     PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The Department of Defense estimates there are between 10,000 and 20,000 practicing Muslims in the U.S. military. One Task Force Currahee soldier, with the help of his faith community in California and his unit, is bridging the gap between U.S. and Afghanistan Muslims. U.S. Army Spc. Stephen Hirt, an imagery analyst from TF Currahee, Company B, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, and native of Anaheim, Calif., began his current deployment to Afghanistan with a goal - to reduce the cultural gap between Muslims in Afghanistan and in the United States. "I came up with the idea last deployment during tower guard," said Hirt. "I saw and spoke with some of the locals and children through the fence, and I wanted to do something more than just hand them (beverages)." After his deployment to Afghanistan in 2008 and 2009, Hirt decided to unite his mosque, the Islamic Institute of Orange County - al Farouk, in Anaheim, Calif., with the Muslim people of Afghanistan during his deployment in 2010 and 2011. "I talked with my unit about my idea, and they fully supported me," said Hirt. "I then started e-mailing my mosque in September of last year asking for donations." Shortly after, Hirt received a large box of schools supplies. "When we found out about Spc. Hirt taking the initiative to do this project, we wanted to ensure that he knew he had our full support," said Capt. Todd Tompkins, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division and native of Willoughby, Ohio. "We worked toward providing additional supplies and arranged a humanitarian aid drop so it would be a complete effort to show we are here to make life better for the people of Afghanistan." "HHC bought prayer rugs and religious posters from the Sharana Bazaar to donate to the local mosque in a village west of the city of Sharana," said Hirt. The patrol left Forward Operating Base Sharana on March 14 for a nearby village. After arriving in the village, Hirt met with the elders and prayed with them at the village mosque. "It was a unique privilege to be able to pray with the people of that village," said Hirt. "I have been praying while deployed here, but it has always been alone. So while there was a lack of communication one-to-one, I was able to stand with others who hold the same beliefs that I do, and we could pray together." Hirt distributed the school supplies to the local children while the patrol presented the humanitarian assistance packages to the village elders. "I wanted to do something that would positively impact their lives while doing my job as a soldier and as a human being," said Hirt. "I think that it is really important to build the relationship between Muslims in Afghanistan and Muslims in America." "I had no idea that U.S. Forces had Muslims in it," said the local village elder who prayed with Hirt. "It's nice to know that we share the same beliefs as some of the soldiers who are here trying to help us." "It is important to let the people know that we support them and respect their culture and this was a small gesture that we could do to reinforce that we are here to help," said Tompkins. "I also think it is crucial for the Afghan people to see a person like me, a white male in the U.S. military who shares the same faith as they do," said Hirt. "I imagine that this humanitarian assistance drop had the same impact on the Afghan villagers as it did on the people at my mosque. It helped to bridge the gap and let the people at my mosque connect to Muslims on the other side of the world." Not only did he want to help unify the two Muslim communities, but he also wanted to help build the relationship between the Afghan people and the U.S. Army. "It is also part of our job as soldiers to promote counter-insurgency, but that is not always in a tactical or strategic sense," he said. "Instead, I wanted to show the Afghan people that we aren't as different from them as they think. We aren't just people with guns in their country, but that we are here because we care about them and their future." "I think this mission helped the Afghan villagers to identify with the U.S. Soldiers as well," he said. "They can see that we have Soldiers of their same faith who are over here in their country fighting for their freedom, security and their futures." Hirt's next project is to raise funds and donations through his mosque for powdered milk, baby bottles and baby-safe soap. "I think what Stephen is doing is great," said Maria Khani, native of Huntington Beach, Calif., and member of the Islamic Institute of Orange County. "I am excited to help him and support his efforts." "The future of this country is the children," said Hirt. "I want them to not just see us supporting them, but for them to know that we care about their futures."
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Artemesiaa posted on 9-3-2014 02:57 PM
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