<P>72The Military Engineer l November-December l 2009 A fghanistan needed help in 2008. The country had just been dubbed more dangerous than Iraq, with 2008 being the bloodiest year since the ouster of the Taliban seven years prior. Insurgents led by Taliban rebels and organized crime gangs were blamed for the assassinations of several high-ranking government of?cials. Fur- thermore, security was actually getting worse as Afghan forces were sent away from routine military missions to pre- pare for the countrys ?rst democratic elections in four decades. Stateside, both leading U.S. presiden- tial candidates at the time were pledging to shift forces from Iraq to Afghanistan to help create security for the Afghan people. Between 2001 and 2008, U.S. troops in Afghanistan increased from about 10,000 to 32,000, growing an av- erage of 18 percent per year. In 2009, it was predicted, troop levels in Afghani- stan would reach 68,000—a one-year increase of 112 percent. Add an increase in the number of NATO forces deployed to the region and the total is expected to reach more than 90,000 coalition troops before the end of the year. But in a country that hosted less than half that number for the last eight years, of?cials posed the question: Where would incoming troops live and work? Leave that to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Dealing with Uncertainty In October 2008, 11 USACE civilian and military volunteers deployed to Kandahar as part of a Forward Engi- neer Support Team-Advance (FEST-A) team to support engineer planning ef- forts at forward operating bases (FOB) in southern Afghanistan. In one of the most signi?cant engi- neering missions in the history of Op- eration Enduring Freedom, the teams mission was to conduct base camp reconnaissance, master planning and design to support the large increase in U.S. and coalition forces in the south- ern provinces. Despite the missions sig- ni?cance, the team wondered if it was going to be a waste of time. The surge was by no means decided and the up- coming election and faltering global economy left everything uncertain. We are designing bases without any requirements, for an undetermined combatant commanders unidenti?ed units who dont yet have deployment orders, for a yet to-be-determined force structure that expects us to have it all set up for them, said Francisco Torres, the teams lead designer. The volunteer team members were well-trained and experienced, with sev- eral having had previous experience in Afghanistan. But the tight timelines and ambiguity made their jobs dif?cult. No one could tell them how many troops were coming, where these troops would live and work, or who would build the bases. But fast decisions had to be made; they were told troops might ar- By Maj. Landon M. Raby, USA Troop Surge Master Planning Aerial photographers capture Forward Operating Base Tombstone II (now Camp Leatherneck) in southern Afghanistan following construction completion in April 2009. The base, nestled on roughly 3,000 acres, was designed to support an initial population of 10,000 with a permanent population of 20,000 troops. Photo by David Vaughn</p> <UL><LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/1/1/">Cover-Page</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/2/2/">Inside-Cover</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/3/3/">Page-1</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/4/4/">Page-2</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/5/5/">Page-3</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/6/6/">Page-4</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/7/7/">Page-5</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/8/8/">Page-6</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/9/9/">Page-7</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/10/10/">Page-8</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/11/11/">Page-9</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/12/12/">Page-10</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/13/13/">Page-11</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/14/14/">Page-12</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/15/15/">Page-13</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/16/16/">Page-14</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/17/17/">Page-15</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/18/18/">Page-16</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/19/19/">Page-17</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/20/20/">Page-18</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/21/21/">Page-19</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/22/22/">Page-20</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/23/23/">Page-21</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/24/24/">Page-22</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/25/25/">Page-23</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/26/26/">Page-24</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/27/27/">Page-25</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/28/28/">Page-26</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/29/29/">Page-27</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/30/30/">Page-28</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/31/31/">Page-29</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/32/32/">Page-30</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/33/33/">Page-31</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/34/34/">Page-32</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/35/35/">Page-33</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/36/36/">Page-34</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/37/37/">Page-35</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/38/38/">Page-36</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/39/39/">Page-37</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/40/40/">Page-38</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/41/41/">Page-39</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/42/42/">Page-40</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/43/43/">Page-41</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/44/44/">Page-42</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/45/45/">Page-43</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/46/46/">Page-44</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/47/47/">Page-45</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/48/48/">Page-46</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/49/49/">Page-47</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/50/50/">Page-48</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/51/51/">Page-49</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/52/52/">Page-50</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/53/53/">Page-51</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/54/54/">Page-52</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/55/55/">Page-53</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/56/56/">Page-54</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/57/57/">Page-55</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/58/58/">Page-56</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/59/59/">Page-57</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/60/60/">Page-58</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/61/61/">Page-59</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/62/62/">Page-60</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/63/63/">Page-61</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/64/64/">Page-62</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/65/65/">Page-63</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/66/66/">Page-64</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/67/67/">Page-65</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/68/68/">Page-66</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/69/69/">Page-67</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/70/70/">Page-68</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/71/71/">Page-69</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/72/72/">Page-70</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/73/73/">Page-71</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/74/74/">Page-72</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/75/75/">Page-73</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/76/76/">Page-74</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/77/77/">Page-75</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/78/78/">Page-76</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/79/79/">Page-77</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/80/80/">Page-78</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/81/81/">Page-79</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/82/82/">Page-80</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/83/83/">Page-81</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/84/84/">Page-82</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/85/85/">Page-83</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/86/86/">Page-84</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/87/87/">Page-85</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/88/88/">Page-86</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/89/89/">Page-87</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/90/90/">Page-88</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/91/91/">Page-89</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/92/92/">Page-90</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/93/93/">Page-91</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/94/94/">Page-92</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/95/95/">Page-93</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/18/oigsnclgz/96/96/">Back-Cover</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publications/18/x/sitemap.xml" target="_blank">site map</a></LI> </UL>

 

If you would like to view publication without flash plugin, please click on link below




To view your publication, you need to upgrade your Flash Player
Click here to install latest flash player.