Pope Airman works with reconstructive team in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Cassandra Locke
  • 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AFPN) --  A Pope Air Force Base Airman has made an impact on working relationships with key leaders in Afghanistan almost a year into his tour on a provincial reconstruction team.

Lt. Col. Robert Ricci from Pope's 43rd Operations Support Squadron is deployed as commander of a multiservice NATO International Security Assistance Force PRT in Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan, 50 miles east of Kabul.

His team has helped five districts of Laghman Province using information operations and development and reconstruction projects.

"(Colonel Ricci) is in one of the toughest command billets in Afghanistan," said Col. Michael Thornton, the 43rd Operations Group commander.

"The experience of participating in a multiservice, interagency team has been simply phenomenal," Colonel Ricci said. "This is the venture of a lifetime in which I've experienced the terror of being attacked (including one of my Soldiers dying from an improvised explosive device) as well as the pure satisfaction of helping people in dire need."

The PRT has achieved benchmarks which set Laghman on the path to an independent and secure province; 28,800 newspapers distributed, installation of the first four anti-IED billboards and a media-based anti-IED campaign that resulted in 75 percent of all IEDs turned in or discovered by locals.

There are two events the colonel has participated in that will stick with him and define
what his team has accomplished.

First is the U.S. PRT interagency strategy developed in June 2007. This strategy is detailed to the point of defining specified tasks to PRT components
with regard to security, governance, reconstruction, and information operations.

The second was the subnational counsel activities in August 2007 for the Provincial Development Plan. The PDP defines activities and projects in a prioritized manner and established a long-term vision for governance/reconstruction.

During the past year, Colonel Ricci led more than 280 ground assault convoys with minimal loss of life or injury in the most IED intensive province in Afghanistan.

He planned missions, prepared for battle drills and ordered mitigation measures such as road clearing packages, electronic warfare burns and surveillance along the routes they traveled.

The PRT spearheaded a shura at Qal'eh Najil engaging more than 200 village elders from three major valleys known for anti-government support. The colonel said this presentation was key to winning the hearts and minds of local leaders and Afghan citizens.

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