A sniper with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, observes and reports suspicious activity. Snipers have been criti-cal to the Task Force Talon partnered patrols as they are able to identify suspicious activity and report it to the unit on the ground.

threats from a great distance and a well concealed position, said Capt. Daniel Bustamante, human resources officer for 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg.

Not only have the snipers been a great asset on patrols, but they are a force pro-tection measure for Soldiers working and resting on Afghan National Civil Order Police Headquarters.

When intelligence is received that suggests a possible attack, the snipers are always ready to scan potential enemy attack positions for threats, said Staff Sgt. Shawn Young, sniper section leader for 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg.

“The sniper team has been a true combat multiplier that helps ensure patrols are always able to take the fight to the enemy, secure the population and move forward,” said Alvarado.

Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Task Force Talon snipers a valuable assetStory by Capt. Jonathan Holm2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, have been conducting extensive partnered security operations with Afghan National Security Forces in western Kandahar City over the past month to disrupt and destroy Taliban networks and secure the population.

These operations have included everything from human terrain mapping to large-scale clearance operations. A vital enabler to these

missions has been Headquarters and Headquarters Com-pany’s sniper team.

“The snipers who are uniquely equipped and expertly trained, have been pushed out several times to support these missions and have provided a reassur-ingly watchful eye over the Soldiers and ANSF partners, not to men-tion the unsuspecting enemy,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Alva-rado, command sergeant major for 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg.

The snipers have been critical to the Task Force Talon partnered patrols as they are able to identify suspicious activity and report it to the unit on the ground.

They are armed to engage and destroy any enemy targets once they have positive iden-tification and the snipers can engage these

Look, up in the air! It’s a bird; it’s a plane, no it’s a big-white blimp looking thing! Though it doesn’t have a menacing look to it, the Persistence Threat Detection System is very dangerous to the enemy. It’s an obvious reminder that the Soldiers in Kandahar City are being watched over. “It’s an eye in the sky for our Soldiers here to keep them safe,” said Joseph Heckler, the site manager for Camp Nathan Smith’s PTDS, a civilian contractor with Lockheed Martin. “Our site is unique because we are sitting in the center of the city so we see a lot of high value targets,” said Christopher

Lynch, a field engineer with Lockheed Martin. PTDS has a variety of things it can be used

for. The PTDS can see if people are planting Improvised Explosive Devices, it helps us gather information on patterns of life in the city and if a firefight does break out it can help us track down the bad guys, said Lt. Caitlyn Gallagher, brigade collections manager with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Military and civilian contractors work hand-in-hand to keep information flowing. The PTDS system is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by my crew, said Heckler. “The PTDS guys are extremely on the ball with reporting everything they see, and giving us analysis on what they are

Issue 64 July 29, 2011

Eye in the sky helps keep Soldiers safe

Sgt. Joshua Jones, a sniper with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, scans his sector for possible threats.

Story and photos by Sgt. Ruth Pagan2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO

The Persistence Threat Detection System is docked for general maintenance, June 15. The maintenance is var-ied based on operations. The PTDS is a valuable system that provides force protection, counter improvised explosive device detection and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Photos by Capt. Daniel Bustamante

Continued on page 2

Warhorse PridePage 2 Issue 64 July 29, 2011

The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Warhorse Pide is an Army-funded news-letter authorized under provision of AR 360-1. Contents of the Warhorse Pride are not necessarily the view of, nor endorsed by the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry Division. All editorial content of The Warhorse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public

Affairs Office. The Warhorse Pride welcomes articles, commentary and photos from readers. The Warhorse Pride reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the publication. All issues of The Warhorse Pride can be viewed online from your home computer at www.facebook.com/2bct4id Submissions should be e-mailed to the editor:seth.barham@afghan.swa.army.mil

Col. John S. Kolasheski...................2nd BCT CommanderCommand Sgt. Maj. Ralph Delosa..............2nd BCT CSMMaj. Kevin Toner................................................2nd BCT PAOSgt. Seth Barham..................................................PAO NCOICSgt. Ruth Pagan......................................Layout and DesignSpc. April York.........................................Layout and Design

Warhorse Pride

Water management team makes waves in Arghandab

Eye in the sky

Story by Sgt. Benjamin ShuttSecurity Force Assistance Team 4

Navy Commander Kurt Birkhahn, the regional command representative for water infrastructure development, visited the Arghandab District Center in an effort to help increase and execute sustainable government led water management projects throughout Regional Command South, July 20.

Birkhahn and his team of associates provided the District Development Assembly with information on water infrastructure and promoted increased partnership with the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land. Birkhahn also met with DAIL and with members of Combined Task Force Dealers, Security Force Assistance Team 4, and United States Agency for International Development, who was represented by Brian Shea.

In a meeting between Birkhahn, DAIL members and Shea they discussed how to find underground water sources, the different methods of irrigation, the types of water that are beneficial to plants versus humans, and how to construct pools or reservoirs for irrigation. Emphasis was placed on finding deep ground water sources, or aquifers.

Birkhahn’s help was greatly appreciated and DIAL members concluded that the best way to find ground water was to compile an underground map based on information gathered from drilling wells and taking core samples in nearby areas.

Birkhahn then met with members of the

DDA, who are local village Maliks and elders who gather weekly to discuss development issues, and they discussed water management.

The elders were asked to return to their villages and share what they had learned with farmers and to inform villagers to bring all water related issues to DAIL at the District

Navy Commander Kurt Birkhahn, Regional Command South representative for water infrastructure devel-opment, presents water management information to the Arghrandab District’s Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land, July 20.

The Persistence Threat Detection System hovers over Camp Nathan Smith and is a visual re-minder that someone is watching, June 16. This particular sys-tem is one of the first ones in Afghanistan and has been at CNS since July 2009.

The PTDS is a valuable system that provides force protection, counter improvised explosive device detection and intelligence surveil-lance and reconnais-sance capabilities. It can be seen from many miles away.

Center. DIAL members inquired about

refurbishing the dam located in Dahla and Birkhahn informed the elders that funds had been approved for this project and construction should begin sometime next year.

“This is a great thing, because the silt has built up the reservoir and Dahla doesn’t hold as much water as it used to; this new project will provide water to people who

Photo by Pfc. Mark Winter

have none,” said Noor Mohammed Shah, an elder from Khwaja Mulk and a shura leader. “This training we were given today was very helpful.”

Birkhahn addressed members of CTF Dealers, SFAT 4, and USAID on the need to assist the leadership in the Arghandab to identify the best water management practices and those practices to avoid including problems surrounding haphazard welling.

A common practice in the villages of the district is to drill shallow water wells, sometimes only 25 meters deep.

“This causes problems because the water from the wells is surface water, not ground water and much of the surface water is contaminated with various bacteria and may be harmful to people if consumed,” said Capt. Ryan Todd, a member of SFAT 5 who accompanied Birkhahn. “This shallow drilling does not provide sustainable sources of water.”

Birkhahn’s team determined that a few deep wells that were properly managed were far better than many shallow ones that would quickly run dry. The team determined that they will continue to work in partnership with DAIL to get this important message out to the people of the Arghandab.

“This presentation is like a keepsake that the people of Arghandab can learn from for years to come,” said Shah.

getting through the feed,” Gallagher said. The benefits of having the PTDS are invaluable.

“My biggest reward here was when I stopped a convoy from rolling onto an IED,” said Lynch. “Their 1st Sgt. came and brought me a box of chocolate chip cookies, and then a couple of weeks ago they actually caught the guy who had planted that IED.” Not only are Soldiers lives

Continued from page 2

saved but bad guys are caught, said Heckler. “Everybody’s proud to work with the military, and we feel like we are contributing to the efforts here,” said Lynch.