Afghanistan: When ‘Humanitarian’ Projects, Aren’t

Afghanistan: When ‘Humanitarian’ Projects, Aren’t
Members of the Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), along with Afghanistan national police officials meet with village leaders of Durnama, Kohband District, Kapisa province, Afghanistan, on Jan. 29, 2008. Spc. Justin French/DoD photo)
Battlefields Staff
Updated:
0:00
Commentary

Engineers, especially civil engineers, build things. It’s what we do, and we consider each project, large or small, “our” project. Being a civil engineer in the Army engineering branch was especially rewarding. We played with bridge sets, construction equipment, and building parts. Army combat engineering also meant building structures for war: runways, fighting positions for men and tanks, and obstacles to channel the enemy. Also, to every Army engineer’s delight, the combat engineer mission involves taking things apart, usually with explosives. We learned how to blow up defensive positions, bridges, roads, buildings, other weapons, and pretty much anything that would make those channeling obstacles more effective.

David Hartmann is a father, husband, son, boss, writer, beekeeper, outdoorsman, occasional teacher, compulsive elk hunter, Afghanistan veteran, and living proof that anyone is trainable. He is a 1994 South Dakota School of Mines graduate. David spent 12 years in the Army and Army Reserve as an Engineer Officer before that career was cut short with Afghanistan injuries. He spent decades as a consulting civil engineer working in communities all around the American West and now oversees his firm’s engineering department. As an engineer who can write a story, Dave continues to amaze both friend and foe.
Related Topics