Face of Defense: Four Pairs of Brothers Serve Together

From a 10th Sustainment Brigade News Release

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2012 - Four pairs of brothers, all from Nevada, recently arrived at Kabul, Afghanistan, to begin their mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

All serving in the Army, they are Pfc. Matthew and Pfc. Christopher Babas, Sgt. Christopher and Spc. Dustin Greener, Cpl. Donald and Pvt. Jason Otto, and Spcs. Bobby and James Riley.

Matthew Babas, a gunner, is the youngest of the group. He said he joined the Army to see the world. Christopher Babas, also a gunner, was studying engineering before taking a break from college to deploy to Afghanistan. In the future, he said, he wants to attend flight school and possibly become a warrant officer in the National Guard.

The Babas brothers are very close, and are roommates back home in Las Vegas. They said that although their schedules here do not allow them to spend as much time together as they would like, this experience will still bring them closer together. Christopher said it is comforting that Matthew is here with him, but it's also scary, because he would hate to find out that something bad happened to his brother while he was on a mission.

Dustin Greener, a gunner, said he joined the Army to serve his country. Christopher is a team leader with first platoon, and the brothers are roommates back home in Spring Creek, Nev.

"I am astounded that my brother is here with me and has my back," Christopher said. Dustin said he sees less of his brother here than he did back home, and is sometimes jealous of his brother, who has been on more missions so far than he has.

The Otto brothers are natives of Sparks, Nev. Donald, a team leader, works full time for the Nevada National Guard, assisting in human resources. Donald said he wants to finish this mission, finish school and start a family.

His brother, Jason, or "Baby Otto" as he is often called, said he joined the Army to gain life experience, for the college money and to get a head start on life. Jason is both a gunner and a driver with his company.

The Otto brothers believe that being in Afghanistan will bring them closer together. "We will have shared something together that no one can take away from us," Donald explained.

They said their parents are worried that they are gone, but glad that at they are together to look after one another.

The Rileys live in Reno, Nev. Bobby said he joined the Army to serve his country and to be a better person. James, the oldest among the four sets of brothers is a metals and minerals lab technician in civilian life. Bobby joined the Army first and then convinced James to join. They see each other more now than they did back home, they said. Although they live only minutes apart in Reno, they explained, they both have families.

Bobby said he is more nervous now about his brother going on missions. The Rileys recently learned their cousin had been injured by a roadside bomb in northern Afghanistan. That incident has brought increased stress on them and their families, they said, but they put those thoughts behind them when it is time to concentrate on the mission at hand.

This is the first deployment for all of the brothers. They all agree that although the deployment is difficult on their parents and families, their families take comfort in the fact that they are deployed together.

Wisconsin Guard member honored by law publication

By Mary Reardon

Wisconsin Law Journal

Lt. Col. Robyn Blader capped off a six-month deployment to Afghanistan, where she served as chief of military justice at Camp Phoenix, by being named the Wisconsin Law Journal's Woman of the Year.

Blader received the honor June 21 at the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee, one day after returning to Wisconsin and a mere nine days after departing Afghanistan. The Association for Women Lawyers said Blader was selected for her service and sacrifice to the military and the state's legal community.

"She is an example of excellence and has opened doors for other women to follow," said one judge. "She has served her community - both large and small - with her considerable legal skill, drive and energy."

Blader earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1995, and founded Blader Law Office LLC in 1997.

While in Afghanistan, Blader represented the Army command in cases involving the 11,000 tenants from the eight camps of the Kabul Base Cluster. She also served as deputy staff advocate for Task Force Hydra, the command unit in Kabul, and supervised a legal office that provided services for all camps.

 Lt. Col. Robyn Blader, a legal officer with the Wisconsin Army National Guard, with Afghan school children earlier this year. During her recent deployment to Afghanistan, Blader volunteered with Operation Outreach Afghanistan, which helps build and remodel schools. Blader was honored June 21 as the Wisconsin Law Journal's Woman of the Year. Photo courtesy Lt. Col. Robyn Blader

Among the more dramatic matters Blader handled overseas involved captured Afghans with suspected ties to al Qaeda. She made the legal determination to release two back to the Afghan National Police and to send another to the Parwan Detention Facility for further handling by the U.S. military.

Blader was also involved with volunteer work for a number of Afghan causes. In April, she received a Military Outstanding Volunteer Service medal for her work with volunteer organization Operation Outreach Afghanistan, which helps build and remodel schools.

"Children here attend school under tarps held up by wooden poles and dilapidated tents under the hot sun," she said. "There are no sewers, no water, no electricity, no heat and no playground equipment."

Blader also worked with Afghan women to improve their life skills and serves as project manager for the construction of wells, health clinics and roads through other humanitarian projects.

Back at home, she uses a combination of her military experience and family law background in her work to help deployed American Soldiers whose spouses file for divorce or who are cut off from their children.

"These issues weigh very heavily on Soldiers in a combat environment," Blader said.

Blader helped develop Wisconsin's Code of Military Justice, which was codified in the state statutes in 2008. The code allowed the Wisconsin National Guard to process court-martial actions for the first time.

Blader plans to return to her Wautoma practice, which law partner Jeanne Zamzow has maintained while she was away. She also will return to her post as regional defense counsel for Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

This story is reprinted with permission by the Wisconsin Law Journal.

Afghanistan: Georgia Guard welcomes visit from Bulgarian president

By Army Master Sgt. Janet Hill
648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

KABUL, Afghanistan – After being in office for only a little over 30 days, the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, and his delegation paid a special visit to his deployed Bulgarian soldiers, Feb. 29, 2012, here on Camp Phoenix.

Before the Bulgarian president's arrival to Camp Phoenix, the Bulgarian honor guard was in place to welcome and salute Plevneliev at Patriot Square.

Plevneliev also met with the president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, during a visit to Kabul earlier on Feb. 29 before making his way to Camp Phoenix later that same day, where he met with the Bulgarian soldiers and leaders along with Army Col. Andy Hall, commander of 648th Task Force Hydra, the Kabul Base Cluster Command.

Plevneliev spoke about solidarity and thanked the American military for what they are doing for their people and for helping the Bulgarian army to integrate within the most effective family of military.

“Leaders, as president of Bulgaria, I am talking to them, that it is very important to come here to show solidarity to our plans, to stay to the plans and be effective," Plevneliev said. "I came here also because I hope that the other colleagues will come the same way."

"Thank you for what you're doing for our people. Thank you for helping the Bulgarian army integrate within the most effective family of military," he said.

"Strong coalition partnerships are very important, and it means a lot when the president of a country makes it a priority to experience what it's like on the ground for his soldiers," Hall said.

"I am honored that I had the opportunity to sit down with President Plevneliev."

The visit came days before a series of Bulgarian Celebrations, such as the March 1 Baba Marta, or "Grandmother March," a celebration that welcomes spring, and the March 3 Liberation Day.

Face of Defense: Nebraska Brothers Serve Together

By Jon Connor

NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan, June 6, 2011 – A Nebraska family is serving its nation above and beyond the call of duty, as three brothers are serving together in the area of Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul and live in nearby Camp Phoenix.

All are in the same unit, are infantrymen in their 20s, and are married with young children.

What are the odds of this?

“Slim to none,” said Army Sgt. Bob Brewer, who turned 26 June 1, the youngest of the three brothers.

All serve with C Troop, 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Fury. They also serve as contract officer representatives for NATO Training Mission Afghanistan’s Regional Support Command Capital, serving as the command’s eyes and ears on structural projects for Afghan police and army needs in Kabul and areas of the outlying region.

The brothers all are in the Nebraska National Guard, which explains, in part, why they’re serving together here. But the fact that they’re all infantrymen and Airborne qualified also is noteworthy.

Oldest brother Army Sgt. 1st Class Steve Brewer, 29, is Ranger qualified, and middle brother Army Staff Sgt. Tim Brewer, 27, is air assault qualified. All three have been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge.

“We’re good shooters,” Bob said, reminiscing about their boyhood, adding they all had Red Ryder BB guns and used to shoot them at each other -- "not in the eye," he added, evoking a joke from the movie “A Christmas Story.”

“It’s just what we’re good at,” Bob said of shooting.

The Brewers mainly grew up in a rural setting, Bob said. Their parents separated when Bob was 3. Over the years, he and his sister were raised by their mother, and Steve and Tim, for the most part, grew up with their father.

Their sister, Jackie, is the senior sibling and served in the Marines during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Steve was in the theater at the same time, though they never met up, as she was in Kuwait, and Steve was in Iraq. Jackie worked as an aircraft generator mechanic, Steve said.

Steve now serves on a 13-mentoring mentoring team for Afghan police officers in three districts.

“As an infantryman, you fight,” he said. “I had to become peaceful.” One of the districts is in the Deh Sabz area, which Steve described as one of the poorest. “Poor” takes on a new meaning in Afghanistan, where the average annual income is $500.

“We’ve done a lot in Deh Sabz,” Steve said, adding that $3.7 million has been spent to improve conditions there.

In his last two deployments, Steve was a sniper.

“All three of us were in Iraq together” in 2005, Steve said, describing it as “mind boggling.”

“Both my brothers and I are highly trained fighters,” he added.

Yet, Steve and Tim find themselves as peacemakers between various parties at odds with each other in Kabul.

“I’m the American voice at the shura,” Steve said. A shura is a meeting among village elders to discuss government issues such as well digging, schools, crops and food.

Steve was in the Deh Sabz district to attend a shura with 46 village elders and he also meet with the district police chief and the subgovernor. In passing, he talked with village elders about a myriad of concerns individually.

“You have to have the people on your side to be an effective police force,” Steve said.

The brothers know this to be true firsthand, because their father, the chief of police in Gordon, Neb., has served 31 years on the force. Their mother is a paramedic.

“The [Afghan National Police] are very willing to work. That’s enough for us,” Steve said. “We train them hard.”

Steve also is familiar with “jirga” -- a peacemaking meeting between families feuding about major issues such as land disputes. He said his role is to remain neutral and help to find a mutual agreement. Some “blood feuds” have been going on hundreds, if not thousands of years, he said.

It may seem that the Brewer family has sacrificed enough, but it turns out the siblings’ uncle, their father’s brother Tom, is an Army colonel who also is serving in Kabul.

The colonel has 33 years in the Army and the Nebraska National Guard as an infantry officer and he was wounded in Afghanistan in 2003. He was the first field-grade American officer to be wounded in action in Afghanistan, and he received the Purple Heart for being hit six times by enemy fire. He has spent five tours in Afghanistan.

Now, the colonel is assigned to U.S. Central Command’s counter narcotics organization as an advisor for Afghan counternarcotics police in Kabul.

“I have always been proud of the boys,” the colonel said via email while enjoying some leave back home. “They have been in both Iraq and Afghanistan -- all infantrymen -- and Steve is third-generation Army Ranger.

“The boys’ grandfather -- Ross, my father -- was a Korean War Airborne Ranger and set a great example of for all of us,” he added. “The boys have always been hard workers and good kids.”

Ross Brewer also received a Purple Heart after being wounded by an enemy bayonet, said Tim, noting his grandfather, now 83, lives in Wyoming.

Todm said he sees his nephews about every two to three weeks and on holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

And the family tradition continues, as the colonel has a daughter enrolled in the Army’s ROTC program.

“My two younger brothers impress me in every way,” Steve said. “My brothers are very hard workers and honor us in the Army.”

The brothers say they see one or the other several times a week while doing their missions. However, all three manage to get together only once or twice a month, Bob said. “We just seem to run into each other,” he added.

Another brother, Andy, just graduated from high school. But, two of the brothers say he most likely won’t be wearing the uniform any time soon, as college is on his horizon.

“I don’t think he’s going into the military,” Steve said. “My family has sacrificed enough. It’s time for another family to step up to the plate.”

“I would agree about that,” Bob said. “I think he’s going to college.”

“I wouldn’t count him out,” said Tim, explaining that Andy does have interest in what his brothers are doing in the Army.

For Tim, life is similar to Steve’s, as he also serves as a team leader with a police mentor team.

Tim went to check on how things were going with “D3” -- directed district development, a course similar to police basic training -- at Police District 8. The eight-week course provides formal instruction for recruits who also are receiving on-the-job training as policemen.

Tim met with some of the course instructors to double-check that procedures and classes -- such as one on the Afghan constitution -- are followed and taught according to schedule, he said.

Later that day, Tim visited Police District 16, where he met with Police Chief Sayeed Farooq Sadat to discuss overall operations.

“We let them lead the way as much as possible,” Tim said. “They’ve been doing a lot of stuff on their own.”

That day, topics of discussion included a recent bust that yielded a cache of weapons and hashish. The items confiscated were brought into the office to show Tim.

Tim described the Bagrami district as “one of the worst areas” of Kabul because of drugs, land disputes and other issues. Like Steve, Tim mentors directly with a police chief.

“I’ll give them ideas in training [and] patrols,” Tim said, but “I’m not here to tell them what to do.”

Discussion also focused on an operation planned for the next day to check on some buildings suspected of insurgent activity. The plan called for Tim’s team to provide backup for Sadat’s police, and this would mean about three hours of sleep that night, at best.

For the youngest brother, Bob, his work is somewhat different as he conducts dismounted patrols in search of roadside bombs, and also mentors Afghan soldiers in supply and logistics.

“They have different views on things,” he said.

Bob’s team visited the Musahi district, where insurgents have been trying to infiltrate with explosives. At a new checkpoint, Afghan soldiers check to make sure things are as they should be. Bob’s job is to check on the Afghan army.

A suicide bomber destroyed the local government building and damaged several adjacent buildings in April, including the subgovernor’s center and police district headquarters. No one was killed, but three Afghans were injured, including two village elders.

Bob showed the rock wall about 10 feet high now being rebuilt that once partitioned the building and police district headquarters. The wall saved the lives of those inside the headquarters building by absorbing much of the blast’s impact.

Things have definitely changed from the days when the Brewer boys were growing up near the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation just north of Gordon across the border in South Dakota. Instead of BB guns, they now have the Army’s most modern weaponry. Instead of romping around in Nebraska, they’re in Afghanistan.

“It’s a good support chain,” Bob said of having his older brothers here.

“It’s definitely a family tradition," Tim said of the Brewer family’s military service. “I’m really glad I did it.”

Operation Outreach

Spc. Ryan Satterfield of 3rd Plt., Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1/181 Infantry Regiment, hands a notebook to a student while Pfc. David Alves gets a pack of crayons and a handful of pens and pencils ready for the next student about to enter class during a delivery of humanitarian aid in the form of clothes and school supplies, collected through Operation Outreach Afghanistan, to the students and teachers of an elementary school in Camp Phoenix’s neighboring village of Ud Khel March 26.

Guardmembers, community give Afghan infant new chance at life

By Sgt. Rebecca Linder

Task Force Rushmore Public Affairs

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan (3/25/11 )- Being in a combat zone is a sacrifice, and leaving friends, family and other necessities at home while serving here continues to be an act of selfless service donated by thousands of servicemembers year after year.

Acting by impulse to help others is a gift that military members bring to the table all around the world, and here in Afghanistan one noble act contributed by many Americans helped to save a local infant’s life.   

Air Force Lt. Col. John Newman, NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan / Combined Security Transition – Afghanistan, was introduced to an Afghan soldier, Faqir, who said his granddaughter, Asma, was in need of a life-saving heart surgery because of blue baby syndrome, a medical disorder where babies are born with heart conditions that decrease the oxygenation capacity.

“Children born with congenital heart defects often need surgery in order to definitely treat the problem,” said Army Capt. Regan Norgaard, physician’s assistant, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National Guard, who helped asses Asma. “In her case, a heart surgery was vital in order to provide more oxygenation to the rest of her body.”

Newman added, “The only reason Asma survived as long as she did is because of a leak between the chambers of her heart where the blood could mix.”

Newman, senior advisor to the senior personnel officer at logistics command, outside of Kabul, said he knew she needed help after looking at her passport photo and seeing a picture of the sick 10 month old. He added he was willing to do whatever needed to be done in order to get her help.

“This whole thing puts a lump in my throat really,” said Newman. “When I saw that picture of Asma, I knew I had to do something.”

 

Knowing Newman was a member of Operation Outreach – Afghanistan, a non-profit organization that receives gifts and donations such as school supplies, blankets and clothes, then puts them in care packages and delivers them to needy villages throughout Kabul, Faqir hoped Newman would have a connection to be able to help his granddaughter.

“When I first learned of baby Asma’s condition, I remembered a similar case that the Indiana National Guard’s 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team had worked in 2005 for an Afghan boy,” said Newman. “I called and spoke to leadership back with the Indiana National Guard about Asma; they gave me the green light and said it would be a worthwhile cause to find a way to save her.”

After getting the go ahead from his leadership, Newman forwarded all the information he had on Asma to a pediatric heart surgeon, Dr. Mark Turrentine, at Indiana University and Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, who is very familiar with cases like this.

“Dr. Turrentine is one of the top pediatric heart surgeons in the United States and agreed to provide his services free of charge,” said Newman.

Another generous offer by the Rotary Club’s Gift of Life International, a charity that joined with Riley hospital in 1999, which agreed to provide five surgeries per year to children from third world countries, was willing to help with any extra costs.

After coordinating with Lt. Col. (retired) James Graham, who works with the Rotary Club of Central Indiana, the chapter agreed to help offset the cost of the surgery and provide accommodations at the Ronald McDonald house, next to the hospital.

Teaming up with Dr. Turrentine at Riley Hospital once again, was another organization, Children in Need International, which helps to provide transportation to medical facilities all over the world for children in countries that cannot provide that medical care.

CINI has teamed up with Turrentine in the past to help Iraqi children in need over the years and is now very pleased to be able to expand their work into Afghanistan to support Asma, added Newman.

“CINI serves as the bridge between the children and other charities, providing visa coordination and air transportation to the point of care,” said Newman. “The foundation also provides assistance to the guardians in the U.S. or country of care.”

After lining up the surgery, Newman said he knew the language barrier would be difficult for the family, so getting an escort was a necessity, but getting an interpreter from Afghanistan wasn’t a possibility.

Using his National Guard connections, he was able to coordinate through Camp Atterbury, Ind., a major mobilization training station, to get a Dari-speaking interpreter from Indiana University.

Dan McFerrin, a retired Marine, also the husband to the president of CINI volunteered his time to escort Asma and her family to America and upon arrival would meet the translator and other Indiana National Guard members at the airport.

“I felt so blessed once again,” said Newman. “Not only did I find someone who was willing to flip the bill for round-trip tickets back to the United States for Asma and her grandparents, he was also willing to escort the family.”

“Guard connections have been really unique to this situation. Being a Guardsman, you have people that are Citizen-Soldiers who are doctors, lawyers, policemen and others, and those connections in the Guard are really what help facilitate missions like this,” added Newman.

Guard connections came in handy once again as Newman needed help gathering a few missing pieces before the family would fly out Jan. 12.

Members of the 196th’s Staff Judge Advocate section, helped to provide power of attorneys for Asma’s grandparents to be able to fly with her and make medical decisions on her behalf; while Norgaard was able to test Asma’s oxygen levels before flying.

Prior to seeing Norgaard, Asma’s family tried four times at different hospitals throughout Kabul, but could not get her levels read. Fortunately, Newman was able to bring her and her family to camp, who then had Norgaard and his team assess Asma.

“We take for granted going to the doctor and them putting a reader on your finger to measure the oxygen levels,” said Newman.  “Here, they don’t have that type of technology, so working with Task Force Rushmore provider, Norgaard, through OOA was a big help.”

Determining if Asma would make the flight, and to see if she needed any extra equipment or supplemental oxygen along the way, Norgaard coordinated with Dr. Turrentine and was able to facilitate the decision that she was fit to travel and get her surgery. 

Arranging transportation, expediting visa’s, and finding an escort for Asma and her family was no easy task, but came as answers to his prayers, said Newman.

“I was so blessed because every time I hit a roadblock, I prayed on it and the next day there would be an answer for a way to help,” said Newman. “Everything just fell into place, and it is really quite miraculous; it is crazy that she was even still alive at 45 percent oxygen levels in the blood, which were her readings in the United States.”

Although a strong Christian, Newman added, “This surgery transcends politics and religion. It doesn’t matter where you are from or what religion you are; when you help a child like this, it’s just the right thing to do.”

On Feb. 11, more than $400,000 worth of surgeries was provided for free for Asma by Dr. Turrentine, Riley Hospital and Indiana University, and overall close to half-a-million dollars was donated in a collective effort through the hospital, CINI and Gift of Life for travel, room and board, and the visas for the family.

“Today, more than a month after her surgery, Asma now has 100 percent oxygen levels in her blood for the first time in her life,” said Newman. “She is a totally new child with so much more energy. She is off medication, totally healed, strong, and the doctor said she was going to live a normal, happy life.”

Without  a plan or doubt and knowing there wasn’t much time, Newman, stepped up to coordinate her surgery and placing together the pieces that needed to happen, one Afghan child got a second chance at life.

South Dakota National Guard waste-recycle program to help Afghans, environment

By Army Capt. Anthony Deiss

Task Force Rushmore

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan (2/1/11) - South Dakota Army National Guard Soldiers and other servicemembers stationed here are getting environmentally conscious by initiating a waste-recycle pilot program designed to provide a renewable heat source for Afghans living in the capital of Kabul.

Members of the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade are volunteering their time to develop a “fuel donut” made from recycled materials, which burns like a briquette and provides an alternative heat source for Afghan families who live in homes without modern heating conveniences.

“This program is good for everybody – the Afghans, the environment and our camps,” said Army Capt. Robert Small, design engineer/environmental area manager for the Directorate of Public Works.

Using shredded paper and saw dust from the camp; the material is combined with water and ash and pressed into shape of a donut or roll. The donut can burn for about an hour; providing heat for warmth or cooking, and gives off few emissions.

“This is a fairly clean burning source and it’s sustainable. Its gives the Afghans something to keep their homes warm, without releasing toxic fumes,” said Small. “The camps produce a lot of paper and construction waste and it normally ends up in the landfills – this is a way we can keep it from going into the landfills, reuse it, and provide a product to Afghans who really need it.”

According to Small, other materials can be used such as grasses, leaves or anything that can be composted.

Initially conceived as a product to be made by the camp’s volunteer-outreach program and donated to Afghan families during humanitarian missions, Small and the outreach volunteers have higher aspirations for the fuel donut, and are looking at ways which will allow Afghans to make their own.

“The fuel donut is not a new concept. It has been used by humanitarian organizations in developing countries around the world, but it is fairly new to Afghanistan with only a few contractors developing them here,” said Small. “But from a volunteer standpoint, we not only want to provide these donuts to the Afghans, but provide them with the knowledge to make them.”

Using basic wood-building materials, the 196th members have designed a prototype press and drying rack, which can be made by Afghans, allowing them the means to create fuel donuts for their family, village, or even as a source of income for themselves.

“When we started this program we wanted to make it simple. The materials are from the scrap heap, and the construction techniques for the equipment can be made with limited carpentry skills,” said Small.

“Just about anybody can do this and the whole family can get involved and produce enough fuel for themselves and maybe even have a micro-business to sell it.”

Once the program is fully developed for Camp Phoenix, Small hopes start-up programs can be initiated at other military installations throughout the Kabul Base Cluster, and the manufacturing process can be facilitated with surrounding villages.

In the long-term, Small hopes the program to be expanded to bases throughout the country and developed in rural areas.

“Were trying to make this program sustainable for villages and refugee camps – with different recipes for different areas with whatever waste streams they have available,” said Small.

“I hope the Afghans will realize that we are here really trying to help them and that we care about the environment and the people who really need the fuel to stay warm.”

South Dakota Guard unit train servicemembers for war

By Army Sgt. Rebecca Linder

196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan (1/26/11) – Whether it is preparing operation plans or tracking personnel and information throughout the Kabul Base Cluster, the Directorate of Plans, Training and Mobilization ensures troops are trained, safe, and ready to fight.

This section of the 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National Guard, is just one that provides situational awareness and tactical training for the more than 9,000 U.S. and coalition forces stationed throughout 11 bases in the KBC.

“Running current operations is our mission here,” said Army Maj. Todd Bartunek, the director of the DPTM. “There are several soldiers standing by for anything that might happen that we should be aware of; whether it is recovering stolen property, attacks, fires or anything that we have to get involved with.

“We have to be ready, trained and plan to respond to those events.”

When it comes to informing troops of threats within the KBC, the DPTM’s installation operations center makes sure all units know if it is safe to travel or conduct their missions.

“The IOC manages the information flow,” said Bartunek. “If they get information about IEDs [improvised explosive devices], or other pertinent information, then we need to inform our troops in and around the KBC so they don’t get caught up in what is going on outside the wire.”

“We monitor all communication nets, maintain a common operating picture for the region, and provide the command and staff with situational awareness through information flow and management,” said Army Maj. Christopher Engbrecht, the IOC officer-in-charge.

The IOC also tracks KBC staff movements with 100 percent accountability, he said.

Also part of DPTM’s mission is keeping servicemembers safe by ensuring their weapons are properly “zeroed” in to each soldier, and making sure each person who comes to the KBC is properly trained on combat tactics.

“The training the units receive when they come to country is the most current,” said Army Lt. Col. Tim Butts, the 196th director of Joint Reception, Staging and Onward Integration.

“We do IED, vehicle rollover and tactical directive training,” he said. “That way when every soldier comes into country, they have the current tactics, techniques and procedures so they are prepared to go out and do their mission to the best they can do, with confidence.”

Making sure operations are conducted efficiently, all incoming personnel are trained and ready to fight, and ensuring the servicemembers who are already in country continue to be safe is what DPTM strives to do, he said.

“The combined efforts of the IOC, JRSOI and the plans section are something we don't take lightly,” said Bartunek. “Our mission is necessary for the overall success of the KBC.”