LASHKAR GAH, AFGHANISTAN - “Sometimes you just have

LASHKAR GAH, AFGHANISTAN - “Sometimes you just have to understand that there’s never really a perfect place to emplace these sensors,” said Sgt. John Verhage III from South Brunswick, New Jersey and a surveillance sensor operator with Task Force Southwest (TFSW). He aids in the employment of remote sensor systems and unmanned aerial surveillance assets to help detect the movement of enemy personnel and vehicles. The ability to detect enemy movement is nothing new. Since 1967 in Vietnam, Marines have used unmanned remote sensor systems in any area of operation, helping to provide real-time warnings to brace Marines and their counterparts for anything they may face. “It’s a lot of planning that goes into this; we have to think of where it would become more effective especially since they help us gather Intel when it comes to areas of operation like this.” The employment allows TFSW to gather an area’s information to aid the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) during constant combat operations in Helmand province. Verhage is one of the approximately 300 Marines deployed to Afghanistan to aid in the train, advise and assist mission to help enable the effectiveness of the ANDSF. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sean J. Berry)