Memorial Day: Remembrance and Celebration by America's Volunteers in Afghanistan

By J.D. HardestyMay 28, 2012

Corps of Engineers' Afghanistan Engineer District North celebrates Memorial Day
1 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From (l to r) Eunice Force, Jack Rintoul, Gloristine Price and a U.S. Soldier visiting from a nearby NATO base enjoy the Afghanistan Engineer District-North's Memorial Day Remembrance and Celebration Sunday in Kabul, Afghanistan. As the sign attests... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
DJ for a Day
2 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Disc Jockey for the day, Al Skinner plays tunes for the Afghanistan Engineer District-North Memorial Day Remembrance and Celebration Sunday in Kabul Afghanistan. Deployed Corps of Engineers employees, service members and supporting contractors celeb... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Perfect Pitch
3 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Vince Kirtley, a Corps of Engineers employee voluntarily deployed to Afghanistan Engineer District-North to support its Operatinos and Maintenance Division, pitches one of his horse shoes during the district's Memorial Day Remembrance and Celebration... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Don't Touch the Net
4 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Afghanistan contractors fielded volleyball teams to join teams from Afghanistan Engineer District-North during the district's Memorial Day Remembrance and Celebration Sunday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Deployed Corps of Engineers employees, service membe... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Afghanistan Engineer District-North Memorial Day 2012
5 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Susan Amato with the district's engineering division, gets an ice cream cone during the Afghanistan Engineer Distric-North's Memorial Day Rembrance and celebration Sunday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Deployed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees, servic... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Afghanistan Engineer District-North Memorial Day 2012
6 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Air Force and Army service members, government civilians and contractors participated in several events during the Afghanistan Engineer District-North's Memorial Day Remembrance and Celebration Sunday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Deployed U.S. Army C... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dinner is Served
7 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The dinner line was stacked up for at least an hour as more than 500 people enjoyed the traditional holiday barbecue during the Afghanistan Engineer District-North's Memorial Day Rembrance and Celebration Sunday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Deployed Corp... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Afghanistan Engineer District-North Memorial Day 2012
8 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Getting in the Memorial Day spirit was easy for somedeployed Corpsof Engineers employees serving Afghanistan Engineer District-North. This "gator" vehicle was turned into a beverage cart as part of the district's Memorial Day Remembrance and Celebra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Corps of Engineers' Afghanistan Engineer District North celebrates Memorial Day
9 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Air Force and Army service members, government civilians and contractors participated in several events during the Afghanistan Engineer District-North's Memorial Day Remembrance and Celebration Sunday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Deployed U.S. Army C... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Workers Lined up to get the Scoop.
10 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – All military service members, civilian employees and contractors from nearby bases joined in Afghanistan Engineer District-North's Memorial Day Rembrance and Celebration Sunday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Deployed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees, ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

"There are few callings more fulfilling than service to our nation in the military," noted Afghanistan Engineer District Commander Col. Christopher W. Martin to all of the volunteers forward deployed and supporting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in northern Afghanistan. "Unfortunately, in war, many troops pay the ultimate sacrifice … let us honor the fallen by remembering those who have served, suffered and given their lives in defense of country."

Deployed Corps of Engineers employees, service members and supporting contractors celebrated much like their families stateside with a day of rest filled with an American barbeque, horse shoes, basketball, volleyball, a tug-o-war, movies and other activities.

Sharing a Memorial Day celebration in a war zone provides a unique meaning to those who serve here.

Martin expressed to the team he leads that, "Every person in the district who so willingly volunteered to support our military by deploying in this time of crisis has much to be proud of. Every day you support our military so they can focus on the fight, and you provide hope for Afghanistan and its people for a brighter tomorrow."

The Corps of Engineers is the primary organization building military bases, police stations, roads, air strips and other infrastructure projects in Afghanistan to increase the country's stability, security and economy.

The Afghanistan Engineer District-North and its five area offices manage more than $10 billion in construction projects spread across the districts 21-provincial operating footprint in northern Afghanistan in the past three years.

In addition to providing ANSF training facilities, border stations, barracks, dining facilities and other quality of life infrastructure, the district implemented a capacity development program, which creates business opportunities as evidenced by the Afghan-based construction firms receiving contract awards. The impact directly supports coalition counterinsurgency objectives while simultaneously increasing security and stability across northern Afghanistan.

Beyond construction management, the district also supports Coalition Forces counterinsurgency efforts to 32 Provincial Reconstruction Teams by providing embedded USACE engineers armed with the expertise to support the NATO-led efforts within the northern part of the country -- Regional Command-East, Regional Command-North and Regional Command-Capital.

(30)