Army Female Soldiers Trying to Help Afghan Women

[lvcabbie]

Staff Sgt. Steven Stogner, tactical platoon sergeant, 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, explains how to inspect body armor and equipment needed for air insertion missions to Female Engagement Team soldiers from the 504th BfSB, Aug. 13, at Forward Operating Base Spin Boldak, Afghanistan. The new FET will embed with squadron operations to help connect Afghan women in the area with their government. Stogner is a Heneryetta, Okla., native deployed from Fort Hood, Texas. Photo by Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski



FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan — Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, recently created the first-ever Female Engagement Team in Combined Task Force Viper’s area of operations in rural, southern Afghanistan.
“The role of our FET is to connect the government and its women together and better their treatment and opportunities, such as healthcare, education and employment,” said 1st Lt. Sarah Casper, FET team leader and information operations officer, 2-38 Cav.
FETs, comprised of military women, are aimed at assessing the needs of Afghan women. They partner with Government Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials to improve the women’s quality of life, treatment and influence among the population.
Casper, two female Afghan interpreters and three female soldiers from the 504th BfSB are identified as FET members. They hope to increase the two-way communication in the Spin Boldak and Weesh areas so they can initially begin to facilitate basic needs.
Many women in these regions have little or no interaction with female soldiers. However, Casper, a Florence, S.C., native deployed from Fort Hood, Texas, explained by listening to them and sharing simple gestures, such as smiling and comparing roles of household responsibilities and motherhood, the engagement will go a long way in building trust and self confidence.
Viper’s FET will also play a duel part by gathering atmospheric knowledge, which can give the squadron a larger picture of situational awareness in surrounding village communities.
“We also will play a role in tactical operations,” she added. “A lot of commanders use FETs during kinetic operations where female soldiers conduct physical searches of women or gather pertinent information from them.”
For example, due to cultural sensitivities, a male soldier should not approach or speak with an Afghan woman. Any interaction with a woman may put her life in jeopardy or scrutiny from members of her village.
Read more @ http://militarygear.com/asp/2011/08...dier's+Perspective)&utm_content=Google+Reader



:salute:

 

[MikeP]

Friend of mine's daughter has completed an extensive language program and expects to be doing something like this soon.
What an adventure-wish I was young enough to do that stuff again!.

 

[Koponkof]

WHAT A WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS!!!!!!!

 

[42RM]

Yes, we should kill them all instead ... :sarc:
You are a waste of taxpayers' money.

 

[mmarsh]

WHAT A WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS!!!!!!!

You know trying to build peace bridges is far less expensive that killing everyone we find, it also makes it less likely they will want to kill us.

 

[Koponkof]

we shouldn't be there anymore ANYWAY. besides, what sense does it make to give them more useless **** we can't afford to a bunch of people who have no control or power in that society? it's like complaining to the janitor about the structural intregrity of the world trade center.

once again leave it to the politicians to pursue moronic missions in areas that know we will abandon them. before we take care of a bunch of slack jawed yokels we're just gonna abandon anyway, maybe we should try taking care of our own. i know a few soldiers who could use that money for a legal defense right now in their divorce but no JAG or AER office is willing to help them out. no, let's give a bunch haji women gestures, smiles, blankets and aid they aren't grateful for anyway. they will probably use it to make some taliban a hot meal once those ho's go back to the FOB(LOL).

wanna know why we won't win? Because they live there, it's their home. it's not our home and have to leave eventually. you know it boils my blood. especially when panetta said on the TV, "we have them on the run" You are a F-ing moron to believe that. I heard that same line in 2002 when i was still in High School. Bin Laden dead, time to pull out. After all, it's gotta end eventually. I'm sick of wasting another year of my life for some haji dirtbags who don't give a damn about us. look at what we've become. leave our southern borders to the control of murderous drug cartels, while we pass out bullsh-t items to a bunch of women who squirm in the corner of a room when their husbands come home. Keep thinking it's worth it guys.....