1. Let me give youa little backgroundonBehzad. Before Imethim, I wasaskedby US Special Forcesto
travel withtheircommanderinAfghanistan,General ScottMiller. (IwasUSAID's missiondirectorin
Afghanistan,andmyvisitwithGeneral MilleraroundAfghanistantookplace shortlyafterIarrivedin
Kabul inJune/July2010.) General Millersaidtome,"I want to talkaboutone of your people;he'sareal
Americanhero." He was talkingaboutBehzad. Andthenhe proceededtoexplainindetail whatBehzad
was doingina verydifficultenvironmenttobuildcommunityresistancetoviolentextremistgroups,
includingthe Taliban. IsawBehzadinactionand workedwithhimfirst-hand. He'sa verymodestguy,
and I doubthe'll tell youhisstorywell,becauseof hismodesty. Toborrow Gen Miller's term, Itoo
wouldcall Behzada hero.
Behzadisable to connectwithpeople,able toanalyze problemswell,andable todevelop
implementable solutionstobigproblems. AfterBehzad returnedfromAfghanistan,Iaskedhimtojoin
our CVE teaminthe AfricaBureau. He'san outstandingpractitionerinCVEandhas a deep
understandingof howUSAIDoperates. People enjoyworkingwithhim(orforhim) because of his
inspiringcommitment toworkandexcellence. Ilearnedalotfrom Behzad,andwouldgladlyworkwith
himagain.
Earl Gast, FormerUSAID AssistantAdministrator,AfricaBureau