One Soldier's Story
Posted By: Liz Goodrich
Date Posted: 4/19/2005
Deschutes Public Library pleased to welcome Major Pete Goodrich of the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade for a program titled, “Mission Afghanistan.” Sponsored by the Friends of the LaPine and Redmond Libraries, this program is part of the Novel Idea … Read Together project and is free and open to the public.
In November 2004, Goodrich, who is a teacher at Crook County Middle School, was deployed as part of his reserve unit based in Portland. Tasked with providing support for reconstruction projects in the Bamiyan Province, Goodrich played a role in projects ranging from construction of schools and wells to the organization of a gardening co-op managed by local women. Goodrich’s unit was divided in small provincial reconstruction teams, or PRT, and scattered across Afghanistan, working with agencies and other military units from around the world. Most of the projects Goodrich was responsible for were conceived and managed by locals. “We wanted to work ourselves out of a job.”
Goodrich, who is back to teaching, says overall his experience in Afghanistan was a positive one. “I felt the work I did was appreciated. It was reassuring to realize that the average Afghan wants the same things that we do. Food, shelter, clean water and schools for their kids.” His library program will highlight some of the projects he worked on, photographs of the countryside and the personal story of one soldiers experience in Afghanistan.
During the months of April and May, the Library will be hosting a variety of events in support of the Novel Idea … Read Together project. The programs are designed to give residents of Deschutes County a glimpse into the culture, history and people of Afghanistan. Much of The Kite Runner, this year’s selected novel by Khaled Hoseini, is set in the author’s native country, Afghanistan. For a complete listing of Novel Idea programs, please call 312-1032.
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