It's one of those things most Americans take for granted - access to a basic education.

It's something Sackets Harbor students certainly appreciate more now after meeting students at Howz-e-Medad school in Kandahar province via teleconference last week. (Click here to see our Military Matters coverage of that.)

The Afghan students were just beginning to learn how to read and write.

Howz-e-Medad only opened last month.

It's one of 12 new schools the 10th Mountain Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team has helped open in the Zharay district this year.

The soldiers will open 20 in all before their deployment ends.

When they arrived, there were only two.

Now, more than 2,000 children, including nearly 450 girls, have access to a basic education for the first time in their lives.

"It means that the community is standing up against the Taliban. They have confidence in their government," said Captain Alissa Morrison of the 3rd BCT.

That's no small achievement in the place the Taliban was born.

As 10th Mountain Division soldiers are able to secure more and more areas, more and more schools can be opened throughout the district.

"Education and security - they're inextricably linked. We have to have security in order for the school to be successful," said Morrison.

Opening new schools further improves security.

"This is what this war is about, whoever can provide those essential services better and right now, I believe we are winning," said Morrison.

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