S.C. troops oversee construction: Americans, Afghans learn a lot about building from each other

Chuck Crumbo, The State, Columbia, S.C.

Apr. 21--CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan -- A rock-catcher is a must for the indoor plumbing in an Afghan bathroom.

That's one of the things that S.C. National Guard Lt. Col. Robert Spires learned when his team of engineers started designing and building barracks for the Afghan army.

Spires learned that rocks, which are plentiful here, commonly are used in the Afghan bathroom routine instead of toilet tissue. Thus, a rock-catcher is essential.

"If you don't install a rock-catcher in the commode, then the first bend in pipe will be plugged," said Spires, a project manager for Eastman Chemical in Sandy Run in civilian life.

Spires, a member of the S.C. National Guard's 218th Brigade Combat Team, is chief of Task Force Phoenix's engineer unit in Afghanistan. In that role, Spires and the 26 troops under his command are handling 1,000 building projects -- ranging from plywood huts to $172 million chow halls.

The engineers rank construction priorities. The highest priorities now are more housing, chow halls, offices and protective walls.

The projects are at 120 Afghan installations used by some 7,000 U.S. and coalition troops assigned to the task force. The engineers also are overseeing the expansion of Afghan bases as the United States and its coalition partners increase the number of their forces in Afghanistan. Additionally, the engineers are responsible for hundreds of Afghan army and police buildings.

MENTORING AFGHAN WORKERS

Spires' challenge is to make sure the job is done right.

U.S. policy is to hire Afghan contractors and workers to do the work. When the job involves laying block or stone, the Afghans excel.

"They can build a wall without a level, square or trowel," said Staff Sgt. Lonnie Russell of Beaufort.

But wiring and installing light fixtures in a B-hut -- a portable plywood structure used for offices and housing -- can be a challenge for the Afghans.

Spires learned that lesson when he investigated a fire at a Kabul-area base, three days after he arrived here in May.

The blaze gutted a B-hut. Spires found the light fixtures inside the hut were installed improperly.

Spires and his staff checked further. Two thousand similar fixtures at bases around the country had to be replaced.

To ensure the job is done right, the engineers now mentor and teach unskilled Afghan workers, said Spires, who is from Lexington. It's comparable to the mentoring role that S.C. soldiers are filling with Afghan soldiers and police.

The Afghans learn basic wood, concrete and masonry construction techniques, as well as electrical wiring and plumbing, from the mentors.

After mastering the construction crafts, workers often graduate to becoming supervisors and even contractors, according to Army reports.

The engineers also teach Afghan soldiers how to use heavy construction equipment. Operating a bulldozer is a major leap forward in a country where many Afghans come from rural areas. There, farmers till the soil with shovels, and transportation is by foot, donkey or camel.

During Spires' tour, which ends in May, the task force also has standardized construction plans for buildings, and posted plans and specifications on the task force's Web site. Contractors then can use the information to bid on projects.

EYESORES AMONG WAR

The engineer unit has focused on lowering construction costs.

But sometimes adhering to U.S. policy leads to higher prices, Spires said.

For example, Spires said temporary barriers called HESCOs -- built around the base perimeter --cost about 50 percent more than a permanent masonry wall.

The HESCO, named after its British manufacturer, is like a giant sandbag. It is made from a collapsible wire mesh container that is lined with a heavy cloth and filled with sand and rocks.

The beauty of the HESCO barrier is that it doesn't take much time or skill to build. The downside is that the temporary barrier has a five-year useful life.

The United States has been in Afghanistan, building bases, for six years, and about 7 1/2 miles of HESCOs are starting to fail, Spires said.

Replacing a HESCO is expensive. A wall made of HESCOs costs about $312 a meter versus $220 a meter for a stone wall. (A meter is 3.2 inches longer than a yard.)

Instead of HESCOs, Spires said Afghans prefer stone walls, which can offer the same amount of protection.

"They think the HESCOs are eyesores," Spires said. "And I'd have to agree with them."

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