Improvements target morale for troops in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. James Law
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  A genuine caring attitude drives the morale, welfare and recreation Airmen who continuously work to improve the MWR facilities and events for Airmen and Soldiers here.

Assigned to the Laghman Provincial Reconstruction Team, two of the three MWR Airmen arrived in March to discover a facility infrequently used with no activities or events to entertain the base's occupants.

"On average, we had about five to 10 people here a day," said Staff Sgt. Beverly Simpson, a Laghman PRT MWR member deployed from Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Disappointed, the two Airmen began to work on providing more for the roughly 500 servicemembers here, including approximately 200 Airmen and Soldiers they had spent the previous two months with during Combat Skills Training at Fort Bragg, N.C.

"The first thing we did was clean," Sergeant Simpson said. "We cleaned and cleaned and cleaned for about a day and a half."

Tech. Sgt. Diane Schmitt, a Laghman PRT MWR member deployed from McConnell AFB, Kan., said once they finished cleaning, they spent the next six weeks painting, laying down new floors, building book shelves and setting up equipment and programs in the four-room building.

One of the programs established was a "free" exchange. Items ranging from snacks to toiletries are taken from care packages sent from various organizations and neatly categorized on the shelves in a room shared with a library of paperback books.

Another room was converted to a movie and entertainment lounge where large couches and chairs sit back-to-back in the center of the room evenly dividing the four flat-screen televisions mounted on the walls.

"Once we started getting everything in order and finished painting, I set up (game stations) on the four TVs we have," Sergeant Simpson said.

One of the remaining rooms, and the largest room, contains two pool tables, a pingpong table, two card tables and a couple refrigerators stocked with cold refreshments. Previously, the pool tables and pingpong table were not used because there were no balls, but while cleaning, Sergeants Simpson and Schmitt found both and put them to use.

"When I arrived here, I was very impressed with what I saw," said Staff Sgt. Laura Dewey, a Laghman PRT MWR member deployed from Minott AFB, N.D. "I didn't arrive until about four weeks after they did, so I didn't see how it was before. But I saw pictures and from what I can tell, they have done a great job."

With a facility now capable of entertaining a large number of troops, a variety of activities and events were incorporated.

"We started all the tournaments: Volleyball, pingpong, pool, spades, hearts and horseshoes," Sergeant Schmitt said.

The hours of operation on Saturday nights were extended for a poker, pool and darts night during the summer months, Sergeant Schmitt said. The prize if you win one of the weekly tournaments is a traveling trophy that each winner gets to sign and keep for the week as well as their photo in the dining facility.

There are also weekly social barbecues and a monthly birthday party for everyone who celebrates a birthday during the month. Recently, the Soldiers and Airmen took up donations to pay for the birthday cake, but previously Sergeant Schmitt bought the ingredients and baked the cakes.

"They are always trying to improve and ask us for ideas to make it better," said Army Staff Sgt. Jean Dugrot, a movement NCO for Golf Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment. "They take everything into consideration. It keeps the morale high."

Their desire to assist and make things better is not confined to the boundaries of the base.

"We had a meeting with three of the local women and we are trying to introduce them to canning," Sergeant Dewey said. "It's just another idea that may help them prepare for the winter."

Sergeant Dewey said they also organized a donation drive to get six sewing machines from an American-based company for local widows.

"These sewing machines were donated with the goal of using them to start businesses to support their families," Sergeant Dewey said.

Whether assisting the local community or improving the morale, welfare and recreation for the troops here, these Airmen are just another example of Airmen contributing to the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan. 

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