Kentucky Airman serves in Afghanistan for new friends and old

By Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Paul Evans

Kentucky National Guard

FORWARD OPERATING BASE PASAB, Afghanistan (10/1/12) - Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathon Stribling didn’t originally travel to southern Afghanistan as part of the Kentucky National Guard’s Agribusiness Development Team 4 just for himself.

Stribling, 24, of Louisville, Ky., a member of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Aerial Port Squadron, came because of a friend from his previous deployment to Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base in 2011. That friend is fellow Airman and Louisville resident Staff Sgt. Austin McDonald.

“It was pretty funny, actually. When word of this deployment came up, me and him (McDonald) made a deal that if one of us committed to it, then the other one would follow,” Stribling said. “He committed and I followed.”

“Maj. (Walter) Leaumont came to our base and sparked our interest,” Stribling said. Leaumont is ADT 4’s Executive Officer. “I basically told Sgt. McDonald, ‘if you want to do this, I’ll go with you.’ He said he wanted to do it, we signed our names down, talked to Leaumont, and here we are.”

“Just packing, I knew how to pack for this deployment,” Stribling said of what he learned from his first deployment in 2011. “The first deployment, I packed everything and the kitchen sink.”

Stribling offered his thoughts about deploying with ADT 4, a unit that is predominantly filled with Army National Guard members.

“I think being around NCOs in the Army will make me a better NCO in the Air Force, just with discipline being stricter, dress and appearance, just everything in general,” Stribling said.

“Being away from home for this long is different,” Stribling said. “We only deploy four-month deployments (in the Air Force)…we’re here for a year. I think the time’s a challenge just being away from family.

“I definitely miss my parents and my sisters, and I’m real proud to be here serving with the Army. My father was in the Army for 14 years,” Stribling said. “It makes me feel pretty good that I’m also somewhat following in his footsteps.”

“My father, he’s kind of used to this being gone. My mother…it’s going to hit any mother hard when their son goes off,” Stribling said about how family is dealing with his deployment.

“My girlfriend, she’s not from a military family, so it’s hitting her pretty hard. It’s hard for her to cope without me being there,” he added. “They’re making it, though.”

Stribling recalled a few things he found surprising on his trip to Afghanistan.

“Just the chaos you see. They (Afghans) drive crazy,” he observed. “That’s the best way to put it. It’s kind of a culture shock, really. Just trying to compare it to home life--it’s a completely different world.”

“Back home in the States, you don’t see little six-year-old kids walking down the street carrying 30 pounds of water jugs,” Stribling said. “But here, it’s a normal thing.”

“How many aerial port guys can say that for a year they were in Afghanistan going outside the wire doing combat operations?” Stribling asked. “It’s a great experience.”

“The question is ‘what haven’t I learned?’ Weapons is not part of our skillset in the Air Force…and I’ve just been trained on several different weapons, been to a MRAP (mine resistant ambush-protected vehicle) driving course for three weeks, it’s the kind of stuff that I can’t get in the Air Force,” he said.

Spc. Joseph Bucaro, an Army Soldier from Louisville, met Stribling during intial pre-mobilization training in December 2011.

“He’s an easy-going guy, easy to talk to,” Bucaro said. “He’s a good listener. When you’re stressed out, he talks to you.”

“Stribling’s a hard worker, he’s there when he needs to be, and he’s around when he doesn’t need to be, but he’s always there to learn and do his job,” Bucaro said. “All I can say is he’s helped out a lot of Soldiers with problems.”

“Relationships, I think they’re what drive us,” Stribling said. “As far as our security platoon, we’re like brothers in our platoon. We’d do anything for any one of us. I think that’s what keeps us going.”

Since arriving in Afghanistan in February 2012, unfortunate circumstances sent some of ADT 4’s members’ home. Among them was Army Sgt. David Spry of Winchester, Ky., who went home a few weeks after a knee injury while Stribling was at home on leave.

“Losing Sgt. Spry was hard. He was a real good buddy of mine. Like I said, we’re brothers,” Stribling said.

“But he’s been keeping in contact with us on Facebook … It kind of eases us a little bit to know he’s doing all right, that he’s getting the treatment he needs,” Stribling said.

Overall, Stribling had a positive recollection of his second Afghan deployment. However, he said he plans on taking time off deployments to attend the University of Louisville afterwards.

“I don’t regret a minute of it,” Stribling said. “Certain areas, I feel like we’re progressing. I don’t feel like we’re wasting our time, so that’s a good thing.”

Allen Discusses Insider Attacks in ‘60 Minutes’ Interview

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2012 – In an interview on the CBS program “60 Minutes” last night, the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan said he takes his mission personally and is angered by insider attacks by Afghan security forces and militants wearing Afghan uniforms.

“I'm mad as hell about them, to be honest with you,” Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, told CBS correspondent Lara Logan. “We're going to get after this. It reverberates everywhere across the United States. We're willing to sacrifice a lot for this campaign, but we're not willing to be murdered for it.”

The general said it is important to understand the Afghan people still support ISAF troops and their mission to guide Afghan troops as they prepare to take full responsibility for security in their country.

“The key point is for us to understand that the vast majority of the Afghans, … they're with us in this,” Allen said. “They understand right now the severity of this problem and the urgency of what's happening.”

Afghans have been killed trying to save coalition forces when some attacks have been under way,” the general noted. “[It] was the only reaction that they could have taken … to try to save us at that moment of attack,” he said.

More than 50 coalition members have been killed by insider attacks this year. Allen said insurgents recognize the vulnerability posed as coalition forces work alongside Afghan counterparts, and they have adapted their tactics to exploit it.

“In Iraq, the signature weapon system that we hadn't seen before was the [improvised explosive device],” he said. “We had to adjust to that. Here, I think the signature attack that we're beginning to see is going to be the insider attack.”

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, also interviewed in the segment, acknowledged the attacks and pledged to help ISAF eliminate the threat. “These attacks are sad,” he said. “This is something I have discussed in detail, something that I bear responsibility for to correct.”

Allen also discussed the presence of al-Qaida and ISAF’s commitment to continuing to “target and eliminate them.”

“Al-Qaida has come back, [and] is a resilient organization,” he said. “But they're not here in large numbers. But al-Qaida doesn't have to be anywhere in large numbers.”

The terrorist organization is not significant in a traditional military sense, Allen said. “Al-Qaida has significance beyond its numbers, frankly,” he added. “And so for us, our 24-hour-a-day objective is to seek out those al-Qaida cells.”

It is important to ensure al-Qaida doesn’t feel as though it can put down roots in Afghanistan, the general said, and while security isn’t perfect around the country, there has been much improvement.

“An awful lot of the population of this country is living in an area where there is vastly improved security from where it was just a few years ago,” he said.

Meanwhile, Allen said, coalition officials are doing a great deal to address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan, and the relationship between ISAF forces and the Pakistani military has improved dramatically.

“There's a very complex relationship with Pakistan, and we'll work very hard and very closely with the Pakistani military to achieve common objectives,” he said. “But to some extent, the Pakistani military has been successful in cooperating with us in the last several months with regard to complementary operations on both sides of the border, but much more needs to be done.”

ISAF is doing everything it can within its authority to hunt down and kill Haqqani network operatives in Afghanistan who “ultimately threaten my troops, threaten the Afghan troops and the Afghan society, the Afghan civilians, and ultimately the Afghan government,” Allen said.

The general also described his intense commitment to the mission in Afghanistan, which he said often leads him to “turn around and go back” to work some nights after asking himself while he’s walking home if he’s done enough.

“I came here believing this would be the last job I'd ever have,” Allen said. “I don't care about anything beyond this. This is what's important to me. I almost can't remember ever having been anywhere else.

“This is completely consuming for me, and I am dedicated 24 hours a day to these magnificent troops, to the Afghans, to this cause, and ultimately to successful completion,” he continued. “This is very personal to me. And I take it very personally.”

Face of Defense: Marine, Seabee Reunite After Decade

By Marine Corps Cpl. Timothy Lenzo

Regional Command Southwest

FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan, Oct. 1, 2012 – The sound of power tools and commands come from the battalion aid station here, startling a few Marines walking by. Two corpsmen stand out from the crowd of sailors inside the building as they work on a remodeling project.

More than a decade after their paths first crossed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the former Marine and Seabee are united as corpsmen with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. The two service members started their military careers in different fields. One trained to be a Marine, the other a Navy Seabee, but now they work together here.

“When I joined the Navy, I had a degree in construction, so that’s what the Navy wanted me to do,” said Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class David Cergol. “At the time, the Seabees were undermanned, so it was more important for me to help them.”

Cergol, from Pittsburg, started working construction when he was 14. After 10 years in the civilian world, he decided he wanted a change, but found himself again working construction for the Navy.

“The Seabees are a great group of people, but I ultimately joined because I wanted to be on the front lines and be with the Marines,” he said.

Unlike Cergol, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jordan Fitzgerald started his military career with the Marines. He served with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The corpsmen’s paths first crossed during the initial push into Iraq. Fitzgerald served in the infantry and fought on the front lines. Meanwhile Cergol, working as a builder with the Seabees, followed behind the infantry, helping with security.

“We were both able to talk about the towns we went through, and the forward operating bases being set up,” Cergol said. “He was more the tip of the spear, and I was more behind, doing logistics.”

After their first enlistment, the two service members decided to sever ties with their old units. Fitzgerald, from Yucca Valley, Calif., considered joining the Navy SEALs before deciding on a different future.

“Being a grunt, I had a pretty good idea of what corpsmen did,” he said. “I knew corpsmen went with Marines, and I’m not the guy who likes ship life. Also I enjoy helping people, and knew I’d be helping Marines.”

While Fitzgerald looked at other jobs first, Cergol knew from the start he wanted to be a corpsman. He helped as a Seabee because that’s where the Navy needed him, but he jumped at the chance to start his career in the medical field.

“I enjoy the medical side,” he said. “I wanted to be with the Marines, and I wanted to make more of a difference and ultimately save lives.”

The two use their prior jobs as tools for their current jobs. Cergol became certified to operate the heavy equipment around the forward operating base. He regularly helps by driving forklifts and constructing new fixtures. “I’m able to draw on my experience with the Seabees to strengthen security and improve overall living conditions,” he said. “When I was in Iraq, one of the bases we stayed at had little to no security. We were able to get together and build up the walls and better secure our buildings.”

During that deployment, a suicide bomber attacked the base. “The additional walls definitely paid off,” Cergol said. “The walls ended up protecting us.”

Cergol and Fitzgerald recently took on a construction job inside the battalion aid station here.

“Being a prior Seabee makes him more versatile,” Fitzgerald said of Cergol. “Right now we are remodeling the BAS to better suit our needs, and his experience as a builder definitely helps.”

Cergol said his experience as a Seabee helps him in tangible ways, while Fitzgerald’s experience as a Marine is more abstract. “He’s very disciplined,” he said. “You can tell he used to be a Marine. He still has that rigid discipline about him.”

Fitzgerald’s past also gives him an immediate connection with the Marines he cares for. “I think it gives me instant credibility,” he said. “After all, I’ve done more deployments than the majority of them.”

He also has learned a great deal of leadership from the Marines, he added, and this skill helps him teach the corpsmen under him.

“I think the Marine Corps teaches small-unit leadership better than the other branches,” he said. “The Marine Corps taught me how to manage situations really well.”

Though their focus is the health of the Marines and sailors, service members might see Cergol operating a forklift or Fitzgerald correcting his corpsmen on the proper wear of the uniform. The two moved on from the early part of their military careers, but have found they use their original military skills every day.

DISA Civilian Completes 14-Month Voluntary Deployment in Afghanistan

Our enterprise supports the Defense Department and its mission partners.

Over the decades, DISA has been engaged in every mission the Department has undertaken. These engagements have become increasingly interagency and international, and our partnerships have increased to reflect this.

This is the story of one DISA civilian who recently returned from a voluntary deployment in support of the DISA mission.

Vijay Kumar, an Electronics Engineer assigned to the Operations Directorate, recently returned from a 14-month deployment to Afghanistan.

Kumar's longevity with the agency (He has worked at DISA for 12 years.) and his expertise as a systems engineer at the DISA Cyber Command Field Office — serving as a liaison engineer supporting DISA programs, applications, and tools — made him a match for this deployment.

"I wanted to help the Afghans as much as I could," said Kumar when asked about his reason for volunteering.

Kumar was selected for the assignment under the Ministry of Defense Advisors (MoDA) Program, which is designed to forge long-term relationships that strengthen partner states' security ministries.

While deployed, Kumar's mission was to advise and guide the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) on information technology (IT) and network infrastructure. This included developing an Afghan National Security Forces Network (ANSFNet), which will improve the deployment and management of the communication networks supporting the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, National Directorate of Security, and Presidential Information Coordination Center.

"Our goal was to deliver a simple, sustainable, and robust communications infrastructure," said Kumar. "Afghan National Security Forces Network cornerstone capabilities include reliable, secure, and adequate voice communications for all ANSF personnel and IT connectivity down to the provincial-level. It also provides a core suite of IT services and applications that will enhance operational effectiveness and a sustainable, standardized communications infrastructure to reduce operations and maintenance costs."

Working approximately 90 hours a week — without breaks on weekends or holidays — a typical day for Kumar consisted of formal or informal meetings with his Afghan counterparts, developing action plans and capabilities to manage and maintain the ASNF networks. His daily routine often included late night wrap-up meetings with senior leaders, during which the strategic road map was reviewed, daily successes were noted, and the plan to further Afghan infrastructure development was refined.

As a result of Kumar's deployment, the ANSF were successfully transitioned to manage their own network operations center. In order for the Afghan forces to function independently in the information technology and network operations field, they received a significant amount of training and education from Kumar and his team members.

Kumar and his team also developed and published an ANSFNet Network Expansion Plan that defines desired ANSFNet long-haul IT communication objectives (e.g. bandwidth, uptime, latency, etc.), conforms planned point of presence locations, and identifies additional requirements.

"My deployment not only affected the way I now approach my work at DISA, but changed my view on life altogether," said Kumar. "[My deployment was] not a flashy job. We had to blend in and work effectively behind the scenes to promote Afghan ownership. When making recommendations, we had to be practical and flexible…"

The opportunity provided Kumar with firsthand experience of the hardships deployed military and civilian personnel face, and with it, a greater appreciation for the sacrifices they have made

"I am grateful [to] our founding fathers […] and also to those who sacrificed their lives for this country, both in the military and civilian world," said Kumar.

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Riley G. Stephens, 39, of Tolar, Texas, died Sept. 28, in Wardak, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from enemy small arms fire. Stephens was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

For more information, media may contact the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) public affairs office at 910-689-6187.