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Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Oliver/133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
[caption id="attachment_1593" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Lt. Col. Garland Goodrich, Agribusiness Development Team II member from Wakefield, Va., listens to local Afghans at a mock village during a training exercise at Camp Atterbury, In., May 26."]
CAMP ATTERBURY, In. (May 26, 2010)--Guardsmen from the Kentucky National Guard Agribusiness Development Team II participated in a training exercise at a mock Afgan village at Camp Atterbury, In., May 26, in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan next month.
The ADT members simulated a vist with Provincal leaders to establish relations to further develop the Afghan agriculture structure. While the agriculture team key leaders discussed operational plans, the force protection team provided security for the meeting. The unit said the training exercise gave them real life experience and combat readiness for their upcoming deployment.
[caption id="attachment_1592" align="alignright" width="255" caption="Spc. Timothy Akers, Agribusiness Development Team II member, pulls security during a meeting with key leaders at a mock Afghan village at Camp Atterbury, In., May 26."]
Lt. Col. Garland Goodrich, team leader for ADT II and a farmer in his civilian career, tranferred from the Virginia National Guard to Kentucky specifically for this mission. Goodrich said they have learned a lot as a team and not just individual agricultural training.
"Most of our training at Camp Atterbury has been basic Soldier skills. Our primary mission is agriculture but we are Soldiers first so we got to make sure we have the skill set needed to be safe over there," said Goodrich.
ADT II will be taking over for ADT I, also from the Kentucky National Guard, who is currently in Afghanistan but will be returning home later this summer.