Ghazni Teams assess three districts in five days

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Verdine, project manager from Plain View, Texas, and Sgt. 1st Class Jon Martinez, agriculture specialist from Del Rio, Texas, assigned to the Task Force White Eagle Agribusiness Developmental Team, checks the condition of a horse Nov. 30, in a village in Nawuh District, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Randy Dull, from Edgartown, Mass., and Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team squad leader, speaks to local children during a patrol of the Nawuh District, Afghanistan Nov. 29. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Members from Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team, Polish PRT, and Agribusiness Developmental Team look at a hydro plant Nov. 30, in a village in Nawuh District, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Navy Lt.Cmdr. Matt Cook, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team chief engineer, and U.S. Navy Cmdr. Tristan Rizzi, Ghazni PRT commander from St. Petersburg, Fla., checks the status of a clinic Nov. 30, in a village in Nawuh District, Afghanistan. The team performed quality assurance checks on projects during the five-day mission in Jaghori, Nawuh, and Malistan districts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Spc. Jorge Enriquez, from Rockland, Mass., and Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team infantry member, greets a local man and child Dec. 1, during a walkthrough in the Malistan District, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI TEAMS ASSESS THREE DISTRICTS IN FIVE DAYS

story by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady




GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team, Agribusiness Developmental Team, and Polish Provincial Reconstruction Team spent five days visiting the Nawur, Jaghori and Malistan districts recently, to assess projects within the districts and speak with district sub-governors and police chiefs.

“The PRT’s main mission was to do quality assurance checks on projects and engage with local government officials for all three districts,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Matt Cook, chief engineer from Johnstown, Colo., assigned to Ghazni PRT, Task Force White Eagle. “We also evaluated future projects for next year and future PRT projects."

The ADT was able to gather information about each district’s agriculture and plan how to help the districts maintain their agriculture.

“We stopped at a few villages and saw some of the livestock they have on hand,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David Verdine, project manager from Plainview, Texas, assigned to ADT, Task Force White Eagle. “The animals looked good considering the supplies they have to support the animals. At the demo farm we were able to make sure the manager knew what needed to be checked every week. The demo farm is going in the right direction and we have education materials being translated into Dari and English for two purposes, education of agriculture and education in English.”

The Polish PRT members were able to gain information about the district’s government and speak with the chief of police.

“We got a chance to ask how the governors work, the level of security, continue governance talks with the police chiefs and learn the difficulties faced from winter weather,” said Polish army Capt. Gregory Kotarski, assigned to Polish PRT, Task Force White Eagle. “We were able to look at everything we planned to look at and gather lot of information so we can update our commander about these districts.”

The PRT medics also had the opportunity to visit the local clinics and see the difference between each one.

“We assessed the local clinics to find out what they have, how it works and what they need,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Lynn Chaplin, medical non-commissioned officer from Rosenhayn, N.J., assigned to Ghazni PRT, Task Force White Eagle. “I informed them we will take the information we gathered and work through the public health director and GIROA to meet their needs. They had broken equipment, limited electricity but the doctors were proud of the job they were doing for their people.”

Having different units with different missions work together allowed everyone to complete their tasks in a limited amount of time.

“Due to the duration and frequency that we can visit we have to partner across all the different elements,” said Cook. “By combining forces we can accomplish more in a few days. We had a long list of places to visit each day in the three districts and structure our mission to accomplish that and we did.”
The local population in each district seemed really happy with this team being here and was eager to interact with them.
“I think our interaction with the local community was far greater than any other district because we were able to walk through the village multiple times,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Tristan Rizzi, Ghazni PRT commander from St. Petersburg, Fla., Task Force White Eagle. “These areas were more permissive allowing us to get out and talk to the locals, buy things from the local economy, and see what their concerns are at the local levels.”



 



Ghazni PRT trains with Polish pilots

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Polish 1st Lieutenant Joanna Erbetowska, helicopter pilot assigned to Task Force White Eagle, gives a brief about helicopter safety to the Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni during familiarization training Nov. 26, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. The PRT and Polish pilots had a familiarization course about the Polish helicopter in the event of future a joint mission. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

 

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Polish warrant officer Peter Wierzbicki, flight engineer assigned to Task Force White Eagle, answers questions from the Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni inside the helicopter during familiarization training Nov. 26, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. The PRT and Polish pilots had a familiarization course about the Polish helicopter in the event of a future joint mission. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

 

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Polish warrant officer Peter Wierzbicki, flight engineer assigned to Task Force White Eagle, watches from the helicopter as the Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team practices providing security for the helicopter during familiarization training Nov. 26, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. The PRT and Polish pilots had a familiarization course about the Polish helicopter in the event of a future joint mission. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Sgt. Jay McCarthy, security force team leader from Nantucket, Mass., assigned to the Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team, helps his team quickly exit from the helicopter as Polish warrant officer Peter Wierzbicki, flight engineer assigned to Task Force White Eagle, watches during familiarization training Nov. 26, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. The PRT and Polish pilots had a familiarization course about the Polish helicopter in case of joint mission. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady, Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)

Ghazni PRT trains with Polish pilots
story by Staff Sgt. Darnell T. Cannady

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team conducted helicopter familiarization training with Polish pilots at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan Nov. 26.

This training allowed the PRT to practice the proper ways to enter and exit a Polish helicopter and how to set up their units.

“In any event where we need support from the Polish or they need help from us, we are familiarized with their operating procedures and aircrafts, as well as their aircraft’s capabilities,” said U.S. Army Sergeant Jay McCarthy, Ghazni PRT security force team leader attached to Task Force White Eagle, and native of Nantucket, Mass. "This allows us to quickly complete our task without having to learn in the middle of a situation.”

The training began with learning the difference between U.S. and Polish helicopters, familiarizing themselves with the helicopter and gathering safety tips. The PRT then practiced entering the Polish helicopter and setting up a security detail to ensure all their members can safely board the helicopter.

“The PRT was good and understood all that we taught,” said Polish warrant officer Peter Wierzbicki, flight engineer assigned to Task Force White Eagle. “Through this short training we feel the PRT is ready in case we need to use their assistance. We all support each other and training with each other helps us work together more efficiently.”

This training allowed the PRT and its Polish counterparts to learn from each other and pass information to each other.

“This training allowed us to work with coalition forces and learn their operating procedures,” said U.S. Army Cpl. Roger Pilot, an infantry member from Dedham, Mass., assigned to the Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team, attached to Task Force White Eagle. “Every unit has different procedures for the same operations and this training allowed us to combine different tactics to make one operating procedure.”

At the conclusion of the training both sides felt confident about the assistance they may be required to provide for each other.

“The training was very effective and I feel it will be helpful with working with the PRT in the future,” said Polish 1st Lieutenant  Joanna Erbetowska, helicopter pilot assigned to Task Force White Eagle. “It’s important to know that the troops we are delivering or receiving will be safe and know how to provide security for the helicopter."