A letter from Derek Hines (page 1 of 3) Editor's note: The following is a letter written two months ago by Derek Hines to The Daily News. It relates his experience in Afghanistan, and his commitment to his duty as an officer and a soldier. We published it July 4, but upon learning of his tragic death we have chosen to republish it today because it explains, in his own thoughtful words, the challenges and hardships he faced:Battle Company is aiding in the construction of government headquarters, police stations, schools and medical clinics throughout three districts of Afghanistan.But our job is not solely to offer humanitarian support. The fact remains, this is a war — groups of men are fighting each other on a daily basis. In our three districts alone, we have engaged the Taliban over 20 times in three months. The enemy's primary weapons are AK-47 assault rifles and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs). A standard mission for the men of Battle Company consists of moving by helicopter into a village. The village is believed to be harboring the Taliban, according to intelligence reports. Once inserted, we walk upwards of 20 to 30 miles in the course of a week with 50 to 70 pounds on our back in the form of body armor and a backpack. The patrol leader and his interpreter move into the village and find the "mullah," usually the oldest and wisest male. At this point, a systematic search of the compounds that make up the village begins. About two hours into the patrol, the interpreter's walkie-talkie starts making noises. It is the Taliban. We are hunting them, and they are hunting us. It is a game of cat and mouse. The interpreter tells the patrol leader what the Taliban is saying. They are beginning to prepare their attack. As the signal gets better reception, we know they are getting closer. Every word said over the radios the "terp" is telling us.The patrol starts to gear up, knowing it may have to fight the mysterious enemy. We search the high ground looking for suspicious activity in the rocks. The enemy is smart in this regard. They use the high ground to their advantage. To try to reduce this advantage, Battle Company walks it. Most mountains in Afghanistan range from 8,000 to 12,000 feet in elevation. At the end of the day, we either get into a gunfight or wait until the next day when the walkie-talkie chatter is heard again. Working toward elections A letter from Derek Hines (page 2 of 3) The enemy in Afghanistan uses intimidation and weapons to influence the local populace. They are professionally trained fighters educated at madrassas, or religious schools, in Pakistan, where they are taught that coalition forces are in Afghanistan to destroy Islam. They have absolutely no connection to the people of Afghanistan. They spend the day walking the mountains, then move to the villages in the evening to terrorize the people. One of the most pivotal events in our one-year deployment will be the provincial elections. The responsibilities of Battle Company include securing the election sites and workers. The United Nations teams are taking responsibility for the actual elections. If the elections are a success, it will move the Afghan government and the country closer to sustaining itself without Coalition troops and assistance. The Afghan government is allowing women to vote, but in our three districts, which are very traditional, the elders have stated women will not vote. In more developed areas like Kandahar and Kabul, they will. Coalition forces are working with the Afghan National Police (ANP) and Afghan National Army (ANA). Both are in the early stages of development, but every day show improvement. The men who join receive no formal training. They are recruited, travel to the district they will work in, given weapons and asked to secure the people. They range in age from 13 to 50. You may think 13 is young for a police officer, but these brave boys are sometimes the sole providers for their families — the only hope their families have to survive. When we arrived, the number of police officers was dwindling because the government hadn't paid them in six months. Those men who stayed on to serve despite the hardship will be why Afghanistan's government makes it.The best missions Battle Company has conducted have been joint patrols with them leading the way. They live with the people and know who the bad guys are in the local villages. Battle Company would have no idea who the enemy is if not for them. The war would not be won without the brave ANP and ANA because the Afghan people listen to them a lot more than they listen to us. The U.S. will not win this war without the cooperation of every village because we cannot recognize the enemy unless he is shooting at us. To prepare for the elections, Battle Company scheduled Surrahs (town hall meetings) with elders of each of the three districts on Fridays, which is their Sabbath. In these meetings run by Army lieutenants and captains, groups of men attempt to solve district issues such as hunger, drought and security. I've found that Afghans are looking for guidance, and they want strong leadership. The elders listened to me talk about simple concepts like security, cooperation and leadership. The reason for writing (page 3 of 3) I wanted to write this article to tell America of the war in Afghanistan. The press has slowly made people think this is a humanitarian assistance mission. This is false. Coalition forces are on the fast track to rebuilding this country, but there is fighting, too. The men who surround me are America's heroes. They are between the ages of 18 and 21. Most of them are just back from one year in Iraq and are making the ultimate sacrifice for another year. Day in and day out, they amaze me with their perseverance and determination. Their mission: secure three of the most contentious areas in the country, Arghandab, Deh Chopan and Khak Afghan. In the past four months, these brave men have successfully met every challenge presented them. There are no days off. Recently, the fighting has been as intense as it was when Special Forces Units and the Rangers initially came in to defeat the Taliban and Al-Qaida in the Tora Bora mountains. In four major engagements with the enemy, we have destroyed 15, 16, 40 and 80 Taliban fighters without the loss of a single American soldier. These soldiers make every day I am out here worth the trip. As a young officer, I am beginning to understand why our Army is the best in the world. All the men are respectful when they are pushed to their edge by rude Afghans, are willing to take on any task and are humble about their huge accomplishments.