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Bill O'Donnell Honored for Service in Afghanistan

On May 2, USDA honored more than 40 Department employees, including Bill O'Donnell and 13 other NRCS personnel, for their service in Afghanistan and Iraq. The ceremony recognized those who have completed deployments as Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) agriculture advisors, ministry advisors, or Foreign Service officers serving at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

“The greatest honor we can bestow on the USDA employees here with us today is to continue the mission to help rebuild and revitalize the physical and institutional agricultural sectors in Afghanistan and Iraq so that the work they performed will have lasting effects for the people and land of those countries,” said Secretary Ed Schafer.

Secretary Schafer presented a special recognition award to Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Arlen Lancaster for having contributed more employees than any other USDA agency to the U.S. Government effort to stabilize and rebuild both countries. 

Photo of Bill Bill in the desert.

Bill O'Donnell detailed to Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan from August 2004 - February 2005. Bill worked with the central government Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources in 5 northern provinces. His residence while in Afghanistan with the British Army. There were 10 different nations represented at this Provincial Reconstruction Team military compound.

Bill in the Afghanistan desert.

Photo of cotton field Photo of flood control project area Photo of farmer and plow Photo of wool spinning
Cotton picking Afghans Proposed flood control project site Wooden plow and farmer Wool Spinning Wheel and Combing Demo Andkhoi Intl Carpet Exhibit

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