Last one from the Front

 Most of you know by now that we are back...actually, I am sending this from my living room.  It is always quite the experience 'living out of a duffle bag' for the roughly 3 weeks as we make the different stops to make our way back.  We spent a few days in Bagram, aomw more more in Manas, and a final few at Camp Atterbury.

Last email home… Then I will be home!

There has been so much to do before we go and I wish I had a couple more months to do it in, but I have decided I really am ready to be home. Here are the last of my missions.

We visited a small village that we go to once a month with the engineers, only this time for my mission we walked over to an area full of little girls. As we approached the group of kids, we found an outdoor school. Several teachers came up to us and explained that the school was too full so all students in the lower grades had to hold class outside. There were several hundred children, mostly girls, sitting in small, organized groups on rugs. They children were being taught off of large white boards or chalk boards. The principal came and told us that he has requested a bigger school, but is not as concerned for the building as he is for a protection wall to keep the kids from getting hurt. The week prior there had been a blast on the road and children went running as fast as they could.  He explained that they make the “outside school” work, but cannot protect the children from danger and begged us for help. We then walked through the village market. It is not a very big market and I was sad to not see very many women on this day. It is possible that the lack of females was due to the recent blast on the road.

The weather turned really cold in Mehtar Lam and I had a big box of wool blankets and children’s coats, so I talked to the mayor of the FOB to find out which group of workers were in need the most. I was told that the trash collectors came on the FOB every day from the village right outside our walls. I was told that they are the poorest people who work here and would be grateful for any help we could offer. I already knew some of the old men since we see them a couple times a day around our building. They are always very nice and tell me good morning and those that speak a little English try to tell me all the words they know. I got a handful of SECFOR guys and a couple interpreters and we set up at the gate so that when the workers left for the night we surprised them with blankets and warm coats for their kids. They were so happy and it was really good to see the items go to those that needed it most.

I did a joint mission with SSG Lang and SGT Peterson to the Teacher Training Center. The guys talked with the Chancellor and some of the staff while the USAID female and I went to the class rooms to talk with the female students. There are 110 females attending the 2 year program to become a teacher. Females have a very hard time getting employment in Afghanistan and one thing men say they will let women be are teachers. The females go through 12 different subjects and when they complete the program they file their paperwork to teach. Most of them said they would not find jobs in their own villages or in Mehtar Lam, but would go to larger cities for employment. They said the biggest issue they face is security to get to school and did not feel they would be safe to teach here ether. One female was late getting to class because she travels on foot from a very far village (walking for 2-3 hours to attend). I was impressed with the women we talked to and the risks they take to become teachers. Some said their family had decided they would be teachers, others said they wanted to become teachers and the family supported their decision. Half of the group was married and said their husbands supported them becoming teachers. We returned a few weeks later with 1500 notebooks and 1000 pens that the students said they were in need of. I invited the Director of Women’s Affairs to join us in handing out the items and visit with the females. My female cultural liaison was with me and she went back the following day to make sure that the females that were absent received some notebooks and pens too. They were very excited and I got a promise out of the Chancellor to work on mending his relationship with the Director of Women’s Affairs. 

As the rule of law person for the PRT I went on missions with the BDE Attorney, DOS Rule of Law guy and worked with the local Afghan Attorneys. We went to the Huqooq facility (informal justice system; land disputes, divorce, civil cases) and assessed their system and documentation of their cases. Most of the women’s issues go through the Huqooq system and the men we met with were very willing to discuss what they do. In the same facility we spoke to the Juvenile Rehabilitation Center staff. There are 27 boys in the juvenile center and most are 14-16. Juveniles go through the adult system, but are monitored and taken care of by the staff at the Rehabilitation Center. We toured the very small facility and I spoke with a couple of the boys. Most of the boys are in for murdering someone and only a few thefts and assaults. The facility was horribly filthy and the smell unbearable. There are 2 rooms that they squeeze the boys into for living quarters. The middle hallway area between the two rooms had a sink and all their shoes that they take off before entering a room. There were feces all over the wall, floor and sink in this hallway and it was hard to walk through. The only bathroom/shower is barely big enough to stand in and smelled terrible. The office was packed with junk and not being used. The boys were shy and stayed back as I walked around. I was told that they are trying to start an educational program and some kind of physical activity. A mullah comes from the villages to teach the boys prayers, and they are hoping for a larger facility someday. We put a word into the Governor about the need for a larger facility and of course he gave us the song and dance of how he cares about the kids and knows what they need.  A few weeks later we returned to the Juvenile Rehabilitation Center to take them school supplies, 2 bags full of balls, and 27 bags containing a prayer rug, blanket, shoes, and personal hygiene items. The best part was seeing the facility cleaned up. The staff showed me that they had cleaned up the rooms for the boys, middle hallway area, shower, and office. The staff let me hand out the bags to each of the boys and they told me they are treated good and thanked us for the balls and notebooks.  I was pleased with the improvements and hope that the school supplies, balls and prayer rugs will keep them busy and give them an opportunity for growth knowing they will be released someday back into society.

It may sound funny, but my monthly visit to the prison is always a joy. I really like the new Prison Director and am happy that he made a lot of improvements to the women’s area. He installed a wood burning stove for heat, new mattresses and blankets, and cleaned up a room for the female guards to stay next to the female inmates so they can talk or check on them. I took a couple boxes of shampoo, conditioner, soap, pads, and other hygiene items they had requested. I also took clothes, sewing kits, and art supplies for the females and toys for my little guy staying with his mom. There was a new female being held for investigation and I was able to have my Cultural Liaison and the Female Afghan Attorney speak to her about her case.  The relationship with the Prison Director and Afghan Attorneys has been beneficial; together we keep an eye on the women’s rights that frequently get ignored. The new female said she is the second wife and her husband was trying to sell her into prostitution, but not the first wife. She said she fled and wanted a divorce. Getting a divorce is shameful in Afghanistan and it is a risk for her to try to get one. The prison director said she could stay for her safety if they found no charges against her. She is from another Province and it was not safe for her to be without any family. I was able to make one more trip to the prison right before we left Mehtar Lam. I was glad to have the opportunity to say good bye to my friends and see that over the short time I was here they have had their rights protected and as I leave I am reassured by the Human Rights Commission, the Afghan Female Attorney, the Prison Director and my Cultural Liaison that they will continue to visit the prison on a regular basis and monitor the cases for these women and those that they see in the future. Most women here will be charged with killing an abusive husband or for fleeing an abusive husband. I am not saying that killing someone is acceptable. I am hoping that our “mentoring the system” and getting the word out on rights and laws explaining violence against women will continue to have a positive impact on the lives of Afghan women.

I was able to accompany the Commander to a transition ceremony at the Governor’s compound. One of the Districts down south is politically transitioning their security over to the local police agencies. The celebration at the compound had several Line Directors in attendance and their guest of honor was a very high ranking, national level, highly respected and influential Afghan man. We were invited to meet privately with the Governor and the VIP guest. I was introduced as the PRT’s rule of law advisor and women’s affairs specialist. I was asked my opinion on the judicial system and he asked me to tell him something good about it. I explained that they were very organized and appeared to document well.  We then had a discussion about his desire to have the cases of all 400 women in prisons all over Afghanistan reviewed for violations. We sat through the ceremony and listened to all the speeches about change in Afghanistan from various agencies and the VIP guest, followed by lunch and chai. We took pictures with the Afghan band and talked with all the people I knew. After returning to the FOB, I realized just how many people I worked with during my time here; Line Directors, Sub Governors, DoWA, Police Chiefs, Prosecutors, Judges, Prison Director, NDS Commander, Mullahs, and Elders.

In my bi-weekly meeting with the Director of Women’s affairs (DoWA) I finally was able to have the two Line Directors I worked closely with sit down together and see how they can work together.  I really wanted the success and forward thinking that the Social Affairs Director does to be taught to the DoWA. She is not a bad person and not as corrupt as some may think. Her problem is her fear that working with people that are smarter than her will make her look bad. The DoWA believes everyone is after her job, but if she would just do a better job she would be trusted more. My hope was to link her with people who can each her ways to be transparent and earn the respect and trust of those that can assist her in doing more for her people. This mission was followed by another meeting with USAID, a female Provincial Council member, female Parliament member, female senate member, as well as three male line directors. The meeting was a way to encourage influential people to communicate and combine efforts for all gender issues. I feel there needs to be a new, younger, and outgoing DoWA. Until that happens this DoWA needs to make very clear changes and work much harder to represent women here.

I finally made it back up north to Najil. I really wish I had spent my entire deployment there (except when it snowed as bad as it did) and had an opportunity to reach out to the local women. There is a lot to be done there and even though I understand how dangerous the area is and the condition of the small cop the males live is rough, I still would have enjoyed the challenge. CPT Love, SSG Carlson, our replacement CA CPT and I spent 3 days visiting a District Center and speaking with the Sub Governor, local police and villagers. I was able talk to women working in the fields and ate several Afghan meals with the locals on the COP. We never made it to our second District Center since we were informed that an IED was found in the road. I was actually on the clearing team so when we dismounted out of the trucks we walked around the fields clearing the area and stopping traffic so no one would get blown up. As we waited for EOD to come out, I spoke to local women picking vegetables in the field and talked to them about the security in the village we could see ahead. Once EOD arrived they prepared the device to be blown up and allowed me to detonate it, twice just to make sure… it was exciting to stand behind a truck and pull the pin then hear the boom and have asphalt fly over our heads. I do feel bad that I blew bigger hole in the road than what was already there, but it was fun none the less. I appreciated new Infantry guys allowing me to hang out at COP Najil and blow stuff up with them. 

I was able to make one more trip to see the girls at the orphanage. They moved to a new rented facility and even though we were not able to fund a new larger place, I was very happy to see the improved conditions and hug my girls one more time. Their smiles and excitement to see us always make my day. They remember my name and are so proud to tell me who is doing the best in class this visit. I am very proud of them and was glad to provide the last of the donations from the states to them. I would rather call it an academy rather than an orphanage, because even though these girls have one or both parents deceased, they are very well taken care of and don’t look like you would expect an orphan to look. They are healthy, smart, happy and just a joy to be around. I will miss giving out hugs the most.

My replacement arrived and I introduced her to as many people as I could so she can continue to do some of what I have been doing. We found out our replacements will be shutting down the PRT and will be leaving by June 1^st. For my last mission I was able to go to the International Women’s Day Event. I received an invitation and was granted permission from the Governor to attend. There were 300 local women invited and the Governor requested that we not have our trucks or security hinder any females from attending. I worked it out with the SECFOR and had MAJ Mejia (BDE Attorney), CPT Love (photos), two females from ADT FET, my female Cultural Liaison, my replacement Susan and I all attend the event. I was asked by the DoWA to give a short speech to the women and the PRT provided radios and scarves for the DoWA to give away to local women as gifts.  I did make it through my speech in front of the media and CPT Love recording it. To my surprise the four of us females were given gifts of scarves and Afghan dresses. I was also honored with a certificate of appreciation signed by the Governor (presented by the Deputy Governor) and thanked for my contribution to the women of Afghanistan. Later that night one of the Line Directors called me and told me he saw me on local TV. The turnout was pretty good and reports stated that 350 Afghan females received gifts; that is not including all the children and men in attendance.  I have to admit it was a pretty cool way to end my time in Mehtar Lam. I met some great people and had many locals come and talk to me as I prepared to leave. It was hard to say good bye to my Cultural Liaison and I will miss her dearly. The interpreters and locals I worked with were very good to me and I am touched by all the gifts and even tears as I left.

We left in the dark on Chinooks and now I start the long journey back to the states. We have several stops to make and I miss my friends already. There were some very hard and frustrating experiences on this deployment, but I am very lucky to take away the good memories of missions with a purpose and even the minor changes and hope I was able to bring during this time. I truly believe I learned a lot on this deployment and will cherish the friends I leave behind. You never know, maybe I will be able to take them up on their offer to visit them in a peaceful Afghanistan years from now.
We will be flying to our next stop soon then I have a couple more before getting back to New Mexico. I have learned a lot about the religion and culture here and it has been an amazing experience. I am ready to not live out of a ruck sack and have a little freedom. Thanks for your prayers and I will see you soon.

Sabrina

As SPC Archuleta eluded to, this rotation was quite the challenge.  I could use this as forum to vent, but it would be terribly unproductive and detract from what good things we were able to get accomplished.  Those of you that know me will probably hear about it through conversation, but know that as a collective whole, we did the best with what we had to work with.

I started this blog while in our mobilization process, so it was difficult to get the other members to contribute.  once I am able to get back to the unit, I will pass this on so others can use it to get out the good word.  I know that we have Soldiers in Afghanistan now, so check back periodically and you might get to see what other 492d Soldiers are up to.  Once I am able to get fully situated, I will up load photos to the photos section.

CPT Love

Couldn't have said it better....

No surprise, SPC Archuleta has managed to keep us all in the loop:

Happy Holidays!

Christmas has come and gone and I have so much to catch you up on… We have had so many missions I may have to break this into a couple emails. Talk has started about getting ready to go home and as I write these I think I am still too busy and have too much left to do to go home.

We went on another market walk, but this time to see the “Women’s Market” in Mehtar Lam. This part of the market is where they sell items for women to use. There were rows and rows of beautiful and colorful scarves, material and Afghan clothes.  The area has a two story section that has shops like an outdoor mall. There are several shops full of shoes, sandals, hats, and household items. (tea kettles, pans and dishes) We were surrounded by children and had a hard time walking through the very narrow area. The children were so curious and wanted to be helpful when I asked for something. We spoke with various vendors and found out that women can own their own store, but rarely do. Men rent the space, but women can make or send items to be sold. I spoke to a few women shopping in the area, but they are very afraid. (don’t blame them with my entourage of men with guns) We walked through the chicken farm area and the smell is indescribable. The meat or butcher area is interesting; the cows are much smaller and the blood and parts they cut off are all over the ground. Parts of the market are so dirty and it is hard to believe people eat this stuff. I talked to a shop keeper about the burkas he was selling. They are made in Helmand Province and they are more expensive because they are made of a heavier material. I did buy one and my interpreter and other local national with me said they were very good quality. It is blue like what most women wear here and I have found that most women want to wear the burka and are not forced to other than their own fear of security.  The kids try to talk me into buying all kinds of things. Some shopkeepers will answer our assessment questions with no problem, but the burka shop keeper would only talk if I was buying. I have a good time on these missions learning about how people earn a living, what they are proud of, and the children always entertain me.

The 25 of November is International Awareness “Violence Against Women” day. I was asked to come up with a campaign and display for the FOB. The focus was on Local Nationals living on the FOB and what the laws and rights of women in Afghanistan are. I did a nice display with the law and rights written in English and Pashtu and contact information for various agencies in our Province. I posted color cartoon style drawings of women experiencing violence and forced marriage. It was interesting to watch people read the display (posted in the cafeteria/DFAC area where we eat) and had some positive remarks come from people (local and military) that were not aware of the extent of the rights women have here. I have been working with Brigade Rule of Law and have learned a lot.

We conducted another tour of the Prison. It is always interesting to take people to visit the Prison. This time I took a LTC and MAJ to do their sit down with the Director of the prison and tour the facility. The highlight for me is getting to check on the two female prisoners and two female guards. I get along well with the male guards and they wait to see if I brought them chocolate. The females were doing well and had simple requests for soap and shampoo. I love how excited the young female inmate is to see us. On this tour I learned the process to enter an inmate into the system and how they track them. Also on this trip I viewed the “Insurgent Compound” and hate to stereotype, but these men looked like “bad guys.” They did not look like the other men in the regular compound, with their dark beards and nicer appearance. They are dark and serious looking. (I did not stay in there long) I played with some kids who were there visiting and helped them pump the well to fill containers full of water. We saw the vocational training area and saw the uniforms and clothes the men were making. They have neat old style Singer sewing machines and coal filled hot irons.  The MAJ presented the Director with a sewing machine and we were treated to a traditional Afghan lunch.

We visited the Chief Prosecutors office to discuss anti-corruption cases and the Prosecutors. We took some military visitors from another Province that wanted to know why there is such a high success rate of prosecuting and convicting corruption cases in comparison to the low numbers in their Province. The Chief Prosecutor said it is simple “we just apply the law and don’t listen to the pressure.” They do a great job at meeting and coordinating with all parties involved in the judicial processes at a round table type of meeting. Any one from the Governor to the local police comes to these meetings and the law is discussed. The Chief Prosecutor said he always fears for his and the Prosecutors safety, but believes they are doing the right thing by just applying the law no matter who the accused is. It was interesting to hear the local attorneys speak and see how important their jobs are to them even though they face very serious danger. Judges are blown up or shot or families of the judges and attorneys are frequently harassed and threatened.

I visit with the Director of Women’s Affairs regularly now and I have started a joint mission with ADT, BDE Rule of Law, and the PRT. This has eliminated the Director being able to play mom against dad when we are all in the room together. We can all hear her needs and concerns at the same time and each does our part to support her and her efforts for the women of Afghanistan.  BDE has hired a female local national attorney and she has an office at the Directors Office. We (females) will be mentoring the Director and the female attorney to build relationships and work together. The meetings are always interesting and I believe the Director is on the right track with the programs she has established for women. I hired a female Cultural Liaison “Basraj”. She is a young woman who has come to work for the PRT and live on the FOB which is a risk for her since men don’t think women should work for Coalition Forces, but she is great and we have just begun working on her building a relationship with the Director of Women’s Affairs as well. Maybe Basraj will have a future career when the PRT leaves country. I am blessed by the women I have met here and the odds they are up against to work or gain their independence.

Myself, CPT Love, SSG Carlson, and a small group of our SECFOR flew to Alishang to live in the village for four days. We stayed in a police headquarters building that is still under construction and is close to the District Center.  We were able to walk over and meet with the Sub Governor, Line Directors and the Prosecutors. We quickly made friends with the local police and they were very nice to us and said we could stay as long as we wanted. We spent time with different people discussing their day to day jobs and we visited the local market. I made a lot of friends as soon as the kids realized I was the only female. The kids are very poor in this area and I watched them from the tower as they played soccer or with a plastic bag tied to a string and found other ways to entertain themselves all day in the dirt. We bought food from the local “restaurant “and our interpreters cooked for us. We had some really good meals of rice, potatoes and bread.  The Contractor and his employees working on the building we were living in spent time with us. He served chai for us on a hill in the sun and taught me how to pray and why they wash the parts of the body they wash to be clean as they present themselves to God.  He showed me his pictures of his recent trip to India when he found out I want to see the Taj Mahal someday. We had a very relaxed atmosphere to work in and talk to people. I got to shoot mortars in the middle of the night and had sleepless nights of tower guard then sleeping on the floor in a room together with the guys. I have no problem being the only girl on these trips and I can hang with the boys, but next time will choose a room that does not echo so bad and have 15 or so guys snoring. It was a great experience and I love living off the FOB and seeing new people and places. The danger is real, but we had the local police there and our guys to do their job as CPT Love, SSG Carlson and I talked to the people and assessed the capabilities of the District Center and local Government in this District. It is always interesting when you get dropped out of helicopter in the middle of nowhere and go into a village riding in an Afghan Police truck or jingle truck, a choice of MRE’s or local food and watching people live their normal lives around you. It was very cold at night (30’s) but the stars were amazing.  Good times!

CPT Love, CPT Delatorre and Myself went to Qarghayee with the USAID representative to assess some smaller markets. The area had a bunch of cauliflower fields and some were much larger heads of cauliflower than in the US. The markets sold similar items like the one in Mehtar Lam, but they sell more local things rather than products from Pakistan and India. More prepared food was sold and the SECFOR guys tried the Afghan version of French fries. I love the local bread called “non” and bought a bunch to take back as well as a bag of sugar candy that is so good. I had one little girl hold my hand as we walked down the road and stopped to see the prices of items being sold. We always pass out candy and play with the kids for a bit. We visited with the locals and ask about where things come from, how their business is going, and what currency they use. (most Pakistani Rupee, not Afghani)  I got to talk to some females about going to school and the beautiful scarves they were wearing; most are very shy or afraid. The young girls in this area seemed more open to coming up to me or joining the large group of boys following us. This area is along the river and is much greener than Mehtar Lam. The people were friendly and there were huge flocks of sheep walking through one area of a market we were in. The roads are narrow and the shops are close to each other, but they all sit and talk to each other and seem happy.

One very interesting mission I went on was the visit to a cheese factory and a henna factory. We drove to a village down south and found the location of the cheese factory. It was hidden away in a farming community and inside this little room was equipment to make cheese.  The owner explained to us the process and how 20 families bring in cow’s milk and the women rotate in groups to make the cheese. The process is very simple and we were able to sample some of the cheese along with hot, sweet milk. After that we found the henna factory. It is currently under construction but people were still working on filling bottles of hair products. The owner showed us how they package the henna that women use in their hair (like hair dye) and the talcum powder they also make at this facility. Women make the products and the men package it. I sat and helped the guys fill little glass bottles of hair softener. They said I did a good job, but was too slow. I wish there were more paid jobs for women and opportunities for these programs to reach a larger area. On this mission we also visited a bridge and a river project. The big blue bridge is impressive and I got some neat pictures. But, once the Engineer was telling the local contractor how he had bolts upside down and how the planks could just fall off, I took that as my queue to get off the bridge. The area where we looked at the canal and river project was very pretty. We stood on the hill overlooking the river and got to sit for a bit holding security. It is an area where there are no houses or people and reminds me of back home around the Rio Grande River.

The visit to the court house to look at their filing system was fun. They do well and I found it funny that they rely on the Prosecutors office for all files. The Prosecutors start the file then the courts use it until the end of the case and give it back to be stored by the Prosecutors office. They use straight pins instead of paperclips and it is so simple that you have to wonder if we have over complicated our systems in the States. There is hope for a new court house to be built since the one they are working out of is small and falling apart. I enjoyed listening to the Prosecutors tell me what they are doing and how proud they are of the training they have been through. They all smile a lot and like to take pictures with me.

We had lunch with the Director of Women’s Affairs (DoWA). They made us Afghan rice, chicken, beans and bread. I take a group out to meet with her every couple of weeks and on this visit we were able to sit in a women’s workshop teaching management skills to adult women. The 30+women in the room were preparing to get their certificates for completing the course and the DoWA addressed them then asked me to speak. I congratulated them for completing the class and encouraged them to continue learning and building a future for the women they are an example to. I am very proud of the women who strive to better themselves even though their families are threatened and just walking to the workshop have to run from harm. It is hard to listen to their stories, but I am in awe of the determination. We have an Afghan female attorney that is now working out of the DoWA’s Office. I am looking forward to see how she can help the DoWA spread the rights women have here. It will take years to make change, but I am hopeful that the right people with the right resources can bring some light to the truth of equality here. The DoWA tells me there is hope because she has already seen less legal cases when people know the law and their rights. I study the Quran and laws here and it is clear on paper, but the culture is very set on the way they believe women should be treated.

Christmas Eve was very different for me this year. I spent the day filling 388 back packs with personal hygiene items, notebooks, candy, toys, pens, pencils, crayons, stickers, bracelets, and books. I organized 16 different donors from the states and 100’s of boxes of items they sent. I ordered the bags from my PSYOP counterparts. I did get some help at first, but ended up doing 300 of the bags myself. I appreciate the group of interpreters that helped me carry groups of 5 bags tied together by grade and fill 4 tri wall boxes with all the bags. I did not mind the quiet time with my Christmas music and putting it all together.  For my first Christmas with out the big tree, presents, and family, I must say I was blessed with the love and spirit of the holidays when we took the bags into the classes and watched the girls look through the goodies and thank us for caring about them. I fight the tears as they hug me and squeeze me tight. They pose for pictures and started a board of pictures in the hallway so they can be reminded of the people in America that love them.  

We are starting to prepare for our replacements to come and I have worked hard to document all the things we have done and people I have met. The next group will be in my prayers. At times I feel like I haven’t accomplished much, but other days I know I have encouraged a handful of women to believe in themselves and continue to get an education and beat the odds. They live in a place where women don’t count and get beat or killed or imprisoned for trying to better themselves. Sometimes all you can do is care, listen, try to reach the men who need to open their minds and encourage the young ones that may be the future leaders of their country. And of course, I hug them all!

 

Sabrina

Things are going as well as can be expect at this point.  Everyone is eager to get home, but it is a bit to far off to get excited over....too many things to get done before the long flight home.



CPT Love