Marines, Afghan Border Patrol safeguard Khan Neshin

Photo By Sgt. Eugenio Montanez | Lance Cpl. Naoto Nakamura, a team leader with 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, waits for vehicles to pass by, during a vehicle checkpoint in Khan Heshin, Aug. 31. “We patrol to keep a presence in the town and to keep the people feeling safe,” said Nakamura, a Boulder, Colo., native.  

KHAN NESHIN, AFGHANISTAN

09.01.2010

Story by Cpl. Eugenio Montanez 

1st Marine Division

KHAN NESHIN, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Working side-by-side, Marines and Afghanistan National Border Patrol soldiers conducted daily patrols to maintain security at Khan Neshin, a small village in southern Afghanistan.

“We patrol to keep a presence in the town and to keep the people feeling safe,” said Lance Cpl. Naoto Nakamura, a team leader with 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.

For nearly four months now, Marines of 1st LAR Bn. have joined forces with the ANBP soldiers helping rid this area of Taliban presence.

“Our mission out here is to hold ground that we already secured and flush out the Taliban wherever they may be hiding in the village,” said Lance Cpl. Chad Rairie, a rifleman with 3rd Plt., Co. C., 1st LAR Bn.

During patrols the Marines and ANBP soldiers randomly setup checkpoints to stop and question vehicle and foot traffic.

“We walk through the towns speaking with locals and trying to convince the village elders to give us help finding where the Taliban are hiding,” said Rairie, a Rio Vista, Calif., native.

While the Marines questioned anyone passing by, the ANBP soldiers searched houses to find evidence that will lead them to the Taliban.

“The people trust the ANBP more than they trust us, so [working with them gives us a foot in the door,” Rairie added. “They are more comfortable letting the ANBP come into their houses, so we use the information the ANBP collects from the villagers as well as the information we collect.”

The Marines and ANBP soldiers have interacted with the locals during patrols to gain their trust and cooperation.

“We operate in different areas around here, but once we gain the trust of the people, they’re usually very friendly toward us,” said Nakamura, a Boulder, Colo., native. “They help us and answer our questions.”

Monitoring the locals and their daily actions, Marines and ANBP soldiers have accomplished to find and push out many Taliban forces.

“On a day-to-day basis, we try to find the village elder, if he is in town. We also speak with the kids and try to find out how they are doing or if they’re going to school, looking for any changes in our baseline,” Rairie said. “If there’s anything new or different from how life is normally here, using those keys, we can find out where the Taliban are and what their impact is on the people.”

Once completely liberated of the Taliban, Marines will turn over the village’s security to the ANBP soldiers and continue to do the same in other villages near by.

• Date Taken: 09.01.2010
• Date Posted: 09.06.2010 10:34
• Story ID: 55787
• Location: KHAN NESHIN, AF