The following story written by Staff Sgt Whitney Hughes appeared in tonight's (April 20, 2010) edition of The St. Albans Messenger:
U.S. Army Master Sgt. Donald Demar, of Fairfax, Vt., the noncommissioned officer in charge at Parwan Operational Coordination Center (provincial), 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, measures the size of the rockets brought into the OCCP, April 10. The rockets were recovered by the anti-terrorism officer of the Criminal Investigative Division of the Afghan national police and turned over to the Soldiers at the OCCP to be coordinated for destruction. Demar is a member of the Colchester Police Department.
Fairfax soldier comments on Afghan police
By STAFF SGT. WHITNEY HUGHES
PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Afghan national policemen turned in two 122 mm rockets to the Parwan Operational Coordination Center (provincial) in the town of Charikar in Parwan province, April 10.
"The rockets were pointed directly at Bagram Airbase," said U.S. Army Maj. Timothy McCollum., of Fairfax, Vt, the executive officer at the OCCP. "By turning them in, they definitely prevented an indirect fire attack, and probably saved lives," he added.
U.S. Army Master Sgt. Donald Demar, of Fairfax, Vt., the noncommissioned officer in charge at Parwan Operational Coordination Center (see photo on page 1) was also involved in securing the rockets.
The Russian-made rockets were discovered by the anti-terrorism officer of the Criminal Investigative Division of the ANP. The ANP then brought the two rockets to the OCCP, which also serves as the ANP Headquarters, where Soldiers photographed the rockets and obtained statements from the anti-terrorism officer.
The recovery of these rockets benefits the Coalition forces and adds to the security of Afghanistan by preventing the loss of innocent lives. In addition, this demonstrates to the people that the ANP are committed to ensuring their safety, said Capt. Asadullah Daheri (through a translator), an Afghan national police officer stationed at the OCCP.
The rockets were later taken to the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups for destruction. This discovery and notification is a textbook example of a successful coordination between the ANP, CID, and OCCP in a joint effort to ensure the security of Parwan Province, said McCollum.
Staff Sgt. Hughes is stationed at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.
