METTER, Ga., Nov. 15, 2011 – While most college students have their own set of concerns and real-world hurdles to clear, Spc. Andrew Wexel, an infantryman in the Georgia Army National Guard and a psychology major at Georgia Gwinnett College, will be taking on an entirely different set of challenges: long days, mountainous terrain, and helping Afghan farmers.

“I want to go and help the Afghans have a better life,” Wexel said.

Wexel, from Lilburn, Ga., has been trying to deploy since he joined the Georgia Guard in 2008.

“This is my sixth attempt at volunteering to go on a deployment,” he said.  “I originally joined the guard to go with the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) to Afghanistan, but I did not get out of basic training in time for their deployment.”

Now, his zeal for going to help is becoming a reality as he prepares to deploy as part of the Georgia Guard’s Agriculture Development Team (ADT) II – a specially designed unit whose mission is to help Afghan farmers learn better ways to raise crops, care for animals, and improve their agribusiness.

“I will be on the security force team, and we are responsible for keeping our veterinarians and agribusiness experts safe as they help the Afghan farmers,” Wexel said.

Currently, in his sophomore year, Wexel says his time deployed will be a great opportunity to study another culture.

“I am looking forward to observing and studying the afghan culture, and seeing the similarities and differences between theirs and ours,” he said.

While Wexel has not yet decided if he will take the year off from his studies or continue through an online program, he says the deployment will also help him make some career decisions.

“I think this will help me decide if I want to make the military a career, using my degree in psychology, or if I want to pursue opening my own civilian practice,” said Wexel, adding that he has an interest in helping Soldiers who suffer from post traumatic stress.

“I want to help Soldiers, and this deployment is going to give me the background I need to relate to fellow Soldiers who have deployed, because I will have been there and can then understand some of things they may be going through,” he said.

ADT II is in the process of getting ready to deploy by completing their training phase. The unit will head to Afghanistan sometime this winter.

Story filed by the Public Affairs Office

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry

Georgia Department of Defense