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NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (June 2, 2008) - Coalition
engineer and cavalry soldiers worked together in April and june to
build living quarters and a security checkpoint for Afghan border
police at the Gowardesh Bridge during Operation Mountain Highway II
in the eastern portion of Afghanistan's Nuristan province.
Army Spc. Jason Marlowe, a Wisconsin native, and Army Spc. Ben
Kavanagh, from Iowa, built the living quarters, bunkers and
fighting positions next to the Gowardesh Bridge and Landay
River.
"We're building bunkers and their home so they can stay here to
protect the bridge and the immediate area," explained Kavanagh, who
said their previous living quarters were destroyed by insurgents
late last summer.
Afghan National Army soldiers provided overwatch security for
two weeks while the engineers worked around the clock to complete
the checkpoint and living quarters.
"Were trying to get this built as soon as possible so the ABP
can move in here," explained Marlowe. "Right now, everyone is
sleeping outside on the ground."
The Afghan border police checkpoint and living quarters were the
main efforts of Operation Mountain Highway II. While Marlowe and
Kavanagh built the border police station, hundreds of soldiers
provided overwatch security in seven observation posts around the
valley.
"It takes an enormous amount of overwatch to safely come up
here, due to the terrain," explained Capt. John Williams,
Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment
commander.
Construction on the checkpoint and living quarters was completed
in mid-june. The new checkpoint will improve security and open up
the way for government- and development-related projects in the
region.
"Now that we have security in this area, we can restart
construction on the road," Williams said.
A $40 million road project was halted in the fall when
insurgents killed four workers.
"Two of the observation posts [allow sight for] miles down the
road," Williams said. "Once the road is built, it will open up the
area to new projects, which weren't feasible before."
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