Language differenceLanguage differencedoesn’t keep Polishdoesn’t keep Polisharmy downarmy down - Pages 8 - 9- Pages 8 - 9

JJululy 16,y 16, 20072007 wwwwww.cfc-a.centcom.mil.cfc-a.centcom.mil

ArmySoldier makes birdie putt forTiger in Earl Woods MemorialPro-AmBETHESDA, Md. - A Soldier fromFort Belvoir, Va., celebrated the Fourthof July by making the shot of the day inthe star-studded Earl Woods MemorialPro-Am at Congressional Country Clubhere July 5.

Tournament host Tiger Woods hasgone out of his way this week to honorservicemen and women at the AT&TNational PGA Tour event.

But another Woods stole the showon the seventh hole.

Army Sgt. Michael Woods of theArmy Materiel Command was selectedto be Tiger's honorary caddie for justone hole.

As Tiger lined up his birdie putt, heturned to his caddie.

"He asked me to put the bag downand called me over to him, and he askedme: 'What do you see?'" Woods said. "Isaid: 'Fairway leans to the right, youshould hit it to the left.' And he said:'Here you go.'"

"Show me," Tiger said as he handedhis trusty putter to Woods, whopromptly knocked down the 12-footer.

And the gallery went wild.

Air ForceAirmen may qualify for KosovoCampaign MedalRAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -On May 3, 2000, President Clintonapproved the establishment of theKosovo Campaign Medal to recognizethe accomplishments of military service

members participating in or in directsupport of Kosovo operations withinestablished areas of eligibility.

Today, many military members maystill not know about the medal or havebeen recognized for it.

The Air Force Personnel Center atRandolph Air Force Base, Texas, isworking to get the word out to Airmenthat members who qualify for theKosovo Campaign Medal should con-tact their local military personnel flightsimmediately to ensure that their recordsreflect their service.

To be awarded the KCM, a servicemember must have been assigned to amilitary unit for 30 consecutive days, or60 cumulative days, in support of one ofthe following operations:• Operation Allied Force: March 24,1999 through June 10, 1999;• Operation Allied Harbor: April 4,1999 through Sept. 1, 1999;• Operation Shining Hope: April 4,1999 through July 10, 1999;• Operation Noble Anvil: March 24,1999 through July 20, 1999;• Operation Joint Guardian: June 11,1999 to a date to be determined; or

The medal also is awarded for thoseassigned to one of the following taskforces, provided that service was per-formed within the 3- to 60 days timerequirement in the area of engagement.• Task Force Hawk: April 5, 1999through June 24, 1999;• Task Force Saber: March 31, 1999through July 8, 1999;• Task Force Falcon: June 11, 1999 to adate to be determined; and• Task Force Hunter: April 1 throughNov. 1, 1999.

In addition to the Kosovo CampaignMedal, United States military membersare also authorized to receive theNATO Medal for peacekeeping servic-es rendered in Kosovo.

Airmen who have documentationshowing they qualify for the KosovoCampaign Medal are encouraged tocontact their local military personnelflight immediately for update in the mil-

itary personnel data system.

Navy"Big E" deploysABOARD USS ENTERPRISE, Atsea - The nuclear-powered aircraft car-rier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) andembarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1departed Naval Station Norfolk for aregularly scheduled deployment July 7 insupport of the global war on terrorism.This is Enterprise's second deploymentwithin the past 14 months. Big Ereturned from its most recent deploy-ment Nov. 18.

Enterprise is the flagship for CarrierStrike Group 12, which include theguided-missile destroyers USS ForrestSherman (DDG 98), USS James E.Williams (DDG 95), USS Arleigh Burke(DDG 51) and USS Stout (DDG 55);the guided-missile cruiser USSGettysburg (CG 64); and the fast-attacksubmarine USS Philadelphia (SSN 690)all based in Norfolk, and also the fastcombat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6) based in Earle, N.J. There arenearly 7,500 Sailors and Marines in thestrike group.

In addition to being the flagship ofthe strike group, Enterprise is also hometo CVW 1. The air wing is comprised ofthe "Checkmates" of Strike FighterSquadron (VFA) 211 flying the F/A-18Super Hornet and the "Knighthawks"of VFA-136; the "Sidewinders" ofVFA-86; the "Thunderbolts" of MarineFighter Attack Squadron 251 all flyingthe F/A-18 Hornet. Also joining CVW1 are the "Dragonslayers" of HelicopterAnti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 11 fly-ing the SH-60 Seahawk; the "Rooks" ofElectronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137flying the EA-6B Prowler; the"Screwtops" of VAW-123 flying the E-2C Hawkeye; the "Maulers" of SeaControl Squadron (VS) 32 flying the S-3B Viking; and the "Rawhides" of FleetLogistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40flying the C-2A Greyhound.

DEFENSE DIGESTPage 2 Freedom Watch July 16, 2007

ContentsPAGE 2

Defense DigestPAGE 4Coalition forces celebrate Fourth of July PAGE 5Platelet donation program is first at BAFPAGE 6Servicemembers supply aid to orphanagePAGE 7Roads, relationships are top priority for Afghans, KhowstProvincial Reconstruction Team PAGE 8-9

Polish Battle Group overcomes language barrierPAGE 10AGS/AECOM Allied Trades Section supports fight withnew, improved weapons mountPAGE 11Freedom FocusPAGE 12-13The real kite runners flying the Afghan skiesPAGE 14Afghan government provides aid to flood victimsPAGE 15Entertainment Page

Freedom Watch Page 3July 16, 2007

COVERA Polish soldier gives out toys and candy to a crowd of chil-dren one evening at his field patrol base in Ghazni Province,Afghanistan. The Polish Battle Group Company B's missionwas to travel throughout the district of Andar and make con-nections and form friendships with the locals there. (Photoby Spc. Micah E. Clare)

Freedom Watch is a weekly publication of Combined Joint Task Force-82.

CJTF-82 Commander Army Maj. Gen. David M. RodriguezRC East Public Affairs Officer Army Lt. Col. David A. Accetta

Freedom Watch, a Department of Defense publication, is published eachMonday by the American Forces Network - Afghanistan Print Section atBagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Printed circulation is 5,000 copies per week.

In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4, this DoD newspaper is anauthorized publication for members of the U.S. military overseas.

Contents of the Freedom Watch are not necessarily the official view of, orendorsed by, the U.S. government or the Department of Defense.

Deadline for submissions is noon local each Friday. All submissions aresubject to editing by the AFN-A Print Section, located in Bldg. 415, Room205, Bagram Airfield. We can be reached at DSN 318-231-3338.

1144Photo by Army Capt. Ashley Dellavalle

Paktika province engineer Khalid Bahadur, director of the PaktikaRural Development Ministry, coordinates with Soldiers of theSharana Provincial Reconstruction Team to distribute humanitar-ian aid supplies to the residents of Janan Kala village.

55

Photo by Senior Airman Dilia DeGregoArmy Cpl. Christopher LeRoy, 932nd Blood Support Detachmentblood technician, checks Army Sgt. Jennifer Skebong’s, 583rdMedlog Company, arm to ensure her blood platelet donation isgoing as intended. For the first time in the history of Afghanistan,blood platelets are being collected in country for treatment of crit-ically-injured patients.

Freedom Watch StaffCommander - Air Force Maj.

John BryanSuperintendent - Senior Master Sgt.

Richard SimonsenNCOIC - Air Force Staff Sgt.

Oshawn JeffersonEditor/Print Chief - Senior Airman

Brian Stives

Visit the CJTF-82 Web site atwww.cfc-a.centcom.mil

NEWSPage 4 Freedom Watch July 16, 2007

Coalition forces celebrate Fourth of July

Photo by Army Capt. Vanessa R. BowmanThe competition on the volleyball court was as hot as the day for 1st Battalion 508th Parachute InfantryRegiment, 82nd Airborne Division during the Fourth of July celebration held at Kandahar Airfield,Afghanistan. Servicemembers from the multi-nation installation participated in a day of events thatincluded a pistol marksmanship competition, dunk tank, sporting events and a barbecue.

Photo by Spc. Matthew LearyWhile celebrating the Fourth of July, Soldiersfrom Combined Task Force Fury take to thestreets of Forward Operating Base Salerno for anorganized 5/10 km. race.

Photo by Army Capt. Vanessa R. BowmanAirman 1st Class Mariano Marcelino, Logistics TaskForce-82, keeps his eye on the ball during theKandahar Airfield Fourth of July pool tournament.

Story and photoBy Senior Airman Dilia DeGregoCombined Joint Task Force -82 Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan- They are charged with a missionunique to that of any Coalition forceservicemember in theater, and they arethe first of their kind in the Army toaccomplish this mission.

The eight-member team from the932nd Blood Support Detachment,Task Force Med; is the first to collectblood platelets. These platelets are oneof the key components necessary tostimulate blood clotting, which stopsbleeding enabling treatment of criticallyinjured patients in Afghanistan.

In an effort to continue improvingmedical care for those in need, the teambegan working to make this donationprogram possible here two-years ago.

"[Medical personnel] started doingthis in Iraq because the whole blooddemand for platelets was so high," saidArmy Maj. Barbara Bachman, 932ndBSD. "Platelets are only good for fivedays from when you collect them towhen they expire, so generally, theDepartment of Defense didn't want tobring platelets into theater because theyare so hard to maintain."

"Drawing whole blood for plateletsis only good for eight hours and that'san even shorter shelf-life," Bachmancontinued. "So after [medical personnel]saw how much whole blood they wereusing [because of the need for platelets],they started [doing platelet donations],decreasing the number of whole bloodand emergency draws by 50 percent."

According to Bachman, the 932ndBSD then planned to also bring it toAfghanistan. Their idea was to bring thesame level of [medical] care toAfghanistan that Iraq is providing.

"So far we have about 200 people onour database, which is great, but weneed more," Bachman said. "If there

were to be a mass casualty or a couple of'bleeders,' they can get 50 units or more,essentially wiping out our whole data-base."

The team began collecting plateletsfrom eligible donors June 8 and is look-ing to build their donor database.

"We encourage everyone to getscreened," added Army Sgt. Jackie S.Mims, 932nd BSD blood technician andnative of Birmingham, Ala. "Manytimes people may think they are not eli-gible to donate, but they are later sur-prised to find that they are. Just getscreened."

Bachman explained due to the team'ssmall size, they have a four-person teamdesignated to visit various locations onBAF every Saturday to ensure a con-stant flow of possible donors isacquired and assure those interested indonating are screened in a timely man-ner.

The screening process takes 25 min-utes and requires the possible donor toanswer a series of personal medical his-tory questions, as well as give a bloodsample. Once the screening is complete,

the blood sample is sent back to the U.S.for blood typing and testing. The possi-ble donor will know within two weekswhether or not they are eligible todonate. If eligible, their name will beadded to the platelet donation databasehere and they may be encouraged todonate on a regular basis every two-to-three days.

The actual platelet donation usuallylasts between one-and-a-half to twohours. A donor's blood is drawn into anaphaeresis device where it is spun in thecentrifuge. This removes the plateletsfor collection and the remaining bloodcomponents are cycled back into thepatient. The body replenishes thoseplatelets within 48 hours.

"[The platelets] go to anyone whoneeds them," Bachman said, a MapleHeights, Ohio, native. "[Medical person-nel] don't differentiate when someoneneeds blood. They give them blood."

"Our ultimate goal is to save lives,"added Army Cpl. Christopher LeRoy,932nd BSD blood technician from FortHood, Texas. "[Donating platelets]saves lives."

NEWSJuly 16, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 5

Platelet donation program is first at BAF

Army Cpl. Christopher LeRoy, 932nd Blood Support Detachment bloodtechnician, begins Army Sgt. Jennifer Skebong’s, 583rd MedicalLogistics Company, blood platelet donation. For the first time, bloodplatelets are being collected in Afghanistan for treatment of criticallyinjured patients.

NEWSPage 6 Freedom Watch July 16, 2007

Story and photoStory by Army Pfc. Melissa M. Escobar22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - Backpacks jammed full withschool supplies, soccer balls, teddybears, toys, hygiene kits, sandals andshoes were delivered to an Afghanorphanage in Mahmud Raqi districtby members of the BagramProvincial Reconstruction Team.

National Guard Soldiers with the351st Civil Affairs Command fromMountain View, Calif., along with the1175th Military Police Company,205th MP Battalion from Mississippigeared up and armed themselves withhumanitarian supplies.

"The governor of the provinceasked us to visit the orphanage," saidArmy Capt. Jordan J. Berry, teamleader with 351st CACOM. "Themission was a good-will gesture tostrengthen ties with the community."

"It's a positive thing," said ArmyMaj. Jim E. Blashford, a native ofGrass Valley, Calif., with 351stCACOM. "Itshows our abilityto make a highimpact by givingto those whocould really usethis stuff andshows that we'renot the bad guys.These kids havenone of this stuff,and it's an obvi-ous example ofthe United States doing good andbeing put in a good light."

While supplying the children withhumanitarian aid supplies was themain event, the team took the oppor-tunity to observe the orphanage'sfacilities and asked the director if

there was a need for anything else.The director of the orphanage and

the on-staff doctor who runs thesmall health clinic inside expressedthe need for certain medicines and

supplies for thechildren. Anotherconcern that thedirector had wasthe quality ofwater that wascoming from thenearby well.

"Finding outabout their addi-tional needs suchas the medicineshortages and

who is funding them is good for us toknow," said Berry, a native of Dallas.

During the visit, the team alsolearned the facilities being used bythe orphanage are being rented andonly temporary.

"I would like to see a permanent

building built for the kids," saidArmy Sgt. Valentin DeLeon, a civilaffairs specialist with the BagramPRT, who spent the day handing chil-dren backpacks and pumping up soc-cer balls. "I hope we can influencethe governor to take more interest inimproving the orphanage."

The Bagram PRT routinely meetswith the Kapisa governor to discusschanges they feel necessary toimprove the quality of life for thepeople of Afghanistan.

"It was a perfect opportunity togive to those who have an obviousneed," said Blashford. "We haveplenty to give away."

"Everyday we see improvementsin Afghanistan," said DeLeon, fromSan Jose, Calif., who hopes to watchthe development of the orphanage."I like doing my job and it's awesometo see your projects grow andprogress. It's a good feeling."

Servicemembers supply aid to orphanage

Army Sgt. Valentin DeLeon, a civil affairs specialist, pumps up a soccerball for a child at the Kapisa Orphanage in the Mahmud Raqi district ofAfghanistan.

“It shows our ability tomake a high impact by

giving to those whocould really use thisstuff, and shows that

we’re not the bad guys”- Army Maj. Jim E. Blashford

351st Civil Affairs Command

By Navy Ensign Christopher Weis Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team

KHOWST, Afghanistan - A tribalelder from Matun district, Khowstprovince has seen first-hand the prob-lems of the poor road conditions inparts of Afghanistan.

Gulzar Aka explains how afterdecades of war and neglect, the condi-tion of the often flooded, bumpy dirtroads to Khowst City slows access tothe Provincial Hospital, impedes tradeamong outlying districts and producesa cloud of dust that blankets shopsand homes along the narrow route.

A groundbreaking ceremony heldJune 28, marking the paving of a$300,000, three-kilometer stretch ofthe Matun-Gulzar road will helpchange that.

"These are happy days for Afghansand [Coalition forces], working togeth-er to build roads," Gulzar said as he

watched the construction team breakground on the project.

This is just the beginning accordingto the commanding officer, NavyCmdr. Dave Adams. Over the nextseveral weeks the Khowst PRT willsign contracts formore than $3 mil-lion in roads thatwill connect hun-dreds of villagesto Khowst Cityand the rest ofAfghanistan. TheM a t u n - G u l z a rroad is just thelatest of morethan 40 recon-struction projectsthat the KhowstPRT has teamedwith the Afghangovernment to inaugurate this year.

Roads are the top priority for thepeople and local government underthe leadership of Arsala Jamal, gover-nor of Khowst province.

"This is a project I have been wait-ing for," Jamal explained in his speech.

Jamal went on to emphasize howroads reduce the chance villages willbe isolated from each other and theirgovernment. The roads will help

increase tradebetween villagesand bolster secu-rity creating morestability and com-merce.

In a provincethat currently hasno paved roads,connecting it tothe rest ofAfghanistan andthe capital, Kabul,every inch ofpaved road makesa huge difference.

"By providing our Afghan friendswith roads, schools and fresh drinkingwater, the government of Afghanistanprovides hope," Adams stressed, "Theenemy - they offer no hope at all."

NEWSJuly 16, 2007

What time is it?DariSa-at chand ast?(Sah-aht chand ahst?)

PashtuSo bajay da?(So bah-jaydah?)

A favorite sport in northern Afghanistan is a game called buzkashi, in which teams of horsemencompete to deposit the carcass of a large headless calf in a goal circle. Afghans also play polo andghosi, a team sport similar to wrestling.

Dari/Pashtu phrase of the weekDari/Pashtu phrase of the week

Courtesy photo

Freedom Watch Page 7

“By providing ourAfghan friends with

roads, schools and freshdrinking water, the gov-ernment of Afghanistan

provides hope. Theenemy - they offer no

hope at all.”- Navy Cmdr. Dave Adams

Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team

Roads, relationships are top priority for Afghans,Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team

Story and photosBy Army Spc. Micah E. Clare4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

ANDAR DISTRICT, Afghanistan -Listening to audio books in English, whilewashing dishes with his wife in Sulecin,Poland, was just one of the opportunitiesa Polish army officer used to brush up onhis self-taught English language proficien-cy.

At the time, Polish army Maj. ThomasStachera had no idea that learning Englishwould serve him well in one of his mostimportant military assignments: helpingturn over the security of a war-tornCentral Asian country back to its ownpeople.

Stachera, the commander of CombatTeam B of the Polish Battle Groupassigned to Ghazni province, Afghanistan,

found his command of the English lan-guage extremely useful in communicatingwith Afghans, who speak an entirely dif-ferent language.

"There are not many Polish-speakinginterpreters in Afghanistan," he said. "Inorder to communicate to the locals andwork effectively with our Afghan NationalArmy counterparts, it is important that Ispeak English well to my interpreter."

There are only four interpreters in theentire country who can translate Polishinto Pashto and Dari, the two most com-mon Afghan languages, said Abdul Nasir,Stachera's interpreter.

The requirement that all Polish officersmust be able to speak English aids in thePolish Battle Group's mission inAfghanistan.

The Polish Battle Group, which offi-cially took responsibility for the security ofseveral areas in the eastern Afghanprovinces of Ghazni and Paktika last

month, is the first major Polish infantryunit to participate in international effortsto stabilize the country. It is also the firsttime Stachera and most of his men haveserved in Afghanistan.

"It is very different from what wethought it was going to be," said Polisharmy 1st Lt. Thomas Novak, platoonleader, 2nd platoon, Company B. "Wetrained very hard before we left, but weare finding ourselves adapting to manyunforeseen circumstances every day."

Novak explained that he and his menwere trained to fight and take prisonersbut often find themselves doing the com-plete opposite, making friends and earningtrust.

When he led his men into a small, iso-lated, yet green and terraced village nestledin the Andar district hills of Ghazniprovince during Operation Maiwand lastmonth, they didn't find the Taliban theywere looking for, just an old man sleeping

Polish Battle Group overcomes language barrier

peacefully under an apricot tree.After the man's grandson roused him,

he awoke to Novak's friendly smile and anoutstretched hand.

"Salam alaikum," Novak said renderingthe traditional Islamic greeting.

Through his interpreter, Novak askedthe man how he and the members of hisvillage were doing and if they had beenbothered by the Taliban, who, before flee-ing the area at the start of Maiwand, hadbeen threatening people not to cooperatewith the International Security AssistanceForces.

The old man kindly offered Novak andhis men some of his ripe apricots, andproceeded to tell him about how glad thepeople in his village and surrounding areaswere that their main roads were nowcleared of roadside bombs. He also gavevaluable information regarding rumors hehad heard about the possible whereaboutsof an escaped Taliban commander in anearby province.

"This makes the work worth it," Novaksaid after the meeting was over and he andhis men had left. "I love talking with thelocals, but when they return our courtesywith the information we need, it's especial-ly rewarding."

The necessity for showing respect andcultural awareness for the residents of anarea is something that some of the Polishsoldiers with previous combat experiencehave brought with them to Afghanistan. Itis something they teach to their comrades.

"Even though we are the ones carryingthe guns, it's very important to show [theAfghan people] that we are their friends,not enemies," said Polish Sgt. JackJedrzejowski, a squad leader in 2ndPlatoon, Company B, who has combatexperience in both Iraq and Lebanon. "Ifwe don't show respect to their culture, reli-gion and customs, they won't have anyreason to assist us."

Of equal importance to showingrespect and friendliness to the Afghans, isworking well with the Polish soldier's new-found allies, the Afghan National Armysoldiers assigned with them.

"We didn't expect to be working insuch a close partnership with them," said

Novak. "But we find them to be the keyto putting the people we visit at ease."

While an interpreter can't be every-where at once, the Poles and Afghansmust sometimes be able to understandeach other without any words at all, suchas situations where vehicles at a trafficcontrol checkpoint need to be searched.

"They point to the area on a truck, andwe ask the driver to open it up for search-ing," said Mohib-Ullah, an Afghan soldierfrom the Afghan 203rd Thunder Corpsunit attached to 2nd Platoon. "We let thedriver know that it's just a proceduremeant for everyone's safety. We've reallystarted working together well with thePolish, and we're always learning new waysto understand each other."

Even when the soldiers are takingbreaks for lunch in the hot midday sun orsetting up camp for the night in a circle ofPolish armored personnel carriers,HMMWV, and Afghan trucks, the twoteams still find ways to interact.

"It is very enjoyable to sit around thecampfire at night withthem," said Ullah. "We sitaround sipping tea and wecook for each other. Weall laugh at each other'sjokes and mannerisms,even though we can'tunderstand what theother is saying. It doesn'tmatter though, we're allsoldiers. We understandthat."

The need for commu-nication has also prompt-ed the Polish to pick upsome of the native lan-guage, an opportunitysome of them are veryhappy with.

"I've been able to learnquite a few Pashto phras-es," said Novak. "It's got-ten to the point where Ican piece together whatsome of these village eld-ers are saying to me.When my interpreter tellsme what they actually said,

more and more I find that I was very closeto it."

From the typically excited speakingstyle of the elderly men answering ques-tions during key leader engagements, tothe happy, laughing children as they aregiven new shoes, toys or school items onhumanitarian aid drops by the Polish andAfghan soldiers, the two Andar based pla-toons find building relationships with theresidents an everyday thing, which is quitedifferent from what they were expectingto do here.

But this is a good thing, said Stachera."The people here are on our side," he

explained. "It is the most encouragingthing about being here in Afghanistan. Mybiggest concern here is for the safety ofmy men, but the more we travel this coun-try, I can see that we are really helping.What we are doing here is really working,and the people are earnestly cooperatingwith us. They see the right thing to do isto work towards unity, and to show theTaliban that they have no place here."

July 16, 2007 Page 9Page 8 Freedom Watch FEATURE

Polish Sgt. Jack Jedrzejowski, a squad leader in 2nd Platoon, Company B of the Polish Battle Group, stands near-by a Polish Rosomak vehicle while approaching a remote village in Andar District, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

Polish 1st Lt. Thomas Novak, platoon leader for2nd Platoon, Company B of the Polish BattleGroup, has a discussion with a town elder whilein a remote area in Andar District, GhazniProvince, Afghanistan.

Story and photoBy Navy Chief Petty Officer EricHarrison43rd Joint Logistics Command Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -The engineer shop, Allied Trades Section,at the AGS/AECOM compound hereuses creativity and inventiveness to fabri-cate new tools to help warfighters in thefield.

One such product of their collectiveimagination and creativity is an improvedvehicle weapon mount that has gone along way to provide better small-armsfire protection for joint servicemembersin Afghanistan.

"For Army, Air Force, Marines andNavy, whoever comes in here, we'regoing to help them," said Michael Price,shop supervisor with Allied Trades atBagram Airfield, Afghanistan, and aretired Army mechanic.

The design process for the improvedsmall-arms weapon mount began a littlemore than a year ago when a unitbrought in an alu-minum weaponmount that had beengiving them prob-lems.

"It was heavy, andthey wanted to knowif we could dosomething differentfor them; we cameup with an idea tomake them out ofsteel, but lighter,"Price said. "Thereare not as many sup-ports in it, but it's allwelded togetherinstead of boltedtogether. So it's a lot better piece ofequipment."

With the new design, not only was

Price and his team able to help providebetter force protection for servicemem-bers in vehicles, but they were able to

save about $1,100per mount by pro-ducing it on site.

"If somebodycomes in withsomething new,then we're going tore-design and comeup with a betteridea," Price said."We save time andmoney by doing ithere, rather thanhaving it shipped infrom the U.S."

The swing-armweapon mount iscompatible with the

M-240B machine gun and the M-249squad automatic weapon. The shop hasproduced about 400 of them and provid-

ed them to warfighters in Afghanistan.About 700 have been requested so far.

"The weapon mount has been one ofthe biggest successes to come out of thisshop," said Price.

Heyward McLendon, Bagram deputyproject manager at AECOM GlobalServices, said that the service provided bycivilian contractors in Afghanistan hashelped the military concentrate on themission at hand.

"We concentrate on supporting thewarfighter with logistics and maintenanceso we can get a piece of equipment backinto the fight as soon as possible."

Price went on to say that being able tohelp the servicemembers in Afghanistanmakes him feel good.

"I'm retired military so by being hereand helping out the Soldiers still, then it'sa good thing," he said. "If a Soldiercomes in and needs something, we'regoing to help them. We haven't turnedanything down yet."

Michael Price, shop supervisor with Allied Trades at Bagram Airfield,Afghanistan, makes adjustments to a weapons mount he designed toprovide better coverage for armored vehicle gunners. Price, a retiredU.S. Army sergeant first class, practices his craft at the Army MaterielCommand compound at Bagram.

July 16, 2007Page 10 Freedom Watch NEWS

AGS/AECOM Allied Trades Section supportsfight with new, improved weapons mount

“We concentrate onsupporting the

warfighter with logisticsand maintenance so we

can get a piece ofequipment back into

the fight as soon as pos-sible.”

- Heyward McLendonAECOM Global Services

Tech. Sgt.Octavious Q. Hill

Unit and occupation: 1st Expeditionary REDHORSE Group heating, ventilations and airconditioning craftsmanTime in the military: 14 yearsHome Station: Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.Hometown: Opelika, Ala.What service do you provide on BagramAirfield? I provide climate control in new facil-ities on BAF and also help provide spiritual inspi-ration as choir director at Enduring Faith Gospel Services.Most memorable moment in Afghanistan: The GospelSingspiration we had in April.What do you miss most about home? My wife and threebeautiful children.

Hobbies: I like visual and performing arts.The first thing that you're going to do when you getback: I can’t wait to go home “solving some problems.”Thank you, Bishop Huff.Interesting personal fact: I am probably the only personfrom Alabama who doesn’t like to hunt, fish or swim.

July 16, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 11FREEDOM FOCUS

If you have high-quality photos of service-members supporting the Coalition mission orenjoying well-deserved off-duty time, pleasee-mail them to freedomwatch@swa.army.mil.Please include full identification and captioninformation, including who is in the photo andwhat action is taking place.Photo by Senior Airman Dilia DeGrego

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELDPHOTOS FROM THE FIELDTech Sgt. Joshua Sowers, a Washington,Pa., native, stands ready as Army MasterSgt. Wilburn Penick, command chaplainand flight jumpmaster from Sanford, Fla.,gives a thumbs up to Army Pfc. ScottBerrier, a Richmond, Ind., native, inpreparation for the aerial drop of 16humanitarian aid-filled copter boxes to aforward operating base in easternAfghanistan.

Photo by Senior Airman Brian Stives

FEATURE

Story and photosBy Army Spc. Micah E. Clare4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASESALERNO, Afghanistan - Eventhough best-selling books havepainted pictures of Afghan childrenflying colorful kites high in blueskies against backdrops of snow-capped mountains that tower overquaint villages, not all Afghan chil-dren are fortunate enough to ownsuch simple, yet wonderful toys.

However, when the Polish BattleGroup arrived in Ghazni province'sAndar district near the end of June,the local children were finally able totake part in an activity shared bychildren around the world: flyingkites.

While conducting patrolsthroughout Andar district duringOperation Maiwand last month, thePolish soldiers of 1st and 2ndPlatoons, Company B of the PolishBattle Group, made many humani-tarian aid deliveries to the poor fam-ilies living in the area.

The extreme poverty of some ofthe areas was quite a shock to manyof the Polish troops.

"It seems like time stopped here2,000 years ago," said Polish Pfc.Chris Demko, a gunner on one ofthe giant Rosomak armored person-nel carriers. "We see these kids run-ning around with nothing, not even

shoes, and we want to change that." Everywhere they went, children

crowded around the vehicles as thesmiling soldiers pulled out boxes ofshoes, clothes, school supplies andtoys. But the biggest hit of all werethe multi-colored kites that the sol-diers unfolded for them.

With big grins and excited chat-tering, the children jumped up anddown shouting, "Patang! Patang!"(the Pashto word for kite.)

Soon the sky had several of theyellow, green and red kites withInternational Security Assistance

Forces logos flying, much to thedelight of the children dancingaround below.

"These kites are so much fun,"said Mahmad-Amid Hahn, a 12-year-old boy, as he made whoopingsounds while his kite dipped andswerved in the air. "The Talibanwould never give us these things."

For the children who had neverseen a kite before, some of thePolish soldiers stepped in to assist,unfolding the kites and showing

Page 12 Freedom Watch July 16, 2007

Continued on Page 13

The real kite runners flying the Afghan skies

An Afghan boy screams with delight as he flies his new kite, given himto him by Polish soldiers in Andar district, Ghazni province.

them how to take off with a runningstart to get it airborne.

"Any time spent with children is agood thing," said Polish Pfc. MichalOzog-Warclaw. "It is wonderful tosee children who have been throughso much with smiles on their faces."

Ozog-Warclaw, who has a daugh-ter of his own back home in Poland,spends as much time as he can withher when he is home.

"I spent many days playing withher just like this in the park, or for-est," he recalled.

While the children enjoyed theirkites and new shoes, the Polish alsogave out school supplies as anencouragement for them not only toplay, but to learn and attend nearbyschools.

The soldiers hope that their pres-ence and influence in these areas

will be able to help change an envi-ronment where the Taliban threat-ened parents against sending chil-dren to school.

"It is sad,because mostchildren herehave not had thesame opportuni-ties that my owndaughter does,"Ozog-Warclawexplained. "It isnot their faulteither. Back inPoland, my daughter is developing inschool in a safe, loving communitywhere she is free to learn, play, andinteract. Every person should haveaccess to these things, because beingeducated is a weapon against peoplewho would tell you to be somethingyou are not."

While the small youngsters who

were screaming with excitementhave many things to face as theygrow older in their still unstablecountry, the pristine scene of chil-

dren flying kites,completely freeto enjoy theiryouth, still feelslike it could comeout of the pagesof a book.

"We're simplyhelping themmake their livesbetter," said

Polish Maj. Thomas Stachera, com-mander of Company B, while watch-ing the children playing as his menprepared to move on.

"I believe this to be a picture ofwhat these people really want, a sta-ble, peaceful, productive society," hesaid. "These children are the oneswho will be able to make it happen."

FEATUREJuly 16, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 13

Continued from Page 12

“These kites are somuch fun. The Taliban

would never give usthese things.”

- Mahmad-Amid Hahn12-year-old Afghan boy

Two Polish soldiers from the 1st Platoon, Company B, Polish Battle Group, show an Afghan boy how to fly his newkite in Andar district, Ghazni province.

Story and photosBy Army Capt. Ashley DellavalleTask Force Rugged Public Affairs

SHARANA, Afghanistan -Humanitarian aid was delivered to theJanan Kala Village flood victims by thePaktika Rural Development ministerand members of the SharanaProvincial Reconstruction Team July3.

The aid came in the form of bagsof rice, milk, beans and flour, as wellas tarps and blankets to the belea-guered Janan Kala villager living in theMota Khan district of Paktikaprovince. The area was devastated bylarge amounts of rain that fell herewithin the past week.

Sharana PRT commander EduardoFernandez and Rural Developmentline director Khalid Bahadur decidedthat the village needed temporaryassistance until the floods subsidedafter conducting a reconnaissance ofthe area.

In the three months that the teamhas been in country, this was the firsttime they completed a humanitarianassistance drop for natural disaster

relief. The hun-dreds ofpounds of foodand waterhelped approxi-mately 250 peo-ple in the vil-lage.

"The gover-nor andBahadur askedus to help pro-vide aid," saidArmy Capt.C i n d yStockamp, anative ofScribner, Neb.,and a CivilAffairs teamleader with theSharana PRT.

"The mission was a means to show thecommunity that the Paktika govern-ment is working to help its people."

"It was a really big help for the peo-ple," said Bahadur. "There was noclean water for them. I am proud tohelp. We want them to know that weare here in times of need."

Several residents of the villageapproached the Soldiers expressingmedical concerns for the children whowere sick from the water. The medicwas able to give information on themedicine that the local doctor provid-ed.

While supplying the village withhumanitarian aid supplies was themain event, the team took the oppor-tunity to interact with the residents ofthe village. The children gatheredaround the Soldiers to practice theEnglish that they were learning inschool. After their lesson, they ranraces against the Soldiers.

"This is a real Civil Affairs mis-sion," said Stockamp.

FEATUREPage 14 Freedom Watch July 16, 2007

Afghan government provides aid to flood victims

Soldiers of the Sharana PRT unload a helicopter of humanitarian aidsupplies near the village of Janan Kala in Paktika province.

Army Capt. Cindy Stockamp shows the local elders ofthe village of Janan Kala the supplies the SharanaProvincial Reconstruction Team brought to help aftera flood devastated the village.

ENTERTAINMENTJuly 16, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 15

Last Week’s Solutions:

Got a joke,review or

top ten list?E-mail it to:

free-domwatch

@swa.army.mil

and youcould seethem print-ed here!

Great moments in reflecGreat moments in reflec--tive belt historytive belt history

Word Find Answers:Gab, rag, rae, ran, erg, ere, era, eng, ear, nag, nab,nan, bra, beg, bee, ben, bag, bar, ban, age, are, grab,gene, gear, garb, rena, rage, rang, egan, erne, eben,earn, near, brag, brae, bran, bern, beer, been, bear,bean, bare, barn, bang, bane, ager, agee, green,genre, range, eager, began, berea, berne, barge,agree, anger, abner, greene, enrage, bergen, banner.

From 1914 until mid-1918 our European Allies werelocked in a stalemate of trench warfare. Enter the dough-boys of the Allied Expeditionary Force who brought withthem the power of the reflective belt. It has been said thatthe reflective belt was a key factor in Germany's decision

to surrender.

By Air Force Capt. Tony Wickman

Alaskan Command Public Affairs

ACROSS1. Divulge5. Father figure11. Douglas B-18 _____12. Sopwith F-1s _____14. A Gershwin16. Chop ___; Chinese dish

17. Baker and ____18. Part of a ship19. Boeing B-17 Flying ____21. Mouse sighting cry22. Begins25. Small bird; AnthusMotacillidae member26. Soar29. Stop32. Consents34. Meadow35. Singer Redding

36. Gun lobby, in short37. Cypress tree38. Singer Jones39. French aircraft maker ofS.VII / .XIII42. Exploit44. Designer Wang45. Help46. Seafarer47. Mil. move48. Corpse51. U.S. aircraft maker of B-10 /B-1254. Earthquake center?55. Rope57. Trig. function59. Bleroit _____62. Thomas-Morse S4C _____64. AFFTC (Edwards AFB) mis-sion65. Relieve66. Curtiss JN-4D _____67. Shuttle identifier68. CD or DVD computer driver69. Friends

DOWN1. Chat service, in short2. Yankee great Gehrig3. Pub order4. Beau5. Wheeze6. Far East male royalty7. Tennis player Sampras8. Unfortunately

9. Consolidated B-24 _____10. Curtiss P-6E _____12. Autos13. Draft org.15. Caviar starter20. Sea animal22. Resort23. Type of welder24. Spring mon.26. Wright 1909 Military ___27. Confederate general28. Pitch29. ____ Abe30. Italian money, once31. Org. concerned with airportsecurity33. Cooking method39. Vesicle40. Actress Zadora41. Summands43. Wry depiction44. DVD precursor47. Bachelor's place49. Mil. address50. Thomas-Morse XP-13 _____51. Mil. meal in the field52. Computer desktop images53. Sentence part56. Air Force ___58. Pig's pen59. Married lady, in short60. Can. province61. SE Asia Thai person62. USAF lawyer63. Fahr. opposite

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Freedom Watch Freedom Watch July 16, 2007July 16, 2007