A new concept we're developing at Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Ghazni is the employment of Local National Quality Assurance (LNQA) people. We reserve an area at the Governor's compound for the LNQAs to work on engineering projects that my Senior Chief and I assign to them. The LNQAs purpose is to travel to projects throughout the Ghazni Province that I either do not have time to see or that are too unsafe due to those Taliban fellas. Last I checked these guys can probably blend in a little better than me, rolling several trucks deep in a convoy. They have legit degrees in engineering from Kandahar as well. Two of the guys listed in the picture serve as security guards for the LNQAs. My buddy next to me with the AK-47 is better known as "Rocket Man" because he usually travels with a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG). For some reason Elton John always come to mind as well. Going back to our theme of working ourselves out of a job, this program engages the Afghans in assessing their own work and enables them to understand better engineering practices. In the future, we hope to expand on this program to the point where Afghans are doing all of the work themselves.
3 comments:
Hi Drew,
I'm so glad to see you're making new friends! The fact that some of them carry AK-47s is a bit unsettling, but hey, it sounds like that's prudent considering the circumstances.
We're getting some chilly weather this weekend for the Army/Navy game. Have you had any snow yet?
Love, Mom
Hi Drew, it is very interesting to read your news. Sounds like you are making the best of your situation. Up here in Bremen we have had no snow yet, and it's the 2nd week of December. I am happy that your mom stays in touch with me. I do miss her and my fellow co-workers from CV, but it's great to be up here, retired, in Maine. I hope you are able to keeping your blog going. It's very interesting and lets us know what a great job you are doing over there!
Donna Strawser
Hi Drew Bear,
Thinking about you a lot at X-mas time. Hear your news through Aud and this blog. I suggest you stay near that Rocketman- he could come in handy. Heard you got my one envelope. Look for a box that I hope comes soon. We had a good time with the gals in your family up at Hershey. How about that good looking tiger under the tree?
Stay safe, keep up the good work,
Love,
Mamma Bear
Post a Comment