Air Force Band of Brothers

A long year has finally come to an end.  We are still spending our last days in Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait waiting for the “Freedom Bird” to transport us to BWI Airport.  Here we will say our goodbyes and each of us will take a different connecting flight back to our homes and to our families who are anxiously awaiting our arrival.  It will be a bitter sweet moment when this happens.  It has been a long year we’ve shared together.

Helping to rescue Afghan family after a bad car accident at J-Bad Pass in June 2009.

When you live, sleep, and eat with a group of men over a year’s period of time, you develop a bond that is not only professional but personal as well.  These are the same team members you entrust your life to when going on a mission outside the wire.  But the bond my Air Force brothers shared was rather unique and I never experienced this type of closeness on any other deployments in the past.  Prior to this deployment, most of us had never met or knew each other.  We were assembled as a team at Fort Riley, Kansas.  Of the 10 personnel featured in the photograph, 8 of us were on the same team and shared the same open-bay sleeping quarters and trained together as a team.

My ETT Team displaying their Bronze Star Medals.

When you have this type of an arrangement, it’s hard not to learn about the personal lives, ambitions, and goals of your fellow members.  Even though we had a rank structure to include officer and enlisted, we established a strong bond of unity and personal friendship.  Being assigned to the Army had its challenges, but we learned the Army procedures and before long, we were conducting our own missions using Army vehicles and weaponry.  Our journeys took us outside the wire to some very remote villages.  Whether you were a gunner, driver, or truck commander, everyone played an integral role and you learned to trust each person with your life and theirs in return.  Unlike many teams who struggle with the forming and storming stage, our team quickly advanced past the norming stage and moved into the performing phase.  Bottom line:  We were damn good at what we did and efficient at how we did it!

Traveling through the Uzbin valley.

Our primary mission was to mentor the Afghan National Army (ANA) on logistics processes.  First, we had to understand the basic Afghan supply system patterned after the Army’s antiquated supply processes.  Then we were expected to advise our ANA counterparts on the intricacies of this logistics process.  Not only did we succeed, but collectively we excelled at our first camp with our ANA counterparts.  Our ANA Kandak was awarded the Minister of Defense’s Capability Milestone 1, which is the highest rating a unit can receive and the warehouse area was lauded as “best seen to date.”  So this was testament to what our team could achieve.

Jorga (village meeting) in Yakdand Mountains.

Not only did we accompany our ANA counterparts on logistics missions, we went on joint humanitarian missions to some secluded villages nestled in the Hindu Kush Mountains.  While on these journeys we saw poppy fields as far as the eyes could see and crude mud brick houses without electricity.  I affectionately called this “driving through the Old Testament area.”  We saw towering mountains and climbed a few along the way too.  It truly was an experience!!  Despite being exposed to the perils of rockets, mortars, RPGs, small arms fire, IED devices, and planned Taliban ambushes, we came out of this deployment unscathed.

Capt Matthew Freeman memorial Camp Blackhorse Aug. 2009

Unfortunately, we attended the memorial services of our camp mates and mourned for those who had their life taken by the insurgents we are at war with.  These men and women are the true heroes and their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

In the end, the US Army recognized our accomplishments as well and awarded my entire team Bronze Star Medals for “Exceptionally meritorious service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom … personal courage and commitment to mission accomplishment in a combat zone, under the most extreme of circumstances, greatly contributed to the success of Operation Enduring Freedom.”  What makes this medal so unique (without being self-serving) is that this is an Air Force team who was given an Army mission and performed remarkably in a combat zone.  I don’t know how many Air Force teams can make this same claim because it’s truly a unique accomplishment.  In fact, as the Army migrates to the “partnership concept”, the

We helped treat this little girl during a village medical mission in June 2009; her nose was rotting away from Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis disease.

Embedded Training Teams (ETT) will disappear.  We were one of the last Air Force ETT teams left in Afghanistan and can proudly mark our place in history.

Tomorrow we fly our final leg of this journey together and then will go our separate ways when we land in Baltimore. It’s not a final goodbye because I have a feeling sometime in the future we will see each other again.  But this will be the last time we serve in this capacity as a team.  To my Air Force Band of Brothers, it was an honor and a privilege to serve with you.  I wish you all the best and to your families who are anxiously awaiting your return.  We can be proud of what we did and let us never forget, freedom is not free.

Time is Running Out

1Sgt does his “Jarod” impression.

Like an hourglass that has been turned upside down and the sand granules slowly deplete and amass on the bottom, so is the amount of time we have left on our deployment.  But the time is measured in days instead of hours.  Our ETT mission has officially ended and everyone is busy packing their bags and disposing of items they have accumulated throughout the year.  It’s amazing how much stuff and junk you acquire.

I am still tying up some loose ends and tomorrow I plan on delivering my last load of humanitarian assistance to the ANA family support center.  Today Omid, Mir Wais, and I sorted through large bags of clothing, first aid kits, hygiene kits, and blankets.  My plan is

Omid, my interpreter, sorting through bags of clothing.

to give one third of the items to the family support center for distribution to wounded soldiers’ families and widows.  Then the remaining items are going to be turned over to an Army SSG who is responsible for 7 regions.  He works closely with the Afghan National Police and has assured me the items will be distributed to needy villagers.  The demand is so great here that just about any village would qualify for these handouts.

Tomorrow I will also say my final goodbye to the ANA Sergeant Major, Religious Officer, and the Mullah.  I have some surprise gifts to bestow upon them provided they aren’t out on a mission.  I’m also excited about the opportunity to interview a former Mujahedeen fighter who was injured during the war with the Soviets.  So it should be an interesting day.

Teammates playing volleyball.

Meanwhile back at the camp, when we aren’t packing our clothes or preparing for departure, my teammates are taking advantage of the sunny weather.  The other day we played over three hours of volleyball while other teammates shot basketball.  I took an accidental elbow to my jaw while on the volleyball court and had a headache that persisted for two days.  But all is well now.  I will just add that to my extensive list of bumps and bruises …. lol.  This deployment has taken a toll on the body and I look forward to the day I wake up and don’t have to don any heavy body armor or carry a weapon around with me everywhere I go.

AF MSgt rules the basketball court.

I’m also doing some last minute shopping before departing here too.  I can’t pass up an opportunity to purchase some Afghan made goods like scarves, jewelry, and rugs.  I already have a place picked out for the rug in my room in our house and now we are contemplating changing out some of the other rugs as well.  It’s almost like planning a mission, because I have to wire the money to my interpreter, take pictures of the rugs for sale, and most importantly, have to get the wife’s approval on the change of décor.  Then I have to make the purchase and wait for mail day to send the items out.   I still think prints of big lions and tigers are manly and spruce up a room, but Mrs. T says that is not suitable for the dining room area.  So I have to trust her judgment and accept her choices … lol.

In this photo slide show you can see some of the many items available at the bazaar:

In local news:

KABUL – More than two dozens of suspected militants have been arrested on charges of carrying out militant operations in the fortified capital, Kabul, the Afghan intelligence agency said on Saturday. An official at the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said at least twenty-six people — in three separate groups — have been detained with some arms over the past three weeks. The militants were linked to the Taliban and the Hezb-e Islami led-by Gulbuddin Hikmatyar — the two leading militants groups in Afghanistan, the NDS spokesman, Saeed Ansari, told a news conference. The Afghan capital was under a number of coordinated attacks over the last one year as groups of suicide bombers, armed with rifles, had attacked key government buildings and guesthouse, favored by foreigners. A dozen of the detained militants were Kabul residents, who were charged for having hands in suicide attacks, providing ammunitions and arms to insurgents, Mr. Ansari said. Ansari added that the detainees confessed during interrogations that they were trained in the Shamshatu refugees’ camp on the outskirts of the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar. Meanwhile, Kabul police have also arrested 14 other insurgents on charges of planting bombs, launching rocket attacks on the capital and kidnappings over the past three weeks, Kabul Police Chief, Lt Gen Abdul Rahman Rahman, told in the joint conference with the NDS spokesman. (Pajhwok)

ANA On Their Own

Afghan children hoping to get more school supplies.

Yesterday I mentioned that the ANA visited a village school and dropped off school supplies and Beanie Babies for the children.  Today I had an opportunity to discuss the trip with Mir Wais, the interpreter who accompanied them and took these photos.

Since there was so much stuff to transport, they piled everything into a 7 ton truck including some of the vitamins and medicines our medic provided.  The shelf life on the medicines was expiring soon, so this was a beneficial way to dispose of them instead of throwing them away.

Beanie Babies and school supplies waiting to be handed out.

The ANA Brigade surgeon along with his contingent of soldiers drove to the village school.  This school hosts both boys and girls during the same time period.  However, the buildings are segregated and inaccessible to each other.  One side has the girls’ classrooms and the other side houses the boys.  But in typical Afghan fashion, the girls are not provided the same resources as the boys.  None of the classrooms for the girls has any desks in them, except one designated for the teacher.

Afghan girls pose with school supplies.

But all the boys’ classrooms have antiquated desks and benches.  The girls are required to sit on the worn out floor mats while the teacher conducts the lesson or sits at the only desk present in the room.

Notice only one desk in the classroom for the teacher.

The principal insisted on handing out the school supplies to the boys first and then

Afghan boys reaching for pencils.

anything left over be given to the girls.  What was really surprising is that the girls have a female principal and she was totally unaware of what was going on.  Otherwise, they could have split the school supplies equally.  So the boys prevailed this time and received notebooks, pens, pencils, and Beanie Babies.  Only a handful of girl classrooms were given any items.

Afghan girls receiving Beanie Babies.

I’ve mentioned before in my blog, we aren’t just trying to rebuild a nation, but the real challenge is changing a culture.  I’m sure I have critics who disagree with me and even the term “ nation-building” is not PC, but I really don’t know how else to explain it.  Our taxpayer dollars contribute to 50 percent of this country’s national budget.  Much of it is specifically coded for the ANA and the ANP salaries and resources.  In addition, we are expending hundreds of millions of dollars for building infrastructure projects to include roads, dams, wells, electricity access, sewage systems, etc.  We are building schools and refurbishing them along with providing agricultural assistance in the form of seeds, saffron bulbs, etc.   So if that is not nation building, I don’t know what is.  I suppose the correct term is a generous aid package for rehabilitation.

What really gets me upset is the amount of corruption that continues to fester in this country.  I am a big proponent of education and seeing these young girls forced to sit on raggedy floor mats is appalling.  This school is less than 10 miles from the capital city where corrupt government officials are becoming wealthy by siphoning off the aid that is received in this country.  Sure they try to legitimize it by paying high consultation fees (bribes) or charge American prices on contracts only to subcontract it out and pay pennies on the dollar while pocketing the difference.  One could argue that at least these girls have a school building and are permitted to attend, unlike the remote villages where females are prohibited from going to school and the female illiteracy rate is above 80 percent.

Women are not treated equally here, including the women who serve in the ANA and ANP.   Even the women elected to Parliament (who I recall compose one third of this body) are powerless and vote according to the powerful warlords and businessmen who put them into office.  In the next paragraph I have copied an article from today’s local newspaper.  I will let you form your own opinions.

***

MAZAR-I-SHARIF – Afghan officials have banned women from having an exclusive day for visiting the main shrine in the northern city of Mazar-i Sharif, saying the restriction was imposed for security reasons. The head of Balkh Women’s Affairs Department, Fariba Majeed, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the restriction was in place both for security and traffic problems. Before the restriction, at least the initial five Wednesdays of each solar year were reserved for women to visit the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam. Ms Majeed said a number of ‘immorality incidents’ were reported during those exclusive days, which led to the women’s visit ban. She argued that a girl, who eloped with a man and then returned, told the interrogators that she had met the man on a Wednesday at the Shrine. However, the ban was welcomed by religious scholars, but not by women in the city, saying the move was a violation of their right. They argued that moving around ‘independently’ in the courtyard of the shrine on every Wednesday provided them opportunity to enjoy and entertain themselves. However, the women’s affairs director said that small parks had been constructed for women in different areas of the city and they could go and enjoy their leisure hours there. A local Maulvi, Abdul Rahman Rahmani, said the shrine was a sacred place and not an area of enjoyment for women.

Preparing for ANA School Supply Drop Mission

One of two truckloads of school supplies.

After delivering the school supplies, our convoy departed the school and returned back to camp.  But my day was only half over and after lunch, I would have to prep the items for the ANA mission the next day.  Keeping my promise, I divided the inventory in half and waited for the ANA to come to my camp and retrieve the items.  A few of my teammates helped load the items.  We filled two pick-up trucks to the top with all the school items and then transported them to ANA land.  The ANA Brigade Surgeon was happy to see me and couldn’t believe how many boxes of items we brought.  We filled his office with boxes of school supplies and a large crate of Beanie Babies.  There was barely any room to walk around after we finished.

ANA Brigade Surgeon's office overflowing with boxes of school supplies.

We sat down in his office and drank a customary cup of chai together.  We talked about this morning’s mission.  The ANA surgeon talked about today’s goodwill and its effects.

Little girl outside the school from morning mission.

By having the US military accompany the ANA, the children had a chance to see the joint partnership in action.  He also said when the students go home tonight; they will show their parents the school supplies distributed by the joint US/ANA team.  He really hoped we could accompany him on tomorrow’s mission too.  But this was impossible since we didn’t recon the village, nor did we receive approval to do this.  The ANA would have to do this on their own and this is ultimate pinnacle of success in COIN

Afghan school classroom ... no desks only floor mats.

operations.  I don’t think this happens too often, because the US mentors are always with them for this type of village visits.  Ultimately the plan is to give all of the military operations to the ANA so we can leave their country and they will assume responsibility for the national security of their homeland.

School boys holding up their notebooks and pencils.

While sipping our tea more information was revealed about today’s school principal.  I’m a pretty good judge of character and earlier I mentioned about some reservations about this principal.  There was something about his demeanor and nonverbal gestures that perplexed me.  I came to find out the reason the school principal did not want us visiting in the morning; it’s because he really doesn’t like the idea of girls going to school. So because of these personal feelings he didn’t want the female students to receive any of the school supplies. Instead, he wanted them distributed only to the

ANA Surgeon handing out school supplies to the little girls.

boys.  At first, I was rather appalled by this revelation.  But after studying the culture of this country and living here for almost a year, it was understandable even though I didn’t agree with it.

Since Omid wasn’t available, I was using Mir Wais to translate for me.  He volunteered to accompany the ANA to the school tomorrow and take pictures with my camera.  I just got my camera back and I am posting a few pictures of the visit.  Tomorrow I will discuss the trip with him and the ANA Brigade surgeon in detail for additional information.

AF Captain handing out humorous awards.

Later in the evening, my teammates met in the office for a unique presentation.  One of the AF captains who has a great sense of humor and too much free time on his hand, created some humorous awards.  He tried to pinpoint down our peculiarities and then penned it to appear as an official award from the Air Force.  He even signed it as the Chief of Awesomeness.  Using his warped sense of humor, he presented me the Information Superiority Medal focusing on my blog and nicknamed me “Brother Teresa”… lol.

Celebrating with cigars and smoked salmon.

Afterward we went to the outside pavilion for some cigars and smoked salmon.  I have been saving these items for a special occasion.  They were donated by readers of my blog.  According to the label on the smoked salmon, the expiration date was 2013, so it should still be palatable.  It was very good along with some Ritz crackers.  Since I didn’t have a humidor, the cigars were a bit dry but it was the thought that counted.

***

Manas Update: Initially the events occurring in Kyrgyzstan caused my team to delay their departure from the camp.  But now the flights have resumed and next week we will all leave the FOB on the same day and start our journey home.

***

MILbloggie Award for Air Force category:  I am truly humbled and surprised to win this award.  I am grateful to everyone who voted for me and especially moved by the energetic support of my wife Liisa.  I really didn’t think I had a chance to make it past the nomination round and then to make it in the finals was a big surprise.  It was a truly unique anniversary gift from my wife (she was the first to nominate me and to vote for me) that will be always be memorable.

The competition was really tight between my blog and “30 Days Through Afghanistan,” the blog published by two seasoned journalists from the ISAF Public Affairs Office, TSgt Nathan Gallahan and TSgt Ken Raimondi.  The government firewall prevents personnel from viewing my blog, but theirs was accessible on government computers.  It didn’t help matters that on the last day of the competition, the private internet was down all day long at my camp and the system was so slow at MWR, my teammates and others could not cast a vote because the Internet kept timing out.

I’m still amazed how many people still tune in to read about my ramblings and my everyday life.  I know my family appreciated it and it saved me numerous hours of typing repetitive emails to them.  But it also provided me an opportunity to show the public what else happens in a combat zone besides combat.  I have a few more days left before starting my journey home.  If everything goes as planned, I am going to interview some former Mujahedeen fighters and try to provide some historical insight.  Thanks again for everyone’s support and votes. And my most sincere congratulations to all the other winners as well .

U.S. Army
A Soldier’s Perspective

U.S. Navy
Naval Institute Blog

U.S. Marine Corps
Castra Praetoria

U.S. Coast Guard
An Unoffical Coast Guard Blog

U.S. Military Veteran
Blackfive – The Paratrooper of Love

Foreign National Military
DoubleTapper

U.S. Military Spouse
A Little Pink in a World of Camo

U.S. Military Parent
You Betcha I’m a Proud Army Mom

U.S. Military Supporter
Not Your Average Brooklynette

U.S. Reporter
The Unknown Soldiers

And a great big thank you to USAA and General Electric for sponsoring the Milblog Conference in Washington where the awards are handed out on Saturday.

This week’s radio interview

Reporter & Producer Bobbie O'Brien

Here is a link to this week’s chat with WUSF reporter Bobbie O’Brien. We talked about the latest school supplies delivery mission, the preparations for it and how the children reacted. To hear the story, click here.

Anchor, producer and editor Joshua Stewart

Also congratulations are in order for Bobbie and her editor Joshua Stewart; the pair has won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for their work on this radio series. Now their entry moves into the national finals. If you would like to listen to the winning entry from WUSF, click here.

Organized Chaos

G Company loading truck with boxes of school items.

Now that we had a solution, it was time to implement an action plan.  The next day, my teammates and G-Company, 186 BSB combined forces and loaded a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV) with the boxes packed full of school supplies.  Before loading them, we stacked them in the parking lot by type of item contained in the

Assembly line to load truck with school supplies.

postal flat rate boxes.  Then I divided the inventory in half.  We formed an assembly line and half of the boxes were loaded on to the truck and the remainder was placed back into the metal conex.  The boxes were then covered with a tarp and parked at the Motor Pool in preparation for tomorrow’s mission.

In the morning the convoy commander set

Sand table and walk through for today's mission.

up a sand table diagram (without the sand) and we walked through today’s mission.  He wanted to be sure everyone knew their security position and we discussed possible contingencies and egress strategies.  We weren’t taking any chances even though this appeared to be a safe village.

Everyone got loaded into their vehicles and we met

ANA soldiers receive instructions for today's mission.

up with our ANA counterparts.  I was pleasantly surprised to see most of them on time, although one third of them were still running late.  The ANA surgeon was all smiles and took charge of his men.  He lined them up in a row, took roll call, and then we started discussing the security parameters.  They seemed a bit uneasy since they visited

ANA soldiers readying all the school supplies for distribution.

a different village and didn’t have a chance to recon this village.  After a few minutes of discussion and describing our security plan in detail, they agreed with it and it was time to execute this mission.

Our armored convoy rumbled through the village and as planned, the vehicles established security at various over watch points.  Omid, our ETT leader, and I went inside the school and met the principal.  As part of COIN philosophy, we wanted to give the principal the opportunity to explain

Female soldiers handing out notebooks to Afghan girl students.

the best method of distribution.   By using this process, it gives ownership to the principal for the idea.  Often we may not agree with the Afghan idea, but we go along with it anyhow.  Such was the case today too.  He directed the boxes be stacked outside in the courtyard area and then the teachers would bring one classroom at a time to receive the items.  He also insisted that

Afghan girls pose with their Beanie Baby and school supplies.

no American soldiers distribute the items to the female students, except for the female US soldiers.  It was also permissible for the ANA soldiers to hand them the items.  I had hoped to go inside the school for security reasons and then we could limit the number of people grabbing for items in the open boxes.  I was especially concerned about the boys who were gathering outside the school complex and perching on top of the concrete walls.  Nonetheless, we off-loaded the items and ANA and female soldiers set up their distribution line.

Initially it was a very systematic and organized process.  The teacher would bring one classroom of students at a time and they were given a notebook, pens, and pencils.  Most of the teachers carried a small wooden switch and wasn’t afraid to use it to maintain order.   The children were elated to get the supplies and even happier when they got a Beanie Baby.  While this was going on, I went inside a 5^th grade classroom to talk with the students.  They were studying basic arithmetic.  The black chalkboard the female teacher was using was in pretty bad shape.  Notice in the picture how it’s deteriorating and the slate or whatever the composition of it is, is falling apart.  Even though I was only permitted in one classroom, this was representative of the other classroom environments.

Boys gathering outside the school building hoping to get some handouts.

Outside, my teammates along with the ANA were rapidly handing out the supply items.  Now instead of one classroom at a time, they were bringing 3 classrooms at a time.  When the children saw the free items being handed out, they ran to get into line.  The boys who were previously sitting on the walls were jumping down and like vultures, they would make their way into the stash of supplies and grab a handful and run off.  The ANA soldiers were helpless to keep them all back and we asked them not to hurt the students either.  On previous occasions I have witnessed them remove their steel cleaning rods from their AK-47s and used this as a method of crowd control.  This is not a prudent way for the ANA to enhance their image among the local populace.

The boy from the shooting range and his friends.

Among the crowd I recognized a familiar face and he saw me too.  It was one of the boys I had met at the shooting range.  He ran over too me and in his best English said hello.  One of the ANA soldiers was trying to move him back from the other students.  Despite being one of the ornery boys jumping over the wall, I wanted to give him a special gift of remembrance.  So I got a notebook, pen, pencils, and a Beanie Baby for him.  Through one of the interpreters, I explained about keeping my promise to see him again.  He was very grateful and I asked him not to jump over the wall again.  He ran off with his booty and about 10 minutes later, he jumped over the wall again and tried to snatch some more school supplies.  I guess some things never change.

Me with the boy from the shooting range.

As the supplies dwindled, so did the fervor of the children crowding around to get supplies.  The boys from outside were jumping over the wall in throngs and we were losing control of the crowd and the supplies.  The ANA started to give out the teacher

Supplies running out, complete chaos.

supplies until I could convince the principal to take them inside and secure them.  Due to the ravaging boys, we ran out of notebooks and were quickly handing out pens and pencils to the remaining 25-30 students.  It didn’t help the situation when someone tossed a handful of pencils into the air because the students were pushing and shoving to grab these items.

The female soldiers put the remaining boxes on their heads and we handed out the remaining leftovers to some grabby hands.  One would think by their reaction, we were giving away hundred dollar bills.  Our ETT leader made the call to leave the area and mount up on the trucks.  It was time to go.  Outside there were several hundred boys pestering us for pens and money.  Somehow the ANA managed to hide a few boxes of school supply items in their vehicle and created even more chaos by handing them out to the boys.  But the distraction allowed us to get back inside our vehicles and within minutes our convoy was inching its way through the crowd of students.  We returned back to camp without incident.

Convoy departing the school.

By my estimates, we handed out over 600 notebooks, 2000 pencils, and 1000 pens to the students.  In addition, the Beanie Babies were a big hit and several hundred of them were given out resulting in big smiles on the children’s faces.  I had a great time and today, we won “the hearts and minds” of these students.  Before I left, I talked to the principal and explained the importance of education.  I said, “I really believe in education and these children are tomorrow’s leaders.”  He shook my hand, thanked me for the donations, and agreed with my statement.

Case of a Mistaken Village

Now that our mission is over, I will reveal what I couldn’t yesterday about the potential of being the biggest blunder of my deployment.  It took some real finesse and some sheer luck to resolve the situation.

Some 173rd teammates and I joined forces with G Company, 186 BSB and our mission was to perform a reconnaissance mission on a village.  I have been working on this project for several weeks and now it was coming to fruition.   Previously I had targeted a village school to deliver school supplies to.    It sounds simple, but it’s a very tedious process and involves a lot of coordination, logistics, analysis, and planning.  After all the atmospherics are completed and layers of bureaucracy of approval are granted, the next step is to meet with the appropriate village personnel and establish a date for delivery.

Bumpy road leading back to school.

We drove down a bumpy road to get to the quaint village which was nestled in the foothills of the towering mountains seen off in the distance.  Most of the homes were simple and crudely constructed of mud brick and part of the road was lined with green leafy trees.  I saw some power lines too.  This was an indication part of the village enjoyed electricity.  We also drove past some wandering scraggly sheep and cows, which is typical in almost any Afghan village.  As we passed by, the citizens watched us and the children were fixated on our armored vehicles mounted with lethal crew serve weapons.

Exterior of the village school building.

Our convoy pulled up next to the school and our dismounts were taking notes of the surrounding terrain and village dwellings.  Since it was the largest building in the village, I assumed this was the school building.  My first impression was it looked like an abandoned warehouse building complete with missing windows and painted an ugly tan color.  The structure was surrounded by a solid concrete wall and the adjacent land which we used for a parking lot was filled with rubble and piles of large stones.  According to Omid, my interpreter, and the sign attached to the building, this was the village school.

Village next to the school building.

A few of us dismounted from our armor vehicles and was immediately approached by a tribal elder inquiring our purpose for being there.  I informed him that we would like to visit their school in hopes of distributing school supplies to the students at a later date.  The elder was very cordial and agreed to give us a tour of the school complex.  He introduced me to the principal and then I unveiled our plan.  Both the elder and principal were hesitant to allow us to visit in the morning when the school is occupied by the female students.  They suggested we come in the afternoon after the shift rotation and give the items to the boys.  I was very diplomatic because our mission was set for the morning and too often the girls are left out and receive nothing.  They gave in to my request and looked forward to our visit the next day.

Water source for the school.

Originally the ANA Brigade Surgeon was supposed to join us and introduce us to the tribal elders and principal.  But he was nowhere to be seen and nor was he answering his cell phone.  Meanwhile, our vehicles attracted attention and the village children were starting to crowd around our vehicles.  Some members were trying to be hospitable and interact with them.  While they were being distracted, the children removed the pens exposed from their uniforms and were badgering for more.  I completed my conversation with the principal and knew it was time to depart before the entire village would swarm around the convoy.  Our security experts got the information they were seeking and we then departed for the second leg of our journey, which I wrote about yesterday.

Army medic talks with small children.

The ANA Surgeon called me on the phone and wanted to meet to discuss tomorrow’s delivery.  I went to his office and he inquired where I was this morning.  I explained that we went to the village on a recon mission, met with the tribal elder and principal and solidified our plan to deliver school items tomorrow.  He revealed that he also went to the village and met with the tribal elders and the principal and he too promised delivery of school supplies.  Suddenly a dark cloud filled the room and I sensed something was wrong.  How could we have both been at the village in the morning and not seen each other?  It was because we visited two different villages about two miles apart.  Both villages had identical names except for the last four letters.  So now we had a dilemma.  The ANA surgeon was obviously concerned because we both had made promises.  I had to think fast on my feet and come up with a solution.  I proposed to divide the school supplies in half.  This way we could deliver to both schools and both of us would not lose face and keep our promises.  The ANA surgeon accepted my idea and he ordered some chai to drink while we worked out the final details.

Discussing security positions with ANA Brigade Surgeon.

Communication is so vital and is also the most challenging aspect of mentoring.  I was certain all of this time we were discussing plans for the same village school.  When in fact we weren’t.  Fortunately I had a large supply of school items or this could have been ugly, thus the potential to be the biggest blunder of my deployment.

Note:  Because I am super tired, tomorrow I will discuss the school supply mission in detail. I will refer to it as “Organized Chaos.”

I want to thank everyone who is supporting me in my wife’s efforts to give me an anniversary gift by nominating me for the MILblog competition.  If you like my blog entries and would like to vote for me, please go to Milblogging.com and follow the instructions.  I’m really surprised that I made it to the finals for the Air Force bloggers’ category and now am just one vote behind the seasoned Air Force PAO professionals.

Two Missions and a Surprise

Humvee convoy atop the guard site.

The past few days has been nonstop planning, coordinating, analyzing, and preparing for these missions.  The first leg of the mission had the potential to be the greatest blunder of my deployment.    For OPSEC reasons, I can’t provide any more detail or pictures until later on this week.   I even penned a catchy headline entitled “Case of Mistaken Village.”

So let me move onto the 2^nd leg of the mission.  I teamed up with the garrison personnel and requested their support.  This mission called for the use of up-armored Humvees and since we turned ours in, I had to locate someone who still had them.  I didn’t have to look far because one of my b-hut mates happens to be a First Sergeant and is in charge of garrison support.  He and his team are from the Massachusetts Army National Guard, G Company, 186^th BSB out of Quincy, Massachusetts.  Normally, they are responsible for repairing vehicles, camp security, mail runs, etc.  This would be their first opportunity to travel off paved roads and on to some dirt roads.  They jumped at the chance and offered their full support.

Exterior of refurbished guard shelter.

Before Christmas I started a special project at one of the remote guard towers outside the wire.  The project was completed, but I never got to see the finished work.  So today I would inspect the contractor’s work and this would give me closure on this project.  My ANA Sergeant Major would accompany us to the site.

Initially we drove through

Interior of guard shelter.

a small village and then exited through an open gate.  We followed a dirt road leading back towards some of the highest peaks surrounding Kabul.  It has been awhile since I last road in a Humvee and felt every pothole we hit.  Being scrunched into the front seat with little room to maneuver my body or legs didn’t help matters.  The scenery had not changed and it was still the old boring barren area painted drab brown and sand color.  We drove for a few minutes before climbing to the pinnacle of a hill housing the guard towers.  I didn’t want to take the chance of driving this steep incline with a MRAP and there is little parking area at the top, so this is my reasoning for requesting Humvees.

My SGM insisted it was safe and asked me to remove my body armor, helmet, etc.  Unless there was a sniper lying nearby, we were very safe and I took off my protective gear.  I gave my team a brief history of this site and some of the significant events leading up to the creation of this place.   This site is the revered resting place for

President Daoud and family member burial site.

Afghanistan’s first president.   President Daoud and his family members were executed in the Royal Presidential Palace in 1978.  Last year they had their remains transferred here and are constantly guarded round the clock.  For more history on this incident, read my November 9th blog entry.  The presidential burial site hadn’t changed much since my last visit and it still resembles an unfinished construction site.

Notice the uneven floor boards.

The first guard shelter I visited had new walls, raised wooden floor, and new windows.  The door was conspicuously missing and Omid and I presume they used it for firewood.  During the winter season when the ANA do not receive their firewood deliveries, they start burning any wood they can find to keep warm.  This includes doors, tables, and just about anything constructed of wood.  The carpentry quality was rather substandard but the ANA soldiers were delighted because previously they slept on the ground and the walls and windows had holes in them.  The second shelter wasn’t much better.  Omid pulled back the floor covering and you can see for yourself the quality of their work.  I’m certain my father (a great contractor and carpenter) would not approve and the adage of measure twice and cut once is not existent here.

Former Soviet rocket silos.

While there, I noticed something I hadn’t observed before.  Initially I thought it was a bridge with arched domes underneath it.  I was informed these are the remains of the former Soviet silos where they stored rockets and munitions.   Albeit they were empty, this country is still littered with constant reminders of the Soviet occupation.

Me and my SGM posing for a photo.

My SGM and I posed for a picture before returning to the Humvees.  Through Omid he inquired what kind of a gift I wanted before departing the country.  I was truly humbled.  Here is a man who supports 12 children and still wants to present me a gift.  I explained that a gift was not necessary and that our friendship and professional relationship working together was an intangible gift and more than enough for me.  But this wasn’t good enough for the former Soviet-Afghan colonel and this is when he surprised me about visiting the Darulaman Palace (Kings Palace).  He wasn’t sure if we could get inside or not, but we could drive up to the exterior of the palace.  The closest I ever got was at a distance while traveling past it and taking pictures of it through several inches of ballistic glass.

Driving up to the Darulaman (Kings) Palace.

Our convoy drove up a paved road leading to the palace grounds and parked only a few yards from the exterior of this grand Afghan landmark that was destroyed during the Afghan civil war when the Soviets departed.  The façade is still painfully blistered with bullet pockmarks and large holes were present probably caused by mortar and rocket fire.  The metal roof had large gaping holes and the skeletal metal frame was exposed to the elements.  King Amanullah would roll over in his grave if he saw how his countrymen destroyed this monument of peace.  The name Darulaman translates to “abode of peace”.

Afghan soldier poses for picture.

The ANA soldiers guarding the palace were not the friendliest and refused us entry.  Even though the SGM was with us, they were following orders given to them by their commander.  Omid went inside to speak with their commander.  Meanwhile, our armored vehicles were drawing attention and the neighborhood children were coming

G Company parked next to Darulaman Palace.

over to visit.  This is so typical here.  Shortly after 2001 and since, soldiers rode around in their protective armored vehicles and handed out candy, water, pens, pencils, etc.  However, this gesture of kindness has caused some problems now.  The children associate the armored vehicles with free handouts and have been known to run in front of our vehicles or really close along side of them.  I have experienced this in every village I have visited.

I was really surprised at how young some of these children were.  One little girl walked around in bare feet too.  She approached me and spoke one word of English “dollar,

So the kid on the left is wearing shoes and holding another pair, while the little girl on the right has no shoes.

dollar, dollar”.  My new teammates were also doing their best to converse with the local children.  They were about to learn a valuable lesson.  Had I known we were going to stop at the palace I might have placed some Beanie Babies or a supply of pens and pencils in the vehicle.  But I also knew that once we started handing out free items, it would take 10 minutes before half the children in Kabul would be swarming around us.  One Army soldier started to hand out bottled water and was quickly surrounded.  At the same time, these children were getting close to us, all of our exposed pens sticking out of the uniform quietly disappeared …. lol.

Handing out bottled water.

Omid returned and the ANA commander inside was rather rude but agreed to accommodate us provided we came in groups of three and carried no weapons to include a pocket knife.  I did not like the sound of us and perhaps this was his way of keeping us out.  I think he knew there was no way we would relinquish our weapons.  I tried to counter and asked to stand from the outside and peek inside one of the rooms.  My request was denied.  As much as it pained me to make the decision, I could not permit anyone to enter without their weapons.  This would be the closest we would get to the Kings Palace.  We mounted back into our vehicles and returned to camp.  I was satisfied and crossed another item off “My Things to Do” list.  With not much time left here, my list is dwindling and every day that passes, is one day closer to completing this deployment and returning home … for good.

An Interview With Female ANA soldiers

Two female ANA Captains pose with their military uniform, but seldom wear it.

No Tom Foolery here!  It was one more thing I could cross off “My Things to Do” list.  Today I had a unique opportunity to interview two female ANA officers.  Judging by their attire they were wearing, you would easily mistake them for a housewife or local citizen and never know they were proud officers serving in the Afghan National Army.

After our morning meeting, I loaded up several boxes of humanitarian assistance to include hygiene items, clothing, candy, stationary, and Beanie Babies.  I borrowed an interpreter and we drove to ANA land with the supplies.  My plan was to restock the family support center with these items.  They give these items to ANA widows and wounded soldier families.  I did this on a previous occasion and since have depleted their stock.

Breakfast with the garrison Religious officer.

The ANA Garrison Religious officer invited me into his office and the Assistant Religious Officer was preparing breakfast.  This is rather unusual because most men do not cook in Afghanistan.  Instead they relinquish this duty to their wife or older children.  So when the assistant put his homemade cooking in front of me, I was a bit envious because I miss cooking.  He mixed up some sort of egg mixture that was contained chopped up tomatoes, onions, and peppers in it.  I’m unsure of what spice he used, but it was rather tasty.  To wash it down, we had our customary cup of tea too.  In addition, it was accompanied by some warm flats of Naan bread which we tore apart in pieces and dipped into the egg concoction since there were no utensils.  I tried to avoid the peppers because they were a bit too spicy for me.

Bilingual sign about praying.

The officers thanked me for the humanitarian supplies and I left their office to visit with the women who run the ANA Family Support Center.  While walking to their office, I stopped by the literacy classroom and noticed they still haven’t relocated it.  I took some pictures of the bi-lingual signs posted on the outside door of the classroom.  I didn’t have the heart to tell them that “preyer” should be spelled as prayer.

My next stop was the ANA Family Support Center.  Inside I was greeted by two women dressed in traditional Afghan clothing, complete with the hajib hair covering.  But these two women are not civilians; instead, they are both Captains in the ANA army.  Using my interpreter, I asked permission to conduct an interview so I could learn more about them.  They agreed and I used my tape recorder to record our conversation.

Both of the women are married, have 4 children and similar educational backgrounds with completing high school and 3 years of medical studies at a local college.  The younger Captain has served in the Army for 20 years and the other 33 years respectively.  They are responsible for assisting ANA widows and wounded soldiers’ family members.  The younger captain revealed even as a child, she has always wanted to join the Army.  Her father was an Army officer and supported her dream and now her sister is in the process of becoming an ANA officer too.

I inquired why they didn’t wear the ANA military uniform.  They explained that due to culture perceptions and criticisms, it is better to wear civilian clothes.  The uneducated soldiers call them bad names and do not respect their rank.  They feel women should not be in the ANA and should be home cleaning and taking care of the children.  The younger captain is married to an ANP officer and he supports her serving in the ANA along with educated soldiers and officers.  The older captain had a much different story.  After she got married, her husband did not want her working for the Army.  Subsequently after 4 years of marriage, he left and disappeared in Iran never to be seen again.  Since then, she has been raising 4 children on her own.  The officers also explained the only time they wear their military uniform is when a high ranking delegation or VIP is visiting.  So they keep their uniforms locked up in their lockers for these rare occasions.

We discussed other issues to include the benefits of having coalition forces in their country and delved into the rampant corruption festering in their society to include the central government, ANA, and ANP.  I fear if the corruption is not controlled, this will become the downfall of Afghanistan.

Education was another topic we discussed and we mutually agreed that education is one of the keys to success in Afghanistan.    According to one of the captains, “Without education, the illiterate become rapists, murders, and thieves.”  The older captain also pointed out, “What Afghanistan needs are jobs.  The government should build factories and employ people.”  Instead, she said, “The government only thinks about their pockets and not the people.”

The female captains permitted me to take one picture of them holding up their uniform shirt.  They also thanked me for delivering the humanitarian supplies.  But when I said my goodbye and extended my hand to thank them for their time, they did not extend the courtesy.  I fear this may have been a faux-pa on my part and they reacted in the same manner as the Muslim schoolgirls I visited a few days ago.  But I respect their culture and returned to camp.

****

Wedding picture in a combat zone in Afghanistan.

HAPPY 4^TH ANNIVERSARY TO MY LOVING WIFE!   Due to poor connectivity, I was unable to post anything commemorating our wedding anniversary.  I was trying to think of something original and the ideas I had didn’t materialize.  In our 4 years of marriage, we have only been able to celebrate our first year, because military duty has kept us apart for the other 3 years.  So on the surface; I have a pretty bad track record of 25% being present for our anniversary.  Even if I don’t miss another celebration for the next 26 years, I will still be at 90%.  Unfortunately, this is one of the sacrifices a military family makes.  But since I am retiring soon, I will have the rest of my life to make it up to her.

For inquiring minds, this deployment

C-wire at camp.

has actually strengthened our marriage and I have gained a new respect for my wife.  We had a strong marital foundation before I departed and since then, we have reinforced it and built upon it.  I attribute this to open communication and the sharing of similar beliefs, goals, and aspirations.  This deployment has been the

My wall collection of items sent to me by my loving wife.

greatest challenge of my 27 year career, but knowing I had a loving wife who supported me helped to minimize the stressors of being in a combat zone.

Sure it might be argued I was the one exposed to the dangerous perils of IEDs, rockets, mortars, RPGs, gunfire, and attempted ambushes, but I still think the military spouse has the hardest job.  Uncle “Sugar” took care of my basic needs and provided shelter, food, uniforms, etc.  But my wife had to provide for her and 2 needy dogs.   I am fortunate to have a strong and independent wife who took care of the house, finances, automobiles, and our 2 furry children, (Charlie and Sam).  Knowing these matters were being cared for alleviated my worries and I could stay focused on my missions.

There wasn’t a day that passed that I didn’t think about my beautiful and caring wife.  Our wedding picture reminded me daily of my soul mate I left behind.  What I tried to depict in the photograph is that war is keeping me from my loved ones.  This is just another intangible sacrifice that only a military person can understand.    Honey, you are the best wife in the world and in a few weeks, we will resume where we left off!  I miss you and the boyz terribly, but soon it will all be over.  You are the best!!!

WUSF Radio interview for March 30

This week’s conversation with WUSF’s Bobbie O’Brien covered our mission to a girls school to drop off donated school supplies and President Obama’s visit to Afghanistan. The story aired Monday during NPR’s “All Things Considered” and will run again this morning in the Tampa Bay area during “Morning Edition.” Or you can click on a link to the audio and the transcript here.