It's 5 a.m. and Tony Beals is at the gym before he goes to the office like many working Americans. Unless he is assigned a mission to put on his full body armor and a helmet to head out and meet with the civilians of Afghanistan.

Tony Beals and Shawn Waddouts are both BYU graduates and members of Provincial Reconstruction Teams, or PRT's, serving in Afghanistan.

"There is no such thing as a typical day," said Waddouts, who is serving in Jalalabad located in the east in a province called Nangarhar.

"Afghanistan is something you have to experience to understand" said Beals, USDA agriculture advisor serving in the Farah Province located on the western border.

Both Waddouts and Beals agree progress is being made in Afghanistan.

"There is a night and day difference in most parts of this country compared to where they were six years ago" Waddouts said.

The reconstruction of Afghanistan began in 2001 and is focused on achieving three main goals - establishing security, reconstructing the community and producing a "legitimate and effective government," Waddouts said.

"The vast majority of Afghan people are very happy that we are here," Beals said. "Their greatest fear is that we will get tired as Americans and leave before they can stand up on their own feet."

Some BYU students agree the United States is making a difference in Afghanistan.

"Free and fair elections have been held, more children in Afghanistan are being educated than before, and the women's rights situation has improved considerably," said Eric Meldrum, 22, a junior from Littleton, Colo., majoring in international relations. "However, we need to do more to ensure this progress continues."

Waddouts believes Afghanistan has a lot of ground to make up, yet remains hopeful in the country's future.

"You always have to remember in situations like this that the future of Afghanistan is going to be very different than what you and I would envision for them," Waddouts said.

Though life in Afghanistan has improved, some students, like Steve Pierce, 21, a sophomore from Keller, Texas, double majoring in political science and print journalism, feel the frustration of a slow process.

"We allowed ourselves to be distracted by the quagmire of Iraq, which consequentially pulled our troops and our focus off of Afghanistan," Pierce said. "Now, seven year after nine-eleven, we still haven't finished the job in Afghanistan."

Beals said he believes the main purpose of a PRT is to "help Afghans create the future they want for themselves." The Afghan people are very anxious for progress and "there is a lot to be done and we definitely have not done everything correctly but we are definitely learning from our mistakes and there is definitely hope," Beals said.

Many envision a bright future for Afghanistan, yet see that picture far in the distance.

"Afghanistan's future is not going to be decided in the next few months or even years," Meldrum said. "The creation of a stable political and economic system that can provide peace, education and infrastructure must come from the Afghani people themselves if it's going to last."

Waddouts and Beals urge BYU students to step forward.

"Students need to be prepared to go out on the world scene and take up responsibilities throughout the world," Beals said.

And BYU students are responding.

"Yes, our fellow Americans are doing their best to make a difference in Afghanistan," Pierce said. "Now we need to give them the help and resources they need and deserve."

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Copyright Brigham Young University 15 Sep 2008