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PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Urgun is one of the major districts of focus for coalition forces when it comes to governance and reconstruction efforts in Paktika province.
U.S. Army Capt. Mike Butler, who calls Chicago home, is the only member of Paktika Provincial Reconstruction Team Civil Affairs deployed to Forward Operating Base Orgun-East.
“Civil affairs in Urgun works with our civilian partners to develop the capacity of district-level government and foster economic development,” Butler said. “We also interact with the local populace to understand their needs.”
Not only does Butler perform CA duties in Urgun, but he is also the officer in charge of the PRT detachment there made up of U.S. Army security forces, a U.S. Navy mechanic and medic, as well as U.S. government civilians and Afghan linguists.
Besides ensuring each member of the team is operating in their area of expertise, Butler works with the district governors of the Urgun and Sarobi districts toward the common goal of building Afghan capacity.
Butler also meets with the line directors for education and agriculture, as well as rural reconstruction and development. Provincial line directors are the Afghans who work for the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan by representing their ministry at the provincial level.
For now, Butler said his primary area of focus is education, especially for girls.
“The Ministry of Education and elders are recognizing the importance that all of their children go to school,” he explained.
Although village elders are not members of GIRoA, building relationships with them is critical because they play a key role in Afghan culture. Afghans typically revere elders in their village and rely on them for settling disputes and making other decisions.
At shuras, another part of Afghan culture similar to town hall meetings, GIRoA leaders and elders address villagers, and often conduct a question and answer session.
According to Butler, the government in Urgun is still immature, so seemingly small achievements are actually big steps. As an example, he said a major CA breakthrough was getting the district governors and shuras to work with the PRT to develop plans for providing ongoing services to their people.
In addition to developing plans for the provision of basic government services, Butler hopes to work with GIRoA to expand education and improve conditions for agriculture.
“Agriculture is still the main driver of the Paktika economy,” he said. “Everything we do will be in partnership with the district governments and shuras. This is how we will develop the capacity of the government to deliver services to the populace.”
While progress is being made, Butler said governance is still a challenge based on Afghans who voice their frustration with the lack of more basic services. Despite obstacles, Butler knows patience is the key when it comes to developing capacity of governance in east Paktika.
“This will be a long process,” he said. “However, in the long run it offers the best prospect for peace in Afghanistan.”
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2011 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 67936 |
| Location: | PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 309 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Paktika PRT Civil Affairs soldiers play integral role in Urgun District, by 1st Lt. Emily Chilson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
