Friday, February 5, 2010

B*N*S*N4

Georgia Guardsmen set up radio stations for Afghan villagers

by Sgt. Tracy J. Smith
CJTF-82 PAO


Click photo for screen-resolution image
A young Afghan man and a border police officer search for the new Shinwar district radio station on a radio distributed by Afghan and coalition forces. (Courtesy photo)

SHINWAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (2/3/10) -- In a perfect world, accurate information would be as close as a radio. For a country at war, accurate information is invaluable.

Georgia Army National Guardsmen of 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment are giving the Shinwari and Muhmandari Mountain border villagers of Afghanistan their own voice through the gift of radio.

The two stations, located in the Shinwar and Muhmand Dara provinces, will give outlying villages communication security and while countering Taliban propaganda.

Popularly known as the Radio in a Box, the new media program is one of the initiatives of the International Security Assistance Force counterinsurgency process, and will belong entirely to the Afghan people.

"It will not be a facilitator of military or security mandates," Afghan Border Police, 6th Kandak commander, Col. Niazy said. He punctuated the importance of the mission by stressing how the station's messaging will embrace the needs of the community. "It will be a powerful tool to give our people a voice – a resource. Our mullahs, district government leaders, or our local shop keepers and villagers will have full access and know that they can come to us in a crisis for honest information."...


And there is more here.

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