ZHARAY DISTRICT, KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Five days before the Transition of Authority between the 10th Mountain Division and the 82nd Airborne Division for Regional Command South in southern Afghanistan, the incoming and outgoing commanding generals of each unit met with leaders of Combined Task Force Spartan at Forward Operating Base Pasab during a visit, Sept. 26, to familiarize them with operations in Zharay and Maiwand districts.
Maj. Gen. James Terry, the commanding general of Regional Command South and the 10th Mountain Division, was joined by Maj. Gen. James Huggins, the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division and inbound commander to RC-S, to learn about operations in one of the most dynamic areas in Afghanistan. Zharay and Maiwand districts play a strategic role in the Afghan war, as Zharay is the "birthplace" of the Taliban, and Maiwand is next to the tenuous Helmand province.
Joining the two generals was Maj. Gen. Abdul Hamid, the commander of the Afghan Army's 205th Corps. The 205th Corps is responsible for operations in Regional Command South, and is headquartered in Kandahar City.
Upon arrival to Forward Operating Base Pasab, the three generals split into groups to visit with different leaders at the base. The inbound and outbound commanders first went to an operations and intelligence briefing, hosted by Col. Patrick Frank, Commander of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. The brief to the generals and their command teams, highlighted various operations being carried out by CTF Spartan.
The 205th Corps Commander, Maj. Gen. Hamid, visited with Zharay district officials, including the governor, legal prosecutors, and even disc jockeys at the nearby radio station in the district center compound.
The three generals then met up to tour the Pasab bazaar, a thriving shopping area recently remodeled after years of neglect. At least 30 shops are now open, and during their visit, the generals met with shopkeepers to discuss expanding their businesses through government-provided microgrants.
The 82nd Airborne Division is assuming command of Regional Command South, a command that oversees operations in four southern provinces: Kandahar, Zabul, Uruzgan, and Day Kundi. The 10th Mountain Division will turn over responsibility to the 82nd Airborne Division during a ceremony, Oct. 1.