Captain Sean Pond Serves In Afghanistan

Sean David Pond, a 1997 graduate of Newtown High School, was promoted to the rank of captain in the United States Army on January 9. His promotion ceremony took place in Khowst, Afghanistan, at Forward Operating Base, Salerno, during the ninth month of Capt Pond’s yearlong deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Capt Pond was promoted by Four Star General John Abizaid, the commander of the US Central Command, who was visiting the soldiers at Camp Salerno.

Capt Pond graduated from Western Maryland College on May 26, 2001, and was commissioned into the Army on the same day as a second lieutenant. He was stationed at the home of the Tropic Lightning and the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawai,i on the island of Oahu. He earned his Air Assault wings in February 2002 and spent a year as a platoon leader with the 25th Transportation Company, which is currently conducting convoys on the roads of Iraq.

Capt Pond deployed with the Logistics Task Force 524 as the battalion transportation officer in March 2004. His unit spent three months in the adjacent country of Uzbekistan, where he was responsible for transporting supplies south on hundreds of civilian trucks. The LTF 524 moved itsheadquarters in June 2004 to FOB Salerno in Afghanistan where the unit is currently stationed. Capt Pond has spent the last five months as the battalion intelligence officer assessing threats to supply routes and studying Taliban tactics.

 “This year has been long, but full of great experiences that I will always cherish — both the good and bad,” Capt Pond said.  “I am proud to serve my country, and I will continue to work hard as a leader to motivate and set the example for other soldiers. I just hope that Americans appreciate the life they live. There are people on this earth who live in absolute poverty — people who are subject to a hard life handed to them by historical and political oppression — people who have to worry about stepping on land mines or hoping the tough winter won’t kill off their livestock.

“Many of the Afghan people may be uneducated, different, non-Christian, but they are very human,” Capt Pond said. “I always encourage those more fortunate to donate to a cause or help those who don’t even know how to help themselves. History will reveal if America has made the correct decisions during this time of war, but I personally will do my best to support and defend our way of life.”

After returning from Afghanistan, Capt Pond will return to his duty station in Hawaii. Subsequently, he is scheduled to attend Special Forces Assessment School at the US Army’s John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School in Fort Bragg, N.C.

During his military service, Capt Pond is also pursuing his master’s degree in economics from the University of Oklahoma. He is the son of David and Katherine Pond of Sandy Hook.