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Joint team meets with local leaders, distributes food

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman J.G. Buzanowski
  • Combined Joint Task Force-76 Public Affairs
PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan --   A joint team of Airmen and Soldiers from the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team met with several elected leaders for the first time Oct. 18 to cement their working relationship.

In addition, the team handed out more than 5,000 pounds of rice, beans and other foods, along with 300 prayer mats, as part of the "Meals for Mullahs" program in preparation for the end of the Ramazan Muslim holy season.

"Meeting with the provincial leaders was a step in the right direction," said Army Maj. Don Johnson, the PRT leader for Parwan. "One of our missions is to promote good governance in the region and this is true democracy in action, so we definitely want to support that."

Johnson and several members of his staff discussed with the provincial leaders, or shura, what issues they're facing and how the PRT can help them. The shura were eager to open up communication channels with the team and discussed things like transportation, security and economics.

"We want to make sure we're working with the people to have a mutually beneficial relationship," Johnson explained. "The shura describe themselves as the bridge between the people and the government, the people and the Coalition. Helping the people promotes security in the area, so it makes sense to do anything we can to work hand in hand with their leaders."

One of the biggest successes was setting up future regular meetings between the shura and the PRT, enabling both parties to better direct rebuilding efforts and keep potential conflicts to a minimum, Johnson said of the landmark gathering.

After speaking with the shura, Johnson and his team headed to meet with a local mullah, a Muslim religious leader. While there, they distributed food and ingredients for the traditional holiday meal for the end of Ramazan.

"One of the five pillars of Islam is charity and with this food, the mullah will be able to make sure needy families will be able to celebrate," Johnson said.

Helping to unload the truck of two-and-a-half tons of food was Air Force Senior Airman Melanie Weaver, a medic with the PRT deployed from Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

"Giving the people food to help celebrate one of their holidays is a small way we can show them that we're here to help and support them," she said. "We want to work with them and help them rebuild their country."