BALKH PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army combat engineers with the 1014th Sapper Company reached out to qualify their fellow engineers with the 190th Engineer Company, both with Task Force Roughneck, Task Force Sword, on the new Automated Route Reconnaissance Kit system at Forward Operating Base Deh Dadi 2, Dec. 6.

The ARRK produces a report for route clearance patrols that shows conditions, obstacles and observations of roadways.

“Since we’re located in different provinces, this was a great opportunity to meet our friends at the 1014th (Eng. Company) and learn this new system,” said U.S. Army Spc. Mark Ledford with the 190th Eng. Company, a combat engineer from Jonesboro, Tenn. “They trained us how to use the ARRK to identify and record details of a route which will help planners to better prepare for future missions in that area.”

Ledford said having the most intelligence on the technology they are using would help his platoon prepare for any circumstance. He said everyone should benefit from using the ARRK system.

“The ARRK system is going to relieve my lieutenant from constantly recording data for his reports,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Andrew Palmer with the 190th Eng. Company, a combat engineer from Morristown, Tenn. “Now, he’ll be able to focus on command and control of his patrol. They showed us how the system automatically records every detail of a route. The training was great. We met the 1014th guys back at Fort McCoy [Wisconsin] and became friends, so it was great to see them again.”

The engineers learned how the ARRK system is capable of increasing time and efficiency of the patrol, by automatically recording needed data they would otherwise have to write down on paper.

After both companies met the requirements of training and qualifying personnel on the ARRK system, the soldiers of the 190th Eng. Company shook hands and thanked the Sappers of the 1014th Eng. Company then departed.

“It was great to have the guys from the 190th come and understand my class,” said U.S. Army Spc. Julio Rodriquez with the 1014th Sapper Company, a combat engineer from Canovanas, Puerto Rico. “I like the system. I felt very proud to be given the task to instruct. I represented the 1014th, and it made me happy to give my knowledge to the 190th, so they can use it to accomplish their missions more effectively and safely.”

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