"It's a pretty amazing mission we've got. I think we have 14 provinces with about half the population of Afghanistan in our region," Cheek said by telephone from Bagram Air Base. "It's very tribal, and some places are not so bad and other places — we have a lot of work to win over the population."

Cheek said rocket and mortar attacks on U.S. bases happen daily, but the enemy prefers hit-and-run tactics involving a handful of fighters in mountain hiding spots.

For the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Wolfhounds — the only Schofield infantry battalion in Cheek's task force — casualties have been few.

A sergeant was wounded in the leg in a roadside bomb attack, and there were three more IED (improvised explosive device) attacks on 2-27 recently, but no reported injuries.

"I would say the improvised explosive device is growing in popularity with our enemies over here," Cheek said. "That is a technique that is perhaps being copied somewhat from Iraq."

In Kandahar, to the southwest — a region commanded by Schofield Col. Richard Pedersen — a remote-controlled bomb hit a U.S. convoy yesterday. U.S. military officials said a Schofield soldier with the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment had broken his right arm, but the Humvee in which he was a turret gunner may have prevented worse injury.

The soldier, whose name was not released, was being evacuated to Germany for medical treatment.

Pederson's southern region is losing forces. The 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Cacti are in Kandahar and Zabul provinces, while the 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Bobcats are in Uruzgan province.

Two weeks ago, a force of 2,000 U.S. Marines pulled out of the region, which remains a Taliban stronghold. The contingent, part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, deployed in late March to try to divert militants as the nation prepared for elections. But violence continued, and parliamentary elections have been shelved until April.

A vote for president is set for Oct. 9, more than three months later than originally scheduled.

A Marine commander said he "would not challenge" reports that more than 100 enemy fighters were killed during the Marines' four-month tour in Uruzgan, home of fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and neighboring areas.

A Marine was killed and 11 injured in combat operations.

Task Force Bronco, which Pedersen commands, has 3,500 soldiers and Marines, compared with the 3,100 in Task Force Thunder.

The forces under Cheek's control include, in addition to the 2-27 Wolfhounds, the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment of the Virginia Army National Guard, along with smaller attachments.

"I think Col. Pedersen and I share some equal challenges ... " Cheek said. "I've got probably bigger challenges on the border than he does."

Among the challenges for Cheek are tribal divides.

"We get the trust and confidence of the population, and they are not going to support insurgents, be they Taliban or al-Qaida," Cheek said. "It's a simple concept, but very complicated when you get on the ground, because you can go 100 yards between two villages and find out there's a longstanding animosity between them."

Violence ebbs and flows on the border region, where fighters from Pakistan, Chechnya and other countries enter Afghanistan and threaten local residents.

Shkin, on the border, was once called the "evilest place in Afghanistan" by a U.S. military commander, but has not had much contact lately, Cheek said.

However, Jalalabad, to the north, has seen 30 rocket attacks in the past month.

Cheek said there was "overwhelming support" for voter registration in most of his provinces.

"When we find a place that's particularly unreceptive or neutral or aloof, that tends to be the places where we say OK, that's where we're going next with security forces and emergency relief to build wells or repair a school," Cheek said.

"The key is when we make a promise, we've got to follow it up with the action that really closes the loop on what we said we were going to do."