Civil Affairs brigade wraps up Afghanistan mission
By Sgt. Tara Teel
July 13, 2005
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Army News Service, July 13, 2005) -- “During our time, we have been witnesses to the rebirth of a great and proud ancient land whose people have bravely taken back their destiny into their hands,” said Col. Guy Sands, commander of the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) before heading back to Fort Jackson, S.C.
More than 200 civil affairs troops witnessed the changes occurring in Afghanistan that moved the Afghan people toward a democratic state.
“Everyday we see and feel the irreversible momentum of progress and change that is the hallmark of the efforts the Afghan people are making for themselves, their children, and their country’s future,” Sands said.
During their10-month deployment, the CA brigade provided the core element of Task Force Victory. The task force covered all the CA operations for the Coalition forces and at the height of their deployment consisted of more than 1,200 service members. The entire 450th CA Battalion from College Park, Md., joined the brigade, providing their civil-military expertise. Other service members came from 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery; and the Cooperative Medical Assistance Team.
CA projects employ 80K Afghans
The projects started by the CA brigade employed many Afghans, giving them skills to do future projects on their own. They also helped the local economy because materials for the projects were purchased from local vendors. One of the major undertakings was improving and fully repaving roads, like the one from Kandahar north to Tarin Kowt in the Uruzgan province.
“An estimated 80,000 Afghans during the past year have found employment working on projects or programs initiated by Coalition forces,” said Sands. “We opened 82 new schools and most of the work was done by the Afghan people.”
However, not all of the projects were aimed at teaching Afghans new skills. Some projects provided assistance to those in need, like flood victims. More than $70 million has gone toward humanitarian aid and medical assistance, provided by the CA specialists working at the 14 Provincial Reconstruction Team locations.
“We supported humanitarian missions, giving 50,000 blankets and 10,000 single-family tents to flood and wintertime victims, treated 28,000 people, visited more than 200 villages, and inoculated 40,000 animals for disease,” said Sands.
CA improves health care
Health services and health care in Afghanistan have improved over the past year. For every clinic established, the training of local specialists took place. Afghan children are healthier and more capable of growing up without ailments that struck their parent’s generation.
In a land where 80 percent of personal wealth is connected to the amount of livestock a person owns, animal health care is almost as important as human health care. The PRTs have made strides in reestablishing local and district level veterinary and agricultural clinics.
Thousands of farm animals have been vaccinated and given medical treatment to prevent the outbreak of contagious diseases that in previous years destroyed entire herds.
Farmers markets open
Another significant project involved refurbishing and reopening the farmers markets. Markets were reopened in the towns and cities of more than 16 provinces and 180 districts. The markets allow farmers to get a fair price for their goods.
Getting fair prices at a farmers market provides a sense of security for Afghans. However, economic security is only one problem in Afghanistan.
CA Soldiers train police
Personal security against those who terrorize Afghans is another problem. Coalition Forces placed the PRTs in areas that needed not only economic assistance, but physical security as well. The CA teams have assisted in enabling and facilitating the training and operational employment of legitimate police forces throughout Afghanistan.
At every PRT, the CA teams made police training a critical aspect of their involvement so that the people of Afghanistan could regard their police with respect and authority when they were needed, Sands said.
“These training programs were established at district and provincial levels for the Afghan National Police,” Sands said. “They taught police to do their job protecting the public and eliminating criminal activities. After all, only the Afghan people can ultimately be responsible for their own security.”
The 360th CA Bde. left the Afghan people with a sense of security about their police forces, taught them new trade skills, helped establish better health care specialists and clinics for treatment, and created more schools to educate the Afghan children.
“We leave knowing that we have left something that cannot be bought or given easily,” said Sands.
(Editor’s note: Sgt. Tara Teel serves writes for CJTF-76 Public Affairs.)
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