Attendees to the opening ceremony of the Kandahar Nursing and Midwifery Institute participate in the ribbon cutting May 9, 2012 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The Kandahar Nursing and Midwifery will be able to train up to 800 students, both male and female, a year in nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, lab and dental services. Photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Chacon

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Story by Staff Sgt. Timothy Chacon

The Kandahar Nursing and Midwifery Institute held a ribbon cutting ceremony May 9,2012. The Nursing and Midwifery facility is one of only eight similar facilities in the country and will be able to train up to 800 students, both male and female, per year. The facility will teach students nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, lab, and dental services, with an emphasis on improving maternal and infant mortality rates in Kandahar, as well as surrounding provinces.

The May 9, 2012 ribbon cutting ceremony for Kandahar Nursing and Midwifery Institute marked a big step in the improvement of medical facilities in Afghanistan. The Director of Public Health, Dr. A.Q. Pokhla, Provincial Governor, Toryalai Wesa, and the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Suraya Dalil attended the ceremony along with many of the U.S. military and civilian partners who assisted in the project.

The speakers spoke about the importance of the facility and what it will mean for Afghanistan.

“Today we celebrate the transition to Afghan authority,” said Minister Dalil. “We should stand on our own feet to deliver services for our people.”

The Nursing and Midwifery facility is one of only eight similar facilities in the country and will be able to train up to 800 students, both male and female, per year. The facility will teach students nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, lab, and dental services, with an emphasis on improving maternal and infant mortality rates in Kandahar, as well as surrounding provinces. The compound consists of male and female dormitories, a dining hall, a schoolhouse, mosque, recreation field and administrative buildings.

The new facility will greatly increase the institute’s capabilities from those provided at the former site at Mirwais hospital.

“The nursing and midwifery facility will provide students with a better learning and living environment.” said U.S. Navy Lt. j.g Kimberly Gaines, Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team senior medical officer. “As well facilitate the growth of a multitude of health services in Kandahar City.”

U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Kimberly Gaines, Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team, listens to a translated speech through a headset during the Kandahar Nursing and Midwifery Institute grand opening ceremony May 9, 2012 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Kandahar PRT is a joint team of U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy service members and civilians deployed to the Kandahar province of Afghanistan to assist in the effort to rebuild and stabilize the local government and infrastructure. Photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Chacon

Local Afghan contractors conducted the building of the facility with the assistance of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team. The Kandahar PRT is a joint team of U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and civilians assigned to the Kandahar province to assist with the effort to rebuild and stabilize the local government and infrastructure.

Leonard Sinfield, South District hydrogeologist, inspects well pipes stacked and ready for installation in a new well site on the Afghan National Army 9th Commando compound in Herat province, May 1. Photo by Dave Melancon

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Story by Dave Melancon

Water is a critical element for rebuilding Afghanistan’s economy and security, according Afghanistan Engineer District-South’s hydrogeologist, Leonard Sinfield.

“Without water, nothing can happen,” said Sinfield, one of about a dozen hydrogeologists working for U.S. federal, military, or non-government agencies in Afghanistan. Sinfield assesses water resources for the Afghan National Security Forces and U.S. forces facilities and installations.

“The Corps of Engineers looks to see if there are adequate groundwater resources because you cannot build a facility without water,” he said during a site visit to wells in Herat and Qala-i-Naw May 1 and 2. “We try to predict if there is good water or not.”

A U.S. Navy civilian employee from San Diego, Calif. working on an interagency detail with the south district, Sinfield has studied test results for more than 50 wells in the district and conducted hands-on site assessments and tests for 10.

Sinfield also supervises well drilling projects on Kandahar Airfield and is helping Kandahar City officials to develop its water resources master plan.

“We are trying to help Afghanistan develop drinking water for the city,” he said. “We are reviewing all the wells, looking for good locations, doing all the things we do to assist Kandahar City officials correctly build wells and tap into good water for the city.”

Sinfield said he is helping the Afghans with technical aspects of drilling several deep aquifer exploration wells in and around Kandahar City. These wells will help the city diversify the number and types of reliable water sources it has available to ensure a water supply that is not subject to droughts in the future.

“As we close bases, we want to transition responsibility for the water wells over to the Afghans,” he said. “We do not want to just close them. So, we may have to retrofit the wells with hand pumps and train village residents on maintenance.”

Additionally, Sinfield advises area combat commanders and civil affairs teams in Regional Command South with their long-term planning and with drafting water-related policies.

Meetings, documents and written test results provide only a partial picture of a well’s capacity and quality. There is no substitute for an on-site assessment, Sinfield said.

“We talk with the Afghan drillers, making sure they are doing the right things technically,” he said. “We are able to ask the right questions to obtain good information on the well site.”

But the most important part of these face-to-face, well-side discussions is preparing the Afghans to take over their water operations.

“We try to get the Afghans to use the information to help them make good well drilling decisions,” Sinfield said.

During site visits to several wells on Corps projects in the Herat area, Sinfield found two 500-meter deep dry holes drilled into steeply sloping bedrock which is forcing the water under the mountains on Camp Zafar, three intermittent wells on Camp Stone with some minor salinity problems and “tons of good water” on the 9th Commando compound. The three sites are adjacent to one another.

“We saw a pattern: no water, OK water, very good water,” Sinfield said. “We know where the good water is.”

In Qala-i-Naw, where the Corps of Engineers is building a new resident office to oversee several projects taking place in Badghis province, Sinfield found one well drilled into dry clay that should be sealed, another seasonal well that could serve as a back-up water source and the remains of an abandoned well.

The abandoned well could be restored, he reported. It needs a new well house, pump, electric system, a 500-gallon day tank and a booster pump.

During his assessments, Sinfield used a portable salinity meter to test the salt content, known as total dissolved salt or TDS, of the well water and had good news to report.

“The water coming out of those wells was as good as the water that was being delivered by truck,” he said.

The delivered water has a salinity level of about 1,600 parts-per-million while the water on a nearby Spanish army forward operating base had TDS of approximately 1,800 ppm, he said. Water throughout the Qala-i-Naw area has salinity ranges measuring from about 1,250 to 1,800 ppm.

“It is all good water,” Sinfield said. “It may just taste a little salty and makes bad coffee or tea.” However, it is safe and potable, he said.

The higher salt content came as no surprise, Sinfield said, salty water is an issue throughout the region.

“You have a lot of water that is really salty, really hard,” he explained. “The first aquifer that you hit is usually really salty. In some areas of the country that is all you can get, especially along the Iranian border area.”

Wells drilled deeper than 300 meters can usually overcome the salt problem and have other benefits, he said. The added depth yields higher pumping capacity and higher quality water.

Without water, Afghanistan cannot grow and prosper, Sinfield said.

“You can’t develop anything without water. Water drives the economy here. Electrical subsystems need water, hydroelectric systems need water, agriculture needs water,” he said.

“Afghanistan used to export a lot of agricultural products in the pre-war years. Hopefully we can help them get back to that point.”

In a similar training mission, members of the Slovak Republic 5th Special Forces Regiment prepare to evacuate a simulated casualty as part of a Partnership Development Program event at the Military Training Center Lest in Slovakia. U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Donald Sparks, photo approved for official public release by MSG Donald Sparks, Special Operations Command Europe Public Affairs Officer

Lt. Col. Steve Osterholzer, spokesman for the 10th Special Force Group, confirmed today that a small element of Russian paratroopers is expected to train at Fort Carson, Colorado, in May. The twenty Russian soldiers are from a light infantry unit, not Spetsnaz.

The Russians will be participating in a training mission under the terms of a bi-lateral agreement signed last year between the Russian and U.S. militaries. It was recognized that troops that may need to work together in the fight against terrorism ought to train together. Special Forces troops conduct dozens of similar training missions for nations worldwide every year.

Osterholzer described the training as “entry level”. It will include weapons familiarization, medical evacuation, mountaineering and basic communications. The training is intended to build a basic relationship between the two militaries.

No secret or top secret items will be involved. The Russian troops will have an escort 24/7 while they are at Fort Carson.

A joint parachute jump is planned during the training. Lt. Col. Osterholzer said that it is traditional that such jumps qualify the participants to wear the jump wings of the other nation. The Americans will earn Russian jump wings and the Russians will earn American wings.

In keeping with Special Forces protocols, there will be no press releases or photos from the training mission.

The original report of this training mission was released by the EU Times with a great deal of embellishment. The errors in that story lead to much speculation and concern on message boards and other Internet sites. The Russians will not be defending Denver’s airport, or taking over either the CIA or NSA buildings in Washington.

Defense Department:

Lt. Christopher E. Mosko, 28, of Pittsford, N.Y., died April 26 while conducting combat operations in Nawa district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Mosko was assigned as a Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Platoon Commander to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Afghanistan. Mosko was stationed at EOD Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, Calif.

Lt. Mosko lived in Pittsford, a suburb of Rochester, NY, for several years. His father, on his blog, has corrected some of the media reporting.

Mosko spent his high school years in Eu Clarie, Wisconsin. He attended Drexel University in Philadelphia 2002 to 2007 and received his Navy commission through their ROTC unit there. Drexel awarded him a B.S. degree in Finance and Engineering.

From 2007 to 2008 he was at the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal school at Eglin AFB in Florida. He then served as an Assistant Operations Officer until May 2009 when he received his first command assignment.

At the time of his death he was serving as a platoon commander in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3 (EODMU 3). The unit is stationed in San Diego.

He leaves behind a wife, Amanda, who is also a Navy officer. He is also survived by his father and mother, John and Gayle Mosko and a sister Meredith.

Chris Mosko on LinkedIn
John Mosko’s moving letter to his son upon graduating
John Mosko’s blog

News Media Reports
Superior Telegram – Sailor killed in Afghanistan was ECM HS grad
WEAU 13 – Friends remember Memorial High School grad killed in combat
Leader-Telegram – Memorial High graduate killed in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, a recent change of command ceremony saw Major General Charles M. Gurganus assume command of NATO’s Regional Command Southwest (RC-SW) from Major General John A. Toolan, Jr. RC-SW consists of the Afghan provinces of Helmand and Nimruz.

The U.S. Marine Corps has held the responsibility for RC-SW for some time. Helmand Province has been the scene of fierce fighting against the Taliban while Nimruz has been far calmer. MG Toolan spoke with reporters yesterday about the situation in his AOR at the end of his tour.

Toolan commanded about 20,000 Marines and just under 13,000 troops from Coalition partners. The United Kingdom made up the largest of these units, supplying 9,500 men and women. They have the responsibility for three districts in Helmand Province and also lead the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRC) for the province.

Gunner Peter Maina from Light Regiment Royal Artillery, 29 Commando, 3rd Commando Brigade, attached to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion the Rifles, and a native of Plymouth, England, checks a .50 caliber machine gun prior to taking over Sanger duty at Patrolling Base Seca in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, Sept. 12. Marine Corps photo.

He had high praise for the other Coalition partners.

• The Danes are operating with the British in securing what he described as “one of the most kinetic districts in Afghanistan.”
• The Georgians have been assigned their own battlespace, evidence of their abilities, and will add a second battalion to their forces in September.
• Jordan and Bahrain have troops providing base security.
• The UAE is providing rotary wing assets in support of special operations mission. They are supplying both attack helicopters and transport helicopters.

In Toolan’s words “Things are good. Not great, but good” At this time the local population sees the Afghan security forces and the Coalition troops as the “home team”. Two years ago, it was the Taliban that was seen in that role.

MG Toolan sees corruption as the greatest threat to continued progress in Afghanistan. He talked about both “parasitic” corruption and “predatory” corruption. Parasitic corruption derives from the powerbrokers in Kabul, and consists of crimes such as skimming, nepotism, “pay to play”, bribery and the like. Predatory corruption is at the local level, when police or military use their power to steal.

Another problem that Toolan discussed was the integration of the Afghan Local Police (ALP). The ALP has been effective in adding an additional layer of security, he told us, especially in the troubled Marjah area. But there are not enough slots in the various national police organizations to accept all the ALP. He hopes that a retraining program can be created to give these men usable skills in construction, etc.

Asked to reflect on successes during his command, the general pointed to two infrastructure needs that the Marines have filled.

A Marine with Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, uses a grader to improve road surfaces on Route Tiffany, April 6, 2012. Support Company cleared and constructed the improved-surface road to facilitate travel in northern Helmand province. Malrine Corps photo.

Road building opens up impoverished areas to trade and communication. The Marines have built over 1,000 miles kilometers of roads in RC-SW. MG Toolan pointed out that this alone undercut Taliban influence.

Afghan children give their approval of the new bridge constructed near Combat Outpost Rankel in the district of Garmsir, Helmand province, Jan. 29. The Marines of Bridge Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion endured a 5-day convoy in order to replace a temporary bridge with a more permanent structure that would increase mobility for Marines operating in the area. Marine Corps photo.

The Marine move into the region around the Kajaki Dam was the other accomplishment that Toolan cited. The hydroelectric dam was built by the U.S. in the 1960′s and for several years provided both electricity and irrigation to the Helmand River valley. These resources made the area very productive. After the Russian occupation, the civil war and the Taliban takeover, the dam fell into disrepair and was poorly used, if at all.

The Taliban controlled the dam until last October. A Marine offensive took the dam and the area surrounding it. This allowed the Government of Afghanistan to begin receiving the benefit of the dam.

MG Toolan pointed out the the Afghan security force still need support in some critical area. Electronic intelligence gathering, logistics and battlefield health care are still lagging. He would also like to see a point in time when the police can transition from anti-terrorism duties to a more traditional role of law enforcement.

Regional Command – South West resources:

• NATO / ISAF site for RC-SW
• RC-SW WordPress site for news
• RC-SW on Facebook
• RC-SW photos on Flickr
• Digital content from RC-SW on DVIDS

U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard took delivery of its first fast response cutter, the Bernard C. Webber, Friday in Miami. Webber is the first of 58 planned Sentinel Class patrol boats replacing the Coast Guard’s venerable but aging Island Class patrol boat fleet.

“Consistent with the Sentinel Class name, the cutter Webber will guard our coasts and its citizens and protect the nation’s vital maritime interests,” said Rear Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard director of governmental and public affairs.

Patrol boats like Webber are the workhorses of America’s littoral maritime fleet. Possessing superior speed and flexibility, Coast Guard patrol boats deliver the Coast Guard’s unique blend of military capability, law enforcement authority and lifesaving expertise wherever needed along the coast. The Sentinel Class patrol boat is one of many critical recapitalization efforts the Coast Guard is managing to responsibly rebuild the capabilities that make the service our nation’s frontline maritime first responder.

“The United States is a maritime nation that depends heavily on the sea for commerce, security, sustenance and recreation and the new fast response cutter is an essential element of the Coast Guard’s offshore and coastal presence that America requires to protect its maritime interests,” said Schultz.

The Sentinel Class patrol boats carry the names of enlisted Coast Guard heroes to honor a long line of Coast Guard men and women who have distinguished themselves since the establishment of the nation’s Revenue Marine in 1790.

Bernie Webber, namesake of the fast response cutter Webber, led a crew of three Coast Guardsmen aboard a 36-foot rescue boat, in 60-foot seas, to rescue 33 mariners from the wreckage of the tanker Pendleton near Chatham, Mass, in 1952. The skill and bravery he and his crew demonstrated that stormy evening epitomizes what it means to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard and are demonstrate the service’s values of honor, respect and devotion to duty. The men and women of the Coast Guard still staff a nation-wide network of boat stations – just as Bernie Webber and his crew did – performing extraordinary life-saving and security operations for the nation.

The 154-foot fast response cutter is capable of speeds in excess of 28 knots and operating in seas up to 20-feet. It’s armed with a remotely-operated and stabilized 25-mm chain gun plus four, .50 caliber machine guns, modern C4ISR equipment, four-person berthing areas and a crew of 21 enlisted personnel and three officers.

The Bernard C. Webber will be homeported in Miami and is scheduled for commissioning April 14. The Coast Guard’s first six fast response cutters will be stationed in Miami. Plans call for the first 18 fast response cutters to be homeported throughout the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean.

Afghan air force Lt. Sakina, prepares to strike a simulated attacker a during a woman's self-defense class at Kabul International Airport, Feb. 29, 2012.

Advisers from the 439th and 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadrons recently taught a class to four Afghan air force female personnel about the importance of using self-defense to escape a violent situation.

The training prepared the female students physically and mentally for what they could experience if placed in a dangerous scenario. The students learned that true self defense is more than just personal protection and learning a set of techniques to escape from an attacker.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Kenneth Tatrai, 738th AEAS Pohantoon-e-Hawayee lead security forces adviser and self-defense instructor, discussed the potential benefits that would come from learning self defense.

Building confidence
“I think that it’s important for everyone to know how and when to defend themselves and to have the confidence to do so,” said Tatrai. “Even though we are in a more civil world there are people who look for weaker men and women, so it’s extremely important to have the tools for self-defense and to know when to use them.”

The course consisted of the basic principles of personal security and self-defense in order to help the students mitigate risk in their lives whenever possible.

Although fake yells and laughter filled the training room, the students used strike pads to demonstrate how they would react. The training included strikes, break holds and demonstrations of the sensitive areas of the body to aim for when engaged with an attacker.

Opportunity appreciated
Afghan air force Lt. Arezoo Azizi said she appreciated the opportunity to attend the class and enjoyed working with the mentors in a relaxed and fun environment.

“All the moves we learned during the class were my favorite,” said Azizi. “Self-defense is very good for all women to learn especially the women in Afghanistan and I appreciate the mentors for offering us something we don’t normally have.”

Tatrai said that he was very impressed with the students and that by using their new found skills the Afghan women will be better prepared to respond to an aggressive assailant.

“It was a good class and we had great students. I definitely feel that they learned a lot today and are better prepared to defend themselves if the situation presents itself,” said Tatrai.

Afghan air force Lt. Nafisa Adeb performs a simulated neck strike on Air Force Capt. William Boland, a force support officer with the 439th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, during a woman's self-defense class at Kabul International Airport, Feb. 29, 2012.

Among the participating advisers, one particularly shared the women’s concerns about size and capability against someone twice their size.

Capt. Vanessa Vanden Bout, a 439th AEAS force support officer and gender integration person of contact for the Afghan air force, that works closely with the women stated that she was excited to give back to the students.

Learning new skills
“The ladies expressed interest in learning new skills, and this is one that I thought was important for them to have in their tool kit,” said Vanden Bout. “It increases their self confidence, and also increases the likelihood that they can escape safely from a dangerous situation.”

Vanden Bout, who organized the training, stepped up and demonstrated exactly how the training would work if attacked for real by taking down her large simulated attacker.

“Many women aren’t as strong as men, making it easier for them to be subdued and potentially injured. Our Afghan ladies are smaller in stature and are fairly slender so we wanted to teach them that you don’t have to be the biggest or the strongest to fight back and protect yourself,” said Vanden Bout.

Adeb said the class alleviated some of her fear of being in an assault situation.

“I feel more confident in what I learned and in myself. Today has given me the confidence to know that I can really do this if I had too,” said Afghan air force Lt. Nafisa Adeb. “I know I’ll remember today and what I learned when I need it.”

DVIDS
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Nadine Barclay

UPDATE: BBC 16 March 2012 Last updated at 14:07 ET Bedouin in Egypt’s Sinai ‘end siege of monitor camp’

The Bedouin, who surrounded the camp belonging to the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), reportedly reached an understanding with the authorities. Officials have been given a month to release several jailed tribesmen, some of them convicted of terrorism charges.

MFO North Camp, located at El Goreh, Egypt

Yesterday’s initial reports that a group of armed Bedouin had surrounded an installation of the Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) in Egypt’s northern Sinai desert are true. North Camp, the largest of the MFO installations, has been surrounded by about 300 armed Bedouin tribesmen demanding the release, from Egyptian custody, of five of their fellow tribesmen.

Various reports suggest that about 80 Americans, 35 Uruguayans, 300 Colombians and at least two Czechs are being detained in the camp.

MFO:

Twelve nations (Australia, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of the Fiji Islands, France, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, the United States and Uruguay) contribute contingents to make up the MFO’s Force. It is the largest element of the MFO and is a joint organization with army, air and naval components. As of 30 September 2011, the MFO’s Force numbered 1656 personnel.

The United States provides the bulk of the forces for the MFO. Various National Guard units rotate as the response infantry battalion, the support battalion and the aviation unit. The military force is commanded by a United States Army officer.

MFO map of the Sinai, with various truce zones. Click on the map for a larger image.

The MFO’s North Camp is the organization’s largest installation and the site of the Force Commander’s Headquarters. It is located at el Gorah in the northern Sinai, approximately 20 kilometers south of the Mediterranean coastline and serves as the base of operations for MFO activities in the northern and central sectors of Zone C.

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
DVIDS

A Sailor aboard a safety boat observes a visit, board, search and seizure team, assigned to guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd, board the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai. The Kidd's VBSS team detained 15 suspected pirates, who were holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for several weeks, according to the members of the crew. The Kidd is conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations while deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Forces assigned to the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, rescued an Iranian fishing vessel from Pirates in the northern Arabian Sea, Jan. 5.

At approximately 12:30 p.m, an SH-60S Seahawk from the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) detected a suspected pirate skiff alongside the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai. Simultaneously, a distress call was received from the master of the Al Molai claiming he was being held captive by pirates.

A Visit, Board, Search and Seizure team from the Kidd boarded the Al Molai and detained 15 suspected pirates who had been holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for several weeks. The Al Molai had been pirated and used as a “mother ship” for pirate operations throughout the Persian Gulf, according to members of the Iranian vessel’s crew.

The pirates did not resist the boarding and surrendered quickly.

“The Al Molai had been taken over by pirates for roughly the last 40-45 days,” said Josh Schminky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. “They were held hostage, with limited rations, and we believe were forced against their will to assist the pirates with other piracy operations.”

According to members of the Kidd boarding party, the Iranian crew said they were forced by the pirates to live in harsh conditions, under the threat of violence with limited supplies and medical aid.

“When we boarded, we gave them food, water, and medical care,” said Schminky. “They had been through a lot. We went out of our way to treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect.”

Guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd responded to a distress call from the master of the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai, who stated he was held captive by pirates.

“After securing the ship and ensuring the safety of all persons on board, we began distributing food and water to both the crew and the suspected criminals as is our standard practice in Counter-Piracy operations,” said Schminky. The pirates were detained on the Al Molai by the Kidd boarding party until the next morning when they could be transferred to the USS John C. Stennis where the matter will be reviewed for prosecution. The pirates currently remain on the Stennis.

“The Captain of the Al Molai expressed his sincere gratitude that we came to assist them. He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months,” said Schminky.

A U.S. Navy SH-60S Seahawk provides support to a visit, board, search and seizure team in a 7-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat, assigned to guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd. The VBSS team boarded an Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai after the dhow's master stated he was being held captive by pirates. The Kidd's VBSS team detained 15 suspected pirates who were reportedly holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for the last two months.

Piracy is an international problem that requires an international solution and is a threat to all mariners. The presence of U.S. Navy ships in this region promotes freedom of navigation and protects the safety of those who transit the sea.

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is conducting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Navy – Central Command

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
DVIDS

At barely 39 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the two women of Female Engagement Team 6 warmed their red, sniffling noses by drinking hot chocolate out of canteen cups. It was early morning and they had little sleep from the cold night before. The Marines began dressing in their body armor, preparing for their upcoming day of work.

Sergeants Jessica Lugo and Autumn Sekely were getting ready to go out in support of Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and the Afghan National Civil Order Police during a recent security patrol through their area of Sangin district, Helmand province.

Sergeants Jessica Lugo -left- and Autumn Sekely -right-, of Female Engagement Team 6, walk into a village leader’s compound in Sangin district, Helmand province. Sekely, of Pittsburgh, and Lugo, of San Pedro, Calif., are assigned to support 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, by engaging with the local women and children, building trust and rapport between local residents and the Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces. Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Katherine Keleher

The purpose of the day was to familiarize Marines new to the unit with the area, while also giving Lugo and Sekely the opportunity to interact with local women and children.
While supporting the infantry Marines with 2nd Marine Division (Forward), FET socialized with local children passing by, handing out candy and pencils while sharing smiling faces through the language barrier.

“Establishing a good relationship with the children and their families is very important, and it’s one of our primary tasks here,” said Sekely, a reservist from Pittsburgh. “It helps build trust and rapport. They really appreciate that the Marines make an effort to respect their culture by having FET out here.”
When wrapping up the introduction of the area to the new Marines, 1st Squad made a pit stop at one of the village leader’s compounds while on its way back to the patrol base.

The village leader opened the doors to his home with open arms, allowing FET inside to talk with his wife and children.

“The women, they stay in the compounds while the men are in the bazaars and farming fields working,” explained Lugo, also a reservist who is from San Pedro, Calif. “They hear a lot of things from the people who come in and out of their compounds. So when we get there, these women are just aching to talk. They’re just like we are, and they want their voices to be heard.”

Sergeants Jessica Lugo and Autumn Sekely, of Female Engagement Team 6, walk into a village leader’s compound in Sangin district, Helmand province. Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Katherine Keleher

During their visit with the village leader and his family, the Marines and Afghans used an interpreter to discuss the possibility of building a water well in the village, as well as raising money to build a mosque.

“Things like this take a lot of money and time,” Lugo, the FET 6 team leader, told them.

While carrying on the conversation with the adults, Lugo and Sekley played with the children, giving them crayons and paper, showing them how to color.

“We have the capability of talking to one-hundred percent of the population,” Lugo, a military policewoman by trade, explained. “It’s not only engaging the women of Afghanistan for us, it’s engaging with everyone. Like today, the village leader talked to us. You would think in (this culture) the men wouldn’t want to talk to us, but they do. They’re kind of intrigued by having women in military clothing around.

“The (local residents) are very intrigued by us. They see us, the color of our skin, the color of our eyes, us carrying a rifle walking alongside the males. They see that we’re equal,” Lugo added.

Working side-by-side, FET and 3/7 have until spring to continue working together, winning over hearts and minds and helping the Afghan people toward a brighter tomorrow.

By Cpl. Katherine Keleher
DVIDS

The squad of American troops burst through the door, only to find that their terrorist targets had fled. There was a pile of shredded documents which was carefully gathered up and taken back to base.

Shredded paper collected on a Marine Corps base

Now, reconstructing shredded documents takes brute force, thousands of man hours, or lots and lots of computer processing with little chance of success. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is wondering if there is a better way. It created the DARPA Shredder Challenge, with a first prize of $50,000, to see if the general public can create an effective method of piecing back together shredded documents.

DARPA is the “what if” part of the Pentagon, funding a huge variety of research. They have funded such things as stealth technology, anthropomorphic mechanical arms and hypersonic vehicles. A big chunk of their funds go to “black” or secret research. Their site reads that DARPA is the place for “high-risk, high-payoff research, development and demonstration of new technologies and systems that serve the warfighter and the Nation’s defense.”

The challenge is massive. There are dozens of brands and hundreds of models of shredders. Some shred in strips while others cross cut. Each produces a shred piece that is different than the others.

Then, there is the document. How big is each piece of paper and are they printed on one side or both sides? What language is used or is the document a code?

Document reconstruction is a complex process involving engineering and computer software. DARPA has created five puzzles, each of increasing complexity. The document for each puzzle must be reassembled in order to see the puzzle and then the puzzle has to be answered. The deadline for solutions is December 4, with the winner being announced the following day.

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.”

DVIDS

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The United States is dispatching troops to Uganda to assist the nations of the region in tracking down and eliminating a terrorist group called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Complying with the War Powers Act, President Obama sent a letter to the Congressional leadership on Friday, October 14, 2011, notifying them of the deployment.

The President makes the following statements and assurances:

• The force will number about 100
• The force will be combat equipped
• The force will not engage in combat unless in self-defense
• The force will assist those nations that request it, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR).
• The first troops were dispatched to Uganda on Wednesday, October 12.

The Lord’s Resistance Army grew out of an Acholi tribal movement in northern Uganda that was intended to overthrow the national government. It was first named in 1991 and has operated in northern Uganda and other nations in the region ever since. Peace talks have been unsuccessful.

The movement’s leader is Joseph Kony. He was raised Roman Catholic but now practices a mystical version of Christianity where he received messages from angels. His followers believe Kony to be a prophet and the Army is as much a cult as a guerrilla organization. He was indicted in 2005 by the International Criminal Court and an arrest warrant issued.

The region is home to many bands of rebels, tribal factions, outlaws and disaffected military units. The LRA stands out amidst the others for several reasons. Its cadre contains several former Ugandan military officers and it now has two decades of fighting experience. It is noted for its large scale abductions of women and children, as well as the “usual” rapes, tortures and massacres. It also has demonstrated the ability to strike over distances of hundreds of miles.

The U.S. State Department says this about the LRA:

For more than two decades, the LRA has murdered, raped and kidnapped tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children. Since 2008 alone, the LRA has killed more than 2,400 people and abducted more than 3,400. The United Nations estimates that over 380,000 people are displaced across Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Sudan as a result of LRA activity.

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The LRA has been driven out of Uganda for the most part. At this time it is raiding in the northern DRC but has reached into South Sudan and the CAR. A battalion of troops from the DRC, trained by the united States, is now deployed in the northeastern Congo.

United States troops have conducted several exercises in Uganda in recent years. Ugandan troops are serving in Somalia as part of the African Union peacekeeping force. Many Ugandans have also served as facility guards in Iraq, hired by civilian contractors for those duties.

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