Leaving Afghanistan, Parting pictures

Inside the C-17 aircraft.

As I write this entry, we are on board an Air Force C-17 aircraft flying to Al Udeid AB, Qatar.  Originally, we were supposed to fly into Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan.  But ever since the uprising it has affected our travel plans.  One day they are accepting inbound and outbound flights.  The next day all flights are suspended.  Nobody on my team projected a regime overthrow in Kyrgyzstan; therefore our departure mission has been see-sawing back and forth.

Throwing concrete at the wall.

Yesterday I made my final trip to ANA land.  At one of the entrance gates, some Afghan local employees were working on a new building.  It was a bit comical to see how they were applying the concrete mixture to the exterior wall.  They would use their trowels and scoop up a gob of concrete and then throw it at the wall.  Only half of it would stick, but they were persistent with this process.  Then another employee would come along and smooth out the concrete.  I guess this additional layer of concrete is to strengthen the integrity of the concrete block wall.

Smoothing out the concrete wall.

I met up with Omid and had hoped to see the ANA Sergeant Major one last time.  We went to his office and found out he was still out on mission.  So I will never know what kind of a cook the SGM is.  I still appreciate his gesture of kindness and wish him and his family the best.

Our next stop was the Kandak Assistant Religious Officer’s office.  He wasn’t there, but the ANA Mullah was present.  He invited us in for some tea.  He seemed to be upset about something.  I learned his superior was trying to take away the cell phone I had presented to him.  Somehow, this person was under the impression I gave the phone to the Mullah to present to him.  This officer is also a former Mujahedeen commander, but I never had the opportunity to interview him.  Based on my research, he was one of the financial managers for Massoud, the leader of the Northern Alliance.  He also had a dislike for Americans.  I rectified the cell phone issue and the Mullah was happy.  We drank our tea (my last cup of chai in Afghanistan) and said our goodbyes.

The rest of the day I spent packing my gear, uniforms, books, etc.  I was quickly running out of bag storage space due to my last minute impulsive shopping trip to our small bazaar outside the camp.  These merchants will be sad to see me go…lol.  But Mrs. T should be happy with my purchases, especially these igneous and metamorphic rocks that I bought at bargain basement prices.  Some people refer to them as gem stones and are very appealing, especially the corundum.  The time quickly flew by and before long it was night time.

Fastening tarp on LMTV holding all of our luggage.

In the morning I packed my final belongings and we loaded them on an armored LTMV for transport.  This would be our last mission and this time, we would all be passengers in the back of the MRAPs.  Our 173^rd Army brothers would be our chauffeurs.  It was time to pass the torch because now they will be responsible for running their own

AF TSgt assists Army SFC with .50 cal machine gun.

missions.  We had a small hiccup with the radios not communicating with each other and took some time to resolve.  My Air Force team made a habit of checking the vehicles and communication equipment the day before the mission to prevent delays the day of the mission.  But this is no longer our worry and hopefully this Army team will come together as a team and figure it out the same way we had to.

As we drove through the capital city one last time, I took notice of my surroundings.  Being a passenger allowed me to look further back into the side streets and focus on the people longer than I normally would if I was driving.  It was only fitting we had to dodge around hundreds of people gathered in the market area and swerve around a horse cart.  I don’t recall seeing too many horse carts in Florida, although near my home in Pennsylvania, the Amish still travel around in them.

Horse cart in the middle of traffic.

We arrived at the Kabul International Airport (KAIA) military terminal and off-loaded the truck with our bags.  As luck may have it, after several hours of waiting, we were able to

Military terminal at Kabul International Airport.

leave there the same day.  Our first stop was Al Udeid AB, Qatar.  This is the temporary processing center until the situation in Manas gets resolved.  It was obvious they were still struggling to accommodate the large influx of passengers and clearing customs there can be a royal pain in the butt.  Unlike most other Air Force personnel processing through, my

Waiting for our plane.

team was rather unique.  We still needed to turn in our Army weapons and gear.  The Army is a real stickler for accountability and we are personally accountable for thousands of dollars worth of gear.  No inventory, except for the weapons was performed.  Instead, we filled out name tags and attached them to our bags of gear.  Some of it has to be shipped to Manas AB, once they start allowing flights, while the majority of the gear and weapons will be returned to Fort Riley, Kansas.  Either way, it was a relief to return these items.

Our team before leaving.

Lady Luck was still smiling on us and we caught another flight to Ali Asaleem AB, Kuwait.  This place is great and I am nicknaming it “Air Force Club Med”.  To be cont’d…..

Please vote for Rex’s blog in MILbloggies awards

Rex recording memos.

From Liisa, SMSgt Temple’s wife: Rex is out on a mission and I am using this space to ask you for your continued support. A few days ago I asked that you help nominate Rex and his blog for MILbloggies awards as a special anniversary gift for Rex. You came through and now Rex has advanced to the finals. So again if you are a regular reader of his blog and like what he writes and photographs, please cast your vote at the Milblogging.com/votestandings page (you have to be signed into your account to do so).

This would be the best anniversary gift ever so please help me give it to Rex by voting!

******

Here is more information about the online voting for the Fourth Annual MILbloggies

Thank you to everyone who participated so far, but it’s not over.  Congratulations to all the Finalists.  Voting has begun in the Fourth Annual MILbloggies, which will end on Wednesday, April 7 at 11:59 PM EST.  To find out who advanced as a Finalist in this year’s MILbloggies and to cast your vote in each category, go here. Voting is easy.  Just go to the Standings, click on a category, then cast your vote for one of the finalists.  (You have to be signed into your account to do this.)

Winners will be announced at the 2010 MILblog Conference on April 10th by this year’s Platinum Sponsors USAA and General Electric.

Help me give Rex an awesome anniversary present

From Liisa, SMSgt Temple’s wife: Rex has no Internet access today – our 4th wedding anniversary. 😦

So I’m using the space to ask for your help. I want to give him a special anniversary present and if you are a regular reader of this blog and like what you see, you can help me. I would like to get Rex nominated for this blog so he can compete for the most prestigious military blogging award there is – the MILBloggies. How to do it is outlined below – Rex is listed under “Afghanistan-My Last Tour on the http://milblogging.com/ website – but you can’t nominate him until tonight Eastern Standard Time (if you are a reader in Afghanistan, maybe you can help nominate him tomorrow your time?).

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The 2010 MILBloggies Kicked Off this morning (March 31, 2010) and they recognize military bloggers for their contribution to blogging, news and information

Here are the Rules and Instructions

The Milbloggies Award recognizes military bloggers for their contribution to blogging, news and information, and to the military over the past year.

Nomination and Voting Overview

1. A military blog can be nominated ONLY once by the same registered user.  However, a user can nominate as many military blogs as they wish and nominating your own blog is allowed.  However, please do not register multiple accounts in order to place more than one nomination for the same blog, as we have the ability to track this information.  If you encounter problems registering/activating your account, just send an email to milblogging@gmail.com and he will activate your account as quickly as possible.  Occasionally, the Activation email gets blocked by your Service Provider.

The nomination phase starts Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 and all nominations must be submitted online through Milblogging.com by 11:59 pm EST on Saturday, April 3rd, 2010.

2.  The top five nominees in each branch category will be announced on Sunday, April 4th, 2010 and those nominees will move into the Voting Phase beginning April 4th, 2010.

This is the type of abuse a military blogger's beloved personal laptop endures during deployment. Rex's busted up laptop was soon replaced after R&R in Germany. (He's on his 2nd camera at this point too.)

3. Nominees may be military blogs that belong to the following branch categories in the Milblogging.com database:

U.S. Military Parent
U.S. Military Supporter
U.S. Air Force (Rex qualifies in this category)
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Military Veteran
U.S. Military Spouse
Foreign National Military
U.S. Reporter

4. To nominate and/or vote for a military blog, you must be signed in to the Milblogging.com website.  Registration is quick and free and you will not receive any SPAM.  This helps maintain the integrity of voting by reducing possible click fraud.  To place your nomination, simply click on the listing in the Milblogging.com database starting the evening of Wednesday, March 31st, 2010, and click the Nominate button that appears at the top of the military blog profile.  Keep in mind, the Nominate button will not be shown on the website until TONIGHT on Wednesday, March 31st (this is Eastern Standard Time).

5.  To vote for a military blog (once the nomination phase is over), a chart will be published that includes the top nominees in each category, along with the ability to vote.

The Voting will close on Wednesday, April 7th at 11:59 PM EST.

6.  Winners will be presented awards at the 2010 MILblog Conference on April 10th.  Winners are not required to attend the conference in order to receive their awards.

Twitter Hashtag:  #milbloggies

A Visit to the Past

Decaying walls of 14th century ruins.

My curiosity finally got the best of me and today I would pacify it.  I’ve driven past it dozens of times and had hoped to see it up close.  Today a handful of teammates and I would visit the 14^th century ruins that reside on a portion of ANA land.

We were a bit skittish at first, because of rumor concerning landmines.  But I was assured if we stayed on the paths then it would be safe.  I led the way as we followed a dirt path to these ruins.  For me it was like taking a trip back into the past.  I’m still uncertain of the exact history, but I presume this might have been a garrison fortress at one time.  I have been told it dates back to the 14^th-15^th century.

14th century Mongul ruins.

Due to hundreds of years of erosion and war, the structure is in poor shape and badly deteriorating.  But the erosion effect provided a glimpse of the construction and architectural methods utilized during this time era.  Although I can’t be certain it’s possible the original structure was modified throughout the centuries and served as different purposes.  It

AF SMSgt peers over wall of 14th century ruins.

appears the foundation was built of fired mud brick and stone and then the mud mixture coated the outside forming a protective barrier over the brick.

Based on my research, crushed egg shells and straw was used with this mortar mud mixture to strengthen it.  Remnants of straw could still be seen in the mud mixture.  I tried to envision a

My Capt and ETT leader pose next to 14th century ruins.

garrison of Mongol soldiers living within the large confines of this structure during the 14^th century.  It has been documented that Genghis Khan attacked and pillaged Kabul around 1221.  Then in 1398 the city was recaptured by the Emperor Timur (Tamerlane) who married a daughter of the governor.    Later in

Tajbeg Palace seen through wall opening of 14th century ruins.

1504, the city fell to Babur who set up his headquarters in Kabul.  So based on this snippet of history and the close proximity of the capital city, I will make the assumption this fortress was probably used by the armies of Tamerlane or Babur in the 14^th or 15^th century.  I seriously doubt this monstrous structure was abandoned.

Me standing on top of 14th century Mongul ruins.

Today the ruins take on a different personality.  The vacant interior has been used as a dumping ground for broken concrete, rebar rods, and soil.  At one time the ANA used it for a volleyball court too.  I looked around for any hidden artifacts, but was unable to find anything.  I’m also unaware of any plans to preserve or protect these historical ruins from further decay.  So I violated one of my own rules concerning archeological ruins and climbed up on the deteriorating walls for some pictures.  In one of the pictures you can see the towering Hindu Kush Mountains in the background.  While we are experiencing 80 degree temperatures at 5800 feet above sea level, these goliaths still have snow on their peaks.  I might also point out these mountains pale in comparison to the monsters up north who soar over 20,000 feet above sea level.  Now Honey that is a serious hiking trip!

AF Captain shoots jump shot.

With the weather heating up, so are the outside activities after duty hours.  Some of my teammates are engaged in sand volleyball games, while others take advantage of the new concrete slab poured for the basketball court.  I watched two of my teammates; an AF Captain and MSgt compete in a one-on-one competition.  The MSgt is the one who has religiously worked out at the gym and sports his 19 inch biceps.  The Captain was outshooting him 2 to 1, and I was certain the MSgt would lose.  But in the end, the enlisted prevailed over the officer….lol.

Brain Injury Awareness Month = facts about head trauma

From Liisa, SMSgt Temple’s wife: While Rex’s is out on a mission, I’m posting this piece in honor of Brain Injury Awareness Month.

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) — Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, has been labeled a “signature injury” of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also occurs in non-combat settings in association with motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, assaults and falls. In 2009, Department of Defense officials reported 20,199 cases of TBI among military service members.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and representatives at Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center locations will be hosting various activities promoting the Brain Injury Association of America’s current campaign, “A concussion is a brain injury. Get the facts.”

According to DOD guidelines, traumatic brain injury is defined as “a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain.” Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of such an injury may range from “mild,” characterized by a brief change in mental status or consciousness, to “severe,” involving an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury. More significant TBI can result in short- or long-term problems with independent function. The vast majority of TBIs fall into the mild category also known as “concussion.”

A concussion is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Most concussions involve a brief period of altered consciousness, characterized as being dazed or confused without a loss of consciousness. Some common signs and symptoms of concussion include headaches, dizziness, memory loss, concentration difficulties, irritability, fatigue and anxiety or depression. These symptoms may be noticeable immediately or within the first few days after the injury and normally resolve rapidly.

Research on TBI in the civilian population suggests that approximately 85 percent of individuals experience resolution of post-concussive symptoms within three to six months after a single concussion.

There are many reasons why symptoms persist. The course of recovery is individual and varies, depending on the cause of injury as well as the environment or setting in which the injury occurred. If symptoms persist or interfere with normal activities, follow-up with a physician is important.

Additional information about traumatic brain injury and Brain Injury Awareness Month can be found at Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center or at Brain Injury Association of America.

(Story by Ken Breaux, Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center; Maren Cullen contributed to this article)

A Long Friday

Yesterday we did our sensitive items check (weekly check of our weapon serial numbers and other devices), which allowed us to sleep in a little bit longer today.  Today is also Jumaa and our ANA counterparts are off or at least most of them.  They are preparing to celebrate the New Year on Sunday.  So this allowed us to have some personal time to sleep in, wash laundry, clean rooms, or catch up on emails.  I used this time to enjoy a hearty breakfast and catch up on some local and national news.

AF teammates get comfortable while waiting for Army teammate to bring the keys.

At 0930 hrs we were scheduled to conduct our Preventive Maintenance Checks (PMCS) on our fleet of vehicles.  Most everyone showed up on time, except for our Army teammate who controls the keys.  Because of his tardiness, we were all excused and the latecomers were rewarded with conducting the PMCS on the vehicles.

I went to my storage conex and started segregating the mountain of stacked boxes filled with school supplies.  This is no easy task and with the temperatures in the low 80s, these metal storage containers get very warm.  I sorted through stacks of notebooks, boxes of pencils, pens, glue sticks, scissors, erasers, and a few miscellaneous items.  I had quite a few on-lookers pass me by and inquire about my school supply project.  Some of these camp mates have their own villages they try to support and are interested in acquiring some of my supplies.  So I made a deal that if they help me sort the items and permit me to accompany them to their villages, then I would provide them with schools supplies and Beanie Babies.  For OPSEC reasons, I will wait until I visit these places before providing any more details about them.

Massive box of pencils.

After spending 5 hours in a toasty conex, I returned to my room to rest.  Outside my B-hut, there were several Army campmates playing a toss game.  I have never seen this game before.  They constructed wood square boxes and mounted a piece of PVC pipe in the middle of it.  Then from a distance they toss large washers at these containers.  If a washer lands inside the wooden box, you receive points and even more points if it falls into the PVC pipe center.

New version of horseshoes.

I read an interesting NY Times article on the web today about a wedding ceremony in India.  Farmers are selling off farm land and have become wealthy (by India’s standards) overnight.  In turn, these “rich” people are buying luxury items and flaunting their wealth.  In the article it details about an elaborate wedding renting a helicopter and a Lexus to transport the couple.  The whole impetus behind the article is about show off their wealth to their neighbors.  This isn’t isolated to India or the United States, but it’s also customary in Afghanistan to have an expensive wedding.  I recall at my former camp some of the interpreters were getting married and they were planning on spending 2 years salary for this celebration.  I just don’t get it!  Why is it so important to impress the entire village, because after the nuptials are ratified, the couples live with the groom’s parents inside a mud-brick complex and then spend the next few years paying off relatives from whom they borrowed money to afford this lavish festivity.

Yet the more I think about it, we have a similar problem in the United States.  Too many people are living above their means or from paycheck to paycheck.  Perhaps the largest difference is in the US, we can whip out a piece of plastic and charge it and then make minimum payments on the interest or minimum payments for the next 20 years. Note:  MasterCard, Visa, and AMEX love you if you fall into this category. If that doesn’t work, we use our house equity as an ATM machine (or we used to until house values plummeted) and then when the economy sours, we rely on the government to bail us out.  Except, the little guy isn’t getting much bailing, instead they seem to be footing the bill.  Maybe that economics class in high school paid off, because I don’t find myself in this situation but don’t anticipate having any Social Security benefits by the time I am eligible.

If I had to summarize, I would use a quote from the scripture, King James Version, Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”  If you think about it, this would explain all the unnecessary deaths in Mexico related to the drug cartels, many of the crimes committed in the US and abroad and one of the leading causes for divorce.  It’s all about money and wanting more of it.

For the article on India:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/world/asia/19india.html?hpw

For an interesting article on Pakistan and the Water Mafias: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/16/world/la-fg-pakistan-water-mafia16-2010mar16

Excess Humvees to BAF

My team is still trying to clear up the property book and we have given away or transferred everything possible, but we still have some excess up-armored Humvees to dispose of.  When we merged with the Brigade, our vehicle fleet doubled in size.  We managed to transfer 90% of our vehicle fleet except for two Humvees that aren’t as heavily armored as the other ones.  The closest place to dispose of these Humvees is Bagram Air Field (BAF).  As you already know, BAF is not our favorite place to visit and dealing with the BAF-fites is always an adventure.  Unfortunately, it was a necessary evil to clear the property book and only the BAF-fites could assist us.  We all promised to be on our best behavior, salute the officers, and try not to get upset at the bureaucratic processes in place.

AF Captain and SMSgt secure Humvees for transport.

Since we lacked the proper vehicles to transport the Humvees, we coordinated with our ANA counterparts for a joint mission.  They would provide the tractor and trailer and be integrated into our convoy.  Two of my teammates help secure the vehicles on the  .  The ANA soldier boasted about having more experience and he wanted to chain the vehicles down himself.  That is quite a change for an ANA soldier to step up like that and volunteer his services.

When I walked back to camp, I stopped at the gate to see how Bernie was doing.  The new soldiers who arrived are dog lovers and renamed the puppy, especially after I pointed out the puppy’s anatomy of being a boy… lol.  Bernie was sound asleep taking a

Bernie is taking a puppy nap.

puppy nap between two cement blocks and had his chin propped up on a piece of wood.  He didn’t have a care in the world.

The original plan was for 4 ANA LTVs and the tractor and trailer to join us at 5:20 am to depart for BAF.  I originally tried to go to sleep around 10:30 pm., but my new B-Hut mate has a severe case of sleep apnea and makes choking sounds in his sleep.  If he isn’t bellowing and gasping, then he is talking loudly in his sleep.  I also think he has restless leg syndrome because he constantly crashes into the thin plywood walls.  I last looked at the clock around 1 am and my alarm went off at 4 am.  Fortunately I wasn’t driving and would be the truck commander today.

Afghan men hoping to get hired for the day.

All of my teammates gathered at the MRAPs at 5 am and we prepared for the mission.  The ANA was on time, except they were missing 3 LTVs.  Never did find out what happened with them.  Driving to BAF, we drove through a different part of the city.  In the Pashtun market, the unskilled laborers were crowded at an intersection hoping to get hired for the day.  So

Afghan National Police providing security.

many people migrate to the capital city in hopes of finding a more prosperous life, but quickly find the competition is fierce and the wages are low.  Established Afghan businessmen are keen on maximizing profit by paying low wages to these unskilled workers.  I think they have taken a page from the business models US contractors

Afghan mud-brick house.

are using here in country.  They charge a hefty price, but maximize their profit by exploiting cheap labor.

Security in the city has definitely increased.  The ANP have established more checkpoints and armed policemen are seen throughout the city.  I think as more ANP are trained, this will continue to be the trend.  But the

Tending the sheep.

ANP still has an image problem due to corruption, theft, and bribery.  These issues are constantly being addressed and it will take time to win the people over and for the ANP to modify their behavior.  Hitting passing cars with the butt of their AK-47s only causes resentment among the populace.

After leaving the city, we passed through some smaller towns and more agricultural areas.  The farmers were busy tending to their livestock and the small shops waited on customers to buy their goods or produce.  An

Elderly Afghan man thumbs his prayer beads.

older man sat on a tin box threading his prayer beads through his hand.  I could only wonder if he was a wise tribal elder or just an elderly gentleman who has survived over 30 years of war.

Potholes on road leading to BAF.

It has been quite awhile since our last convoy trip to BAF.  The roads are in much worse shape than I remember and the potholes have spread like a bad disease.  It didn’t help matters that the slack in my seatbelt wasn’t retracting properly.  As a result, I was bounced around the inside of the MRAP like a rag doll.  I’m certain to have some new bruises when this mission ends.  To be cont’d ……..

Carpets of Afghanistan

Since my arrival, I have periodically visited the bazaar areas looking at carpets.  Our “boyz” Charlie and Sam while going through their puppy teething stages managed to remove the fringes or chewed holes in the carpets at our house.  But now they are out of this stage or at least I hope so.  While here on deployment, I have been conducting research on carpets and have perused through dozens of carpet shops looking for the perfect carpet.  Trying to find the right color, size, texture, and blend has been a yearlong challenge.  Similar to my experiences in Korea, the buyer has to beware.  To the untrained eye or those who lack knowledge about carpets, they might be sold a cheap

Rex's favorite for the dining area; Mrs "T" - not so much ...

Chinese machine-made imitation carpet or a low quality Iranian produced one instead of a high quality one from Afghanistan.  I guess if you never ask the question, then the seller isn’t obligated to divulge the originality of the carpet.  The majority of the carpets sold at the camp bazaars and large FOBs are Chinese made and very inexpensive.

Mrs. T likes this one!

But some of them display expensive carpets priced over $5,000.

I have also found that if I want something purchased locally, it’s so much better to let my interpreter negotiate the price than me.  When the merchants see us, the price almost doubles.  So when I see soldiers bragging about the deal they got on their carpet and how they talked the merchant down, I chuckle inside because my interpreter can beat that price by another third and get much better quality.  But not everyone is assigned an interpreter and they don’t have the advantage I do.

The popularity of Afghan carpets is starting to spread internationally.

Mrs. "T" likes this one too!

Historically prior to the Soviet invasion, carpets ranked fifth among the country’s exports.  Shortly after the Soviets invaded, there were a mass exodus (3 million) people who sought refuge in Pakistan, Iran, and other neighboring countries.  As a result, the carpet weaving industry faltered because inexperienced weavers looking for employment took over and the quality of the carpets diminished.  Since the removal of the Taliban, the carpet industry is trying to regain its reputation.  Over 3 percent of the country is employed in the carpet industry and carpet makers who fled during the war are returning to their home country.  Due to lack of established exporting markets, many of

This is Mrs. T's favorite!

the Afghan carpets are sent to Pakistan where they are cut, washed, finished, and then a “Made in Pakistan” label is attached to them for resale.

This would be perfect for someone who is Univ. of Florida Gators' fan with the orange and blue.

But in the past few years, Afghan carpet makers have introduced their carpets to the international community at carpet fairs and immediately sold out of their product.  So before demand becomes too great, thus increasing their price, Mrs. Temple and I plan to refurbish the house and replace the dog chewed ones.  Don’t worry Honey, I haven’t found any with big lions or tigers on them …. lol.

What makes Afghan carpets unique is the type of wool and dyes used in the process.  Of the eight breeds of sheep raised in Afghanistan, only the wool from five of them is used to make carpets.  The most common wool comes from the Karuqal sheep in the Northern provinces.  Two types of wool grow simultaneously on these sheep.  The outer wool has the longer fibers

This was a "no" also.

and the inner wool is the softer of the two.   These sheep are raised in the higher elevations and in a range of temperatures from -30 degrees to 48 degrees Celsius.  After the wool is hand sorted, it is spun and then pre-soaked.  The yarn is pre-soaked in a bathing solution of alum, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, tin or urine.  Yep, that is not a misprint.  Urine is used by some tribes in the pre-soaking stage.  Not sure how popular that method is, but apparently it works.  After the pre-soaking, the yarn is then dyed.  Due to modernization, many carpet makers employ synthetic dyes, but the expensive handmade carpets are still produced using dyes from plants, vegetables, roots, dried bodies of certain insects and tree bark.

This is ended up in the "no" pile, too.

Other natural dyes are extracted from walnut or pomegranate peel and wheat straw.  All this time I have been shucking my walnut shells and it could have been used for making carpet dye.

The root of the Madder plant is responsible for creating the bright red hues, orange and even purple colors.  The thickness of the root determines the shade of red.  Historically, this same root has been used in dye making since 1500 BC and in the 17^th and 18^th century it was used as a key component in creating artists’ paints.

Another point of interest is the looms used and the weaving process.  Afghan weavers traditionally use a horizontal loom to make their carpets.  This type

We both voted "no" on this one.

of loom is used by the traveling nomads because it is easily dismantled and transported.   The carpet width determines how many weavers are needed.  The infamous Turcoman carpet designs are woven from memory.  Their “Chobi” rugs have a range of 120 -250 knots per square inch.  These rugs are hand spun, hand knotted, and the dyes are 100% natural.  An authentic Chobi rug is very durable and should last for generations.  In case you are wondering, the less expensive carpets have less than 90 knots per square inch.

Well Honey, what do you think?  I have attached my favorites to this blog entry.  The rugs pictured are a wool and silk blend.  I didn’t want to sell my aluminum can collection to buy an expensive handmade Chogi, so we might have to settle for a synthetic dyed one.  Just don’t tell the neighbors, they won’t know the difference … lol.

For more Afghan rugs click on this link:

http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/2010/01/afghanistan-carpet-making.html

My Personal Perspective

Judging by the influx of comments lately, my blog entries have caused some academic debate and flow of ideas.  Due to lack of time, seldom do I ever get a chance to respond to reader’s comments or questions.  But tonight I am going to make time and provide some feedback and opinion.  My opinions are solely mine and based on what I see, hear, read, and experience.  I take a chance in doing this, because certain people will cherry-pick my comments or take them out of context and publish them.  But since I started this blog almost a year ago, I stand by everything I have written.

First, we are here to seek out the Al Qaeda. They are not nearly as numerous as the Taliban, but they are present and active in this country.  They just keep a much lower profile than the Taliban and allow them to do all the dirty work.  I am convinced if the Taliban wins this war, the Al Qaeda would have a sanctuary to plot attacks against the United States and other European countries.  Although my ANA counterparts think the Al Qaeda has been defeated, I respectfully disagree with them.

Who are the Taliban or insurgents?  I think of them synonymously, because as a combatant or soldier, they are the enemy.  Anyone who raises arms and plots attacks against me or my brothers in arms is the enemy.  I don’t have the ability to distinguish the difference, but when they choose to attack our forces, it really doesn’t matter; quite simply they are the enemy and a target of opportunity.  I understand most of the insurgents are not doing this for an ideological cause.  Instead, they do it for money or other causes.  But this still doesn’t change the equation, because they are making a personal choice with consequences.  As such, when they make the wrong choice, then they become a target.  The Taliban is also composed of or allied with various terrorist organizations, splinter groups and thugs to include the Haqqani network, Hekmatyur, and others who help promote the poppy and opium trade.

The dynamics of this war and country are so diverse and complex; I could probably write an encyclopedia by exploring the various aspects.  Trying to understand the cultural diversities of the tribes and various ethnicities is perplexing in itself.  Then throw in the mix of the central government trying to establish itself and appear legitimate, coupled with training the Afghan National Police (ANP) and Afghan National Army (ANA) so that one day they will be responsible for the national security of their country only adds to the perplexity.  I might also point out that the central government has an insurmountable task to appear legitimate without the corruption.  The endemic corruption, cronyism, nepotism, and fraud of the central government are only adding fuel to the Taliban’s acceptance by the citizens.  In all fairness, the people aren’t given much of a choice, because the Taliban rule by force and fear.  Lastly, the enemies we are fighting aren’t just indigenous to Afghanistan, but travel from Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Chechnya and other neighboring countries because they have been brainwashed in madrassas or misguided by imams, mullahs, or clerics.

Much of the blame for the current state of affairs can be attributed to the lack of education. Due to lack of education, people are unable to make decisions and blindly follow the promulgations of these warped ideological miscreants who take advantage of the citizens’ weaknesses.  The Taliban are acutely aware of the value of an education and this is why they have made a concerted effort to destroy the schools we repair and build.  Bottom line, they would have a much harder time controlling educated people who are able to make a decision or question the legitimacy of what is being asked.  Since the ousting of the Taliban in 2001, thousands of schools have reopened their doors and hundreds of new ones are being built.  The children are thirsty for an education and want to learn.  Unfortunately, there still exists a whole generation who were not given this opportunity and are easily swayed or manipulated.

As an Embedded Training Team (ETT) member, I have seen the results of this tragedy.  Even in my limited travels, I have seen enough of the tip of the iceberg to formulate an educated opinion.  I can’t imagine living here and growing up with 30 years of war.  Peace is a foreign concept and whether or not Darwinism applies, I don’t know.  But what I have witnessed it the resilience of the Afghan people to overcome even when the odds are stacked against them.

It is my hope and my prayer, that one day the children of Afghanistan will be able to appreciate peace and prosperity.  In the interim, the war continues.  Operation Mushtarak appears to be a success and now the media is openly reporting about similar plans for Kandahar and other major cities.  My hat is off to General McChrystal and his strategic planners.  The only barometer of success I have is reading the local paper and soliciting opinions from my ANA counterparts.  My own personal litmus test is when I visit the villages and see the reactions of the local citizens.  Until then, my wife Liisa and I are still collecting school supplies to distribute to the poor children who can’t afford these items.  In the near future, I will have a chance to deliver them and perhaps then I will be able to render an updated opinion.

Student volunteers (from left) Brian Garland, Ashley Hawley and Jenna McMahon of University of Tampa's Peace Center with 150 boxes of donated school supplies they helped pack for shipping today in Tampa for the School Supplies for Afghan Children project.

Update:  Not long ago, I read about a village where all the of citizens were displaced by the Taliban.  The government labels them as IDP or “internally displaced person” and provides them shelter.  This was the same village where I met an 8-year-old boy who inspired my decision to collect school supplies. Whether he was one of the several hundred IDP, I will never know.

Tomorrow … I will catch up on the last 2 days, all the pictures and the mission we went on today.  I will also detail some new “Armyisms”, but first, I want to get my facts straight before I write about them.  I promise you, they are doozies!

Wounded SPC Kit Lowe to receive Bronze Star

SPC Christopher "Kit" Santiago Lowe in Afghanistan last summer.

Rex’s can’t post today due to extremely poor Internet connectivity so I am using the space to update everyone on the recovery of Rex’s friend and former camp mate SPC Christopher “Kit” Santiago Lowe. As many of the readers of this blog will remember Kit was wounded in August in a Taliban ambush in Kapisa Province (you can read about the ambush here).

SPC Lowe recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Sept. 09

Kit has been recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and underwent major surgery in January to repair his right leg (he had no feeling below the knee after being shot).

Unfortunately the results of the surgery were less than promising. Although the surgeons tried to repair the nerve damage they could only do part of the needed grafts. The

SPC Lowe with Lt Gen John Allen, USMC, Deputy Commander, US Central Command, Aug. 2009

tibial nerve was grafted; this nerve controls sensation on the bottom of the foot.  It also may give Kit control to ‘push off’ with his leg and foot and the ability to move his foot side to side to some degree.

The peroneal nerve was not grafted because the damage was too extensive.  This nerve controls the ability to lift up the foot. Nerves grow from the site of injury to the ‘end of the line’– so they will need to grow from his low thigh area to his toes (roughly 2-3 years).

What does this all mean?

Kit has spent about 3 weeks in his immobilizer and he’s in a substantial amount of pain.  As you may know nerve pain is intense and hard to

During theraphy at WRAMC.

describe.  What will be difficult is the waiting as the nerve grows back~ 1 cm per month~ which is excruciatingly slow.

Good news is he can walk with a brace.  He will be able to drive a car, but it must be adaptive and he will have to learn to do that.

Needless to say this is not what Kit wanted. He wanted guaranteed full recovery. He is very worried about the career he wants so very much as an officer in the military, knowing that the ability to run or feel sensation in his lower leg may never return.

On the brighter side, Kit (who is a huge dog lover) will soon get a service dog to assist him with being aware of issues

Kit gives his Purple Heart to his old high school, Benedictine Military School in Savannah earlier this year ~ photo courtesy of WSAV-TV

(infections) in his leg.  He is still planning to continue his military career after completing his education at Georgia Southern.  He will be transferred home to the WTU at Ft Stewart very soon.  And this Thursday he will be presented with a Bronze Star V device for his action on that fateful day in August that changed so many lives.

UPDATE FROM KIT VIA TEXT MESSAGE ON 2-23-2010: “I can feel in two of toes on my right foot.”

Note: I’ll be sure to post pictures and video from the Bronze Star ceremony as soon as they are available on Thursday. And we’ll share more details about the feeling returning to his injured foot then too. What wonderful news!!!