Dear friends and family members of PRT Paktya,

We finally made it through the trials of Camp Atterbury, and navigated the whims of military travel to arrive at our destination here at FOB Gardez. Most of us arrived in the first few days of March, and hit the ground running. For those of us who had predecessors still here, we got all the information out of them that we could, took their lessons learned and best practices and sent them on their way, before taking over and beginning to do the job on our own. We began working outside Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gardez within just a couple days of arriving, and your friends and loved ones began proving right away that they are a team that’s ready for the challenge ahead.

The mission of the PRT is to protect the popu-

lace and connect the people to their government. We do that through various efforts that stem from enhancing development, governance, information, agriculture, and security. Everyone on the team has a vital part of the overall mission, and without even one of them, the mis-sion would suffer.

Those of you who follow current events have probably heard President Obama, Secretary Gates, and General McChrystal speak about how this year---this summer, particularly---will be a turning point in Afghani-stan. The view from the ground is that this couldn’t be more true. Afghans are poised to decide their loyal-ties and goals this year---whether it’s the insurgency or their legitimately elected gov-ernment. We are here to help the people make the decision to support their government,

and a peaceful future for Af-ghanistan.

None of us would be as ready as we are for this mission without our support networks at home. You are that network, and for that, we thank you. I will do every-thing in my power as com-mander to take care of your loved ones and send them home to you, grateful that they were a part of their na-tion’s history.

Some would think that being deployed is the adventure, but as many of us know, sometimes the biggest adventure is traveling to the destination. Reaching FOB Gardez was no easy feat.

In our travels, your

sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, and wives covered three continents and four different countries. It took a little under two weeks to reach FOB Gardez, where it was almost like reaching home after a long absence. Sleeping in transition tents or

any open floor space along the way made us thankful for small favors. Once we got to FOB Gardez, we were more than happy to be home for the next nine months. Enjoy some of the pictures we took along the way! (Continued on Page 5)

Commander’s Corner

Traveling—and traveling and traveling—-to FOB Gardez

Volume 2, Issue 1

The Double Tap

Special points of inter-est: Commander’s Cor-

ner: A note to our families

Getting to FOB Gardez: A picture is worth a thousand words

Camp Atterbury: The final moments

Promotions: See who made the next step

Hitting the Ground Running: What it’s like here in Gardez, through their eyes

PRT Paktya

March 2010

Lt Col Charles Douglass Commander, PRT Paktya

-by SrA Alexandra Olexa

Page 2 The Double Tap

Reflexive Fire Range Warming up for combatives

IV stick during CLS class

PT before our first Road March

Dismount Maneuver Training

Classroom Portion of Counter IED

Keeping Watch at the ECP

Vehicle Searches Class

On our way to Training

Early Morning Road March

Left: Practicing Loading MEDIVAC Patients into an MRAP

Page 3 Volume 2, Issue 1

Lt Col Douglass presents A1C Jason Mitchell with his promotion to the rank of E4 Senior Airman.

From Left to Right: SSgt Fussell and SSgt Jones tack on A1C Mitchell’s new stripes

The gauntlet awaiting to tack on the new stripes PFC Matthew Angel getting promoted

to E4 Specialist

Above: PV2 Hunter Fronius and PV2 Timothy Wentroble get promoted to the rank of E3 Private First Class

CPL Braden Mennor gets promoted to the rank of E5 Sergeant

PFC James Casper, PFC Benjamin Weyandt, and PFC Bradley Johnson getting promoted to the rank of E4 Specialist

Page 4 The Double Tap

SGT Page poses with his daughter Makenna The PRT Paktya Formation

SrA Borja plays a game with her son Elijah at the All Ranks

Club

Soldiers and Airmen hang out with family before deploying to Gardez

Capt Manning’s son, Chase, “hanging” with CPL Martin and SSgt Fussell SrA Mitchell with the guidon for PRT Paktya

Page 5 Volume 2, Issue 1

Sgt Bourke resting before the long flight ahead

Sgt Graham, PFC Fronius, and SPC Kurka pose for the camera

SPC Dodds and A1C Boggs sur-prised at our first stop

TSgt Mainard and TSgt Ross catch-ing up on some needed sleep

Tactical Eyewear!

This was the closest we were able to get to the beer in Ireland!

“Tent City” was our home away from home in Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan

Playing cards in the hotel in Ireland

Having fun before flying again

Left: Capt Jeter and Capt Manning on yet another bus—-with gremlins in the background.

Page 6 The Double Tap

PRT MISSION STATEMENT:

Connect the people to the government, transform the environment to increase the legitimacy of the government at the pro-vincial and district levels, and influence the populace to reject the insurgency.

Page 7 Volume 2, Issue 1

MSgt Carroll hard at work as the PRT’s S1 (Personnel)

SPC Michaelsky performing a weapons check

MSgt Lowe checking the vehicles before they roll out

SPC Casper preps the vehicles for loading of equipment

SSgt Ellis making sure that the Comms are ready to go

MSgt Lowe and SrA Brayfield practicing tourniquet placement in CLS class

Left to Right: SrA Mitchell, TSgt Kaye, SrA Olexa, Capt Manning, SSgt Jones, SrA

Haugstad, and 1Lt Dyer at the opening of the USO here on FOB Gardez.

PFC Galimberti loads ammo into an MRAP before a mission

PRT Paktya FOB Gardez APO AE 09354

Our Address:

PRT Makes a Difference in First Two Weeks

We’re on the Web!Facebook.com/PRTPaktya

Rumbling through the main gate of Forward Operating Base (FOB)

Gardez Private First Class Jo-seph Siebert pilots his Mine Re-sistant Ambush

Protected (MRAP) vehicle out onto the dusty streets of the town. As part of the security force for Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Paktya, Pfc. Siebert drives a 30,000 lb. mobile gun platform transporting troops and gear into the surrounding countryside on daily missions. During their first two weeks at FOB Gardez, the soldiers of PRT Pak-

tya stocked their MRAPS with ammu-nition, water and rations in prepara-tion for forays into the mountainous terrain that surrounds the base. “Thanks to the heavy armor I feel protected inside the MRAP,” PFC. Seibert said. “But, because of all the bumping and shaking while we’re moving it feels like I’m driving an in-dustrial clothes dryer.” Specialist Eric Michalsky is on his second overseas tour, having served in Iraq in 2008. He sees differ-ences between the two countries. “The high altitude of the Hindu-Kush Mountains has been hard to adjust to,” Spc. Michalsky said. “Having my own room in Afghanistan is a bonus though. I can hop on the Internet, play video games and watch movies.” The infantrymen of the PRT

have adjusted to their role provid-ing security for their civilian, civil affairs and Air Force teammates. While their counterparts inspect U.S. backed construction projects such as schools and roads, the security force diligently scans nearby buildings and hillsides for possible threats. Their job is to ensure the safety of everyone on the ground including local Afghan nationals. After completing the day’s mission Pfc. Seibert, Spc. Michal-sky and the rest of the PRT roll down narrow dirt streets toward FOB Gardez. “We really are mak-ing a difference,” Pfc. Seibert said. “I can see it in the eyes of the kids who flash us the thumbs-up as we drive by.”

-by Sgt. Tom Bourke

PFC Joseph Siebert conducts COMM checks before going outside the wire.

Some people just can’t handle deployment!

Can you come up with a better caption for “Suicide Bird”? If so, post your ideas on our Facebook page. We’d love to see what you come up with!