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Artillery, MPs arrive in Afghanistan ready for action

by Sgt. Don Dees and Spc. Kevin M. Buckley

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Army News Service, Sept. 13, 2002) - The most recent soldiers to touch down in Afghanistan are National Guard military policemen and an 82nd Airborne field artillery battalion with howitzers.

Battery C, 1st Battalion, 309th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Bragg, N.C., arrived in Kandahar Aug. 29, and now the 82nd's combat brigade is complete with a forward support battalion, an aviation battalion and a direct support field artillery battalion.

Members of the 772nd Military Police Company, from Taunton, Mass., began arriving in Kabul Aug. 14 to support the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C., responsible for training the new Afghan National Army.

Both units knew the Afghan mission was forthcoming, and they looked forward to making a difference.

"We were anxiously waiting at Fort Bragg to come over and be a useable command asset," said Staff Sgt. Douglas A. Hildebrand, gunnery sergeant.

The artillery soldiers were supposed to be in country almost a month ago, but because of the airflow associated with the change of command from the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky., to the 82nd Airborne Division, and the amount of equipment they were bringing, the unit was delayed.

"We, as a unit have been deployed since June," said Lt. Col. Charles K. Hardy, the commander of 1st Bn., 309 Airborne Field Artillery Regt. "I was sent to Afghanistan early in order to establish base-camp operations. My unit unfortunately had to stay behind at Fort Bragg and wait for a flight.

"But we now have all the assets that we train with at home here in Afghanistan."

Also in Afghanistan is the National Guard MP Company that has been training for a year for their force-protection mission.

The unit leadership was very insightful as to what tasks the unit might likely be called to perform in the event of mobilization, said Master Sgt. Robert Smith, operations sergeant for the company.

Now that the unit has gotten over the first challenge, which was deploying to Afghanistan, Smith said the goal is to work together and look out for each other's welfare to ensure the unit's success.

Redeploying the unit with all of its soldiers is one of Smith's priorities. His greatest fear is for one of his soldiers to be severely hurt by a land mine or a sniper, he said.

"We live a double life, and now we're on the other side," Smith said. "Guard members leave behind family and friends, just like the active Army, but my soldiers also left behind jobs and classes."

Many of the soldiers in his unit are police officers, corrections officers, or sheriff's deputies. Others soldiers are students.

One of the unit's professional peace officers is an eight-year veteran of the National Guard who left the service at the end of his last enlistment.

Sgt. Michael David, an East Providence, R.I., resident, who has served as a police officer for the last three and a half years, rejoined the Guard unit after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"It was an attack on the country, but it was an attack on the police profession too," David said. "It was a hell of an inspiration to get back in."

Their jobs may be different, but each group said they are proud to be involved in the fight on terrorism.

Each soldier has a unique reason for serving ... but there is a common thread, Smith said.

"They are true Americans, patriots," Smith said.

(Editor's note: Sgt. Don Dees and Spc. Kevin M. Buckley are both are members of the 300th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)