Written by By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jared Crain RC-East PAO 20 March 2012
PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan –Record snow falls in Afghanistan have resulted in several fatal avalanches and left some vital travel corridors blocked by tons of snow. One of those critical routes, the Salang Pass, which connects northern and southern Afghanistan, became nearly unusable.
Local workers from the Ministry of Public Works already working to alleviate the effects of the natural disaster were joined by the 661st Engineer Company of the Illinois National Guard to clear the Salang Pass, which connects northern and southern Afghanistan.
U.S. Army Sgt. Shawn Carpenter, the unit’s quick reaction force non-commissioned officer in charge, stated that before their arrival the road was marginally passable with only one lane open.
“The locals seemed agreeable to working with us and very happy that we were able to help,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Amanda Emerson, a platoon leader for the 661st area clearance platoon.
The combined removal effort of the engineers’ trucks and Afghan workers allowed the joint team to relieve much of the congestion caused by the heavy snowfall, added Carpenter.
“The Afghan workers were very proficient at removing the snow and operating their equipment which made our job a lot easier,” Carpenter said.
The combined effort permitted the Illinois Soldiers to pitch in elsewhere along the route, digging out vehicles from the side of the road and clearing areas for local shopkeepers to return to their businesses.
“It made me feel good knowing that we are doing something good for locals and rewarding to hear some of them say that they were happy to see us there,” said Carpenter.
“If they need our help again, we would be more than happy to assist them,” Emerson said.
(c) CJTF-1