High and Dry on FOB Sharana

FOB SHARANA, AFGHANISTAN: The 172 Infantry Brigade is headquartered on Forward Operating Base Sharana, SE of Kabul on the Pakistan border in Paktika Province. The 172^nd Infantry is turning over the southern portion of Pakitika to the Afghan National Security Forces and the Nov. 3rd transfer of Combat Outpost Waza Kwha to the 2^nd Kondak, 7^th Zone Afghan Border Police officially made that happen. In terms of battle space this is the largest transfer thus far to the Afghan Security Forces.

In spite of skepticism from most of the news media, violence has been steadily dropping along this area of the Afghan-Pakistan border for the last two years. “For so long the war effort here has been shuffling along with no clear strategy,” said Maj. Joe Bucccino, the brigade public affairs officer (PAO). “On Nov. 3^rd in south Pakitika province, the forces of the Afghan Border Police along with the 172^nd Infantry demonstrated our exit strategy.”

FOB Sharana will remain the source of supply and repair for Pakitika as well as security for the portion not turned over to the Afghan National Security Forces.

PRT team stopped up along highway under construction for a possible IED.

Lt. Ryan DeCamp who hails from Plattsburgh is the public affairs officer (PAO) for the provincial reconstruction team (PRT) for Patikita. In his briefing for today’s mission, mention is made that the team is still recovering from the loss of two team members to an IED near the end of October. Later today the team did once again find themselves held up for a potential IED. The scout dog found something suspicious which prevented the team from completing its road inspection mission, leaving little time for the meetings in Sharan at the new government center and women's health training center.

“Our goal is to do the best that we can, for the time we are here,” said Lt. DeCamp.

Lt. Jason Brown of A, Co. 172 Support Battalion runs the Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ) which ships people and supplies throughout their sector and connects with other military locations throughout Afghanistan. Much of the equipment and supply effort is carried out by slings under the larger helicopters like the Chinook.

Lt. Jason Brown with a Russian built MI-8 on the HLZ , FOB Sharana

“We sling loads from Sikorsky’s owned by Presidential Airways and Russian MI-17s contracted from a Colombian company,” said Lt. Brown, “and some of the pilots are from the old USSR and have actually flown here during the Russian-Afghan war in the l980s.”

This means that these same pilots who fought the Taliban for Russia now fight many of the same forces for the Americans.

Warrant Officer Scott –center- with his crew working on an older 155mm cannon.

Sgt Charles Ennin looking over a home made cannon captured previously from the insurgents.

172nd Support Battalion Armaments Section repairs large guns, mortars, handguns etc. Warrant Officer One, Scott Towne has a crew working on the older 155MM cannons from the Viet Nam era which are being fazed out. They are replaced by the M-777 medium towed howitzer which fires a 155MM. GPS guided ‘smart shell’.

“These 777s are much lighter so consequently much easier to maneuver than the old guns, and are digitally controlled,” he said.

Air Force 1st Lt. Ryan DeCamp, Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktika Public Affairs Officer, records video during a mission to meet with members of an Afghan Local Police outpost in the Sarobi District of Paktika Province, southeastern Afghanistan, Nov. 7th. The PRT’s mission is to link the province’s citizens with its government so they don’t turn to groups like the Taliban for economic development or conflict resolution. DeCamp, a Seton Catholic graduate, is stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo Provided)

The First Infantry Division at Pasab

FOB PASAB, AFGHANISTAN: Major General William Mayville, commanding officer of the 1^st Infantry Division, is in Afghanistan to look in on his soldiers stationed in country. The 4-4 Cavalry (RSTA) and the 2-34 Armor battalions from the 1^st Infantry Division headquartered in Fort Riley, Kansas are both attached to the 3^rd Brigade CT, 10^th Mountain Division here in Kandahar Province.

Today’s convoy traveled from Pasab to Combat Outpost (CP) Kolk and Strongpoint Ghariban, which are both manned by soldiers from the 1^st Infantry Division. They are located between FOB Pasab and the Arghandhab River. Both of these sites are jointly occupied by soldiers from the US Army and the Afghanistan National Army. General Mayville is looking into the security of his soldiers, how they have been relating with the local Afghan people and how they are dealing with the ever present IEDs. In this area the main crops are opium and pomegranates. The harvest is in for both this time of the year.

L to R: General William Mayville, LT. Col. Michael Katona and Col Patrick Frank at the briefing at COP Kolk.

A fairly in depth briefing encapsulating the mission of these 1^st Infantry units was held for General Maybille, at CP Kolk along with Lt. Colonel Michael Katona of the 1^st Inf. Div. and Colonel Patrick Frank, commanding officer of the 3^rd BCT. A number of junior officers and senior NCO’s looked on.

After the briefing the General inspected the troops as well as awarding medals to a number of these soldiers. More than a few Purple Hearts were pinned to the chest of soldiers who had been wounded. He wound up this ceremony with a heart felt speech to his troops.

General Mayville awarding medals to 1^st Infantry troops at COP Kolk.

General Mayville awarding a medal to the 1^st Sgt of the Afghan Army Unit stationed at Strongpoint Ghariban.

The convoy passed through Strongpoint Ghariban where the General visited troops of the 1^st Infantry stationed there. He inspected a selection of home made IEDs that the unit had captured and posted on a display board.

When finished, General Mayville and the contingent boarded helicopters for a more distant outpost out of range of today’s convoy from Pasab.

3rd Brigade CT Companies at FOB Pasab

FOB PASAB, AFGHANISTAN: Members of the 3^rd Brigade CT s 710^th Brigade Support Battalion have been working along the Argandhab River to improve a local road that runs along the shore in the dry season and to build a 1500meter long concrete wall seven feet high along that road to keep local insurgents from coming back home to continue the fight against the 3^rd Brigade CT. The main crop here is opium. It’s after the harvest season but there are piles of dried poppy plants ready to burn.

Stacks of dried poppy plants ready for burning, the opium having been harvested much earlier in the season.

L to R: 2^nd Lt. Eric Berg, Capt. Dour Morrison and SSgt John Rock of the 3^rd Brigade DT checking the progress of the wall and road along the Argandhab River.

Sick Call here on FOB Pasab is handled by B Company of the 3^rd Brigade CT . Their full service health center, using the Medical Campus Concept, can take care of most any health problem that does not require hospitalization. This includes full dental, mental health, physical therapy, combat stress control and recently a concussion recovery center. Their return to duty rate is in the high 90 percentile.

The dental team in action.

L to R: Capt Peter Kirkendall, B Company commanding officer, with 1^st Lt. Heather Woodruff, the company executive officer.

L to R: Capt. Kirkendall and Capt. Amanda Chamberlin, Veterinarian from Iowa State who handles the lab and provides vet services for the nearly 50 dogs from the K-9 Corps under the command of the 3^rd Brigade CT.