Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Titans meet with Mullahs

Story by Sgt. Ruth Pagan2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO

Soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 71st Cav-alry Regiment attached to 2nd Brigade

Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division held a meeting with Mullahs of the Arghandab River Valley, Aug. 11.

Approximately 20 Mullahs, Muslims edu-cated in religious law and doctrine who hold official posts, attended the gathering. This meeting focused on the leadership role of the Mullahs and their ability to positively influ-ence the people.

“It’s important for us to meet and build relationships with local religious leaders,” said Lt. Col. Michael Kirkpatrick, the commander

of 3rd Bn., 71st Cav. Reg. “They understand the needs of their followers and also help shape their ideas. By exchanging our percep-tions of local issues, we can find Afghan solu-tions to problems.”

Some of the topics discussed were reinte-gration, support for the Afghan Local Police program and ways to avoid loss of lives.

“We try to meet regularly with local reli-gious leaders,” said Capt. Paul Shepard, the commander of Company A, 3rd Bn., 71st Cav. Reg. “Our goal is to understand each other better. With better understanding, we can make the area more secure and help (Govern-ment of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan) connect to the people.”

Happy Ramazan from the 385th Military Police Battalion “Dragoons.” We recently joined the Warhorse Family from Fort Stewart, Ga. Kandahar is

the perfect place for us to come together; the mountainous terrain is all Colorado, but the sweet chai tea and 100 degree plus heat is Georgia, all day! The 385th Military Police deployed as a modular headquarters to advise, train and mentor the Kandahar Chief of Security and the Provincial Police Staff as well as provide police technical advice and support to all MP units in the Warhorse Area of Operations. We are responsible for base defense of the Provincial Police Headquarters and the Rule of Law Center at Sarposa Prison.

Issue 67 Aug. 27, 2011

Other missions we support include the Intelligence Action Center - Kandahar, the Afghan Police Academy at Camp Nathan Smith, the Brigade’s Afghan National Security Forces Development planning and providing senior police mentors to Arghandab River Valley. Col. Shershah Yousefsai, the Chief of Security for Kandahar City, sends thanks to all of the U.S. Forces for committing a year away from friends and Family in support of his country. He tells our Soldiers often we are brothers and sisters with our Afghan

partners. He shared with us this Afghan proverb: Coalition Forces and Afghan Forces are like fingers on the same hand -- not every finger is the same size, and there is sometimes a little space between them, but they join together when it is time to work. Command Sgt. Maj. William Fath and I extend our best to the Warhorse Families. We are proud to be a part of your team and promise to provide the best police training and support in Afghanistan. “To Dragoon!”

Lt. Col. Eugenia Guilmartin385th Military Police Battalion Commander

Commander’s Column

Planning security1st Lt. Lee Robinson, an officer with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, helps to plan security with his partnered Afghan Uniformed Police of Police Sub Station 12 in sub district 9, Aug. 19. The security planning meeting was to ensure the grand opening of a local park was safe for all who attended. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ruth Pagan, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division PAO)

Photo by 3rd Bn., 71st Cav. Reg.

Warhorse PridePage 2 Issue 67 Aug. 27, 2011

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 news-letter 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

Col. John S. Kolasheski...................2nd BCT CommanderCommand Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa..............2nd BCT CSMMaj. Kevin Toner................................................2nd BCT PAOSgt. Seth Barham..................................................PAO NCOICSgt. Ruth Pagan......................................Layout and DesignSpc. April York.........................................Layout and Design

Warhorse Pride

Apollo Company partners with AUPStory and photos by Sgt. Ruth Pagan2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO

Soldiers with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd

Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, partner daily with the Afghan Uniformed Police to perform foot patrols in the Dand district.

“The AUP are outstanding,” said Staff Sgt. Mario Vanhaastert, a squad leader with Co. A, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg. “They never

complain, always want to go on patrol and are willing to lead.”

The Soldiers and AUP conduct dismounted foot patrols as well as set up check points.

“We make sure the AUP are out front leading our patrols,” said Cpl. Cody Henry, an infantry team leader with Co. A.

“The AUP take initiative nine out of 10 times,” Vanhaastert said. “We don’t have to tell them to patrol; they just do it on their own.”

Soldiers instruct the AUP on security procedures, as well as different equipment systems like the hand-held metal detector.

“Their front and rear security on dismounted movements is really good and is getting better the more we work with them,” said Spc. Jesus Arrendondo, a scout with Co. A.

“I’ve seen these guys at Check Point 14-1 out doing their own patrols and check points and they seem to have it under control,” said Henry.

The Soldiers and AUP not only work hand-in-hand they enjoy working together.

Staff Sgt. Mario Vanhaastert, a squad leader with Company A, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., gives a class on how to operate a hand-held metal detector to Afghan Uniformed Police with Police Sub Station 13 in Sub District 7 of Kandahar City Aug. 2. The metal detector is an added security device for the AUP when they do searches of the local populace.

Pfc. Wesley Wang, an infantryman with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, scans his sector while on patrol in the Mirbazar, Sub District 7 of Kan-dahar City Aug. 2.

Command Sgt. Maj. Dale Vene-klasen and his PSD team help a local Afghan citizen pull his truck out of a river Aug. 17.

“I enjoy working with them because they are friendly and professional,” Arrendondo said.

“I have learned a lot working with the Soldiers,” said Sgt. Abdual Khalil, an AUP officer from Check Point 14-1, Sub District 7 of Kandahar City. “They are my friends.” “We enjoy working with these guys and they take a lot of pride in their area and secure it the best they can,” Henry said.

Bison winning hearts, minds of AfghansStory and photo by 2nd Lt. Ryan Griffin1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment

“Hearts and minds” is a familiar term used during this deployment. The

term is used to remind Soldiers that the mis-sion is not of typical war tactics but focused on the Afghan people.

The idea is simple. Show respect, caring, and a vested interest in the development of the people and that will create trust and respect, ultimately accelerating conditions for the government of Afghanistan to lead its people and support itself once coalition forces transition.

The personal security detachment, with 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, works to further that goal through two basic concepts: a genuine interest and respect for

the culture of the Afghan people, and random acts of kindness.

The PSD attended Iftar dinners during Ra-mazan, the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours to remind themselves about patience, spirituality, humil-ity and submissiveness to God. Iftar is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together.

The PSDs attendance is symbolic of the respect Soldiers have for the Afghan people, their culture and their religion. and better understand their partners.

The Bison Soldiers also go out of their way to help local people in need. Recently the PSD, while on mission to inspect a rolled-over vehicle, happened upon a civilian truck stuck in the river. Realizing they had the

ability to help without interfering with their original mission, the PSD pulled the truck from the river.

This is not the first instance the PSD stopped to help a local motorist. The Sol-diers have also helped people with flat tires and have helped remove a vehicle from a drainage ditch on the side of the road.

None of these examples in and of themselves will win the war, but they show that Bison Soldiers are here for the Afghan people and are willing to help in any way they can.