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NAWA DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan (11/3/2011) –
They arrived early by vehicle convoy to the small Afghan
National Army outpost named Dangar in the northern part of
the district. Marines and sailors with 1st Battalion, 9th
Marine Regiment, stood beside their Afghan counterparts,
ready to depart for the four-day trek that lay before them –
approximately 30 miles in total.
Marines with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, move through the desert toward the sound of machine-gun fire during a recent patrol through the district on Nov. 3, 2011. In the distance, Haji Hayatullah, an Afghan Local Police commander, leads three patrolmen toward the gunfire. Photo by USMC Cpl. Jeff Drew
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The hike would be difficult. Each man carrying more
than 60 pounds of body armor, food and water would be
tested, their mental and physical endurance challenged, but
if Afghans and Marines have anything in common, it's their
ability to endure.
The walk joined Afghan Lt. Col. Gul Ahmad, commanding
officer of 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, and U.S.
Marine Lt. Col. Tyler Zagurski, commanding officer of 1st
Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, in a patrol across the
district to speak with local residents and key leaders,
assessing problems and celebrating successes along the way.
“The Nawa Victory Walk will show that Nawa is safe and
secure,” said Zagurski, a Mercer Island, Wash., native. “The
markets are open and the security forces are welcome to walk
and greet people and celebrate Nawa's progress.”
The
Nawa district stands right on the cusp of transition,
according to Zagurski. The district is scheduled to be the
first area to transition full security responsibility to the
Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in the
central Helmand River Valley because of its progress in
security, governance and development.
Mine Resistant
Ambush Protected vehicles forged ahead of the patrol
offering additional security along the route. With the
vehicles on track, the patrol began, footsteps moving from a
thick rocky carpet lining the interior of the patrol base to
a sparse gravel road. A crisp fall wind blew, providing
temporary comfort to the security forces pushing down the
road. They reached their first stop before many could break
a sweat.
A lavish Afghan home rose before the
combined forces. Inside, lush pillows and intricate carpets
lined the floor, yet each decoration paled to the smile
stretching across the face of Haji Janan as he welcomed the
Afghan soldiers and Marines into his home.
Janan, a
local elder in the Haynak area of the district, knows the
pain of war. He spoke of his time fighting the Russians
during their invasion of Afghanistan and displayed his
scars, a constant reminder of his time fighting with the
Mujahideen. As he spoke, brightly dressed children ushered
in hot chai tea, bowls of mangos, and plates of nuts and
candy.
Janan passionately described his dislike for
the insurgency and explained the difficulties of eradicating
poppy growth in the area, which insurgents use to fund their
activities. He explained the money made from one acre of
poppy is equal to approximately 100 acres of wheat. He
suggested the cultivation of cotton, but admitted it is
often expensive to grow. He plans to grow wheat and tomatoes
this coming season, but to do so Janan pressed the
importance of security for Nawa.
“Security is our
first priority,” said Janan. “When the Marines leave, I
think it will be fine, because now it's the locals against
the (insurgents) too.”
The officers took their leave
after several cups of tea, but not before Janan could offer
a promise.
“I am strong in this friendship; anything
I can do, I will help,” said Janan. “I can see you are
strong in this friendship – this will be an honest
friendship.”
“I can always use honest friends,”
replied Zagurski. The Afghan soldiers and Marines pushed on
down the road. Flak jackets began to dig into their
shoulders and water ceased to quench their thirst, but they
defied the heat one step at a time.
Shortly after
leaving Janan's house, the security detachment passed a
brightly-colored graveyard. Men, women and children walked
along gravel roads and on dirt paths in between the ornately
decorated graves. Suddenly, a distant blast broke the low
hum of English and Pashto conversation. Someone had
detonated an improvised explosive device and sporadic
machine-gun fire riddled the air.
Afghan Local
Police patrolmen, Afghan National Army soldiers and Marines
pushed forward toward the danger, providing a
heavily-armored and confident barricade between the gunfire
and the residents ducking for cover. Screams pierced the
air, disrupted only by the crackling gunfire as groups of
children in search of safety raced past the advancing
fighting force.
The ALP ran ahead of the Marines as
they moved between mud compounds and crumbling walls. The
security forces pushed hundreds of meters out into the more
desolate desert area in search of the waning gunfire. The
attack had been brief, the aggressors fleeing the scene
before they could be apprehended. The incident highlighted
the unique nature of the district. While security forces
have driven insurgents away from the more-densely populated
areas of Nawa, there are still remote areas of the desert
where Afghan forces and Marines are eradicating the
dwindling insurgent presence.
Local Afghan security
forces began an investigation into the incident and the
patrol continued on its journey. The troupe made its second
stop at patrol base Sphin Ghar shortly after its unexpected
detour. Maj. Abdul Latif, commander of the 4th Tolai,
similar in size to a Marine company, welcomed them and had a
meal prepared for the visiting patrol. Rice, various meats,
spiced vegetables, and beans filled their plates while the
officers discussed security in the area.
Filled and
refreshed, the commanders and their security detail
continued on – the setting sun presenting a deadline for the
day's movement. They passed canals and farmers working in
their cornfields. When they rounded their final turn for the
day, a white guard post peaked the horizon, offering solace
for the weary group.
In total, the service members
hiked more than 14 kilometers before 5 p.m. The Marines
stripped their body armor once inside the protective walls
of precinct Loy Kolay, an ANA security outpost. Soaked in
sweat, they broke out a volleyball and played a game before
calling it a night, knowing full-well they had a 12
kilometer hike the following day. What adventures the next
day would hold – only time would tell.
More photos available in frame below
By USMC Cpl. Jeff Drew
2nd Marine Division
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2011
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