(22 Apr 2009)
1. Wide of US Black Hawk helicopters coming in to land at Forward Operating Base Airborne
2. Mid of helicopter gunner
3. Wide of helicopter and soldiers on the ground
4. Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen walking away from helicopter
5. Mullen and other security officials walking towards the base
6. Mullen touring the base
7. US soldiers standing to attention
8. Close up of US soldiers standing to attention
9. Mullen saluting
10. Wide of Mullen standing before soldiers
11. Various of Mullen awarding Purple Heart medal to Private First Class Edward Church
12. Close up of tray with US military decorations
13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff:
"This province is clearly critical to the future of Afghanistan. And it also is critical to the security of Kabul. Additionally this is where we originated this Afghan police protection force programme. So its great to hear on the ground from the governor as well from our people, how that's going, that's clearly critical.''
14. Close up of Purple Heart medal on soldier's uniform
15. Soldiers listening to Mullen
16. Various of Mullen talking to US soldiers
STORYLINE:
The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday reviewed a new community-based defence programme that has recently started in an increasingly violent province in Afghanistan.
Admiral Mike Mullen visited Wardak province on Wednesday, where US troops deployed for the first time this year.
The programme he's assessing draws volunteers from Afghan communities to defend their villages against militants.
"This province is clearly critical to the future of Afghanistan," Mullen said. "So its great to hear on the ground from the governor as well from our people, how that's going."
Mullen also said that Wardak was "critical for the security of Kabul."
Earlier this month in Wardak, 240 Afghans - a ragtag collection of farmers, students and other unemployed men - completed three weeks of training for the Afghan Public Protection Force.
Though the programme is US-funded, it is overseen by the Afghan Interior Ministry, which is responsible for the country's security forces.
The community-based force has echoes in the American military's efforts in Iraq to form alliances with Sunni Arab tribesmen.
The Sunni militias helped turn the tide in Iraq, contributing to a dramatic reduction in violence, but friction has arisen between the militias and the Shiite-led government.
There have been clashes in recent weeks.
General David McKiernan, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, told the AP earlier this month that if the Wardak programme is successful, the community defence initiative will be expanded to other parts of the country.
Mullen met with Wardak's governor on Wednesday and gave a Purple Heart to Private First Class Edward Church, who was wounded in a February roadside bombing in neighbouring Logar province. Church is with the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Combat Brigade Team.
Mullen also congratulated the 10th Mountain troops for a successful transition to Afghanistan. The unit had first been scheduled to go to Iraq, but the U.S. has increased its focus on the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan in recent months.
US President Barack Obama this year ordered 21,000 new troops to the Central Asian country to bolster the record 38,000 already there.
Taliban and other militants have made a violent comeback the last three years after what appeared to be an initial defeat following the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
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