A route clearance vehicle with the 591st Engineer Company provides security for earthmoving equipment being used to construct a new Afghan Border Police checkpoint in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 25, 2013. The che...

An Albanian special operations forces soldier provides security as Afghan Border Police break ground on a checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 25, 2013. The checkpoint wa...

Tractors loaded with building materials are parked as their owners meet with Afghan Border Police at a checkpoint in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 25, 2013. The checkpoint was built to block an insurgent infiltrati...

U.S. Soldiers with the Texas National Guard brief their Albanian special operations forces counterparts before conducting a checkpoint assessment near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Apri...

A military working dog accompanies U.S. Soldiers conducting an inspection of an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint was buil...

U.S. and Albanian special operations forces approach an Afghan Border Police checkpoint overlooking a mountain pass near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint was ...

An Albanian special operations soldier surveys the area around an Afghan Border Police checkpoint overlooking a mountain pass near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The check...

An Afghan Border Policeman provides security at a new checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint was built to block an insurgent infiltration route. (U...

An Afghan Border Policeman secures the entrance to a new checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint was built to block an insurgent infiltration route. ...

An Afghan Border Policeman looks on as construction continues at a new checkpoint overlooking a mountain pass near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint was built ...

U.S. Soldiers with the Texas National Guard meet with an Afghan Border Police representative at a checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint was built t...

An Afghan Border Policeman stands watch near the entrance to a new checkpoint overlooking a mountain pass near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint was built to b...

Mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles assigned to the Albanian special operations forces provide security for coalition forces at an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar prov...

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Erik Alderman with the 591st Engineer Company provides security for U.S. Air Force bomb technicians outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar provi...

U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Clark with the 591st Engineer Company looks down the sights of his M203 grenade launcher as he provides security for U.S. Air Force bomb technicians outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border...

A newly established Afghan Border Police checkpoint, built to block an insurgent infiltration route, is located on the high ground of a mountain near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April...

U.S. Army Pfc. Chad A Sauer, with the 591st Engineer Company provides security outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013. The checkpoint wa...

U.S. Soldiers with Security Force Assistance Teams Seven and Nine, Texas Army National Guard, provide security outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, ...

U.S. Soldiers with Security Force Assistance Teams Seven and Nine, Texas Army National Guard, provide security outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, ...

U.S. Soldiers with Security Force Assistance Teams Seven and Nine, Texas Army National Guard provide over watch security for Air Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal personnel outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan bor...

U.S. Soldiers with Security Force Assistance Team Seven, Texas Army National Guard provide over watch security for Air Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal personnel outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spi...

U.S. Soldiers with Security Force Assistance Team Seven, Texas Army National Guard provide over watch security for Air Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal personnel outside an Afghan Border Police checkpoint near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spi...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan - Coalition forces mobilized to assist Afghan Border Police establish a new checkpoint to overlook and control a mountain pass near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border March 25 to April 1 in Spin Boldak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

ABP leaders planned the construction and location of the checkpoint in order to better secure the area and block an insurgent infiltration route and asked International Security Assistance Force leaders for support in clearing the route to the checkpoint and advising on security matters during its construction.

"We are building the checkpoint so we can stop the enemy from coming in," said ABP Col. Malmoud Agha, the 3rd Kandak commander. "It was an easier route for them to come into our area."

"From this new checkpoint you can see the whole area here," said U.S. Army Lt. Col Thomas M. Feltey, the commander of Combined Task Force 2-23 (2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment) who hails from Kearny, N.J. "If anything tries to sneak by, Agha will be able to stop them."

The 3rd Kandak was assisted and mentored by Security Force Assistance Team Seven, comprised of members of the Texas Army National Guard, who worked closely with the ABP to examine the area of operations for potential infiltration routes. Intelligence gathering done by the ABP pinpointed the area of the mountain pass as a weakness in the current checkpoint arrangements.

"[Col. Agha] and I talked and we looked at the alignment of the checkpoints," said U.S. Amy Maj. Ruperto Becerra Jr., the SFAT 7 commander from San Antonio, Texas. "We noticed that between checkpoints in that area there was about [12 miles] of dead space that allowed the enemy freedom of maneuver."

"This is the focal point," said Agha, "where they enter through because we have so much space between checkpoints."

After the location was decided the SFAT worked with Agha and his staff to coordinate logistics and personnel planning.

"My staff worked with Col. Agha and went down the checklist of what was needed to build a new checkpoint," said Becerra. "He was very proactive. He had already lined up contractors to begin the new checkpoint operation."

Agha requested ISAF route clearance support and security of the large slow-moving equipment needed to build the checkpoint, said Becerra.

The 591st Engineer Company (Sappers) from Ft. Campbell, Ky., provided a route clearance platoon that specializes in detecting improvised explosive devises. A U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal team assisted in neutralizing threats on the route to and around the checkpoint and Albanian special operations forces assisted with security.

After the new checkpoint was finished Agha began planning to upgrade the existing checkpoints in the area for better defense in the upcoming fighting season, said Becerra.

The ABP live in the checkpoints and rely on the defenses they provide. The policemen assigned to the new checkpoint immediately began constructing living quarters from the ground using earth and wood. It is a testament to the dedication of the men that hold the line and a clear sign that they do not intend to leave. This checkpoint was built to hold to high ground against the insurgents.