Soccer brings soldiers, Afghans together

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN

06.28.2011

Courtesy Story

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

By: U.S. Army Capt. Austin Luher
204th Brigade Support Battalion
2nd Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Soldiers from Company A, 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, got their first chance to interact with the local community on a recent combat logistics patrol to several combat outposts in the Arghandab River Valley.

While delivering supplies to 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment at Combat Outpost Durham, soldiers from Company A met some local Afghanistan children who were helping their parents clear trash from the outpost.

This was the first time in three weeks that Assassin Company soldiers could interact with the community during a logistical mission.

One of the local children had brought a soccer ball with them into the outpost and the soldiers decided to play a pickup game with them.

“This was fun,” said Spc. William Leatherbury, member of the convoy escort team. “I hope that we can do more things like this in the future.”

“It’s the little things, like this soccer game, that will go a long way in helping improve relations and ultimately the safety of U.S. soldiers and people of Afghanistan,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Hanna, escort platoon sergeant. “I just hope that we can do things like this again in the near future.”

• Date Taken: 06.28.2011
• Date Posted: 06.28.2011 01:26
• Story ID: 72866
• Location: KANDAHAR, AF