By Marlene Rashidi
On Mach 4th, students and staff at Lincoln High got to hear stories of Afghanistan from former LHS teacher and current Army Reservist Robert Holbert who taught social studies at Lincoln High school for ten years. Holbert talked to the Lincoln High students and told them the main reason why he was in Afghanistan was to educate the Army on the local population. His goal was to establish relationships, learn local history, cultures, religions, customs and build relationships with the Afghans, because war wasn’t the solution. He describes the environment back there as, “Beautiful, incredible wildlife. People there are polite,” Holbert told the audience. His team helps the Afghans fight back against the Taliban.
Holbert says when going into a village and children run toward you, it’s probably a good sign, because bombers won’t bomb where kids are. He carried his daughter’s necklaces that were supposed to protect him, and he says some carried Bibles, pictures, drawings, and coins for good-luck. The one person he missed the most from home was his daughter. Holbert says joining military is a personal decision.
Sally Hunt, an English teacher at Lincoln High, says, “Mr. Holbert’s willingness to share his personal experience as a soldier in Afghanistan reminded students of what to remember and understand the past. It also provided students the opportunity to be responsible listeners who can empathize with the current issues facing soldiers.”
Holbert received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Minnesota National Guard on May 20th, 1990. He was awarded a Two-year Army ROTC Scholarship at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. After his commission he received his BA in History from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota and his Secondary Education Teaching Certificate from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1995. Holbert served in the Minnesota National Guard and the US Army Reserve (Nebraska) as a Squad Leader, Rifle Platoon Leader, Training Officer, Company Executive Officer and Company Commander. He served as a Battalion Executive Officer, and Logistics Officer. From 2006-2010 Robert volunteered for US Army human Terrain System and served on first Human Terrain Team assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division to Eastern Afghanistan as the Research Manager and Assistant Team Leader in 2007.
He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, US Army Airborne School, The Infantry Captains Career Course, Human Terrain System Class 1 and Anti-Terrorism Program Manager Course.
