What one Corps employee is doing in Afghanistan



Randy Fraser in Afghanistan



Below is a recent account of one of St. Louis District's civilian employees who's deployed to Afghanistan with the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW), where Randy Fraser is serving as a Safety Manager.

In just three weeks, Fraser's been on three different helos, five convoys, and a C-130.  One of the convoys turned into an insane 17-hour trip.  Ground transport is normally in the MATV Mine Resistant all-terrain vehicle.  Fraser stated that when in on the convoys, its full battle gear, whether you're civilian or military (enemy fire doesn't discriminate between civilian or military).  MATV YouTube video

Fraser's the Safety Manager for the western part of Afghanistan.  In the field, which is his "office," he is his own boss, but he answers to the Safety Director in Kabul.  His mission is to assess and monitor the safety program for US military forces on that side of the country.  He makes his own travel arrangements and can do as much as necessary, which is expected to be non-stop.  He has several facilities in his area of responsibility and says that the rough part about the travel is when I leave here, accommodations are generally cots.  I travel light, with a sleeping bag.

The Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW) serves alongside our military men and women at the forefront of America's mission around the globe. A mission to protect. A mission to build communities and renew nations. A mission to spread freedom and democracy. A mission to stand up for the disadvantaged and for the oppressed.

Installing chains on their MATV