Fighting Fighting for our freedom - Lt. Col. David Duehring of the Maine National Guard shared a refreshing perspective at the Boothbay Harbor Rotary dinner regarding his recent one-year assignment in Afghanistan. (Photo Joe Orchulli II)

Lt. Col David Duehring of the Maine National Guard presented an engrossing account of his recent one-year assignment in Afghanistan to an audience of veterans and Rotarians for the Veterans Recognition Night program at the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club last Thursday. His talk was accompanied by numerous slides of the scenes he described.

Duehring was assigned as forward tactical operations officer for the 240th Engineer Group, which was responsible, among other things, for building schools in the area of Afghanistan where they were stationed, about two miles from the Pakistani border. The 240th included, in addition to the Maine National Guard contingent, troops from the Navy, Marines and Air Force, as well as Korean, Polish and Australian engineer units.

He was surprised, he said, by how green the area was. Where he had expected brown and arid desert, he found pine and eucalyptus trees and even orange orchards and wheat fields. Large areas were, however, off limits, as 10 percent of the entire area had been mined by the Soviet troops who occupied the nation for 10 years. One aspect of the Group's mission was to clear such mines. Ordnance of all kinds - tanks, guns, aircraft etc. - had been abandoned by the Soviets when they left.

Most communities in the region do not have school buildings; classes are held in the open air with "rooms" defined by stone walls very much like those around New England fields. In the course of building new schools, the Group made it a point to train the local craftsmen so that they would be able to continue on their own.

Supplies for the schools are provided by U.S. civilian organizations and were much appreciated by the children. Looking into the eyes of a child and seeing the hope that education can create makes the effort worthwhile, said Duehring.

The girls were especially fascinated by seeing women in full battle dress. Duehring noted that women are now present in almost every military unit and carry out their responsibilities right along with the men. The military airfield at his base was, in fact, named for a woman lieutenant who had fallen in combat in Afghanistan.

In addition to the work of the military, civilian organizations from all over the world are providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan - food, medicines and supplies of all sorts.

In conclusion, Duehring lauded the patriotism of our troops and their high level of commitment to duty. "We have a lot to be proud of in our young people in the military today," he said.

Veterans attending the event as honored guests included Paul Adams, John Andrews, Douglas Burnham, Sheldon Burnham, David Chapman, Jerry Closson, Arthur Conley, Dick Dexter, Royall Dodge, John Druce, Dick Elliott, Gil Gillespie, Helen Markwith, Roy Markwith, Leonard Merrill, Palmer Payne, Harry Pinkham, Arthur Richardson, Raymond Ripley, Henry Rowe, Steve Rumery, Ernest Thibault, Harold Van Siclen and John Walton. Rotarian veterans present were Dick Bridges, Pat Forestell, Seth Hedgcock, Frank Helman, Ken Honey, Bob Jacobson, Bill Kautzmann, Bob Pike, Cy Seifert and Craig Tukey, as well as visiting Rotarian Wilt Jones from the Damariscotta-Newcastle club. Recognition was also accorded to Gold Star wives and mothers Muriel Jacobson, Sandy Terry and Gertrude Tibbetts.

Other guests were Carol Duehring, the speaker's wife, and Amanda and Chad Campbell, all of Bath; Elaine Halligan of the Boothbay Region Chamber of Commerce and Dirk Poole from the Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary Club.

Jim Botti was warmly welcomed back after his leave of absence.

In the abbreviated business meeting preceding the presentation Club President Skip Kreahling announced that delivery of the citrus fruit orders is expected on Friday, November 16, with distribution probably the following day. Andy Hamblett will provide details in due course. Andy has ordered some extra boxes so if you missed the order deadline but would still like to get some fruit, get in touch with him.

At the club meeting on November 15, Peggy Pinkham, President/CEO, St. Andrews Hospital and Healthcare Center, will speak on "The Future of Healthcare in Lincoln County." Ken Honey will be greeter that evening and offer the invocation, with Sue Kreahling and Bob Pike as waiters and Connie Jones as program chair. Monthly house­keeping assignments in November are: Seth Hedgcock, steward; Deb Graves, innkeeper; Chip Griffin, 50/50; and Dwight Swisher, Sergeant-at-Arms.

There will be no meeting November 22 on account of the Thanksgiving holiday. Rounding out November, Eileen King, Superintendent of Schools, Union 49, will discuss school consolidation plans for the Boothbay Region on Thursday, November 29. The meeting on December 6 will be devoted to a club assembly and classification talks. Carolyn Johnson, a Rotarian from Yarmouth and frequent visitor to our Club, will update us on the Guatemala Literacy Project, which provides much-needed textbooks and pencils - as well as hope - to children attending school in Guatemala's rural areas at the meeting on Thursday, December 13.

Want to learn more about Rotary or about our Club? Join us for our weekly meetings each Thursday at our one-of-a-kind Rotary Clubhouse at 29 Oak Street in downtown Boothbay Harbor. The bell is rung and dinner is served promptly at 6:30 p.m., then comes a short business meeting and special speaker, and the evening ends by 8 p.m. Check us out on the Web: www.boothbayharborrotary.org.