The deployment of the 322nd Engineer Battalion has been going well so far

A group photo in Afghanistan

(Editor's note: The 322nd Engineer Company vice battalion left Decorah in January, headed for a 300 day deployment in Afghanistan.  decorahnews.com will post news about the 322 EN through Wednesday.  We interviewed company commander CPT Troy King about the deployment.  King is a Simpson College graduate who lives in Indianola.  This is his second deployment, but first to Afghanistan.  He deployed to Iraq in 2005.)

After taking the long flight to Afghanistan, King says members of the 322nd EN have been split into three different groups at three different locations. 

The 1st platoon, led by First Lieutenant Mason Flemmer and SFC Tim Moenck, has worked on a Joint Operations Center which looks like a movie theater that has stadium seating.  The building will be used by higher level commands to watch several video screens essentially monitoring an area of operation.  The members of the 1st platoon are also currently working on two more buildings.  One will be used for secret meetings and briefings while the other is used for administrative and supply functions. 

The 2nd platoon, led by First Lieutenant Michael Skaar and SFC Justin Batton, just finished a 32 foot wide by 120 fot long building for a Special Forces Training Team.  Says King, "The platoon did a great job with project and the Special Forces team was extremely happy with the finished project."  The 2nd platoon also helped build 25 two man guard towers that will be used by other soldiers, Afghan National Army soldiers and Afghan National Police throughout Kandahar City. 

The 3rd platoon, led by 1st Lieutenant Marc Helm and SFC Kevin Chesmore, has completed a Company sized Operations Center and a very large Ammunition Storage Area.  They are currently helping a Special Forces team with some small projects to improve their living conditions.

Two other groups have also been busy.

The Maintenance Section led by SFC Tony Roethler has been working on numerous types of vehicles used by soldiers in Afghanistan.  King says the Maintenance Section has been busy because "Soldiers are not always gentle with their vehicles we tend to ask it to run hard and don't always treat them good."

The Supply Section led by SSG Jeff Ryant is working on conducting inventories and getting the tools and equipment out the different locations.

(Tuesday: A look at daily life of soldiers on deployment with the 322nd Engineer Battalion) 

The flight to Afghanistan from the United States