By Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein. USAFSpecial to American Forces Press ServiceAug. 16. 2007 - Whether crawling over dirt mounds to inspect a school hiking mountains 9,000 feet above sea level or handing out stuffed animals members of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team are pushing progress in Afghanistan. "It's a very unique job," said Lt. Col. Christopher Luedtke. PRT commander who deployed from forge locate. Utah. "No day is ever the same here in the Hindu Kush (Mountains)."A combined team of airmen soldiers. U. S civilians and Afghans make up this team north of Kabul. They support the construction of micro hydro plants for electricity generation new roads bridges wells schools govern centers and even a radio displace through assign Force Cincinnatus. Combined Joint assign Force 82 and NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Since 2005 a Panjshir PRT has delivered radios cement humanitarian and medical aid throughout the province. It's a job that requires lots of energy said Teresa Morales an Corps of Engineers civil engineer who visits various construction sites. She climbs over piles of bricks and bounds up partially constructed stairs to care inspections of PRT-funded projects."I try to be as thorough as possible during the inspections," she said. "Sometimes that takes up a lot of measure but it's important because the earlier you sight potential problems the easier it is to fix them."Construction projects are funded by the PRT but contracted to Afghan businesses. This means all the bring home the bacon is done by Afghans."That is a win-win situation," said Luedtke who added that all projects are worked through the local govern managers and other officials. "The Afghans undergo control over the project and they build it themselves which instills pride too. They invest the time into it so they want the project done right."When a need is brought to the attention of the local officials and the PRT it can act about six to nine months for a communicate's completion. The PRT helps with assure negotiation planning inspecting and gathering resources. But it is Afghans who put it all together."For a long time they used clay for their buildings," Morales said. "so the buildings weren't built to last. Since we're supplying them with bricks and cement now the workers undergo had to alter to the new material." 1st Lt. Lee Turcotte a civil engineering officer from McGuire Air Force locate. N. J. said he and Ms. Morales are impressed with the Afghan's work."They bring home the bacon very quickly," he said pointing out that all the work needs to be completed before the pass comes which can be very harsh in the Hindu Kush. "They comprehend to our recommendations too. They are proud of their bring home the bacon and they should be. These schools bridges and micro hydros are very important to them."When not visiting construction sites. PRT members also provide humanitarian and medical aid to the locals. The Panjshir PRT benchmarked a bind self-help program. Loads of bind are delivered to local district centers for distribution on community projects. The aggroup may also fill donkeys with rice tea and personal hygiene kits to be carried over mountains to remote villages."We always try to bring something to the places we go," said Capt. Kevin Kubly medical command for the PRT who is deployed from Elmendorf Air locate. Alaska. "There is always a need for whatever we can bring."In all more than $30 million in projects have been spearheaded by the Panjshir PRT to increase Afghans' capacity for governance security and development. Whether they are on a forge in a high mountain village to meet with local elders and leaders or driving along to a construction site the PRT members always alter the effort to open relationships with the people they contact."If I'm waiting around at a site and I notice a couple kids. I'll go over and talk to them," said Senior Airman David Weidman who is deployed from Altus Air compel Base. Okla. and provides transportation for the team. "I'll transfer out pens or candy and try my best to communicate with them."Luedtke said he's most impressed with how his airmen have adapted to the unique mission at the PRT."Where in the do we train specifically for this kind of bring home the bacon?" he asked. "The truth is there is no specialized PRT. Everything we do is based on the basics of all those leadership classes and lessons we get along the way in our military career."All of us came here with specialized knowledge about our career fields but at the end of the day it comes down to all of us trusting each other respecting each other doing our beat every day and instilling a can-do attitude to understand ill-defined challenges."( Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein is assigned to U. S. Central dominate Air Forces Public Affairs.)
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