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Arkansas National Guard Agricultural Development team establishes base camp in southern Afghanistan

  • Published
FOB APACHE, Afghanistan --  The Arkansas Agriculture Development Team of the Arkansas National Guard arrived here on April 5, 2010, and is establishing its footprint on the base and preparing to begin its mission in southern Afghanistan.

The ADT is the first unit of its kind in the Arkansas National Guard in that it is the first joint unit made up of volunteer members from both the Arkansas Army and Air National Guard, as well as the first unit dedicated to agricultural development within the Arkansas Guard.

The 188th Fighter Wing has three members deployed with the ADT. Lt. Col. David Sheely, who is the 188th Fighter Wing Maintenance Squadron commander, is the team leader for the ADT's agriculture specialists.

Sheely is joined on the ADT by Master Sgt. Paul Fair, who is the assistant chief of the 188th Civil Engineering Squadron's Fire Department. Tech Sgt. Justin Mankins, a firefighter with the 188th Fire Department, is also a member of the ADT.

Arkansas is among 10 states whose National Guard has deployed ADT teams to Afghanistan to assist in agricultural redevelopment, training and education. The Arkansas team, however, is the first ADT team assigned to the Regional Command-South in southern Afghanistan.

Now that the ADT is getting established in its area of operations the unit will begin coordination with representatives of the Afghan government, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the provincial reconstruction team in order to start applying their knowledge and experience in support of local farmers and herdsmen.

Arkansas National Guard Agricultural Development team establishes base camp in southern Afghanistan

  • Published
FOB APACHE, Afghanistan --  The Arkansas Agriculture Development Team of the Arkansas National Guard arrived here on April 5, 2010, and is establishing its footprint on the base and preparing to begin its mission in southern Afghanistan.

The ADT is the first unit of its kind in the Arkansas National Guard in that it is the first joint unit made up of volunteer members from both the Arkansas Army and Air National Guard, as well as the first unit dedicated to agricultural development within the Arkansas Guard.

The 188th Fighter Wing has three members deployed with the ADT. Lt. Col. David Sheely, who is the 188th Fighter Wing Maintenance Squadron commander, is the team leader for the ADT's agriculture specialists.

Sheely is joined on the ADT by Master Sgt. Paul Fair, who is the assistant chief of the 188th Civil Engineering Squadron's Fire Department. Tech Sgt. Justin Mankins, a firefighter with the 188th Fire Department, is also a member of the ADT.

Arkansas is among 10 states whose National Guard has deployed ADT teams to Afghanistan to assist in agricultural redevelopment, training and education. The Arkansas team, however, is the first ADT team assigned to the Regional Command-South in southern Afghanistan.

Now that the ADT is getting established in its area of operations the unit will begin coordination with representatives of the Afghan government, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the provincial reconstruction team in order to start applying their knowledge and experience in support of local farmers and herdsmen.