“With Sword And Plow We Are Fighting Evil”

JULY 2012

Featured Soldiers of the Month

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LTC Snowden’s Comments

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GA ADT II Offers Vet Training

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Team Sower Georgia Agribusiness Development Team II

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FOB Shank Afghanistan -- FOB Shank is currently changing hands as 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division returns home to their families, and 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team assumes command of the ‘area of operations’. The GA ADT II has established itself as the example to follow, both on mission, and at home on the Forward Operating Base. As the 173rd is settling into their new home and responsibilities, GA ADT II has been able to assist and share experiences with incoming Soldiers. Additionally GA ADT II SECFOR has been able to participate in the Quick Reaction Force (QRF). The QRF is a standby force that helps further contribute to the security of the camp.

The GA ADT II Agriculture team has been on the move as they carry out training projects throughout the region.

GA ADT II Plays Instrumental Role in Area of Operations

Says, SGT Rob Summerell, on being personal security detail for the Agriculture training missions, “This is what all our training comes down to, being the right guy at the right time to ensure the safety of the Ag Team as they carry out our vital mission for the Afghan people. For more on the ongoing training, see (Page 3) of this month’s newsletter.

Finally, as GA ADT II continues to send Soldiers home on leave, the air is abuzz with plans as Soldiers devise how best to spend precious few days at home with loved ones. We are excited for our Soldiers’ time at home and look forward to the return of those now on vacation.

“SOWING FREEDOM”

“GA ADT II has been able to assist and share

experiences with new Soldiers”

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FOB Shank, Afghanistan – TSgt Kody Jorgensen and SSgt Williams, veterinary technicians with the GA ADT II, are currently traveling through ADT II’s area of operations to conduct a variety of veterinary training events. Assisted by members of the SECFOR platoon, ADT has traveled throughout Logar and Wardak provinces in order to provide animal husbandry training and equipment to local farmers, and herders.

Said TSgt Jorgensen, “So much of ADT II’s mission is at the ‘macro’ level as we work alongside Afghan government officials to create associations/co-ops and to institute large-scale projects. Projects like these Vet-training missions are one way where we can directly affect the Afghan farmers and local communities.”

The scope and purpose of an Agribusiness Development Team extends beyond the conventional notion of simply improving farming. GA ADT II seeks to empower the Afghan government and agricultural leaders to improve all areas of agrarian production, animal husbandry, as well as the business side of bringing these products to market. This is accomplished through a variety of projects including,

watershed and water table management, instituting local associations and co-ops, veterinary support and animal disease management, greenhouse development,

horticulture training, plant pruning and disease management, and a myriad of smaller endeavors. Currently on loan from the Air Force,

TSgt Jorgensen and SSgt Williams provide an integral role in the bigger mission as they serve as

ADT’s in-house ‘para-vets’. Additionally they have recently participated in joint operations with NATO-ISAF Coalition Partners, the Czech Republic. The

Czech PRT (provincial reconstruction team) is tasked with the larger role of overseeing all reconstruction in the region, of

which Agribusiness is a major component. Says Ag Team NCOIC SGM Sharpe, “Conducting these joint operations with the Czech PRT, helps ensure that all reconstruction players are singing off the same sheet of music”

Traveling to remote locations across all of Logar and Wardak, GA ADT II delivered training and equipment on topics such as, hoof care, animal nutrition, castration, wool shearing, diagnosing and treating for worms, and disease management. Also QAQC (quality assurance, quality control) missions were conducted to inspect milk collection facilities, silk cocoon production sites, and Apiary yards for honey production. At every training site local farmers welcomed the training and supplies. Given the volatile nature of the more remote districts, these small steps by GA ADT II are in turn great strides towards swaying local communities towards a counter-insurgent stance.

GA ADT II Veterinarians provide training for local Afghans

“Projects like these Vet-training missions are one way where we can directly affect local communities and Afghan farmers.”

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Matt Nabb Hometown:

Lawrenceville, GA MOS: 12N--Horizontal Engineer Work: Sell ‘Tater Chips for a living Favorite Activities: Gym, Drinking craft beers, video games Stuck on a desert

island with one book: House to house: A Soldiers Memoir one movie: Forest Gump

music: Metal, Prog. Rock, Classic Rock TV

Show: Prison Break Favorite thing about

this deployment: Playing with cool toys on the taxpayers dime Crazy Fact: Even in a combat zone, I am in touch with my feminine side. I always take time to use smell-good, put on lotion, and gel my hair!

Tom Eddy Hometown: Statesboro, GA MOS: 21B--Combat Engineer / 92A – Automated Logistician Work: AGR 265th Readiness NCO Favorite Activities: Running, Exotic travel, watching movies, and babysitting SSG Ives. Stuck on a desert island with one book: Seal Team 6 TV Show: The Office, one Movie: Anything bootleg, b/c I know SFC Neal won’t watch it music: Country! Favorite thing about this deployment: Not being behind a desk, slash, The SECFOR Team. Crazy Fact: While working as a bodyguard at the Atlanta Four Seasons, NELLY pulled up with 20 cases of Hawaiian Punch in his Lamborghini. When I delivered said cases to his penthouse, he tipped me $100.

David McElwee Hometown: Cedar Town, GA MOS: 11Z/25C – Communications Work: AGR 265th Operations Resources NCOIC Activities: Time with the family, traveling, occasional golf, camping, Softball/baseball with the kids Stuck on a desert island with one movie:

Transporter 2 tv show: 24 music:

Country, Keith Urban book: Thoughts for Johnny Favorite thing about this

deployment: The Overall Experience

Crazy Fact: Once told Governor Sonny Perdue that “It’s good to see you again”, even though we had never met. He was flabbergasted, and didn’t know what to say.

Soldiers of the Month

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This is where it all starts and ends right here in the TOC

Greeting from the Tactical Operations Center S-2/S-3, where the GA ADT day begins and ends. Everyone in the military imagines the Tactical Operations Center being manned by at least a dozen Soldiers. Let me introduce you to my staff; sitting to the right of me sits the Assistant Operations NCO/Air Ops NCO SSG Felker. He controls all air movement from FOB Shank to Southwest Logar and Wardak Province providing transportation to our commander, the personnel security detachment (PSD), and the Agricultural Development Team. On ground mission days he controls all information flow from the Soldier on the ground to the Vehicle Patrol Base to the Radio Operator. SFC Underhill; was our last Ass’t Operations NCO/Air Ops NCOIC who set the standard the first 90 days of our mission.

Directly in front of me sits SFC Woolf; he is not your Mr. Friendly or Wal-mart greeter, he is more like the security camera guy, who throws you out of the store for trying to take something that isn’t yours. He is the S-2 Intelligence NCOIC, he is one of the busiest Soldiers on this mission. His job never goes to sleep, he collects all data in the surrounding area to let the commander know the dispositions of the civilian population, gives us weather updates that will effect our air operations,

and ground movements on mission day. He knows every INTEL office on FOB Shank.

Over in the far corner sits our Radio/Electronic Communications Operator. We have been blessed with the two talented lower enlisted Soldiers in our unit to perform this job, SPC Loyd and Clower. Of course as I mentioned earlier this job is on loan from the Security Force platoon (SECFOR). These individuals are the ones that talk to the commander of the convoy, with the ‘Moustache Ride’ or the Vehicle Patrol Base. They keep the communications flow going no matter how hectic things get they stay unbelievably calm.

Sitting next to SFC Woolf is his assistant that works part time when they are not on mission. SPC Hardin did an outstanding job the first 90 days of mission and SPC Wexel is now going

to carry the torch to improve our information operations by learning new imaging technology for the current operations picture.

In the office next to me is the SECFOR room, this is where all the Soldiers and commander get their operations brief from the S-2, S-3, and SECFOR OIC/NCOIC. When the lights go out and the briefing begins all jokes are set-aside for a moment and the mission brief begins where everyone knows the 5 W’s.

Then we move outside to our sand table where we rehearse dismounted operations; it’s kind of like when we were small and had all these cool plastic Soldiers

and cars and played Army. Our sand table is the best in the business, and it makes us the best in the business. To the right of the sand table is where we conduct our prayer and motivation huddle prior to departure on ground missions.

Finally myself, your friendly operations manager of the Friendly Skies and Travel Lines of the GA ADT II. I am blessed to have the best job in the U.S. Army besides being a commander, the Operations Officer. I wake up in the morning do my ritual morning stroll to the TOC making sure everyone either got home ok or flew out without a hitch. On ground operations days, I sit on pins and needles listening to our convoy at the start point and arrival of their destination. During mission prep day I’m the like the commander in the movie in front of the pilots giving them the current operations picture, stating the mission,

going over all rules and safety requirements. I’m the parent that stands out there at 2am with my hands on my hips when you pull up in your convoy, so relieved all is well. It’s kind of like being the Sheriff; you make sure everyone is obeying the rules and the law of the land.

The most gratifying moment of this mission is when I can answer at the end of the day; “Roger Sir, Mission Accomplished and All present and accounted for.”

My promise to all of you at home, I will make each mission safe and do my part to get every Soldier home. God bless all the parents for raising such patriotic Americans that are on this mission.

“May I take you over here to our

little corner of the operations

world.”

LTC Snowden’s Comments

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Last, First RANK GA ADT II FOB Shank (East) APO, AE 09364

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