Photo By Sgt. Brandon Sandefur | Bill Stratton, Army Corps of Engineers, puts mortar on a brick as he demonstrates the...... read more read more
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By Army Spc. Brandon Sandefur
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Members of the Army's Corps of Engineers recently taught, mentored and monitored local Afghan contractors to ensure the construction of a new school in the Laghman province of Afghanistan will last through the harsh climate for years to come.
Bill Stratton and Bill Martin, both Kennewick, Wash., natives, recently assisted Afghan contractors on a project called The Center of Excellence, which is a boy's school for 5 through 15 year olds. The project was completed by Afghan contractors after some instruction to show them the proper way to build a lasting building.
"We mentor the contractor on bricklaying and how to do a basic design for a building," Stratton said. "We had a bricklaying class here at [Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam]; we had a practical exercise and we visited the jobsite," Stratton said. "We also assisted them in the basics of bricklaying and masonry work."
Some of the basics Martin and Stratton taught the Afghan contractors, in addition to laying the brick, was how to mix the mortar. Teaching them how to do things a different way from how they've been doing it in the past was a challenge, but it was necessary to get them to do quality construction.
"We taught them how to mix mortar, and the difference between mortar for stone versus mortar for brick," Stratton said. "They did not know there was a difference before we showed them, so they now have better quality in their construction."
The students were taught through hands-on training alongside their instructors. Through these exercises the students began to trust in the skills and knowledge of their teachers.
"I made some mistakes in the practical exercise to show them what not to do," Stratton said. "They've learned these bricklaying skills from their father so it's hard to get them to switch to the ideas of a total stranger."
Stratton has a lot of experience in Afghanistan teaching his skills. This is his fifth trip to the country and he notes that the quality of construction he sees has improved greatly.
"The quality of work on my first deployment to Mehtar Lam was pretty poor," Stratton said. "Statements of work didn't hold the contractor to the standards they now do. The quality of construction is much better now and statements of work are 15 to 20 pages with detailed explanation of the work to be done and the technical requirements."
Teaching Afghan contractors to do this is important to the stabilization so they can eventually do it on their own. With help from the Army's Corps of Engineers they are on their way.
| Date Taken: | 02.13.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.13.2009 09:56 |
| Story ID: | 29992 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 375 |
| Downloads: | 333 |
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