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Bagram PRT gives torched school second chance

by Army Spc. Josh LeCappelain

Soldiers and Airmen from the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team traveled to Nyazi Geranshakh in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan on July 19 to replace eight tents at its local school that were burned down earlier this week by arsonists.

Team members were equipped with replacement tents as well as backpacks and other supplies to better the lives of the people of Afghanistan.

"This is a really great mission," said 1st Lt. William Warner, the security forces detachment commander and a native of Glastonberry, Conn.

Warner was one of many servicemembers who passed out supplies donated by U.S. citizens through the organization People-to-People, associated with actor Gary Sinise and author Laura Hillenbrand.

Mr. Sinise and Ms. Hillenbrand founded the organization Operation Iraqi Children to provide much needed supplies to the youth affected by the harsh realities of war. Operation Iraqi Children mailed a trial shipment of supplies to Afghanistan on June 30. The items passed out by team members this week were part of that shipment.

Maj. Donald Johnson, director of civil military operations, is "very honored" to see a step toward the dream of a better tomorrow for the children of Afghanistan.

"Education is the foundation of what we do here," said Major Johnson, a Williamsburg, Va., native. "If we can get children to understand the importance of education, it will greatly improve their situation."

Accompanying the PRT on this mission was the director of education for Parwan and the Charikar District representative to congress. The director spoke passionately to the adults who had brought their children to the site, erasing doubts and expressing the Afghanistan government and coalition's commitment toward a better tomorrow.

"It's promising to see the cooperation between the government and the coalition," said Master Sgt. Warren Beard, team leader of the Kapisa team.

Source: U.S. Air Force