Meet Colonel Feucht: Badger abroad
By Zach Thomae, Terrace Views student editor
Here, we have something very special. We were contacted by a reader who is currently stationed in Afghanistan. In typical Badger fashion, he has a very interesting story to tell. So, we have for you a portrait of a Badger and Terrace Views reader in action.
Col. Feucht- Photo courtesy of Col. Feust.
Colonel Darrel “AJ” Feucht was brought on to lead the Wisconsin National Guard’s 82nd Agricultural Development Team (ADT) in 2010. ADTs have been deployed to Afghanistan with the goal of helping Afghan farmers grow food more effectively, by teaching them agricultural and business skills.
Currently, Afghanistan is the largest producer of illicit opium in the world. Conflict in the region has limited the productive capacity of the farms in the country dramatically, to the point where growing opium is more profitable than growing more legitimate crops. Electricity and machinery are lacking and where they exist, their use is limited by a lack of access to parts for repair. Col. Feucht describes it as being similar to early-1900s Wisconsin.
The National Guard has fielded and deployed ADTs, the Wisconsin National Guard 82nd among them, to Afghanistan to advise farmers on more productive farming methods and sanitary practices. According to Col. Feucht the land in Afghanistan is plenty fertile–it just isn’t being used effectively anymore, so his team and the others are trying to steer them back toward more productive practices.
Col. Feucht & Cpt. Schmitz. Photo courtesy of Col. Feucht.
Col. Feucht was chosen to lead this team, because of his experience in agriculture and business. Before becoming the commander of the 82nd ADT, he was the commander of the 64th Troop Command, which is the most diverse brigade in the state.
Col. Feucht graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985 with a degree in agriculture (mechanization and management). Later, he went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s in management from different schools. In addition to being a commanding officer, he has also been the director of logistics (for the joint staff) for the Wisconsin National Guard. In his civilian life, he works as a manager of facilities and contingency planning at Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc.
A number of the other members of the 82nd ADT are Badgers as well, including Captain James Schmitz and Sergeant Colleen Anderson, who graduated in 2006 and 2009, respectively.
The Wisconsin National Guard’s 82nd Agribusiness Development Team at the sendoff ceremony. 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment photo by 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson
The team received training from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison in 2011 in order to get up to speed on the special techniques they would need during their deployment.
The team deployed to Asadabad, Kunar Province, Afghanistan last March. Upon their arrival, they were informed that the situation on the ground had changed, and that their roles would have to change as well. Within 8 weeks, a 12 person agricultural section of the team was reassigned to the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team, to economize on their efforts. The rest of the team, including Capt. Schmitz and Col. Feucht, were moved to the Kabul region.
In the time before they were re-missioned, the members of the team had already made progress toward achieving the goals they had set out to do, traveling to demonstration farms and meeting with key leaders to determine the agricultural needs of the districts of Asadabad.
Col. Feucht is now also the strategic planner at Task Force Hydra. In our email exchange, he said that he is not worried about the changes. According to Col. Feucht, “[With] the ever-changing environment in Afghanistan and the pending draw down, many changes take place.”
Gov. Scott Walker and Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, present Col. Darrel Feucht with a state flag during a sendoff ceremony Feb. 4 at Hartford Union High School in Hartford, Wis. 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment photo by 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson
The team has set up numerous Badger flags in tribute to UW Madison. They plan on presenting a flag of one design, now featured at FOB Wright in Kunar Province and Camp Phoenix in Kabul, to CALS upon their return. According to Col. Feucht, the flag will hopefully be presented at a Badger football game (or possibly a Badger Hockey Game).
Besides offering training for the team, the University has been asked to act as a “reach-back” resource, where the University continues to provide resources to deployed units when needed. Col. Feucht hopes that this will help establish a long-term partnership between UW Madison and Afghanistan.
Beyond this, Col. Feucht says that he and the other Badgers on his team still have a strong connection to UW Madison.
Sgt. Colleen Anderson remembers socializing with the Hoofer Outing Club and playing broomball on the Union Terrace ice rink.
And living in Monona, Col. Feucht gets a chance to visit the Union regularly. He particularly enjoys the Union Terrace, which he calls one of his favorite places to stop. “I miss the Terrace. It is difficult explaining to other service members and other Coalition Forces the great times at the Union Terrace. The music, the chairs, the beer, going there after a football game, the ice cream…I think the Germans and Bulgarians caught on, they smiled!” Col. Feucht told us.
The Badger experience forms a bond between team members from the University. Col. Feucht says it’s hard to explain it to people who haven’t been there, but for those who have, the memories are powerful.
Remarking on this, he says, “Captain James Schmitz and I will talk Badger sports and share stories of two generations on campus. It makes us laugh and gives us an escape for a few minutes. We both agree that with all the change and hardship we go through here, the UW-Madison campus and Union Terrace are the only constants that make us both smile.”
Read more about Col. Feucht here:
Catching up with Darrel Feucht
Transcript of Col. Feucht’s appearance on WPTV’s Here and now
Unique Wisconsin National Guard unit ready for next step
