734th Agri Business Development Team

A March 13 photo of the Bar Chage Demonstration Farm north of Asadabad shows its transformation from a rocky field, into this verdant tangerine orchard through a partnership between the Iowa National Guard's 73 More

From left, Pfc. Brady Pugh, Monica Pugh, Staff Sgt. Eric Pugh, and the Pughs' youngest son, Ayden.

Col. Michael Fortune, commander of the Missouri National Guard's ADT IV, left, and Col Craig Bargfrede, commander of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, conduct a meeting of key lead More

Col. Brian Miller, commander of the 185th Air Refueling Wing, left, shares a smile with Brig. General Timothy Orr, the adjutant general for the state of Iowa, right foreground, as the senior Iowa National Guard More

Sgt. John Larsen, a Missouri hydrologist, is deploying as part of Missouri Agri-Business Development Team IV. Larsen also deployed with Missouri ADT II.

From left, Spec. Nathaniel Wunsch, Spec. Martin Rustvoldt, Spec. Daniel Kersbergen, Sgt. Forrest Shady and Staff Sgt. Eric Pugh prepare to receive Indiana Commendation Medals during a ceremony at Camp Atterbury, Ind.

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, right, the veterinary officer for the 734th Agri-Business Development Team, delivers 300 doses of rabies vaccine to U.S. Navy Lt. Kyle N. Burditt of Dodge City, More

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Mark Chase, hospital corpsman, of Dayton, Ohio, who is assigned to the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team Field Surgical Team at Forward Operating Base Wright, prepares to ta More

U.S. Army Col. Craig Bargfrede of Ankeny, Iowa, commander of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, meets with Haji Mohasal Kahn, Kunar Province Director of Agriculture, Irrigation and More

U.S. Army Sgt. Tanner Ruble of Winterset, Iowa, a military policeman with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, provides security as U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bennett Groth of Moville, More

Zargul, land reform director for the Sarkani District of Kunar province, listens during a meeting with members of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team at the Sarkani District Center, S More

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eric Pugh of Winterset, Iowa, Forestry Specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, shares a smile with the agricultural extension agents who serve the Mar More

U.S. Army Capt. Pat Birgy of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., the contracting officer for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, checks his watch after getting fruit prices from a vendor at the Asad More

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, veterinary officer for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, teaches knot tying for improvised animal halters, Oct. 21, to Dr. Abdullah More

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, veterinary officer for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, teaches knot-tying for improvised animal halters to Dr. Abdullah of Marawar More

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Steven Holding of Janesville, Iowa, (left) and U.S. Army Warrant Officer Marty Osmundson, of Des Moines, Iowa, both members of the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team More

A local veterinarian prepares before a Veterinary Outreach Sustainment Program in Marawara District, Kunar province, Oct. 24. The provincial Afghan government conducted the program, in which local veterinarians More

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Neil Stockfleth of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, agriculture section’s officer in charge for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, meets Dr. Jamaluddin, head of the Kuna More

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Don Kuehl of Jackson, Minn., meets with Shah Mahmood, subgovernor of the Sarkani District in Kunar province, Nov. 10, at the Sarkani District Center. During the meeting, Kuehl a More

First Lt. Nicholas Mercurio led firefighting efforts which ultimately saved Forward Operating Base Wright from destruction Nov. 15, 2010. Mercurio was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal with Valor for his More

U.S. Army Maj. Mary Parmenter of Perry, Iowa, left, speaks with U.S. Army Spc. Shannon Drinken of Rice Lake, Wis., outside veterinary training conducted by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Developme More

U.S. Army Maj. Dwayne Eden of Wesley, Iowa, production agriculture specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, shakes hands with Rahmatullah Himat, subgovernor of the Noor Gal More

U.S. Army Maj. Dwayne Eden of Wesley, Iowa, production agriculture specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, shares a laugh with children in Asadabad, the provincial capital More

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bennett Groth of Moville, Iowa, production agriculture specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, and U.S. Army Master Sgt. Steve Holding of Janesvil More

An Afghan girl looks on as members of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team repair the irrigation system at the Chowkay Demonstration Farm in Afghanistan's Kunar province Jan. 2. Members More

Abdul Wali and Said Obaidullah, Afghan agricultural professionals, tour Forward Operating Base Wright Jan. 2 on their first day as agricultural interns for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Developme More

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eric Pugh of Winterset, Iowa, forestry manager for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, discusses fruit and nut trees Jan. 13 with private nursery owners of Afghan More

Hosai Sediqi of San Diego, linguist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, is greeted by Afghan girls outside their home in Karula, a small town outside of Asadabad, the capital of A More

Afghan women take a break for tea and snacks during veterinary training conducted by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team at the Noor Gal District Center in Afghanistan's Kunar province More

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Director of the Army National Guard (Acting), greets U.S. Army Col. Craig Bargfrede of Ankeny, Iowa, commander of the Iowa National Guard's 73 More

U.S. Army Col. Fred Allen of Delavan, Ill., commander of the Illinois National Guard's 1-14th Agribusiness Development Team and U.S. Army Col. Craig Bargfrede of Ankeny, Iowa, commander of the Iowa National Gua More

U.S. linguist Shafiqa Ansary (right) of Union City, Calif., and U.S. Army Master Sgt. Darla Sheasley of Everly, Iowa, veterinary technician for the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team, ans More

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Lynn Redman focused on helping women and children during her deployment to Afghanistan.

Dr. Mohammed Ghalib, Kunar provincial veterinarian, sits with health professionals at Asadabad Hospital during a rabies prevention and control education session March 9. Members of the Iowa National Guard’s 734 More

U.S. Army Capt. Pat Birgy of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., finance officer for the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team, talks through an interpreter to a local resident along the canal that runs th More

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, the ADT's veterinary officer, educates nearly a hundred students of Asadabad University on rabies prevention and control April 14.

U.S. Army Sgt. Jessica St. John of Fort Dodge, Iowa, security forces team member with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, comforts a baby in Isara village of Marwara District, April 1 More

Workers pause south of Asadabad April 16 during one of 18 simultaneous canal cleaning cash-for-work projects for individual villages underwritten by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team More

Members of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team and Missouri ADT IV learn about proper care and handling of sheep and goats at the Purdue University livestock farm near West Lafayette, Indiana.

From left, Sgt. Maj. Robert Reedy, senior enlisted member of the 734th Agri-Business Development Team, Col. Mark Foreman, vice-wing commander of the 185th Air Refueling Wing, Col. Craig Bargfrede, commander of More

From left, Staff Sgt. Eric Pugh, Sgt. Forrest Shady, Spec. Daniel Kersbergen, Spec. Martin Rustvoldt, and Spec. Nathaniel Wunsch stand at attention after receiving their Indiana Commendation Medals at Camp Atte More

U.S. Army 1st. Lt. Scott Shirk of Emmetsburg, Iowa, agronomist with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, listens as Haji Abdul Karim, general manger of the Kunar Farmers' Cooperative, More

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Mark Chase, hospital corpsman of Dayton, Ohio, who is assigned to the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team Field Surgical Team at Forward Operating Base Wright, prepares to tak More

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bennett Groth of Moville, Iowa, production agriculture specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, assists U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eric Pugh of Winterse More

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Don Kuehl of Jackson, Minn., a soils specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri-Business Development Team, meets with agricultural officials and farmers from the Sarkan More

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, veterinary officer for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, reviews veterinary educational handouts with Afghan veterinarians who serve More

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Darla Sheasley of Everly, Iowa, veterinary technician for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, provides training on internal parasites, Oct. 21, to Afghan veterin More

U.S. Army Spc. Timothy Sly Jr., of Chariton, Iowa, a military policeman with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, participates in the Army Ten-Miler shadow run, an annual 10-mile run o More

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy Fehr of Des Moines, Iowa, security forces squad leader for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, talks with Afghan children and their grandfather at a Veteri More

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Bill Dunbar of Mason City, Iowa, construction specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, takes notes during a meeting at the governor's compound with Afg More

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Don Kuehl of Jackson, Minn., and Shah Mahmood, subgovernor of the Sarkani District in Afghanistan's Kunar Province, listens to the land reform director during a meeting, Nov. 10 More

Hosai Sediqi, a U.S. linguist, talks with Sohila, a member of the Kunar Province Women's Shura, outside veterinary training conducted by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team at a girls' More

Afghan workers of the Sarkani District recently cleaned out a portion of a canal, several kilometers long in Afghanistan's Kunar province, as part of a cash-for-work project, which was completed over a two-wee More

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Don Kuehl (left) of Jackson, Minn., U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bennett Groth of Moville, Iowa, and an interpreter talk with three farmers planting alfalfa at the proposed site of More

U.S. Army Capt. Pat Birgy of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., left, contracting officer for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, and U.S. Army 1st Lt. Scott Rottinghaus of Waterloo, Iowa, producti More

Rahmatullah Himat Noor Gal District, subgovernor, points toward the starting point of a proposed irrigation canal project in his district as U.S. Army Col. Craig Bargfrede of Ankeny, Iowa (left), Iowa National More

U.S. Army Capt. Pat Birgy of Mt. Pleasant, Mich., finance officer for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, talks with Nuuora, a shopkeeper in Asadabad, the provincial capital of Afghan More

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, veterinarian, teaches a group of 35 veterinary professionals from Kunar province about rabies prevention at a continuing education conference organized by Kunar More

Several members of the 734th Agribusiness Development Team repair the irrigation system at the Chowkay Demonstration Farm in Afghanistan's Kunar province Jan 2. The ADT members also prepared the farm's greenhou More

Jamaluddin Rohani, cultural advisor for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eric Pugh of Winterset, Iowa, the ADTs forestry manager, present a certificate of c More

U.S. Army Sgt. Jessica St. John of Ft. Dodge, Iowa, Security Forces team member with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, makes friends with Afghan girls inside their home compound in More

An Afghan national policeman directs Naseema Sadat, Director of Women's Affairs for Kunar Province, to the room at the Noor Gal District Center in which the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development More

U.S. Army Col. Michael Fortune of St. Louis, Mo., commander of Missouri Agribusiness Development Team IV (right), U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Director of the Army Nationa More

Dr. Hamdy Oushy, forage and rangeland specialist for the Afghanistan Water, Agriculture and Technology Transfer Project, gives a presentation to members of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Developme More

U.S. linguist Shafiqa Ansary (right) of Union City, Calif., and U.S. Army Master Sgt. Darla Sheasley of Everly, Iowa, veterinary technician for the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team, ans More

Abdul Wali and Said Obaidullah, Afghan agricultural professionals who are part of the internship program initiated by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, talk about an upcoming field More

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Steve Holding of Jaynesville, Iowa, hydrologist for the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team, talks with Hayatullah, a local resident and member of the Asadabad Commun More

Kunar province Gov. Haji Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi addresses Farmer's Day attendees March 31 in Asadabad, the provincial capital, as U.S. Army Col. Craig Bargfrede of Ankeny, Iowa, Iowa National Guard's 734th Agri More

Hundreds of high school students in Asadabad assemble for rabies prevention education by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team veterinary officer and senior combat medic April 9. (Photo More

Murgai, in Isara village of the Marawara District, April 11, shows the hand-cranked sewing machine and sewing supplies provided through a micro-entrepreneurial project initiated by the Kunar Female Engagement T More

U.S. Army Spc. Daniel Kersbergen of Boyden, Iowa, security forces team member with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, brings a lost toddler to his family during a foot patrol conduct More

Mahngal Khan, village elder from Thesha, signs documents held by Abdul Kadoz, Kunar Provincial Irrigation director, in order to get paid May 4 for work Khan's team did to clean the canal that serves Thesha.

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Darcy Hommer of Stuart, Iowa, noncommissioned officer in charge of security forces for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team (at rear), an Afghan farmer, and U.S. A More

Dr. Abdullah of Marawara District and other Afghan veterinarians who serve Kunar province hold up their certificates of completion at the end of a continuing education session, Oct. 21, organized by U.S. Army M More

Afghan of all ages wait to get their animals treated at a Veterinary Outreach Sustainment Program in Marawara District, Kunar province, Oct. 24. The provincial Afghan government conducted the program, in which More

An Afghan girl looks up from cutting parsley from a small plot during a foot patrol near Forward Operating Base Wright in Afghanistan's Kunar Province by the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development More

U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Daniel Collins of Kellogg, Iowa, contracting non-commissioned officer in charge for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, talks with a furniture store owner and his More

A crowd of 35 Afghan veterinary professionals gathers around U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, veterinarian, as he prepares to demonstrate how to neuter a dog Dec. 13. Spaying and neutering anima More

Kunar province Gov. Haji Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi makes remarks Jan. 8 to dozens of private provincial nursery owners at the beginning of nursery training in Asadabad, underwritten by the Iowa National Guard's 73 More

U.S. Army Sgt. Heather Eberle of Altoona, Iowa, combat medic with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, makes friends with Afghan children inside their home compound in Karula, a small More

Noor Gal District Subgovernor Ramatullah Himat addresses women at the district center before the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team begins veterinary training for them, Jan. 15. The Iowa More

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Director of the Army National Guard (Acting), jokes with U.S. Army Pvt. Jemima Etienne of New York City, food services specialist for the 101s More

Dr. Hamdy Oushy, forage and rangeland specialist for the Afghanistan Water, Agriculture and Technology Transfer Project, gives a presentation to the commanders of the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness De More

Although Navy nurse Lt. Cmdr. Lynn Redman does not speak the same language as the people she visited and treated during her deployment to Afghanistan, she still manages to share a light-hearted moment with seve More

Members of the Iowa National Guard’s 734th Agribusiness Development Team pass an Afghan girl as they conduct a foot patrol down the Asadabad canal to determine if the canal needs to be cleaned March 22.

Shereen, a farmer from the Sarkani District, leaves the Farmer's Day celebration March 31 in Asasdabad, the provincial capital, with tools, saplings and farm supplies purchased by the Iowa National Guard's 734t More

U.S. Army Warrant Officer Marty Osmundson of Des Moines, Iowa, construction specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribuiness Development Team, and Kunar Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mohammed Ghalib sta More

Farida, in Isara village of the Marawara District, April 11, shows sewing supplies she received through a micro-entrepreneurial sewing project initiated by the Kunar Female Engagement Team, which is led by memb More

Jamal Sayed, a farmer near Asadabad, shows his farm to U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Neil Stockfleth of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, agriculture section officer in charge for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Dev More

Mohammed Rahim, village elder from Thesha, shakes hands with U.S. Army Master Sgt. Steve Holding, of Janesville, Iowa, hydrologist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, after Holdin More

Afghan girls wait to get their goats treated at a Veterinary Outreach Sustainment Program in Marawara District, Kunar province, Oct. 24. The provincial Afghan government conducted the program, in which local ve More

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams, veterinarian from New Liberty, Iowa, supervises as an Afghan veterinarian puts final sutures into a neutered dog at a continuing education conference organized by the Kunar provincia More

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bennett Groth of Moville, Iowa, production agriculture specialist for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, poses for a photo as he shakes hands with Mashuqall More

Chickens scratch inside their mud and wood coop in a home compound in Karula, a small town outside of Asadabad, the capital of Afghanistan's Kunar Province. The Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Developm More

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Darla Sheasley of Everly, Iowa, veterinary technician with the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, conducts veterinary training on livestock pests for the women of K More

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Director of the Army National Guard (Acting), shares a laugh with soldiers from Missouri Agribusiness Development Team IV during lunch Jan. 21 More

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Darla Sheasley of Everly, Iowa, veterinary technician for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, demonstrates how to vaccinate a goat during veterinary training for More

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Darcy Hommer of Stuart, Iowa, security forces noncommissioned officer in charge for the the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, accepts the personal coin of U.S. Arm More

U.S. Army Maj. Loren Adams of New Liberty, Iowa, veterinary officer for the Iowa National Guard's 734th Agribusiness Development Team, trains provincial women Jan. 15 at the Noor Gal District Center in Kunar pr More

U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters carrying U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Director of the Army National Guard (Acting) and his staff depart FOB Finley-Shields in Afghanistan's More