Matthews is a member of the Department of Defense Civilian Expeditionary Workforce, and was on an extended deployment to ISAF Headquarters as the primary expert on economics, development and governance, working at the Ministerial level with the Afghan government, the Central Bank, USAID, NATO, the U.S. military and other organizations. Matthews has spent more than a dozen years living and working in Islamic countries. He established the first Peace Corps program in Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan. "So much in the Middle East and Central and South Asia is relationship-based," he said. "Building these kinds of relationships creates the level of trust you need to get something done."
Kyrgyzstan Country Director David Matthews wins NATO medal for work in Afghanistan
Ford's Colony man wins NATO medal
Caption: Gen. David Petraeus poses with David Matthews of Ford's Colony after presenting him with the Nato Medal.
Modified: Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Originally Published:
Tuesday, December 7, 2010 8:45 AM EST
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force, recently presented the NATO Medal to Ford's Colony resident David Matthews for his service as Senior Strategic Advisor for Stability Division. Matthews has spent more than 1,000 days of continuous overseas deployment.
Matthews is a member of the Department of Defense Civilian Expeditionary Workforce, and was on an extended deployment to ISAF Headquarters as the primary expert on economics, development and governance, working at the Ministerial level with the Afghan government, the Central Bank, USAID, NATO, the U.S. military and other organizations.
Previously, Matthews was on a two-year tour with the Department of State as the Senior Economic Advisor and Team Lead for the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Diyala province, Iraq. In that assignment he worked closely with Iraqi national and provincial government officials, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and the U.S. military on economic, governance and infrastructure solutions for Iraq's reconstruction.
Deployed nonstop since 2008, Matthews served in war zones under dangerous conditions where government civilians typically do not operate.
"I've been shot at a lot," Matthews in a press release announcing the medal presentation. "There are a significant number of civilians in harm's way at any given time."
Matthews has spent more than a dozen years living and working in Islamic countries. He established the first Peace Corps program in Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan.
"So much in the Middle East and Central and South Asia is relationship-based," he said. "Building these kinds of relationships creates the level of trust you need to get something done."
In a letter written in October, Gen. Petraeus praised Matthews, recommending him for an innovative U.S. military outreach program called Afghan Hands.
Matthews is returning to greater Williamsburg for the holidays, having missed the last three Thanksgivings and two Christmases. It will be the first time in years he'll be home for more than two weeks. Shortly after the New Year, Matthews will report to Afghan Hands training, an intensive language and cultural immersion program that will prepare him for his next mission.
