Local heroes hard at work in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN

12.07.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. Jeff Neff 

Provincial Reconstruction Team Kandahar

Day-to-day operations at Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City, Afghanistan wouldn’t be the same without U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Currier and U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony McRoberts working diligently behind the scenes in the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team’s personnel section, or S-1, providing much needed services to KPRT members.

There isn’t much that happens without their involvement, from personnel rosters and daily tracking to soldier’s finances, awards, and promotions. They effectively create or revise memos and other correspondence for U.S. Navy Commander Robert Ashburn, and are skilled in written communication. When the mail arrives, soldiers and sailors wait patiently outside while Sgt. 1st Class Currier and Petty Officer 3rd Class McRoberts drive over and get it. Mail is an issue near and dear to all and S-1 serves as the lifeline from family members to the troops.

McRoberts was born in Colorado Springs, Colo. and lives in Midland, Mich. He is stationed at Naval Air Station Coronado on the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan. He plans to complete his bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Management and pursue a career after his time in the Navy in the Information Systems Management field. He has been in the Navy for two years. McRoberts concurrently works as a Counter Radio Electronic Warfare (CREW) Master Gunner.
Being a CREW Master Gunner consists of radio frequency engineering for electronic warfare jamming systems, which involves being able to upload and alter firmware that emits frequencies to react and counter radio-controlled explosives. Petty Officer 3rd Class McRoberts routinely checks the mission’s vehicles systems and on-foot systems to ensure the equipment is working properly.
Sgt. 1st Class Currier was born in San Antonio, Texas. and lives in Newport News, Va. He is an Army Reservist from the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) and has been in the Army for 22 years. Currier served in a variety of duty positions, starting as a Combat Medic in the 1st Cavalry Division, he conducted research at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and culminated with a combat deployment to Iraq in charge of a Military Police Aid Station. After transitioning to Civil Affairs, he deployed as to Kosovo as First Sergeant of a Civil Affairs detachment. He works as a contractor the Training Brain Operations Center as the Future Operations Lead for his civilian career. Currier holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Olivet College, Mich. He plans to re-start his Master’s after this; his last deployment.

KPRT, a civil-military organization consisting of U.S. Navy and Army active-duty and reserve members, conducts operations to support the growth in capacity and capability of the Kandahar provincial government. KPRT works closely with other military units, civilian agencies, contractors and non-governmental organizations to support Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan progress toward sustainable stability.

• Date Taken: 12.07.2012
• Date Posted: 12.07.2012 04:16
• Story ID: 98905
• Location: KANDAHAR, AF
• Hometown: COLLEGE PARK, MD, US
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
• Hometown: CORONADO, CA, US
• Hometown: MARSHALL, MI, US
• Hometown: MIDLAND, MI, US
• Hometown: RIVERDALE, MD, US