Middlesex Township near Carlisle in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
HESCO in Afghanistan
U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center
Photographed by Don Morfe, May 31, 2015
1. HESCO in Afghanistan Marker
Building a HESCO Position in Afghanistan: An Army Engineer's Perspective
“Once the initial reconnaissance has occurred and the land has been approved, the S4 and engineers need to generate a supply request for triple-strand concertina, HESCO Bastion Concertainers, dimensional lumber, plywood, sandbags, tents, and power generators, which are needed immediately for the Soldiers or engineers performing the initial construction. These materials allow a perimeter, observation posts, entry control points, and a tactical operations center to be constructed…The engineer is responsible for determining where the fill material will be obtained for the HESCO barriers and sandbags…If the soil conditions prevent the use of in-situ soil due to its poor characteristic, or if there is a lack of engineers or heavy equipment, the unit’s contracting officer will not only have to coordinated the fill material requirements but may be required to contract heavy equipment such as bucket loader, hydraulic excavators (HYEXs), an dump trucks.”
Michael P. Carvelli “Planning a new FOB in Afghanistan”
Engineer: The Professional Bulletin for Army Engineers,
this page online
Second Lieutenant Carvelli is the Task Force Engineer, Special Troops Battalion, 173d Airborne Brigade.
(Inscription under the photo on the left)
Engineer and cavalry Soldiers worked together to build living quarters and a security check point for Afghan Border Police at Gowardesh Bridge during Operation Mountain Highway II in eastern Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. Spc. Jason Marlowe, a Wisconsin native, and Spc. Ben Cavanagh, from Iowa, built the ABP checkpoint living quarters, bunkers and fighting positions next to the Gowardesh Bridge and Landay River.
(Inscription under the photo on the bottom right)
Gun trucks in a HESCO position in Afghanistan.
Erected by U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, Afghanistan. A significant historical date for this entry is October 1, 1847.
Location. Marker has been reported permanently removed. It was located near 40° 12.444′ N, 77° 9.54′ W. Marker was near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. It was in Middlesex Township. It could be reached from Army Heritage Drive. Touch for map. Marker was in this post
Photographed by Don Morfe, May 31, 2015
2. HESCO in Afghanistan Marker
We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Regionally, this marker was in South-Central Pennsylvania and in Greater Harrisburg. It was also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it was in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Bunkhouse: (here, next to this marker); The “Humvee” – High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) (a few steps from this marker); Tactical Operations Center (TOC): (a few steps from this marker); Afghanistan Combat Outpost, circa 2005 (within shouting distance of this marker); Guard Tower: (within shouting distance of this marker); Operating for Freedom (within shouting distance of this marker); Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)
Photographed by Don Morfe, May 31, 2015
3. Sign at the entrance to the US Army Heritage and Education Center
Other markers no longer nearby. HESCO at Home (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); HESCO in Iraq (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); HESCO Barriers (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); Specialist (SPC) Charles Posey III (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing); Sergeant (SGT) Robert Easley, Jr. (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing).
Regarding HESCO in Afghanistan. The area is now an Afghanistan Combat Outpost, circa 2005, which incorporates the HESCO barriers but not the wayside.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 757 times since then and 82 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 7, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
