KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A few years ago, Shahidulla's father, an Afghan National Army soldier, worked as a cook on a base in Kunar province's Korengal Valley in eastern Afghanistan.
One day, his father and another ANA soldier went to a nearby village to get a lamb for dinner. They were ambushed and killed by the Taliban, leaving Shahidulla, 9, to take care of his mother and younger sister.
Today, a scruffy Shahidulla, now 14, stands on top of a shipping container on Combat Outpost Honaker-Miracle and directs other Afghan workers on where to put a pallet of bottled water.
His life, as well as the lives of thousands of Afghans, has been unequivocally altered because of war.
Yet, the soldiers at COP Honaker-Miracle assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Cacti, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Task Force Bronco are trying to make a positive change in the lives of Afghans here.
"When Shahidulla first came to us, I immediately saw an opportunity to bring someone in to work with us as a day laborer," said U.S. Army Spc. German de la Roche, the COP mayor. "Rather than him having a bad experience with us and possibly making other choices in life … I wanted us to take that opportunity and seize it."
Shahidulla, otherwise affectionately known as JJ, was offered a job by a contractor that helps run the busy combat outpost.
After previously working at another base, but not making enough money to support his family, he traveled from district center to district center before winding up at COP Honaker-Miracle's gate.
The fact he spoke some English stood out to New York City native, de la Roche.
He saw an opportunity to help this Afghan teenager at a crossroads in his life. Too many young Afghans fall in league with Taliban said de la Roche and he didn't want to see that happen.
"When I see a boy like JJ," said de la Roche, "I say, what can we do to help him so he can tell his friends and one day say, 'I worked with the Americans. I saw them every day. I saw how they lived, how they ate, how they treated us. They wanted to do the best for this country and for our people.'"
"If he uses those words one day; that's all we can ask for," continued de la Roche. "If he spreads that message, at the end of the day, that's much more effective than whatever information campaign that we have."
Working with the Americans at one of the most dangerous combat outposts in eastern Afghanistan hasn't always been easy for Shahidulla.
A few days ago, rockets blasted the small combat outpost.
Shahidulla was hit with some shrapnel while getting into a bunker. He fell unconscious as other Afghan workers carried his limp, bleeding body to an aid station.
"Of course, the first reaction was 'Oh God, somebody just died,'" said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Matthew G. Bartel, a native of Salem, Ore.
The medics began evaluating him when the company commander came to check on him. After the commander tried to talk to Shahidulla, he woke up and gave the thumbs up.
"Of course it was a big relief when he woke up, and we found out he was all right," explained Bartel.
Shahidulla only had some shrapnel in his arm and would be OK.
"An hour later, he was back out there doing work and ordering some guys around," said Bartel with a smile. "All day, he was giving us the big thumbs up letting us know he was doing all right."
It was a scare for some because, as Bartel said, he has been sort of adopted by the company of soldiers here.
Bartel added it's the little things that can potentially have a big impact.
"If nothing else, if we can be the factor that gets him headed in the right direction and gets him to understand that America isn't that bad and we're here to help," Bartel said. "We'll take a small victory like that."
Here, it's the small victories that can have lasting impressions, added de la Roche.
"I think that at the end of the day, what we're facing here, it's only through generational change that the overall picture can stabilize," explained de la Roche. "These kids are the ones that can change a country when they grow up. That's why we're here at the end of the day."
Bartel agreed and said their relationship with the locals has been good.
"The bottom line is taking care of each other and looking out for each other," said Bartel. "That's a strong message that this company has and as long as I'm here that'll be our mission and our focus."
For now, JJ seems to be in good hands. But Shahidulla said he doesn’t know what his future holds, because his main concern is to provide for his family. Whatever happens, he knows, his adopted family will be sure to help him out.
| Date Taken: | 08.02.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2011 20:49 |
| Story ID: | 74717 |
| Location: | KUNAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 663 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Soldiers take Afghan boy under their wing, by MSG Mark Burrell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
