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IBEW Member Trains Afghanistan’s Fighting Forces

July 21, 2009

A day after friends and family back home celebrated the Fourth of July, Sgt. 1st Class Kurt Neuleib traded fire with Taliban insurgents in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Part of a convoy returning from a mission near the Turkmenistan border, the Bloomington, Ill., Local 197 member suddenly came under attack at noon. Enemy mortar shells landed close enough to shake Humvees. A rocket propelled grenade sailed overhead. The clack of machine gun rounds from both sides rang out in the dusty, 110-degree air before the Americans escaped over the rough terrain.

A quick check of the crew and equipment granted some relief. No injuries. No damaged hardware. No more danger.

“Afterwards, we all joked over the radio, saying they were one day off to be treating us to a fireworks show,” Neuleib said.

As violence is on the rise in Afghanistan, Neuleib’s job – training the nation’s police forces – takes on added importance. Since last November, the 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry troop has served as a member of the Border Police Mentor Team based in western Herat, instructing the growing numbers of law enforcement officers who patrol Afghanistan’s borders near Iran and Turkmenistan. The lessons in vehicle searches, intelligence collection and weapons training are taking root, as the new Afghan peacekeepers have already netted numerous drug and weapon seizures from insurgents in the opium-rich area.

Neuleib comes back home next month, capping nearly a year in the field with six Afghan interpreters who he said have become “lifelong friends.”

“These young men have left their families to try and help their country,” Neuleib said. “They go everywhere we go, sleeping, eating, working and – when necessary – fighting right alongside us. They are the future of Afghanistan.”

Back at home, Local 197 members have volunteered to make holidays special and day-to-day life less stressful for Neuleib’s family. Last Christmas, a retired local member dressed up like Santa to deliver toys to Neuleib’s two young children. Other members have sent care packages and e-mails showing support.

“The membership has been 100 percent behind him,” said Local 197 Business Manager Lance Reese. “He’s a patriot and a good worker, and we’re looking for him to come home safely.”

Neuleib hopes to come back to his job as a journeyman wireman with Jim Jones Electric, Inc. He said that he often tells people that his year on duty is easy compared to challenges family and friends face back home. “It’s the spouses and children who have the toughest roles during deployments. I’m blessed to have a great wife and kids – they have been supportive and strong throughout my time away.”

Neuleib’s return to the states coincides with his 20th anniversary in the Illinois National Guard. During his service, he was activated for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and other emergency flood and storm duties.

“I cannot express in words how grateful I am for the support of my Local 197 members,” Neuleib said. “It makes me proud to be part of the IBEW.”