Serving wherever possible to win hearts and minds in Afghanistan

Photo By Master Sgt. Demetrius Lester | Paktika Reconstruction Team members Sgt. 1st Class Jermaine Jones (left), Chief Petty Officer Rhonda Harms (middle), and Sgt. Robby Owens (right), patrol the streets of Sharana while delivering supplies of women and children's clothes, shoes and toys March 7 in preparation for International Women's Day events to be held the following day at the Director of Women's Affairs compound in Sharana. Harms is the communications department head for the PRT and is deployed from the Naval Operations Support Center in Austin, Texas, Navy Central MAST A, where she is the Operations/Information Technology department chief. Jones and Owens are both deployed from Bravo battery 1/178 Field Artillery, South Carolina Army National Guard.  

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

04.03.2010

Story by 1st Lt. Mark Lazane 

International Security Assistance Force HQ Public Affairs

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan—Sgt. Robby Owens, a National Guard soldier from Dillon, S.C., recently arrived in Afghanistan as part of the Paktika Provincial Reconstruction Team.

Owens, an infantryman from the 1/118th Combat Aviation Brigade who volunteered to deploy with the 1/178th Bravo Battery Field Artillery, South Carolina National Guard, is part of an approximately 100-person team assigned to Paktika to provide security, assist in governance, promote agriculture and provide expertise in rebuilding the remote province.

Owens' specific job is to provide security for the PRT operations, though sometimes his duties expand into much more than that.

"My role is essential to the mission," said Owens. "Without proper security, we wouldn't be able to accomplish the mission. It's more than just security though; oftentimes, we get to interact with the local Afghan population and the Afghan national army."

Not knowing how to speak the language can be a difficult thing to overcome, said Owens, but there are ways to mitigate the lack of communication somewhat, such as bringing along an interpreter.

"One of my favorite parts of the deployment, besides helping the Afghan people, is all the new equipment we get to use. The new mine resistant ambush protected vehicles with the new technology in them are really amazing and they definitely help the mission go more smoothly."

When not activated with the Army, Owens attends an engineering technology technical school, where he takes course such as welding, engineering technology and heating, ventilation and air conditioning courses.

Owens, who grew up in Dillon, S. C. and attended Dillon High School, is the son of Tommy James Owens, Jr. and Connie Schafer.

• Date Taken: 04.03.2010
• Date Posted: 04.03.2010 16:46
• Story ID: 47642
• Location: PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AF