The lessons from Iraq are not entirely history, however, as USACE projects there have continued beyond the end of U.S. combat operations in that country.
“I turned about 50 projects, mostly legacy, some FMS, over to the MED,” Christensen said. “Most of those have been finished, including an eight-story communications tower in Baghdad; the national training center; an Economic Support Fund [State Department] project; an 80-bed surgical hospital in Maysan province; a partnership with Iraq on the Fallujah wastewater treatment plant. We are setting up work for future FMS programs, including the F-16 [Fighting Falcon], probably our largest project.
“The biggest challenges in Iraq are getting around the country, which is more curtailed than when I left, but I hope the security situation will open up a bit. We work closely with the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq and have to follow their rules – which restrict a lot of travel on the road. We have invested a lot of time training a local national staff and are reaping the rewards of that, because they can still travel freely and advise us on the status of projects.”
Fighting recent snow and cold weather, the foundation for the future home of the $17 million Afghanistan National Army 1/209th Infantry Kandak facility is taking form. When complete, the facility will include a headquarters building, barracks, a dining facility and storage, vehicle maintenance buildings, a medical clinic, and security and support infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to be completed this fall as USACE continues to focus on mission execution and completion. USACE photo
Now it is Afghanistan’s turn, and both Eyre and Christensen are drawing on their pasts as GRD commanders and responsibilities for USACE efforts in Iraq since 2009.
“July 2013 is a good point to do the first transition, inactivating [AED-N and -S] and relinquishing command to the TAA. And in July 2014, we are looking at inactivating that district, but that will be decided based upon the workload and conditions on the ground as we move into that time frame. Eventually, though, TAA will inactivate and the remaining projects will fall under the MED, which stood up an Afghan area office May 5 [2013], on Bagram Airfield and a special projects office in Kandahar. The MED has nothing in Kabul, but the headquarters for TAA is at Camp Phoenix, on the outskirts of Kabul.”
For the last commanders of AED-N, Col. Alfred A. Pantano Jr., and AED-S, Col. Vincent Quarles, it was an evolution both expected and planned, with pride in hundreds of projects prior to consolidation under TAA and expectations for more of the same to come.
“I am very proud of our district and the overall USACE efforts to provide quality facilities for all Afghans,” Quarles said shortly before the turnover. “When we attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies and turn over facilities, Afghan National Army and Police generals affirm in their speeches that our buildings enable Afghan independence and self-governance. Coming back a few months later to see Afghans operating and maintaining the facilities we construct is doubly rewarding.
“Those totals represent a huge amount of work. Thousands of Americans, Afghans, and people from all over the world have worked on USACE projects in Afghanistan. The facilities, whether large garrison-sized complexes or repaired power lines and switch yards, are a lasting legacy that we can all be proud of.”
At the time of its inactivation, AED-N comprised some 370 civilian, 32 military, and 161 contractor personnel in three area offices and 14 resident offices, with a four-year construction program of about $3.3 billion. AED-S, meanwhile, ended its four-year run with more than 200 projects valued at $2.3 billion completed or handed over to TAA.