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Mar 10 FW.Indd Iraqis inspired him to want to do more. “I really enjoyed putting a smile on the faces of the chil- dren,” he said. “It made me homesick for my own family, but in a good way -- reminding me of the important things in life.” Upon his return, he contacted Mary Margaret Halleck, the founder of the Victory Boxes program, and began work- ing closely with her to get more people from the command and the local area involved. “This effort is such a worthwhile thing,” said Gross. “You DOD can’t believe the look on people’s faces when they get some- thing that is going to make their life a little bit better. This is the other side of the battle, winning the hearts and minds America Supports You: of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.” Command makes difference The in-theater volunteers are not all front-line service- members. They’re chaplains, medical personnel, civil affairs and supply folks. People at all levels and in all services are with Victory Boxes getting involved. By Ed White The Victory Boxes program started because Halleck’s Special to American Forces Press Service stepson was deployed to the war zone and, in his communi- cations to her, he described the true poverty he saw. She put WASHINGTON – An Air Force Space Command major and together some care packages for him to distribute and sent two staff sergeants stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, them off. Her stepson came home, but she realized the need Colo., are proving that just three servicemembers can affect was still there, and it inspired her to start Victory Boxes in people halfway around the world. mid-2005. Air Force Maj. Jason Gross and Air Force Staff Sgt’s. Ro- That action inspired others like the Airmen serving in salia and Billie Burgan are making a huge difference in the Colorado who have proven that person-to-person contact lives of Iraqi and Afghan families through the Texas-based counts in the rebuilding efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Victory Boxes project. The program encourages Americans Victory Boxes is a supporter of “America Supports You,” to send care packages to servicemembers in Iraq and Af- a Department of Defense program connecting citizens and ghanistan who have volunteered to distribute the contents companies with servicemembers and their families serving to local citizens. overseas. “Along with setting up displays where people can come (Ed White works at Air Force Space Command - Public Af- and pick up boxes, we also attend group meetings such as fairs.) the newcomer’s group at the Broadmoor Hotel,” said Rosa- lia. “We brief the members about the program and give out boxes. “Local community organizations get involved as well,” she said. “The Pikes Peak Library staff supported the pro- gram. They gathered school supplies, shoes and clothes.” An e-mail from a Soldier, who got his unit involved in the project perhaps provides the best answer as to why these three Airmen got involved in this program. “I explained the program to my Soldiers and they un- derstood, as well as I do, that amidst all this turmoil there are still good, kind people who have not been tarnished by this war,” the Soldier said in his e-mail. “Your ‘e-boxes’ have stretched out far beyond what I think you intended them to. “You’ve shown Soldiers that war is not all about destruc- tion, but also rebuilding,” he added. “Not just about tear- ing down an enemy, but also giving hope to the future gen- erations. Above all, you’ve allowed us to keep our humanity, which is something that is easily lost here.” Maj. Jason Gross (third from left), Air Force Space Com- Gross has seen both sides of this effort. He became a vol- mand, command lead for upgraded early warning, and a unteer while in Iraq, receiving some of the packages and dis- security detail prepare to deliver victory boxes to a local school in Iraq. (Courtesy photo) tributing them to local communities. The reactions of the 2 Freedom Watch Magazine Freedom Watch Staff Commander Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Davis Freedom Watch Superintendent Air Force Master Sgt. Collen McGee Print NCOIC Air Force Staff Sgt. Ian Carrier Mar. 10, 2008 Editor-in-Chief Air Force Staff Sgt. Marc Nickens Staff Writer Senior Airman Stephen Ocenosak From the halls of Montezuma 4 General discusses Marine deployment to Afghanistan Visit the CJTF-82 Web site at www.cjtf82.com Show them the money Freedom Watch is a weekly publication of Ten Eastern Afghanistan provinces awarded $9 million Combined Joint Task Force-82. 5 CJTF-82 Commander Army Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez RC East Public Affairs Offi cer Army Lt. Getting in on the act Col. David A. Accetta Afghan women participate in medical outreach Freedom Watch, a Department of Defense 6 publication, is published each Monday by the American Forces Network – Afghani- stan Print Section, Bldg. 415, Room 205 at Anarchist’s cookbook Bagram Airfi eld, Afghanistan. Printed circu- 8 How to make a bomb lation is 5,000 copies per week. In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4, this DoD newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military Help is on the way overseas. 10 More than 300 Afghans recieve medical, humaintarian aid Contents of the Freedom Watch are not necessarily the offi cial view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government or the Department of Defense. Surprise, surprise Deadline for submissions is noon local 11 Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team provides needed each Friday. All submissions are subject to equipment to medical clinic editing by the AFN-A Print Section. We can be reached at DSN 318-431-3338. And the winner is... 12 Warrior of the Week COVER: Airman 1st Class Ryan Thompson, 455th Expeditionary Main- tenance Squadron, aligns strakes with lugs on a GBU-38 bomb. Thompson’s home unit is the 52nd Equipment Main- tenance Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt Demetrius Lester) BACK COVER: Brig, Gen. Khatool Mohammadzai, Afghan National Army, Dr. Husn Banu Ghazanfar, Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Army Brig. Gen. Rodney Anderson, deputy commanding general Combined Joint Task Force-82 Support, cut the cake at the Internation- al Women’s Day celebration held here March 3. Hundreds came to the festivi- ties and acknowledged women’s con- 5 8 11 tributions to peace and security. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Demetrius Lester) Freedom Watch Magazine 3 General discusses Marine deployment to Afghanistan By John J. Kruzel Kandahar and Zabul. Regional Com- from Iran, the general said, “We’ve American Forces Press Service mand West includes Herat Province, a seen a little bit of that. It’s really been WASHINGTON – Nearly a third of the swath of land along Afghanistan’s bor- militarily insignifi cant, but we’re al- 3,200 Marines scheduled to deploy to der with Iran. ways on the lookout for that.” Afghanistan next month will be sta- Rodriguez, who commands NATO’s The briefi ng provided further clari- tioned in NATO’s Southern and West- Regional Command-East and the U.S. ty on how the additional 3,200 Marines ern Regional Commands to train Af- Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, ac- will be distributed in Afghanistan. The ghan National Security Forces to face knowledged that insurgent activity Department of Defense’s announce- upcoming threats, a top U.S. military tends to increase in spring months as ment of the decision to send the ad- offi cial said. weather in Afghanistan moderates. ditional Marines noted that President The bulk of the 1,000 inbound Ma- The general said, however, that he does Bush approved the deployment as rec- rines will be stationed at Regional not characterize the rise in enemy at- ommended by Defense Secretary Rob- Command-South, part of NATO’s In- tacks as an “offensive.” ert M. Gates. ternational Security Assistance Force, “We’re expecting the same type of “This one-time deployment involves and a “little bit” of the unit will de- things that (insurgents) did last year,” approximately 3,200 personnel and ploy to Regional Command-West, said he said. “They will try to attack the will enable commanders in Afghani- Army Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, Afghan Security Forces and the Af- stan to enhance the training of Afghan commander of Combined Joint Task ghan government leadership by both National Security Forces to build on Force 82, based at Bagram Airfi eld, Af- (improvised explosive devices and car the military successes of 2007, and to ghanistan. bombs), as well as suicide bombers.” expand the gains of the NATO-led In- “That was the commander of ISAF’s Rodriguez noted that such tactics ternational Security Assistance Force request and desire, and I think it was have proven counterproductive in his mission,” the Department of Defense mainly focused on what he thought was area of operations, where civilians announcement stated. the biggest threat this coming spring,” have responded to attacks by turning The roughly 2,200 Marines to aid Rodriguez told reporters during a Pen- against insurgent perpetrators and to- counterinsurgency operations are with tagon news conference. ward the Afghan government. But he 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Regional Command-South, where conceded that military offi cials expect based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The Ma- an additional 2,200 Marines will land such attacks will continue to pose a rine trainers are with 2nd Battalion, next month, assists counterinsurgency threat in Afghanistan. 7th Marine Regiment, based at the Ma- operations and controls task forces in Asked if an infl ux of weapons or rine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, the provinces of Uruzgan, Helmand, support was fl owing into Afghanistan at Twentynine Palms, Calif.
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