Stress Shoot

On 20 July 2011, TX ADT-5 conducted a stress shoot.  This is where the Soldiers are broken down into 4-5 man teams and complete a series of tasks along a ruck march route. The tasks along our particular route were graded on a points system and included a COMMO evaluation, evaluate and treat a casualty, firing both individual and crew-served weapons, and pushing a disabled vehicle.  The route covered six miles, with the Soldiers wearing approximately 70 pounds of gear.

The stress shoot was an awesome team building event, ending in an award ceremony for the top three teams in time and points as well as awarding an MVP.  Congratulations to all our finishers!


SGT Greene, CPL Conwill, and SGT Healy evaluate a casualty.

 

LTC Gaudsmith observes as SFC Adkins evaluates a team on their performance.

SSG Rosario, SPC Elkins, and SFC Logan marching from one station to another.

SPC Johns after completing the course.

All the participants lined up by team at the awards ceremony.

Our first place team receiving their award.

Our winning teams and MVP, 2LT Cline.

Mortar Practice

Within our TX ADT-5 team there are many Soldiers with specialized skills.  On 19 July 2011, some of our Soldiers were able to show off their skills at the mortar range.  They fired both in conventional mode with a bipod and in hand-fire mode, where they just looked at a level and aimed without a sight.  We have to brag on our guys: even the First Army trainers were impressed!

Check out some of the pictures below to see how they did!

SSG Verdine was the NCOIC for the training.

SPC Sumners and SPC Rowland acquire the target.

SPC Sumners adjusts the aim while SPC Rowland awaits the order to fire.

SPC Rowland and SPC Sumners fire in conventional mode.

CSM Dula observes training.

SGT Greene and SPC Donnelly aiming.

SPC Rowland firing in hand fire mode while SPC Sumners looks on.

SGT Greene instructing SPC Donnelly in setting up for conventional fire.

SPC Donnelly acquiring the target.

The target after they're done firing.

Commanders Meet Before Deployment

The Commanding Officers of TX ADT-5, LTC Gaudsmith, and the Bilateral Embedded Support Team (BEST), COL Purple, met with their staff to forge a relationship that will go forward with us into Ghazni.  COL Purple and his team will be integrated with the Polish forces in charge of FOB Ghazni to ensure seamless operations between the international forces.  The meeting was both an informative meeting, with both teams sharing their missions for deployment and future plans, and an exchange of ideas on daily life on the FOB.

The meeting ended with both teams getting to know each other better and exchanging contact information to ensure a support network while deployed.  It was a successful endeavor all around; thanks to COL Purple and his team for coming to visit!

LTC Gaudsmith introducing the TX ADT-5 team.

LTC Gaudsmith briefing the TX ADT mission.

TX ADT-5 and BEST pose for a group photo.

SECFOR IN THE HOUSE!

I'm sure you are all wondering: Do we only care about the Agriculture Team?  The answer: NO!  It's just hard to nail down our Security Force guys (and girl!) since they're training so hard.  So far, they've completed basic and advanced carbine courses, advanced field trauma care, crew-served weapons qualification, and multiple scenarios of convoy operations.  The result is a group of highly motivated Soldiers that can hit targets at hundreds of yards easily, react to any scenario the enemy can throw at us, and make sure you stay alive just in case the worst case scenario comes to pass.  They make up the first group mobilizing that has completed all of their driver's training requirements pre-mobilization Army-wide.  To make a long story short, they're some of the best.

Check out some of the pictures below!



SPC Helstad, SGT Carroll, SSG Rosario, and SGT Fernandez striking a quick pose for their families before heading back out again.



SFC Logan is all business with SGT Ortiz, SPC Helstad, and SPC Carrejo.

Rollin' out!

In convoy.

SPC Carrejo communicating with the truck behind him.

SGT Hill and SPC Todd show some brotherly love.

  

SPC Todd, SGT Hill, and SPC McCall taking a picture for the family.



Old Fashioned Farming

As a part of training for mobilization to Afghanistan, TX ADT 5's Agriculture Team spent three days at the Historic Prophetstown farmstead.  While there, they learned from the staff how to combine modern farming knowledge with old fashioned farming techniques.  The Agriculture Team worked on the farmstead as extra hands and participated in milking cows, harnessing and driving their award-winning Belgian mares in the fields, blacksmithing, and harvesting hay and oats to name just a few tasks. 

We had the benefit of working with Dris Abraham (Farm Director), Melissa Brown (Manager), Lauren and Skylar.  The team at Historic Prophetstown showed incredible hospitality and went the extra mile in scheduling additional subject matter experts to come and speak to us.  These included John, who taught us how to create a forge and basic blacksmithing skills, and organic farmers, the Moores.

Their knowledge of what really makes a small farm self-sustaining and profitable will be truely invaluable to the Agriculture Team while in Afghanistan.

Agriculture Team members bale and stack hay they had raked earlier.

SSG Zengerle driving a hay rake.

Vineyard Operations

It is probably a little-known fact that the Director of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (DAIL) of Ghazni Province is working with the USDA and USAID in expanding grape production in the province.  These grapes are dried after ripening to make extremely sweet and high-quality raisins. 

In order to support this joint effort, the Agriculture team of TX ADT 5 visited Madison Vineyard in Madison, Illinois to learn about commercial grape production.  Steve Palmer, the owner of Madison Vineyard, gave a personal tour and taught the Agriculture team as much as he could in just a few hours.  He covered topics such as: species of grapes that grow in different pH soils, temperature and moisture requirements, how to prune throughout the season as well as during the winter, the lifecycle and production expectations of a grape vine, pests, diseases and seasonal labor requirements.

The Agriculture team learned an incredible amount from Steve and is better prepared to deploy to Afghanistan due to his time with us.  We thank him for the time he took out of his busy schedule to help TX ADT 5 and the people of Afghanistan.

Ag Team learns about starting a new stand of grapes.

CPT Grubb and SGM Muckleroy study a mature stand

Unripe white grapes

Check it out!

Take a look at what our predecessors, TX ADT 4, have done!

Welcome!

This blog will be utilized to communicate with the general public and our loved ones the progress and success achieved in our mission.  We are excited about what we will be doing in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan to empower the Afghan government and people in their Agribusiness endeavors.  Currently, 78.6% of the Afghan labor force work in the field of agriculture.  (CIA - The World Factbook)  Expertise on the agriculture team includes: geology and hydrology, horticulture, large and small ruminate specialists, aquaculture, apiary management, agricultural extension services and economic specialists. 

Within the ADT 5 team there is also a Female Engagement Team (FET) that will be working with the women and women's groups of Ghazni Province to help identify and find ways to empower the government to fill the needs of their women.

 We look forward to the upcoming year and sharing our progress with you!