Wolfhounds Patrol Afghan Village
By Staff Sgt. Bradley Rhen, CTF Thunder

US Army Photo

SEHLA, Afghanistan – Four months ago, someone fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the voter registration center in this remote village in an attempt to intimidate residents from voting in the Oct. 9 presidential election.

While the scars are still visible on the building, the attack did not deter the voters from coming out and making the election a truly historic event. In fact, Paktika Province had one of the highest voter turnouts in the country.

Part of the reason the election was successful in this province on the Pakistan border is because of the presence of Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, who frequently patrol villages throughout the province.

Before the Wolfhounds arrived in March, there were doubts as to whether the security situation in the province would even allow elections to take place. These days, the situation has improved to the point where villagers come out of their home to greet the Americans whenever they are in town.

That was the case Nov. 5 when Soldiers from Company B, 2nd Bn., 27th Inf. Rgt. Patrolled this village a few kilometers northwest of the provincial capital Sharan.

After arriving in a convoy of HMMWVs, the Soldiers dismounted and conducted a foot patrol to the edge of the village. Along the way, they passed the voter registration building that still bears the impact of the RPGs that were fired at it months ago.

1st Lt. Clint Dodson, a platoon leader in Co. B, 2nd Bn., 27th Inf. Rgt., said the village is near the home of a man who was opposed to the elections.

“He didn’t want elections to go through, so he shot two RPGs into this building right here,” Dodson said, pointing to a hole just above a window and a shattered ceiling beam inside.

The RPG attack was this man’s way of coming in and warning people not to register or they will be subjected to attacks, said Capt. John Sego, commander of Co. B, 2nd Bn., 27th Inf. Rgt. However, he said his and other units came in and maintained security in the village after the attack.

“The registrations were completed without further incidents, and the elections went without any incidents whatsoever, so it was very successful,” Sego said

After walking to the end of town, the patrol turned around and returned to the HMMWVs, where a crowd had gathered.

While patrols like this one let the man know the Wolfhounds are in town, thereby building security within the village, the Soldiers also hand out things like candy, soccer balls and blankets to help build the relationship with the residents.

“Whether we’re going out to get a recon of a compound, whether we’re going through just to maintain a local patrol for the security of the village, we always try to implement humanitarian assistance projects, but it’s all done for a tactical purpose,” Sego said.

So while villagers have the perception that the Soldiers are there handing out blankets, soccer balls and other goodies, the unit can conduct recons without tipping their hand to any enemy, Sego added.

Whether it’s conducting combat patrols or handing out humanitarian assistance, Spc. Eric Edwards, an M240B gunner with Co. B, said he thinks his unit has made a big difference since arriving in Paktika Province on March 23.

However, the 19-year-old Jemison, Ala., native said he feels the threat of danger every time he goes on a patrol. The first thing on his mind, he said, is making sure his fellow Soldiers make it home safe.

Edwards said he doesn’t have a problem transitioning from a combat patrol to handing out candy and blankets to villagers. Often, he said, they can judge by the mission whether they will have the chance to hand things out and they can prepare themselves.

“When we go to the mountains, we know that’s the time we’re looking for the Taliban and not coming down into the towns where there are a lot of kids around,” he said. “You won’t expect someone to start shooting at their own people when they’re all around us.”