CORRUPTION * Afghanistan - The other half of the picture

Combating corruption in Afghanistan’s trucking industry

Bagram Air Field,Afghanistan –DVIDS, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs, by Sgt. 1st Class Peter Mayes -28 May 2011: -- Staff Sgt. Blake Adams and Sgt. Dennis Stanley’s background in law enforcement is proving vital to their mission to help combat corruption here in Afghanistan’s trucking industry... The two are members of the 101st Sustainment Brigade’s Anti-Corruption interview teams which are working with the various Host Nation truckers to learn about the potential hazards they face on the roads in and around Regional Command’s East, North and Capitol... The knowledge they receive from the truckers play a vital role in the brigade’s attempt to help stem the tide of corruption in Afghanistan that affect combat logistics, said Maj. Sean Gallagher, the brigade intelligence officer... Corruption has long been an issue here in Afghanistan. It is not usual for host nation truckers to be the victims of ambushes and pilferage along their routes as they try to deliver supplies and cargo to their intended destinations... Gallagher said the heart and soul of this mission is found in the brigade’s interview teams. The soldiers are paired with a linguist and go to the convoy staging yards both at BAF and Forward Operating Base Deh Dadi II to interview the drivers and gather information... (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Peter Mayes: Sgt. Dennis Stanley and Staff Sgt. Blake Adams, both of the 101st Sustainment Brigade anti-corruption interview team, talks with a local trucker about the conditions on the road. The team was created to focus on corruption issues host nation truckers face on the road)