Alaska Soldiers: 4-25th Commanders Speak About Deployment's First Month

From half a world away the commander and top enlisted man with Alaska's 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division spoke with members of the media Tuesday about their first month deployed in eastern Afghanistan.

Col. Morris Goins and Command Sgt. Maj. Terry Gardner say the 3,500 soldiers have already begun working with the Afghan army and local government officials preparing them to eventually take over running their country.

In the few weeks they've been in Afghanistan, some soldiers have already come under attack, including IED explosions and small arms fire. Luckily, Goins said, there were no major injuries.

“Some (IEDs) have detonated, but the majority of them we've been able to find prior to detonation,” he said.

Not long after saying goodbye to their families, members of the 4-25 spent Christmas away from home. It’s something even 20-year veterans say isn't easy.

“When you're away from your family it's painful,” Goins said. “And to say anything other than that I think you'd be selling wolf tickets. But I have another family (here) that I know regardless of what happens will be there through thick and thin. So that makes it a little bit easier.”

“Yes, we all miss home,” Sgt. Maj. Gardner said. “But as the colonel said, we're all one big happy family.”

As of right now, they say it doesn't look like many of their soldiers will be missing the holidays next year. Much of the brigade is scheduled to be home by Thanksgiving.

When the 4-25 came home last time they had to leave one soldier behind. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was taken captive by the Taliban in 2009. Col. Goins couldn't speak about Bergdahl in much detail, but did say the Army is doing everything they can to bring him home.

“All of the assets we have available are hunting him down and those that have him,” Goins said. “So rest assured that we are looking for him and we are looking for him extremely hard every day.”

The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division began deploying from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in late November 2011. They are currently based out of Forward Operating Base Salerno covering the Afghan provinces of Khost and Paktya.

Contact Todd Walker at twalker@ktuu.com