March Public Affairs reservist gets a firsthand look at operations in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. David Flaherty
  • 452 AMW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  The Qalat prison in southern Afghanistan is home to Zabul Province's most dangerous criminals. Its confined cells are filled with thieves, murderers, child molesters and known Taliban fighters. 

With no real infrastructure, the run-down lockup looks more like a dungeon than a penitentiary. The building lacks even the most basic means of defense. The entire security staff possesses only a few working guns and the lack of prison walls, guard towers and electricity has made the compound an easy target for insurgents. 

To help fortify the jail and bring security to the local Afghans, Security Force members of Romanian Battle Group Provincial Reconstruction Team, who are a part of the Task Force in Zabul, are safeguarding the lockup by erecting prison walls and building guard towers, as well as providing nighttime security. 

"When we first got here, these guys only had four or five working weapons, no hand cuffs and there was really no discipline at all," said Army 1st Lt. Anthony Chesini, the Security Forces Platoon Leader with the PRT. "Right now we're taking strides to address their weapons systems and we're also building up their defenses. We want to make them self-sufficient so they can do this all on their own." 

Because of the lockup's weak infrastructure and poor management, the Qalat Prison has become vulnerable to recent attacks. In the last month alone, three separate attempted jail breaks have occurred -- the most recent nearly successful. Insurgents on an elevated position pinned down military members on their nearby compound with suppressive fire, while a larger force stormed the prison. Just as the insurgents were about to enter the compound, military members from the PRT were able to push back the attackers by returning fire from their compound's guard towers, said Lt. Chesini. 

"In a sense, it was like a classic, old-west style jail break", said Army Lt. Col. Andy Veres, the commander of the PRT. "Some people rode into town and shot the place up to create a diversionary attack so the prisoners inside the jail could escape. That happened on multiple occasions simply because the defensive structures and security were not of the caliber to resist even the smallest of attacks. 

The PRT's Security Force members are now conducting routine, nighttime missions at the prison in an attempt to detour future attacks. Working hand in hand with the Afghan guards, service members come equipped with night vision goggles and thermal infra red sights to better scan the prison's perimeter for potential threats. 

While the PRT's main role isn't the detention of Afghan prisoners, their mission of government reconstruction and development also extends into the realm of the rule of law, something that has challenged the local community. 

"The prison has become kind of a government symbol, and the Taliban know this," said Lt. Chesini. "As long as it stays open, it shows that the government is here to stay, willing to withstand the Taliban, and able to provide security for all the Afghan citizens." 

Editor's note: Staff Sgt. Flaherty is a reservist with the 452nd Air Mobility Wing, who is currently deployed to Afghanistan. He is assigned to the 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, an Army unit from Fort Bragg and works out of the Media Operations Center at Kandahar Airfield. The Soldiers and Airmen in his unit frequently embed with other units.