Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Overseas Operations
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 South Carolina Guardsman works as liaison for those downrange By 2nd Lt. Mark Lazane
                International Security Assistance Force HQ
 PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan, - There are 13 American provincial reconstruction teams operating within Afghanistan's borders. The mission of the PRT's is to assist the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan provide security, governance and development for its citizens. A PRT is not a typical combat zone unit because it doesn't own a physical battlespace. Because of this, PRT's have to constantly communicate with other units to alert them to projects and travel plans every time they go outside the secure confines of the base. In a high-tempo environment, it can be difficult to successfully articulate the PRT motives to higher headquarters. Also, due to the distance from key logistical centers, keeping a fluid supply chain to the outlying provinces can prove challenging. For these reasons and many more, the Paktika PRT, a team of civilians, soldiers, sailors and airmen located on the Eastern Afghanistan border with Pakistan, rely heavily on unit liaison officers to be their "eyes and ears" when they can't make it to the table. The two LNOs for Paktika province are U.S. Navy Petty Office 1st Class Wilson Santiago, who is stationed at Bagram Air Field, and U.S. Army Sergeant Anthony Eplee, who serves at the brigade headquarters in Khost province. "An LNO has to be a jack-of-all-trades," said Eplee, who is deployed from the 1/178 Field Artillery of the South Carolina National Guard where he is a chemical, biological and nuclear technician. "On a given day, I can be doing anything from writing reports, to building storyboards, to ensuring accurate transfer of intelligence down to the lowest-level soldier so they have the information they need to conduct a mission safely. The brigade commander may have a map but not always a clear picture, so my job is to paint the picture for him." "It's a lot of responsibility, that's for sure," said Santiago, a 10-year Navy veteran deployed from the U.S.S. George H.W. Bush at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. "If I wasn't here, there would be a lot of manpower used and a lot of time wasted because my unit would have to run back and forth from Forward Operating Base Sharana to BAF to get things accomplished. For example, we had some weapons systems come in recently. "If I hadn't been around to receive them, they would've been stuck on the flightline for a couple of days until someone could fly in and sign for them. It's not like you can just drive down the street and pick up what you need. It's a multi-day process. I'm here to make sure operations continue as smoothly as possible." For Santiago and Eplee, the success of the team depends on how efficiently the liaisons can get information and equipment to the battlefield. While their unit is busy operating in Paktika, Santiago, an active-duty sailor, and Eplee, a former sailor turned National Guard soldier, are isolated from their team and from each other to help their unit be successful. Santiago's main job is to deal primarily with the movement of supplies, equipment and personnel to and from BAF. Eplee, while dealing with logistical issues as they arise, mainly deals with information dissemination both to and from PRT Paktika and higher headquarters. He provides the brigade commander with information regarding the PRT's motives, missions and travels. The responsibility of information dissemination is a job Eplee takes quite seriously. "I'm very careful in my work here because I'm real close with the guys from my unit down in Paktika, so I know when I go home from here I have to see them face to face and I want to be able to tell them and their families that I did my best to support them on their mission," he said. "The thought of me not giving 100 percent and consequently someone getting hurt heavily weighs on me. I don't want to see anyone get hurt so if there's any way I can actually get them information to keep them safe, I'm going to do it." Like any job, being an LNO has its good and bad aspects. "I enjoy helping people and getting things accomplished for people," said Eplee. "But, the most terrifying part is I'm expected to know every aspect of my team's mission. The brigade commander reads the same briefs as I do, but he requires me to know all the information so I can pass it on to other units so they know exactly why my team is in their area of operations to ensure they don't have a conflicting mission." Santiago sums up where the motivation to serve as a liaison comes from for both Eplee and himself. "The types of relationships I built during my training were important, because they help remind me why I can't ever just stop working," he said. "If I choose to just not work one day, no one may know or ever find out, but my team wouldn't get the resources they need. "Something bad could happen if I decide I want to be lazy. I refuse to have that happen. The relationships I have built with my teammates keep me working harder each day. I work for the personnel downrange."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 NY National Guard Strengthens Bonds with Allies in Morocco Overseas Operations • 6 days ago
 Alaska Guard Soldiers Honored Before Middle East Deployment Overseas Operations • 13 days ago
 29th Infantry Division HQ Heads Exercise Immediate Response Overseas Operations • 18 days ago
 134th Medical Company Joins Combined Resolve Exercise Overseas Operations • 19 days ago
 Guard Soldiers, Czech Partners Celebrate Victory in Europe Day Overseas Operations • 21 days ago
 2024 (24)  2023 (57)  2022 (71)  2021 (58)  2020 (41)  2019 (56)  2018 (55)  2017 (46)  2016 (31)  2015 (36)  2014 (48)  2013 (64)  2012 (134)  2011 (163)  2010 (179)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil