Khowst PRT Winning the Fight in Afghanistan

By Pfc. Micah E. Clare
4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - Less than 10 miles from training camps that produced many of the 9/11 hijackers, a team of coalition servicemembers are working together to make sure the area once home to Osama Bin Laden's terrorist organization becomes an environment that will deny such people a support base ever again.

But for this joint service team, spearheading the fight against terrorism in Eastern Afghanistan's Khowst province doesn't involve executing tactical military operations, but in providing reconstruction assistance.

The Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team, based in Forward Operating Base Chapman near Khowst City, serves as the main effort in rebuilding Khowst province by distributing humanitarian aid, mentoring local government officials, planning for construction projects and providing security for important events, said Navy Cmdr. Dave Adams, commander of the Khowst PRT.

"We're a reconstruction organization with a military arm," Cmdr. Adams said.

PRTs were established in Afghanistan when it was realized in 2003 that units needed to focus on winning the security fight, and a separate military organization was required to head up the badly needed reconstruction efforts.

The Navy and Air Force answered the call and stepped up to assist, explained Cmdr. Adams, a submarine officer of 21 years who volunteered for this command. A team of military advisors, United States Agency for International Development and Department of State officials, joined together as a PRT; a board of directors working to synchronize their efforts and resources.

The Khowst PRT has brought assistance to the province in the past few years by sending its Army Civil Affairs teams to live in local communities to send back updates on area needs. Many construction projects such as irrigation systems, diversion dams, wells, schools, and roads have been set into motion by the PRT in this way, Cmdr. Adams said.

"These projects serve not only to improve the quality of life for the residents, but also to put shovels in the people's hands, providing them with jobs," he said.

A big part in bringing these quality of life improvements to Khowst is the necessity for security, he said. This is where the PRT security force comes in, typically provided by the Army National Guard.

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