Paktya ADT, PRT assist GIRoA with sports programs for youth, women By U.S. Army Sgt. John P Sklaney III
Soldiers of the 2-45th Agribusiness Development Team and the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team conducted a joint mission to Gardez in order to help local officials reinforce bonds between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the citizens of the province.
The primary purpose of the mission was to establish a baseline for youth sports programs and provide advice on female empowerment opportunities. A secondary reason for the mission was to provide groundwork and structure for possible visits of international officials to the province over the next few months.
“The U.S. needs to reinforce the relationship between the government and the Afghans to provide commitment and the necessary resources to assist in redevelopment of many areas around the province,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Marchal Magee, from Issaquah, Wash., Paktya PRT commander.
One area of particular interest to Magee was of youth sports programs in the province. Magee and other members of the PRT spoke with the local director of sports programs for the province to ascertain the level of commitment needed to provide province-wide youth sports across the region.
The youth sports programs are also important because the programs will allow women to become more involved and permit them to assert their role in Afghan society. Women are playing a more important role in the new government than what was allowed under the Taliban.
“My role was to assist and form part of the joint female empowerment team to provide key leadership advice on matters dealing with the Afghan women,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jill Graham, from Tahlequah, Okla., the administrative officer for the ADT.
The ADT plans many future missions with the Paktya PRT in order to strengthen the bonds between the two teams and provide redundancy between the teams. The teams are also working to build stronger bonds between the GIRoA and the citizens across the province of Paktya.
One area of particular interest to Magee was of youth sports programs in the province. Magee and other members of the PRT spoke with the local director of sports programs for the province to ascertain the level of commitment needed to provide province-wide youth sports across the region.
The youth sports programs are also important because the programs will allow women to become more involved and permit them to assert their role in Afghan society. Women are playing a more important role in the new government than what was allowed under the Taliban.
“My role was to assist and form part of the joint female empowerment team to provide key leadership advice on matters dealing with the Afghan women,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jill Graham, from Tahlequah, Okla., the administrative officer for the ADT.
The ADT plans many future missions with the Paktya PRT in order to strengthen the bonds between the two teams and provide redundancy between the teams. The teams are also working to build stronger bonds between the GIRoA and the citizens across the province of Paktya.
Stumble It!
