PRT builds up remote corner of Afghanistan
By Sgt. Adrian Schulte
August 23, 2005
KINESK, Afghanistan (Army News Service, Aug. 23, 2005) -- A small compound sticks out amongst the dusty reddish brown rock of southwestern Afghanistan, serving as a magnet for reconstruction in the remote province of Farah.
A few small saplings dot the compound, but offer no shade or relief from the summer heat, which one day topped out at 148 degrees. But the base that houses the Farah Provisional Reconstruction Team serves as a beacon of hope and a better life for the Afghans that live nearby.
The few U.S. soldiers stationed at the PRT, dubbed “Fort Apache” by some after the old west outpost, are alone in many ways. They are far from many of the support elements that service members at larger bases in Afghanistan take for granted. Few amenities are available at the PRT. But this isolation only serves to bring these Soldiers closer together and serves as a badge of pride.
“Anyone who is in the service knows that shared suffering is a great way to bring people together,” said Lt. Col. David Wylie, commander of PRT Farah. “Right now I’ve got a small group of Soldiers on the PRT and we are like a very close-knit family. Almost everybody knows everybody else and they come to rely on them to do a lot of different things. Nobody just has one job here.”
This PRT is the only one in the Farah province, a large chunk of land bordering Iran.
“The Soldiers of my command know that we are isolated and alone,” Wylie said. “It’s not like we are at great risk though because they are tough and well-trained Soldiers who can handle it and protect the force.”
“[Being so far away] poses challenges for us,” said Staff Sgt. Javier Garcia, a squad leader for the force protection element of the PRT. “We have to be self-sufficient. We have to watch ourselves while we are out here.”
Microwave pizzas are a staple of the diet here along with plenty of water as the troops fight the heat. This is the fuel that keeps reconstruction going in this remote corner of Afghanistan and extending the reach of the national government.
The western and northern parts of Afghanistan are under the control of the International Security Assistance Force. PRT Farah finds itself as the only U.S. PRT working under ISAF.
“It’s an exciting and interesting challenge working under ISAF,” said Wylie.
The PRT has played host to a Spanish unit a number of times and will host a company of Spanish infantry as Afghanistan holds its parliamentary elections.
“A lot of my Soldiers are Spanish speakers being from Texas and it adds a little bit of variety to what can be referred to sometimes as a “groundhog day” environment,” Wylie said.
While their command structure and isolation make PRT Farah unique, their mission is the same as the other PRTs working around Afghanistan to help the Afghan people construct a better future.
“Reconstruction by itself isn’t the purpose so much as reconstruction that will bring stability that the Afghans need in order to create a functioning and effective government on their own,” said Wylie.
“It’s been very interesting,” said Garcia about his experiences in Farah. “We’ve seen a lot of things that we normally wouldn’t train for. We’ve gotten a good crash course on how to deal with the populace.”
Garcia along with many of his other fellow Soldiers trained for the Afghan mission with a combative mindset. The reality on the ground, though is something different.
“We find ourselves talking to the populace more, rather than just expecting the worse,” Garcia said. “That is pretty much what they train you for, to expect combat, but that is not what the situation is here. Kids love us. Most of the adults are happy that we are here. They see elections and some of the positive changes as good. Of course you have those few that want to go back to the old days and we have run into those as well.”
Wylie said the reception with the local populace is best evidenced by the growth they have seen in Farah city since the PRT has been established.
“Where there used to be nothing but bare rock, there is a whole series of construction projects being built,” he said. “So you can see the PRT as a magnet and we are drawing city dwellers toward us. They like it when we roll through. They feel safe because we are here and we are bringing some of the good things that they expect from their government. We’re helping to jumpstart the infrastructure. We are helping to provide education, healthcare, clean water… all of the things that they should be able to expect from a legitimate government.”
The Soldiers of PRT Farah help the government of Afghanistan extend its reach into the most remote corners of the country. Their mission and situation is unique, but the Soldiers there wouldn’t have it any other way.
“There is no other place I would rather be in Afghanistan than PRT Farah,” Wylie said. “I’m really lucky that I ended up here and I think we are doing a great job. We’ll all be able to go home with pride that we helped the people of this province to take a couple of steps closer to what we all take for granted in America.”
(Editor’s note: Sgt. Adrian Schulte serves with Combined Joint Task Force-76 Public Affairs in Bagram, Afghanistan.)
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