Airmen, Soldiers improve Afghan lives Published May 15, 2008 By Capt. Elaine Hunnicutt Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team NANGARHAR, Afghanistan (AFPN) -- Airmen from around the world and Soldiers from Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina and Virginia arrived in Afghanistan in early March to improve the lives of the people of Nangarhar Province. After two months on the ground, the team has gotten its bearings and is working to build strong relationships with its community. "Seeing smiles on the faces of the Afghan children is by far the most rewarding experience, and knowing that our team is working to provide a better future for the kids is tremendously important to me," said Lt. Col. Paul Donovan, Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team commander. The team of more than 80 includes a handful of civilians from the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of Agriculture. Together the group focuses on reconstruction, security and governance for the Nangarhar Province, a 7,700 square-kilometer area. "Each service brings unique skill sets to the fight, and when you combine them into one organization with great people and dedicated leadership, you get a much more effective organization," said Colonel Donovan. The PRT operates along three lines of operation: security, governance and reconstruction. The nucleus of the group is civil affairs, a small team of Army Reservists. With experience and training, they research and propose projects to enhance the government of Afghanistan as the country regains its strength and solidarity after more than 30 years of war and struggle. The main focus for projects is building and rebuilding infrastructure that helps the whole of the population and not just a few. Projects include: dams, bridges, roads, power stations, schools, medical facilities and civic meeting facilities. "We are mentoring them to manage their own affairs." said Army Maj. Bob Minton, a civil affairs officer. "It is rewarding to see capacity building ... to see improvements versus destruction in a country torn by war. The only way we will go home is to help them take the lead." The group's mission goes far beyond just physical projects; however, relationship building is the most critical piece of the puzzle. It is imperative that strong relationships be forged quickly so that mentoring and fostering of good governance and security can be enhanced via the partnership. "The PRT mission is unique because it spans the tactical, operational and strategic continuums," said Colonel Donovan. "The uniqueness of the PRT mission helps folks focus on mission accomplishment." The muscle for the team is the security forces element, made up of Pennsylvania National Guardsmen. This group provides the civil affairs element the ability to move from point to point in potentially hazardous areas. These folks train and work day-in and day-out to ensure not only the safety of the team when they are out, but also the security of the team when they are back at base. However, the security team also finds time to build relationships when opportunities arise, whether it's a friendly soccer game with the neighborhood children or passing out pencils to school children. Army 1st Lt. Robert Boyd, a former scout, and currently the security forces platoon leader for the PRT, explained this is a different type of mission than the team is use to. "We can let the people come right up to us," said Lieutenant Boyd. "We are helping rebuild a country by providing safety and security for our team to operate. We are actually making a difference in their lives; we can see progress." The final element of the team is the support section. This group ensures that the strategic focus is maintained at the lowest levels and Soldiers and Airmen are taken care of, to include the families holding down the home front. "I volunteered because this mission makes an immediate impact, and there's no greater honor than commanding troops in combat," said Colonel Donovan. The daunting mission of rebuilding a nation in a situation where the basic necessities are a struggle to obtain is one that this team takes seriously, according to the commander. "Isolation is the greatest challenge for the Afghan people. If we can connect the dots with roads and communication, then we can stand back and watch them progress," said Army Capt. Timothy O'Donnell, another civil affairs officer. "Commerce will happen naturally. They will be able to transport and sell their own goods vs. importing from others," he continued. "I am here to help the Afghan people stand on their own after years of suffering so that my son is not here in 15 years doing the same mission," said Army Maj. Cliffton Cornell, another civil affairs officer. More than $15 million and 50 projects were completed last year, including 25 kilometers of paved roads on the major highway between Jalalabad and Kabul. "This mission is unquestionably the most important one I've accomplished in my career," said Colonel Donovan. "We're helping people out of some pretty dire straights and helping to rebuild a country. We're making history." "I wasn't expecting this; I thought the mission would be small-scale," said Captain O'Donnell. "I thought I would be rebuilding schools, instead I am helping to power a nation, literally. All I can do is give this an honest effort every day." Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page