In 2008, the U.S. Army's Task Force Pacemaker began working to build better homes and relationships with residents of war-torn Afghanistan.

Starting in January, Army engineers held workshops aimed at training Afghan men between the ages of 18 and 60 construction techniques, in the hopes of turning unskilled laborers into able builders.

200 Afghani men were selected to take part in the workshops, and were taught various procedures in wood, concrete and masonry construction.

Each man was also given $1,200 worth of building tools.

Afghanistan suffers from crippling unemployment rates, which have increased as refugees have started returning to the country.

According to TF Pacemaker officials, 80-percent of the men involved in the workshops were once unemployed, unskilled laborers.

Upon completion, students were awarded certificates and reference cards.

The references assist local contractors and Coalition forces in determining who to hire for major assignments throughout Afghanistan.

Within two weeks of completion, the top 20 students were selected to assist in two building projects at the Army's Forward Operating Base Sharana in Afghanistan.

TF Pacemaker is now working to deploy more teams of engineers to instruct and manage building projects with Afghans throughout the country.

One of the members of TF Pacemaker is the 76th Engineer Vertical Detachment Company out of Fort Knox, KY.