Soon to deploy leaders glimpse preview of Future

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Incoming leaders got a preview of their upcoming deployment during a pre-deployment site survey of the Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya mission, Paktya Province, Afghanistan, Oct. 17- 24.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Morse, inbound PRT Paktya commander from Tucson, Ariz., and U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Raul Torres, PRT inbound sergeant major from Caguas, Puerto Rico, partnered with the current PRT leadership to learn the  daily operations and routine that will lay the initial path for the new team.

“We came here to learn about the organization’s construct, mission and overall campaign plan,” Morse said. “The sergeant major and I want to create a baton hand-off to pick up the mission and carry it forward during our deployment.”

Morse and Torres attended shuras, or meetings, visited districts in Paktya Province and conducted key leader engagements during their week-long visit to Forward Operating Base Gardez.

During their first day in the province, incoming and current leadership witnessed history in the making as a new district sub governor in Paktya Province was announced. Later in the week the team attended a sports inauguration ceremony, witnessed security plans and held candid discussions with PRT staff members.

Morse and Torres said they plan to incorporate their experiences into a frame of reference for their team.

“The current team is one of the best I’ve seen,” Torres, said. “The security forces are spot-on, and I intend to use their tactics during training.”

Morse and Torres will return to Camp Atterbury, Ind., for three months of pre-deployment training where their team will conduct simulated missions, patrols and weapons familiarization.