U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew Palma (left), the commanding

U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Matthew Palma (left), the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, listens to his interpreter’s translation as Mir Hamza, the director of Garmsir district’s National Defense Service, speaks to a crowd of approximately 200 elders during a shura here, Feb. 23. During the shura, District Governor Mohammad Fahim asked his elders for help in growing the Afghan Local Police program, and urged them to cease illicit poppy growth in their villages and support government-led poppy eradication efforts. In response to their requests for school, clinic and road construction, Fahim implored the elders to support Afghan-led security efforts. “The most important thing we need in Garmsir is security,” Fahim said. “Without it, we won’t be able to complete these development projects.” Several key Afghan military and intelligence leaders also spoke, including Afghan National Army Lt. Col. Haji Mohammad, the commanding officer of Garmsir’s new, second ANA battalion — 6th Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps. Mohammad spoke about 6-1-215’s past progress in securing Helmand’s Marjah district and shared his goals of achieving the same Afghan-led security in Garmsir.