Posted on 03/07/2006 5:08:53 PM PST by SandRat
3/7/2006 - FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AFPN) -- More than 1,000 Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors joined ranks to activate Afghanistan Provincial Reconstruction Teams in a ceremony here March 3.
The purpose of the teams is to help rebuild Afghanistan, ensuring a secure and self-sufficient nation. The teams have a three-part mission: stabilize the economy, promote security of the nation and legitimize the central Afghan government.
Twelve teams, each consisting of about 80 members, are currently training here before heading to Afghanistan in April to relieve Army teams. Six teams are led by the Air Force, six by the Navy, and each team consists of a main body of Sailors or Airmen, an Army civil affairs team and an Army security platoon.
Army Col. David Boslego, the commander of the 4th Brigade, 78th Training Division, trains teams and said this group is unique in that previous teams were formed in theater and most team members were on different rotation cycles, so the development of a cohesive team focused on one goal was tough.
He said this set of teams has been formed here first, will train together as a team and will then depart together for Afghanistan in order to build and maintain cohesion from day one.
“Cohesion is a major goal of this training program,” Colonel Boslego said. “It’s going to allow the PRTs to operate in a more synchronized manner. Everyone will know and be working towards the same objective from the start.”
Air Force Lt. Col. David Naisbitt, the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team commander, said he felt this was an outstanding opportunity for the Air Force to participate in a joint environment.
“The development of these teams shows that the U.S. military has a unified commitment to the reconstruction of the government of Afghanistan,” he said. “It shows that we can come together as one unit to help rebuild that nation.”
Navy Cmdr. James Hamblet, the Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team commander, agreed and said he viewed this as an additional way in which the Navy is doing their part.
“We’ve been actively involved since day one,” Commander Hamblet said. “This is just another way that the Navy is contributing to the war on terror.”
The commanders said the joint training environment created its own challenges, but servicemembers were handling it quite well.
“We’re all coming together and binding as a team,” Colonel Naisbitt said. “We’re operating together with a single focus -- a focus that most didn’t understand before coming here, but were still eager and motivated to support. They’re jumping into the training, keeping their spirits up and really getting into the mission.”
“The Airmen are adapting well,” Colonel Naisbitt said. “This isn’t like any Air Force training we’ve ever had. It’s still early in our training, but we all understand the importance of what we’re doing here.”
Colonel Boslego said the Air Force and Navy both sent talented people to be members of these teams.
“It’s very exciting to work in this type of joint environment,” he said. “I think in the next six weeks, given the talent we have here, that we will be able to achieve the level of skill needed so these teams will be able to successfully operate upon arrival in Afghanistan.”
The Army Civil Affairs teams have been training for this mission since October, while Airmen and Sailors began arriving in early January and February. Training for the PRTs consists of country briefings, weapons training, land navigation, combat life saver, information operations and drivers’ training. The teams will continue to train together until the groups depart in April.
You know you are getting old when you think "joint reconstruction" means fixing your knees and shoulders. That is what I got from the headline. Then I read down. Nice post thanks.
I figured somebody just dropped their ...uh....stuff on the floor before they finished rolling.....oh, never mind.
You know you are getting old when you sit down to breakfast hearing "Snap-Crackle-Pop" and all you're having is a Prune Danish with Black Coffee.
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