SD Soldiers Report On Us Military Efforts In Afghanistan
(April 2, 2011) |
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| CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan (March 29, 2011) – Winning the
hearts and minds of the Afghan people has become a critical
component of the U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan, and
perhaps equally important is winning the hearts and minds of
the American people. |
Military journalist
Sgt. Rebecca Linder, of the 196th Maneuver
Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota Army National
Guard, takes photographs of Afghan children
during a humanitarian mission Sept. 29, 2010, in
Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo by Army Sgt. Matthew Nedved |
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In a war where the public can access news and
information on demand through the media, three
members of the 196th Maneuver Enhancement
Brigade's public affairs team have been
executing this strategy by telling the story of
their South Dakota Army National Guard unit, as
well as other U.S. forces serving here.
“Communicating the mission of U.S. forces in
Afghanistan is imperative in helping the
American public, as well as the international
community, to understand the challenges,
successes and sacrifices our men and women make
in helping the Afghan government to establish a
secure and sustainable peace for their country,”
said Capt. Anthony Deiss, 196th public affairs
officer. “It's our job to tell that story.”
Armed with pens, photo and video camera |
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equipment, the 196th public affairs team has
told more than 100 stories during the course of
their year-long deployment, and have helped to
facilitate the reporting of the U.S. military
through civilian news media. |
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“Establishing relationships with the civilian media and
helping them to report the U.S. efforts here – positive,
negative or indifferent – is essential in ensuring public
trust and confidence in our military,” said Deiss, of Rapid
City, S.D. “We have a responsibility to the American people
to provide timely and accurate information that communicates
how the war effort is progressing.”
As the Sioux
Falls, S.D.-based 196th finishes up their tour in the coming
month, the public affairs team has reported on nearly every
aspect of the unit's mission as the installation management
command for the Kabul Base Cluster in the nation's capital
of Kabul.
From base security and force protection
upgrades to new building construction and improvements, the
public affairs team has reported on the significant progress
the 196th has made to the 11 military bases of the KBC;
helping to set the conditions for success for follow-on U.S.
forces, and eventually the Afghan National Security Forces.
“We have a responsibility to our soldiers – to let the
public know what they did here and the contributions they
made to the Afghan people,” said Sgt. Rebecca Linder, 196th
journalist, of Sioux Falls, S.D. “Emergency services,
communications and logistical support, billeting and
infrastructure upgrades – the list goes on – eventually the
ANSF will take over these bases and have a secure and solid
infrastructure from which to conduct their own operations.”
Through print and broadcast journalism, the public
affairs team has captured the story of not only the 196th,
but also National Guard units from other states, U.S.
active-duty Army and Air Force units, and a number of
coalition forces.
“Many units do not have internal
public affairs support and are performing important missions
such as humanitarian missions and training of the ANSF,”
said Sfc. Joe Hulscher, broadcast journalist, of Colton,
S.D. “When we are able, we try to support them and share
their story with audiences around the world.”
“Sgt.
Linder and Sgt. 1st Class Hulscher are in a low-density,
high-demand field in the military,” added Deiss. “They
completed the tough Defense Information School a month
before we deployed as a unit, and provide a unique
capability to our mission here. As first-year journalists,
they have performed admirably.”
While the South
Dakota media has been the biggest supporter of publishing
the unit's stories, the public affairs team has also reached
a larger audience by distributing their products to national
media outlets.
“Many of our products have been
published by the Associated Press, USA Today, Stars and
Stripes, and, of course, a number of our daily and weekly
newspapers back in South Dakota,” said Deiss. “We also had
the opportunity to help facilitate major television media
such as NBC and CNN, and even a few Afghan media. It all
goes back to relationships and getting the media the story.”
While public opinion on the war will always be formed
through multiple variables, keeping Americans informed on
the efforts of U.S. forces in Afghanistan – and helping to
win their support of the military – is a mission of
importance and relevance to these public affairs soldiers.
“Public support for the military is vital to ensuring
U.S. forces have the equipment, resources and time they need
to complete their mission here,” said Deiss. “It's our
responsibility to ensure the service and sacrifices of our
military members are communicated to the American people so
they get the support they deserve.” |
By Army Sgt. Rebecca Linder
1st Field Artillery
Copyright 2011 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
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