Courtesy Photo | Soldiers from the Virginia Army National Guard 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team...... read more read more
ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Back in the U.S. some folks are building bomb shelters to deal with the possibility of economic collapse. At Forward Operating Base Athgar in Afghanistan, 116th Virginia Army National Guard soldiers are shoring up existing bomb shelters against a possible real collapse.
In the early stages of the war, now in its 10th year, many structures were constructed quickly and for temporary use. Now as those same structures make the transition from temporary to permanent, much-needed improvements can no longer be delayed.
FOB Athgar is what most civilians think of when they picture a hardship posting and soldiers sorely in need of care packages and pen pals. It is isolated, partially dug into the hillside, has only one working shower, and its common areas like the gym and dining area are open to the elements. Insurgents have been known to do the occasional “drive by.” Soldiers who serve there don’t just get a deployment ribbon, they get bragging rights.
Two 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team soldiers are stationed at Athgar as communications equipment operators and serve alongside Romanian and Afghan troops. In early November, five 116th soldiers from the main command-and-control headquarters at FOB Lagman traveled to Athgar to assist with repairs and improvements. Three of the 116th soldiers were selected because of their civilian carpentry and construction skills.
The whole mission was directed by Stonewall Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Yancey after a visit in September when he saw that the base needed some improvements, said Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth W. Wolfe, Staunton-resident and 116th Engineering non-commissioned officer in charge. He knew we had the skills to make the mission a success, Wolfe added.
One of the most significant challenges of the operation was getting building materials transported by truck from Kandahar Airfield to neighboring FOB Apache and from there by air (“sling load”) to FOB Athgar.
“Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment helped us with the arrangements,” said Wolfe. “I had never coordinated a sling load operation before. It was a major learning experience. Our Brigade Aviation Element – Chief Vanden Berg, Maj. Baush, everyone – were a huge help. I couldn’t have made the movement without them. Everything happened right on schedule. You could set your watch to it,” he added.
At first, Romanian Operational Mentor and Liaison Team soldiers allowed the Americans to do all the work double-stacking sandbag walls, adding plywood gussets for stability and rebuilding roofs with 2 x 6 rafters and one inch plywood, but that soon changed.
“Once the Romanians saw we were there to improve their area, they were as enthusiastic as we were. By day three, everyone gelled together and the Romanians were out there every day working as hard as us if not harder,” said Wolfe.
Although the Romanians are active duty troops, they, like National Guardsmen, brought civilian talents to the repair effort.
“Just like Americans, the Romanians each have different military and civilian backgrounds,” said Wolfe. “We actually taught some construction techniques to them. By the end, we got to the point where we would start something and the Romanians would take the tools from us and finish.”
Despite two nights and one day of heavy rains, the mission was completed on time. Bunkers are unlikely to collapse from snow or rot and are capable of enduring indirect fire. The gym (appropriately) remains hard-core and open to nature, but the dining area is comfortably walled off.
“All the skill sets came together to put this place together,” said Sgt. 1st Class Robert D. Rhodes of Broadway, Va. “Active duty troops have focused, skill-based training. We bring more to the table as National Guardsmen: we bring additional civilian skills. We have builders, electricians and plumbers. We have the ability to improve the quality of life.”
It is an Army maxim to leave an area better than you found it. The 116th has been responsible for not only shoring up the roofs of structures at FOB Athgar, but of maintaining and improving relations with NATO partners such as Romanian troops on behalf of the U.S.
“You’re bonding while you’re building,” said Rhodes. “We made some good friends with the Romanians. I think they want to have us back because they enjoyed us. Right now we’ve got some insulation that has been ordered for further improvements at Athgar. We’re just waiting on the air lift.”
| Date Taken: | 11.23.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2011 09:12 |
| Story ID: | 80548 |
| Location: | ZABUL PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 390 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, In Afghanistan, the Bunker Is Your Man Cave – 116th soldiers repair remote FOB, by Frank O'Brien, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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