ANP checkpoint to increase safety in Nerkh District

WARDAK PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

01.05.2011

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 101

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan – To help keep residents of Maidan Shahr in the Nerkh district of Wardak province safe from Taliban attacks, U.S. soldiers assisted with constructing an Afghan National Police checkpoint Jan. 5.

The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Soldiers from Company A, 2nd Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment attached to 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment’s Task Force Slugger are spearheading the construction efforts. With the physical condition of another ANP checkpoint in Nerkh deteriorating, the need to build a newer, safer checkpoint at a more impactful location is driving this project.

“As you go towards the town of Dehayat, the checkpoint on the right that the ANP have used for years is crumbling,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Clay Gibson, fires support officer of Company A. “The whole front wall fell down the other day. It’s very unsafe; you can’t run operations out of it.

“We took it upon ourselves to talk to the ANP Police Chief, Col. Farooq, and he agreed for placement [of a checkpoint] near the Dehayat bridge,” continued Gibson. “Two routes converge into one there at that bridge, so it’s the perfect place to have it.”

Gibson, a native of Dermott, Ark., understands villagers have concerns about checkpoints and the impact on local residents living around them. When he explained to them how much safer Dehayat can be, villagers climbed on board and gave their support to the project.

“We got a lot of feedback, a lot of people coming up to the bridge ... asking about it [the checkpoint],” said Gibson. “[They asked] why are we putting it up [and] questions like that. The town does agree it will help secure the government, and they like it.”

“The enemy use this route to smuggle weapons in and out of this valley,” said Gibson. “Having this checkpoint, we’re going to put the police right out on this road, [in] an easy place to check both roads. Before, there was [only] a checkpoint on one road, [so] they [insurgents and Taliban] would use the other one.”

Making the checkpoint safer for the ANP, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Christian Carter, Company A. executive officer and native of Greenville, S.C., used a design he is familiar with. It is one he thinks will give the ANP the tools to succeed.

“We built [the checkpoint] in a triangle, based on the location. We like triangles, because they are easy to defend,” said Carter. “On each corner there is a tower, so they can get up high and see the whole area. It’s right next to the river, so they can see down the road and over the bridge.

“Basically, they can pull in their trucks [and] close the gate, which will be [made of] barbed wire, stay in there at night and have a fortified position,” continued Carter talking about ANP patrolmen. “No one will be able to come in there without them letting them in; and they’ll be able to live in there, sustain themselves [and] have a place to sleep.”

With the checkpoint almost complete, coalition forces already notice changes in security in Dehayat. These are changes they hope improve even more once the ANP take it over and man the checkpoint fulltime.

“Really the reason why it’s being made is because out west in Dehayat, it’s pretty bad out there,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Thomas, a mechanic assigned to Troop D, 3rd Sqdn., 89th Cav. Regt.’s, TF Slugger and resident of Shreveport, La. “When we first pushed out there, we drew contact before we got to the bridge. Now, we’re not starting to get contact till further down from … [the bridge], so it’s good to have the checkpoint there.”

After almost a full week of Carter’s soldiers work, Carter sees vast improvements in the checkpoint. He hopes to work closely with the ANP in the next few weeks to see success in Dehayat.

“It’s been hard work, taxing at times, dealing with all the dirt and getting everything loaded,” said Carter. “It’s coming along pretty well now. It’s close to completion. We’ll see in the next few weeks how they [ANP] are using it.”

• Date Taken: 01.05.2011
• Date Posted: 01.09.2011 20:18
• Story ID: 63277
• Location: WARDAK PROVINCE, AF