crossing, near the Pakistan border, to Kandahar City in Afghanistan.

“The project is significant because most of the commerce between the two countries in the southern region travels along that route,” said Col. James Edwards, 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade commander, deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C. “It is significant to International Security Assistance Force because it’s the number two ground line of communication. Many of our supplies travel through this area. It is also important because of international trade, the local economy and for ISAF to sustain operations here.”

The project, funded by the Commander’s Emergency Response Program, repairs 7.8 kilometers of road from the border to Spin Boldak.

“Many trucks that pass through here are overloaded, because they don’t have any transportation inspectors to inspect the weight of the vehicles,” said Jon Jorgenson, construction representative for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Jorgenson oversees the Afghan-contracted project that began late December 2010.

“Some of these vehicles may be two or three times the weight of vehicles in the U.S., so the road sank and was unsafe,” the engineer said.

Local laborers dug up the dilapidated asphalt and soft dirt previously laid down. They set and compacted a base layer and aggregate, and will soon lay a new layer of asphalt.

Additionally, ruts and medians were removed from the highway to expand the the road into four lanes in the future and ease the flow of traffic.

Pfc. Brandon Fender, enabler response team member, 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, provides security at a reconstruction project along Highway 4 in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, April 8. The highway is an economic corridor that allows passage from the Weesh crossing, near the Pakistan border, to Kandahar City in Afghanistan and is vital to the trade industry in the south. Fender is an Omaha, Neb., native deployed from Fort Bragg, N.C. Photo by Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski.

Jorgensen said a project of this size would typically take six months to a year to complete, but it is progressing faster than expected and should be finished by late June.

“The contractor is moving along very well,” Jorgensen said. “Because the company is so good, we can move along with the project. It’s probably the best highway project I’ve seen from Qalat to Spin Boldak’s border; it’s going to be a good road.”

Commuters and delivery truck drivers crossing into Afghanistan will not be the only people to benefit from the reconstruction and durability of the new road. The trade-based communities who line the highway also profit.

“You can’t drive along this part of highway and not be amazed by the amount of bustling economic activity that is out there,” said Edwards. “With a better road, it will support more traffic and further assist the growth in the area. It will benefit the people of Spin Boldak and extend the development benefits, ultimately bringing stability to the region.”

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Story by Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski

Abdul Hakeem displays black diamonds at his shop at the bazaar, Saturday, April 16, Kandahar Airfield, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Buying precious stones or gems on the boardwalk at Kandahar Airfield can be an exciting yet daunting adventure for a deployed service member or civilian in a combat zone.

The stories of people buying gems in Afghanistan and turning over a sizable profit in the states pass around like rumors, but somebody always knows a relative in the jewelry business. But, there is also the risk of synthetics being tossed into the mix. Not to be confused with heat treatment, this is used to bring out the color in some stones such as rubies or sapphires.

A customer walks into the store for the first time and asks, “How do you know which ones are the good ones?”

“It depends on what you like,” said Ayoub, the store owner and buyer for the business.

Everybody has a different taste, that’s why there are so many shapes, sizes, cuts and colors.

A customer asks if the rubies are manmade.

“They are enhanced, by a process of heat treatment that brings out the color in the gem,” said Ayoub. “Afghanistan doesn’t have the modern facilities to cut gems as well, in comparison to Thailand and India.”

The Russian-Afghan war shifted everything to Pakistan, Ayoub said. Beginning with the Russian invasion, Afghan gem merchants left their homes, similar to Cuban cigar makers moving to South America, but Afghan gem merchants are now returning to Afghanistan.

“With 30 years of war, the gem trade, what was beginning to develop but has not had time to establish due to the invasion still finds a way to maintain a market,” said Ayoub.

Afghan gem merchants who remain in the country run the risk of Taliban or corruption at the borders, but are aware of the reemergence of the market and want to bring back the reputation of Afghanistan as a leader in precious gems.

Ruby, emeralds, tourmaline, aquamarine, kunzite and lapis lazuli all have origins in Afghanistan, but when it comes to sapphires, they originate in the Cashmere region of India and Sri Lanka including Thailand and Cambodia.

In the U.S., the states of Montana and Minnesota are famous for their sapphire mines, according to the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Sapphires are highly sought after and marketed in Afghanistan, so they are easily mistaken to originate in Afghanistan.

Sapphires are actually an aluminum oxide called corundum. In its pure state, it is colorless, but may be red, pink, blue, green, purple, black, orange or yellow. Gem quality red corundum is referred to as ruby, with all other sapphire.

For thousands of years, Afghan gems have adorned crowns or taken their place as the crown jewels of monarchs or have been reserved for royal families dating back to Alexander the Great and the Pharos. Lapis was at one time limited to possession of royalty and was a criminal offense to have it in your position.

Ayoub said when he embarks on a buying trip; it may include places such as Africa, India, Pakistan and Thailand. Recently he traveled to Thailand on a week-long buying adventure to include a two-day course on new treatments for sapphires and rubies and how to identify the treatments, ranging from laser, glass fill, similar to the resin that is injected into the crack in a windshield. Ayoub said that whether you are buying gems as a business or as a consumer, you need to know what you are buying and if it has these new methods of enhancements.

He said he also invested in the necessary equipment to establish a gem lab on site and intends to employ certified gemologist.

Abdul Hakeem explains the difference in quality and price between emeralds from Columbia and those mined in Afghanistan at his shop at the bazaar, Saturday, April 16, Kandahar Airfield, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

During Ayoub’s latest trip to Thailand, after the classes and equipment buying were completed, he joined with a group of buyers he met up in Bangkok for a three-hour southeasterly trip to the border with Cambodia. Chataburi, Thailand is considered the capital of gem buying and is where the entire precious and semi-precious gem stones end up to be cut or sold in large quantities in Southeast Asia. The labor is cheap and has been the focal point for many years.

The two dozen or so buyers from mostly Asian countries would have the entire trip arranged by a Bangkok dealer who would facilitate the entire expedition. After arriving at the hotel, the buyers prepare for a three-to-four-day marathon of meeting with hundreds of gem cutters from the region. Beginning with a conference room in the hotel, the buyers would place signs on the front of their tables indicating what they are there to buy, then it begins.

No Champaign and Hors d’œuvre, just business and thousands of precious and semi-precious gems, cut or rough. If they are cut, then they do not expect to pay a tariff when leaving the country, but if they are un-cut, then they expect that the gems will be cut by other gem cutters and will not generate further local income.

Ayoub described the three days as exhausting gem buying, which involves hours of peering through a loop to examine the degree of inclusions (foreign objects trapped in the gem stone), or the tiny imperfections that run like fractures through the gems. In fact they are solid crystal inclusions consisting of calcite, quarts or fluorite, but are expected because they are part of the natural process of their creation. You would expect to find these little fissures that resemble lighting bolts or feathers created under temperatures exceeding 1500 to 1800 degrees Celsius.

If these are absent, then you should suspect that the gems are possibly synthetic and warrants further investigation. There is also the degree of cloudiness, which is a byproduct of heat enhancement. But some cloudiness is to be expected in a natural gem. The majority of rubies and sapphires sold today are heat treated to enhance the color and clarity. Heat treating was implemented by the gem industry in the 1920’s but has been around dating back several thousand years.

Retailers should tell a buyer if the stone is enhanced, but ultimately, the consumer needs to know something about what they are buying in direct proportion to the amount of money they are about to spend. Buying as an investment, you want to look for stones that are untreated and as clear as possible. But if you are buying for glamour, then the enhanced gems may be what you are looking for as they will present the characteristic color the public will identify with.

Ayoub said he recommends doing some research and have a reputable place to appraise the gems for a fee. Look for a professional who is disinterested in buying your gem or selling their gems and is providing an appraisal for a fee only. Buy a few gems that you are interested in after you figure out what you are doing. Ayoub said to concentrate on something that has a good return.

When buying gems in Afghanistan, you are basically establishing yourself as the middle man and are cutting out the majority of the markup. The markup comes from the multiple change of hands and you are basically paying for the contact and work that goes into the gems.

Gems could basically start out at a fraction of the cost you will expect to see in the west or Europe. If you are buying for pleasure or for establishing an investment portfolio, you need to look into having your gems properly certified by a company, such as Geological Institute of America. They will charge $150 per stone evaluation and will laser etch the serial number on the edge of the stone for you, it will be certificated and placed on their website for insurance or to certify your portfolio.

Why do people buy Afghan gems?

According to Ayoub that answer is two fold, “Buying precious gems on deployment adds to the excitement and story value when giving as a gift to a loved one or as a conversation piece in a collection. They also believe that by buying Afghan they are essentially helping out the small businesses and economy of the Afghan people.”

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Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Thomas Coffman