(Kabul, Afghanistan)-- Milton Ricks likes to walk during his inspections at Darualaman Garrison, an Afghanistan National Army Base located outside the bustling city of Kabul. Wearing his camouflage bandana under his white and red Corps of Engineers hardhat complimenting his neatly pressed Army desert camouflage uniform, his face has become so familiar to a group whose faces are hard to discern. He cannot drive the base without workers stopping “Mr. Ricks” to say hello or to ask questions.

As a project engineer, he is stern and meticulous during inspections. As a person, he exudes friendship and an openness that has allowed him to forge personal and professional relationships.

“I understand how they want to be approached. I must shake hands 100 times a day,” he said sitting on a wood bench outside his office, a temporary trailer. “I notice sometimes the contractors try to get in my proximity so they can shake my hand. I am very receptive, so they feel comfortable to approach me with issues and I think that is why they do. They don’t feel intimidated.”

At a glance, Ricks appears intimidating, standing more than 6’ tall, an athletic build, with a booming voice that has a hint of his Liberian accent developed during his youth. He has almost come full circle in circumstance. Born in Liberia , he left Africa to escape the violence of civil war and tribal fighting and moved to the US to become an engineer. He came to Afghanistan hoping to help rebuild a war torn nation and put a human face to the word American.

After graduating from college, and serving six years in the US Marine Corps, Ricks settled in Texas . He eventually made his way up to the New York metropolitan area and accepted a position with the US Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. His office is located five blocks from the World Trade Center .

“I see a correlation between what happened in New York and what has happened in Afghanistan ,” Ricks said. “They have been hijacked and used as a spring board to launch terrorism against America . If we fall to terrorism, if we are not here, I am not here, we are vulnerable to terrorism. We are a defense to our great country.”

Ricks, an Edison, New Jersey native, is part of a group of volunteers serving in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom. His projects are helping to stabilize Afghanistan by providing comfortable training facilities for the Afghanistan National Army.

“I was working on flood control projects in New Jersey when September 11^th happened,”said Ricks. “I saw the airline [hit the tower] on television, and I learned the whole story and years later decided to come to Afghanistan where it all started to help promote democracy and to show them [Afghans] that Americans are not what terrorist say we are.”

Ricks believes walking around the base inspecting and talking to the workers about deficiencies helps to set construction standards. He points out that many are new to the industry and have no formal training. From an engineer’s perspective, he monitors the work at the base to ensure it is accurate and in line with safety and construction standards. He believes he has seen a shift in their understanding of safety and construction standards.

“They know what will and will not pass inspection and have said to me, that this will not pass the test” he said referring to some of the facilities such as the barracks, water and sewer systems, communications and electrical ducts that he routinely checks.

“This has exposed me to many cultures, working at the same site, from Pakistan to Indian and Afghanistan .” All, he said have different reasons for working here, ranging from expatriates providing a wealth of experience and helping their families back home, to the uneducated with nationalistic pride, wanting to rebuild their countries and learn a skill.

“Some are uneducated,” Ricks said of the Afghan workers, “but they are very eager to earn a living.”

 Ricks sometimes feels conflicted with regard to his personnel safety. However, he feels since he started work at the base, he wants to see it finished. He also believes his expertise is needed, adding that this is a chance to help this country “fight terrorism with science and engineering.”

“It is an honor to have the American flag on my shoulder and be serving here,” he said. “Sometimes it is scary and dangerous and after 25 years of fighting they are slightly between a rock and hard place, but I am honored to be a part of the whole change”

Ricks had made the most out of his experiences to try and learn from the different cultures, he said, going outside of his parameters of comfort. He has had lunch with local nationals, the Afghan General in charge of the ANA base where he works, and local contractors. He also makes it a point to have tea, a common custom here in Afghanistan , with the people he works with.

Ricks will return to the United States in December to spend the holidays with his family. Although he misses them, he feels strongly about the work the Corps is doing in Afghanistan .

“I was motivated and realized the world is a small place, for us too,” he said. “We have a lot at stake in America , and we could possibly lose our way of life if we don’t pay attention to the threat of terror.”