New roads to bring better life to Afghan people 

Marines on patrol use little more than rocks and dirt to draw the plans for an upcoming project. For as far as the eye can see; rough roads stretch across the desert valley. Soon roads here will be paved and goods will pour into the villages of Now Zad.

The Marines with the civil affairs team in support of 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, began the week making plans with local civilian contractors for the construction of new roads. Often, communicating those plans is the most difficult part.

“We had to go out and decide on where the major intersections were going to be because at the moment all they have are dirt paths,” said Cmdr. Martin Sepulveda, a civil affairs team specialist in support of 1st Bn., 8th Marines, RCT-2. “Sometimes, so you know they understand, you have to just draw in the dirt.”

Paving roads makes the import of goods in and out of Now Zad easier and more frequent. The road construction also creates jobs for the local men, who are going to begin the road surfacing at the end of the month.

“We want projects that employ a lot of people and we also want something to show for the money we’re putting into it,” said Sepulveda.

Road construction doesn’t only help with the importing and exporting of goods, it also shows the progress of the area. Paving the roads makes the connection between Now Zad and the rest of Afghanistan easier for both locals and Afghan National Security Forces too.

“These roads don’t just help the local villagers, they improve the quality of life for everyone,” said Lance Cpl. Bowen Yu, a civil affairs team specialist in support of 1st Bn., 8th Marines, RCT-2.
Paving roads here will cut the risk from traveling in and out of Now Zad. By building the roads out of concrete instead of dirt, the placement of improvised explosive devices by the enemy will be difficult.

Although the workers will use little more than picks and shovels to level the roads and fill the holes along the way, they are laying the foundation of the future success of Now Zad.

“I think that the roads will give the locals here a sense of place and sense of purpose,” said Sepulveda. “I think that at the end of the day it really signifies [to others] that you’re in Now Zad.”