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Chuck Garrison
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Chuck with Afghan officers of the 205th Corps in Kandahar.
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Lt. Col. (Ret.) Charles "Chuck" Garrison, a distinguished retired career Army officer, has taken the reins of The American Project as Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective September 1. Fresh from an assignment as a civilian contractor training Afghanistan Army officers in Afghanistan, Chuck brings a wealth of management experience to The American Project.
A lifelong friend of artist Shan Gray, Garrison will play a significant role as the Project progresses. "Chuck's main job will be to help us coordinate our 'Dream Team' of partners recruited to accomplish this unique monument," Gray said. "He will manage all the diverse supporting talents for the Project, maintain our commitments to investors, and foster the great relationships we have developed."
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Chuck with General Richard Myers, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in June of 2004. Chuck previously served with him in Japan from 1993-1996.
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Chuck retired from the Army after serving in various command and staff positions from platoon through corps level. In March 2004, Chuck "returned to duty" as a civilian defense contractor working in Afghanistan until July 2005. Chuck led a mobile training team that instructed and mentored over 500 high-level Afghan army staff regarding their military roles and functions as well as the military decision-making process. Many of his students were once Mujaheddin soldiers and some were even former Taliban.
Chuck says that in all his travels around the world he has never witnessed poverty, sickness, and drought like that of Afghanistan. Chuck felt the need to help in some way. He and his friends sent e-mails back to the states requesting people to send school supplies and clothing items for the many needy Afghans. The responses were unbelievable! Numerous packages from all over the world arrived daily with clothing items that literally helped save the lives of hundreds of people during Afghanistan's most severe winter in 18 years.
During the final six months of Chuck's stay, the Afghans began to receive relief from the drought through snowfall and rain storms. Rivers began to flow again and vegetation increased. Many Afghans blame the Taliban for the long drought and credit the U.S. for the recent precipitation. According to Chuck, the U.S. is currently in the process of building the largest embassy in the world in Kabul, where he lived. He and many others hope that this is a sign of our country's commitment to rebuilding Afghanistan and helping stop the spread of terrorism throughout the world.
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Chuck with graduating Afghan officers in Kabul. These men were then sent to the four corners of Afghanistan to establish regional commands for their army.
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