New Garrison Opens Doors to Afghan Troops

Defend America News ^ | Sep 22, 2005 | Army Sgt. Mason T. Lowery

[SandRat]

The Herat Garrison fills a once empty tract of land and houses the Afghan National Army's 207th Corps. It is the first Afghan National Army garrison to open outside Kabul. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Afghanistan

New Garrison Opens Doors to Afghan Troops
The garrison will be home to the headquarters of the Afghan Army's 207th Zafar Corps and its 1st Brigade.
By U.S. Army Sgt. Mason T. Lowery Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan HERAT, Afghanistan, Sept. 22, 2005 -- Afghan Minister of Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak cut the ribbon of the new Afghan National Army garrison in Herat recently, opening its doors for use by the Afghan Army's 207th Corps. "Though this is the third Afghan National Army garrison to open, today is especially significant because this is the first garrison outside of Kabul to be opened," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. John Brennan, chief of the Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan, during the opening ceremony. "This event is even more significant because, of the 11 garrisons being built outside of Kabul, this garrison was the last to be started but today we celebrate it as the first permanent corps headquarters to open." "Though this is the third Afghan National Army garrison to open, today is especially significant because this is the first garrison outside of Kabul to be opened." U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. John Brennan The garrison was constructed by local Afghans working for Contrak International, a civilian construction contractor, under the management and supervision of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It will be home to the headquarters of both the Afghan National Army's 207th Zafar (Victory) Corps and its 1st Brigade. Also located on the compound will be the garrison headquarters and five kandaks (battalions) from the 1st Brigade. Wardak spoke to the assembled Afghan Army soldiers about their role in Afghanistan's unity and how they are a truly national army, representing all of their country's ethnic tribes. "You might be from different provinces speaking different languages, but you're one nation and you represent one Afghanistan. You all have one goal and objective, which is strengthening of the national unity. "When you are trapped in a mine field, none of your family members or your relatives will be there to help you. The one who will help you is your friend (Tajik, Pashtun, Uzbek, Turkman or Hazara). Friends in battle are closer than real brothers." The garrison cost $66.8 million to build, employed approximately 1,000 Afghan construction workers, and took 13 months from contract to ribbon cutting. Afghan construction workers build one of the facilities at the Herat Garrison site. A total of 13 garrisons will be constructed throughout Afghanistan to help Afghan National Army soldiers defend and unite their country. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Afghanistan	Afghan construction workers install a utility pipe at the Herat Garrison site. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Afghanistan The construction of Afghan National Army garrisons provide power projection platforms that allow Afghan Army soldiers from Afghanistan's five regions to defend their entire country, explained U.S. Army Col. Christopher J. Toomey, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Afghanistan, highlighting the garrison's contributions to Afghanistan's defense and stability. "I think the garrisons are a great step in the right direction. An army needs a power projection platform," he said. "This is also a recruiting tool - these garrisons have better living conditions than many Afghans have at home. It's bringing them up in life." Afghans don't travel to different parts of their country as much as people from nations with better infrastructures do in their countries. Building the garrison in Herat localizes the Afghan National Army for Herat residents, Toomey explained. "It also infused the local economy with money. We employed locals - it's good for the community." The Afghan workers got more than jobs while they worked on the garrison. "They learned trades while working in Herat. Jobs with our contractors are higher paying and more secure than many other jobs in Afghanistan," Toomey said. The Afghan construction workers' jobs didn't end with the ribbon cutting; during construction they were also trained to maintain the facility. Building the garrison consisted of mine clearing, topographic surveys, demolition and grading, building a waste water treatment facility and sanitary sewer collection system, as well as the design and construction of new buildings. The new buildings include a main dining facility; corps, brigade and garrison headquarters complexes; five kandak complexes; parking areas and maintenance facilities.

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WOT in Afghanistan -- More Progress.

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