Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
Issue 64 July 29, 2011
Task Force Talon snipers a valuable asset Story by Capt. Jonathan Holm 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, have been conducting extensive partnered security operations with Afghan National Security Forces in western Kandahar City over the past month to disrupt and destroy Taliban networks and secure the population. These operations have included everything from human terrain mapping to large-scale clearance operations. A vital enabler to these
Photos by Capt. Daniel Bustamante
Sgt. Joshua Jones, a sniper with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, scans his sector for possible threats.
threats from a great missions has been distance and a well Headquarters and concealed position, Headquarters Comsaid Capt. Daniel pany’s sniper team. Bustamante, human “The snipers who resources officer for are uniquely equipped 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg. and expertly trained, Not only have the have been pushed out snipers been a great several times to support asset on patrols, but these missions and have A sniper with Headquarters and Headquarters they are a force proprovided a reassurCompany, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd ingly watchful eye over Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, observes tection measure for the Soldiers and ANSF and reports suspicious activity. Snipers have been criti- Soldiers working and cal to the Task Force Talon partnered patrols as they are resting on Afghan partners, not to menable to identify suspicious activity and report it to the National Civil Order tion the unsuspecting unit on the ground. Police Headquarters. enemy,” said Command When intelligence Sgt. Maj. Shawn Alvais received that suggests a possible attack, rado, command sergeant major for 2nd Bn., the snipers are always ready to scan potential 8th Inf. Reg. enemy attack positions for threats, said Staff The snipers have been critical to the Task Sgt. Shawn Young, sniper section leader for Force Talon partnered patrols as they are able 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg. to identify suspicious activity and report it to “The sniper team has been a true combat the unit on the ground. multiplier that helps ensure patrols are always They are armed to engage and destroy any able to take the fight to the enemy, secure the enemy targets once they have positive idenpopulation and move forward,” said Alvarado. tification and the snipers can engage these
Eye in the sky helps keep Soldiers safe Story and photos by Sgt. Ruth Pagan 2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
Look, up in the air! It’s a bird; it’s a plane, no it’s a big-white blimp looking thing! Though it doesn’t have a menacing look to it, the Persistence Threat Detection System is very dangerous to the enemy. It’s an obvious reminder that the Soldiers in Kandahar City are being watched over. “It’s an eye in the sky for our Soldiers here to keep them safe,” said Joseph Heckler, the site manager for Camp Nathan Smith’s PTDS, a civilian contractor with Lockheed Martin. “Our site is unique because we are sitting in the center of the city so we see a lot of high value targets,” said Christopher
The Persistence Threat Detection System is docked for general maintenance, June 15. The maintenance is varied based on operations. The PTDS is a valuable system that provides force protection, counter improvised explosive device detection and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
Lynch, a field engineer with Lockheed Martin. PTDS has a variety of things it can be used
for. The PTDS can see if people are planting Improvised Explosive Devices, it helps us gather information on patterns of life in the city and if a firefight does break out it can help us track down the bad guys, said Lt. Caitlyn Gallagher, brigade collections manager with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Military and civilian contractors work hand-in-hand to keep information flowing. The PTDS system is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by my crew, said Heckler. “The PTDS guys are extremely on the ball with reporting everything they see, and giving us analysis on what they are Continued on page 2
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Warhorse Pride
Issue 64 July 29, 2011
Water management team makes waves in Arghandab Story by Sgt. Benjamin Shutt Security Force Assistance Team 4
Navy Commander Kurt Birkhahn, the regional command representative for water infrastructure development, visited the Arghandab District Center in an effort to help increase and execute sustainable government led water management projects throughout Regional Command South, July 20. Birkhahn and his team of associates provided the District Development Assembly with information on water infrastructure and promoted increased partnership with the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land. Birkhahn also met with DAIL and with members of Combined Task Force Dealers, Security Force Assistance Team 4, and United States Agency for International Development, who was represented by Brian Shea. In a meeting between Birkhahn, DAIL members and Shea they discussed how to find underground water sources, the different methods of irrigation, the types of water that are beneficial to plants versus humans, and how to construct pools or reservoirs for irrigation. Emphasis was placed on finding deep ground water sources, or aquifers. Birkhahn’s help was greatly appreciated and DIAL members concluded that the best way to find ground water was to compile an underground map based on information gathered from drilling wells and taking core samples in nearby areas. Birkhahn then met with members of the
Eye in the sky Continued from page 2
The Persistence Threat Detection System hovers over Camp Nathan Smith and is a visual reminder that someone is watching, June 16. This particular system is one of the first ones in Afghanistan and has been at CNS since July 2009.
Warhorse Pride Col. John S. Kolasheski...................2nd BCT Commander Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa..............2nd BCT CSM Maj. Kevin Toner................................................2nd BCT PAO Sgt. Seth Barham..................................................PAO NCOIC Sgt. Ruth Pagan......................................Layout and Design Spc. April York.........................................Layout and Design
DDA, who are local village Maliks and elders who gather weekly to discuss development issues, and they discussed water management. The elders were asked to return to their villages and share what they had learned with farmers and to inform villagers to bring all water related issues to DAIL at the District
Photo by Pfc. Mark Winter
Navy Commander Kurt Birkhahn, Regional Command South representative for water infrastructure development, presents water management information to the Arghrandab District’s Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land, July 20.
Center. DIAL members inquired about refurbishing the dam located in Dahla and Birkhahn informed the elders that funds had been approved for this project and construction should begin sometime next year. “This is a great thing, because the silt has built up the reservoir and Dahla doesn’t hold as much water as it used to; this new project will provide water to people who
have none,” said Noor Mohammed Shah, an elder from Khwaja Mulk and a shura leader. “This training we were given today was very helpful.” Birkhahn addressed members of CTF Dealers, SFAT 4, and USAID on the need to assist the leadership in the Arghandab to identify the best water management practices and those practices to avoid including problems surrounding haphazard welling. A common practice in the villages of the district is to drill shallow water wells, sometimes only 25 meters deep. “This causes problems because the water from the wells is surface water, not ground water and much of the surface water is contaminated with various bacteria and may be harmful to people if consumed,” said Capt. Ryan Todd, a member of SFAT 5 who accompanied Birkhahn. “This shallow drilling does not provide sustainable sources of water.” Birkhahn’s team determined that a few deep wells that were properly managed were far better than many shallow ones that would quickly run dry. The team determined that they will continue to work in partnership with DAIL to get this important message out to the people of the Arghandab. “This presentation is like a keepsake that the people of Arghandab can learn from for years to come,” said Shah.
getting through the feed,” Gallagher said. The benefits of having the PTDS are invaluable. “My biggest reward here was when I stopped a convoy from rolling onto an IED,” said Lynch. “Their 1st Sgt. came and brought me a box of chocolate chip cookies, and then a couple of weeks ago they actually caught the guy who had planted that IED.” Not only are Soldiers lives
saved but bad guys are caught, said Heckler. “Everybody’s proud to work with the military, and we feel like we are contributing to the efforts here,” said Lynch.
The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Warhorse Pide is an Army-funded newsletter authorized under provision of AR 360-1. Contents of the Warhorse Pride are not necessarily the view of, nor endorsed by the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry Division. All editorial content of The Warhorse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public
Affairs Office. The Warhorse Pride welcomes articles, commentary and photos from readers. The Warhorse Pride reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the publication. All issues of The Warhorse Pride can be viewed online from your home computer at www.facebook. com/2bct4id Submissions should be e-mailed to the editor: seth.barham@afghan.swa.army.mil
The PTDS is a valuable system that provides force protection, counter improvised explosive device detection and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. It can be seen from many miles away.