Special Post No. 024

Jon Leyton Summerlin posing with Lt. Col. Andy Veres while receiving the US Army Corps of Engineers Civilian Combat Service Pin and Certificate.

I consider my privilege to serve the United States and the US Army Corps of Engineers as a civilian in Afghanistan an exceptional honor. Receiving the US Army Corps of Engineers Civilian Combat Service Pin from Lt. Col. Veres was especially heartfelt as I hold a great deal of respect for this gentleman and leader. PRTs throughout Afghanistan are staffed with professionals who have a finite amount of time to mark themselves on the board of jobs well done. The current team of PRT Zabul US Air Force, US Army, US Army Corps of Engineers, US government civilians, ISAF personnel, and partner civilians from all points of origin here exemplify such professionals and have accomplished a great deal and more in their nine months of duty. They have done a truly stellar job of projecting, supporting, and defending the values of democracy and freedom in a land wrought with strife, fear, terror, and with pain and suffering. I believe that having the good fortune of beginning my deployment with Lt. Col. Veres' PRT team, who have begun transitioning back home, will become the cornerstone of the good work yet to be completed ahead.

I look forward to many more days, weeks, and months of service alongside the greatest coalition of military and civilians in the world, and among you PRT Zabul - those now departing and those now arriving - whom I consider friends and respect more than you know.

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