Diplomats Visit Panjshir Reconstruction Team

Defend America News ^ | Feb 2, 2006 | Maj. T.G. Taylor

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Diplomats Visit Panjshir Reconstruction Team
The Panjshir team is the first of its kind -- a joint effort between Combined Joint Task Force-76 and the U.S. Embassy.
By U.S. Army Maj. T.G. Taylor 20th Public Affairs Detachment BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Feb. 2, 2006 — Diplomats from around the world visited the new Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team in Panjshir Province on Jan. 21 to view the progress of the reconstruction efforts. "This was an excellent opportunity to see how [the team] worked on the ground. The visit was a good opportunity to see this new type of integration of military and civilian agencies." Regis Koetschet, French ambassador to Afghanistan The Combined Joint Task Force-76 commander, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, described reconstruction projects to government officials from 13 different nations and the European Union. Then, the officials visited the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team. "The day highlighted how coalition military and civilian agencies, whether coalition or not, can and should provide effective mutual support on the security and humanitarian fronts," said Richard Smyth, a political adviser for Combined Joint Task Force-76. The Panjshir team is the first of its kind. It is a joint effort between the members of Combined Joint Task Force-76 and the U.S. Embassy and is commanded by Fletcher Burton, a civilian with the U.S. State Department. "We had a very interesting visit to Bagram Airfield and then to Panjshir to see how the American [Provincial Reconstruction Team] is doing," said Regis Koetschet, the French ambassador to Afghanistan. "Two months ago, we had a	U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya speaks to diplomats gathered at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. On Jan. 21, 2006, diplomats from 13 nations and the European Union attended the conference to discuss reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. U.S. Army photos by Spc. Christopher Admire meeting with [Army Lt. Gen. Karl W.] Eikenberry, and he talked about this new type of [Provincial Reconstruction Team] [in] Panjshir. "This was an excellent opportunity to see how it worked on the ground," he said. "The visit was a good opportunity to see this new type of integration of military and civilian agencies." "I'm quite impressed by this new type of [Provincial Reconstruction Team]," Koetschet said.

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