2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade

Story by Cpl. Michael Curvin

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Afghanistan – Afghans living near Forward Operating Base Delhi tune in three times a day for music and news brought to them by Radio Garmsir.
That's three times a day the citizens here tune out the Taliban, who essentially outlawed music.

"The people are happy," said Asad Ullah Alkozay, one of the two disc jockeys for Radio Garmsir. With a smile on his face, Alkozay pointed toward a pile of more than 1,000 letters – the fan mail he and fellow disc jockey, Mashuq Ullah, received during the month of September alone.

"Usually we get over 50 letters every day," said Alkozay. "I'm very happy because every day I walk out, open the box and see lots of letters. The majority of the letters express gratitude and song requests, according to Alkozay. A growing pile of perfume-scented letters hints toward the popularity of the two disc jockeys among their female audience members.

Radio Garmsir operates aboard FOB Delhi and has a transmission of approximately 20 kilometers. Each day, Alkozay and Ullah host two music programs and a nightly Koran broadcast. When the broadcasts started, local citizens voiced concerns about the format and content Radio Garmsir would air.

Ullah assured his listeners Radio Garmsir would be a tasteful, Islamic program with consideration given to the various languages and cultures represented in the district.
"We are playing music from three languages," Ullah pointed out, "Pashtu, Dari and Hindi. We offer the best radio for people here."

As part of their efforts to offer the best radio for the people here, Ullah and Alkozay incorporate announcements about controlled detonations and other news items related to the International Assistance Security Force in the area.

"We alert people to these explosions so they don't worry," Ullah said. "We aren't just music, we are news too."
The two don't consider themselves celebrities, but based on the mountains of fan mail and the Afghans who seek them out to thank them even as they make a simple song request, the pair know they are making a difference.

"Sometimes when I'm walking around, some people come up to me and tell me how they want to talk with me and hear me," Ullah said. "People want me to send a note to their village before I visit so they don't miss me.

"I am very happy to play music because it hurts the Taliban," Ullah said. "They cannot stop the people here."

Listeners in the vicinity of FOB Delhi can tune in to 109.00 FM to hear Alkozay and Ullah.

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