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)

Winding Down

AF ETT leader is smiling.

Shortly approaching 11 months of deployment, we are starting to wind down.  In fact, we received notice our tours may be cut short by a couple of weeks.  The mission we had has changed and the Army is implementing the partnership concept.  This means they will work much closer with the ANA counterparts and they will be able to shift from non-kinetic to kinetic.  But the primary focus will be on kinetic operations and hunting down the insurgents.  Except under this concept, coalition forces will be side by side with the ANA counterparts and engaged in operations.  For most Air Force personnel, we are not allowed to actively engage in kinetic operations and this is why we were assigned logistical missions and mentoring.  Because of this change, our mission will end and soon we will return home to our loved ones.

So now it’s just a matter of tying up loose ends and passing on the torch to our Army teammates so they don’t have to recreate the wheel.  I’m certain several of the functions we mentored will go unfilled due to manpower utilization.  I seriously doubt if anyone will continue mentoring the Religious Officer, Mullah, or the Sgt Major.  Instead, they will focus the manpower on core competencies and actively train the soldiers for combat.

Raising the Afghan flag.

The other morning, I watched a group of ANA soldiers raise their national flag.  I wouldn’t call it honor guard material, but I do call it progress and the soldier in charge saluted as a sign of respect.  Even these small traditions being practiced are a positive sign of ownership and of the future to come in the following years.

Do I look like a cop?

After the flag rising, my teammate borrowed my interpreter’s glasses and pretended to be a cop.  He is one of the last participants on the team participating in Moustache March.  Several of my teammates opted to grow a moustache for the month of March.  Some of them looked hideous and have shaved them off.  But there are still two strong contenders letting their lip hair grow until the end of the month.

When I returned to camp, the Afghan contractors were busy applying the final touches on the security wall.  They were hanging the concertina wire atop the metal posts.  It’s a rather unique way of stringing c-wire using a piece of lumber with a nail tacked in the end of it.  I’m not sure OSHA would approve, but at least one person wore gloves to handle the razor sharp wire.

A unique way of stringing C-wire.

Out of the blue, a helicopter using a sling delivered a load of lumber to our camp.  This wood was ordered through the supply system several months ago and finally has arrived.  The only problem is we borrowed and scrounged other lumber for our projects because we didn’t know if the order would ever arrive.

Sling load of lumber.

Due to the warm weather, the basketball court and sand volleyball court is frequently being used.  My teammates have gone out there on several occasions to play volleyball.  Someone found more tarps and covered the bare c-wire to keep the ball from popping on contact.

Teammates playing volleyball.

It was a very mild winter here and it appears the drought is going to continue.  According to the local newspaper, farmers yield with their crops could be decreased by 30 percent.

This week’s radio chat

From Liisa, SMSgt Temple’s wife: Rex is out on a mission and asked me to post this chat he had with WUSF Radio’s Bobbie O’Brien earlier this week – it was a time consuming production as they lost Internet service in the middle of it and had to conduct the rest of it on the phone …. the wait for the phone was 1.5 hours. Thanks to Bobbie for being patient and waiting for Rex. You can download the audio here 3-10 MLT winding down

If you want to read the entire transcript, click on the link below:

My Last Tour: Winding Down

173rd Airborne Commander’s Cup

ANA recruits conducting push-ups.

I don’t know if the winter is over, but it seems like everyone is taking advantage of the warmer weather.  ANA land seems to be bursting at the seams with new recruits being trained to become ANA soldiers.  Today I took some pictures of them conducting push-ups.  Most of these recruits didn’t know what a push-up was until they enlisted in the Afghan national Army.  It’s a bit humorous to see the various styles of them practicing this exercise.  Notice in the picture how many soldiers aren’t keeping their back straight, while others are doing dips, and some of them just gave up.  It will only be a matter of time before they are able to pump out 50 extensions the proper way.  These recruits start their calisthenics early in the morning and finish with a late evening run.  I hear their war whoops every day.

Joint teams receiving instructions.

The ANA weren’t the only ones who were training.  The ANA camp hosted the Commander’s Cup competition for the 173^rd Airborne Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) out of FOB Shank.  These companies were having a friendly contest.  Each team consisted of 2 ANA soldiers and 3 US soldiers, which included one female on each

Female soldier provides cover while teammates treat victim.

squad.  The schedule of events would test their physical, mental and training skills.  More importantly, this was a chance to show the joint partnership with the ANA soldiers.  I decided to follow them around with my camera and observe the events.  The only difference, they would wear all of their protective gear and I would not.

Removing victim from field of fire.

After everyone received detailed instructions, the first team lined up by the timekeeper’s table.  My ANA Sergeant Major was there and he was barking at his troops in his loud boisterous voice.  The first event was a simulated fire fight and they would have to run to a designated location and then provide first aid to a wounded teammate.   After diagnosing and

Army soldier prepares victim for transport.

treating the wound, the victim was then strapped to a litter.  The team would have to carry their teammate and litter for two hundred yards where they would get their next set of instructions.  The teams were already breathing hard from the litter carry, but they would have to reserve their energy because now they would climb the steep curvy hill leading up to the former Russian Officer Club.  This is no easy feat without heavy gear.

My interpreter Omid and I went up the hill ahead of the teams so we could take pictures.  My cross-training on the treadmill is paying off and I kept a fast steady pace.  Omid being 23 years younger would jog ahead of me and

Joint team effort with carrying victim on litter.

then rest.  “Walking was too hard,” he said. Notice the steepness of the incline in the picture.  One of the ANA soldiers told Omid, “The Americans are too slow and we should run up the hill.”  But if you notice, he is not wearing any of the 40 lb protective gear.

Team climbing hill to Russian O-club.

At the top of the hill, the teams were given a black plastic box of disassembled weapons parts.  Included in the disassemblies were an AK-47 rifle, M-4 rifle, M-240 and M-249 machine gun, and an M-9 pistol.  The ANA were lightning fast at assembling their

Box of disassembled weapons.

Soviet-made AK-47 rifles while some of the soldiers struggled to assemble their weapons.  Some of the visiting Army personnel were chiding the Air Force, so I made a point to defend my service.  I explained that as an ETT member, we go outside the wire a lot and when people inquire where the Army personnel are, I enlighten them that the Army stays at

Weapons being assembled by team.

the FOB and changes the oil on our vehicles, guards the compound, runs the garrison and creates a ton of unnecessary paperwork.  I also saw an opportunity to rub in the fact that most Air Force personnel are not accustomed to Army weapons, gear, training, etc., yet an Air Force team still holds the record for the fastest time and greatest number of

New ANA recruits out for a run.

points achieved at Fort Riley for MITT and ETT teams.  This boasting quieted their jesting in a hurry.

While at the top of the Russian O-club hill, a company of ANA recruits was running up the hill.  Not all of them ran the entire distance.  The further they climbed the hill, the more spread out they become.  One of the ANA recruits was in a festive mood, because after reaching the top and where the ground levels out, he started skipping the next 1/8^th of a mile.  To be cont’d ……

A Sunny Day For A Mission

Prepping the Max Pro for mission.

My dreaded alarm clock awoke me early this morning. I knew we had a long day planned and we had to load a trailer full of equipment before departing the camp. Now that all the inventories are completed, we are required to turn in or dispose of the items that nobody wants. We planned for a long day of paperwork, turmoil, and frustration since we had

My Gunner, an AF TSgt is ready for the mission.

to process the items through the Army Supply system.
We prepared our MRAPs and hitched up the trailer. I was driving today and my Captain would be the convoy commander. We would have to take it a little bit slower today with the trailer so it wouldn’t go airborne when we hit the deep potholes. Every day that goes by, the potholes in the road become larger and deeper. I guess the Afghan government doesn’t have any money to fix the roads.
As we traveled towards the city, the roads were rather congested with traffic and we saw a lot more children than normal. The local schools have opened their doors and the students are going back to school. One young Afghan boy gave us the thumbs up as we drove

Afghan boys gives us thumbs up.

past. Previously this was considered a vulgar gesture, but since the US forces arrived, it has become accepted as part of their culture.
We meandered our way through the capital city and it was apparent security has been added. The ANP were setting up random and strategic checkpoints along the way. These checkpoints cause bottlenecks and the traffic to back up.
The rest of the ride to Camp Phoenix was pretty smooth. As usual, bicycles, donkey carts, people dodging in and out of traffic, etc. The market was bustling and crowded with people. One problem the warmer weather causes is dust. When the soil dries out, passing vehicles create plumes of dust which is inhaled by us and the local populace. While on R&R in Germany, it took me 3 days before I could noticeably breathe easier. Perhaps this explains why they place a copy of the air sampling in our medical records. I looked at one briefly and it identified the harmful air particulates to include the heavy metals present in the air we breathe. Pollution is already a major problem in this city of 4 million inhabitants and it’s only going to get worse.
The sun, planets, and stars must have all been aligned because we were able to turn in all of our excess equipment and property with ease. I attribute this to my teammates who were bounced from building to building last time trying to get forms, documents, and stamps. Today we presented the documents and the property to the supply personnel for processing. We only had a few minor hiccups, but were able to process 90% of our items.

Fat baby mouse at Camp Phoenix.

While I waited for my teammates to process the equipment, one of the shops used a broom to sweep a mouse outside into the parking lot area. I’m not a mouse expert, but this is rather strange looking rodent. Much different than the ones I am accustomed to seeing and trapping in Florida. Mrs. “T” hates it when a mouse gets into our attic and I have the morbid task of catching these critters. But this mouse looks like a cross-breed between a mouse and a gerbil; I really don’t know what it is. But it was worthy of a picture … lol.

Fat baby mouse at Camp Phoenix.

Since it was rather toasty outside, my teammates and I ate our lunch outside under the big umbrellas. This area is adjacent to the BBQ house and today they had grilled chicken breasts along with the usual hamburgers and hot dogs. This is a great place to visit instead of going to the DFAC and they make a delicious barbeque sauce too.

Old Afghan man watches as we pass by.

Our trip back to camp was uneventful. While driving, I took some pictures of the local people. Note: I don’t recommend taking pictures and driving to anyone. It’s something I

Is this a man or woman in a burqa?

do and have taken over a thousand pictures using this method. Now I am beginning to recognize some familiar faces. The children were actively begging for money from passing cars while under the watchful eye of this old man in the picture. If only I had a chance to stop and interview him, I can only imagine the stories he might tell. The other picture is a woman or perhaps a man in a burqa. It’s really hard to tell their gender under this garment. But for a woman, she seems to have very large hands, knees, and arms. The last picture is a man who just left the market carrying oranges in a bag and dozens of eggs on his head. Only in Afghanistan ……

Man carrying eggs on his head.

Change of Mission

Army SFC prepares M-240 machine gun for mission.

Yesterday after our mentoring sessions were over, we spent the afternoon readying our MRAPs for what would have been a long mission.  Had everything went as planned, we would have been driving on the road at O-dark-thirty hours.  Around 0800 hrs this morning, we were given the order to “stand down” (Army lingo to stop what you are doing).  Our mission was canceled and another unit was taking over.  In reality we were never given the execution order, but we prepared accordingly.  Since the vehicles were mission ready, our ETT leader decided to go on a different mission so some electronic repairs could be made to a vital piece of equipment.  We would all meet after lunch and depart for Camp Phoenix.

AF TSgt escorting soldiers to the shooting range.

While this was going on, some members of my team were taking the ANA soldiers out to the shooting range.  My teammates just finished providing M-16 rifle training to them and today they were going to practice their marksmanship.  The class has generally been taught by Army soldiers or civilian contractors, but the AF TSgt in the picture has been instructing them.  Once the ANA soldiers show their proficiency with the rifles, at a future date, they will trade in their Soviet AK-47 rifles in exchange for a NATO M-16 rifle.

Destruction from last insurgent attack on Kabul.

As planned, we met after lunch and mounted our machine guns on the MRAP vehicles and loaded the chambers with ammunition.  The morning was rather cold, but now the sun came out and was brightly shining and it helped to take the sting out of the cold weather.  The gunners are the ones who are exposed to the cold wind and elements, so they have to wear additional layers of clothing and face masks to stay warm.

Merchants selling their goods in Kabul.

We cruised through the city with ease and my Captain and I took some pictures of the Kabul street life.  The burned out building is the result of the last attack by insurgents on the capital city.  Some local businesses are trying to restore operations by selling their wares using the ground level cubicles that didn’t suffer as much damage.  According to a

Afghan man talks with traffic police.

local newspaper report, the insurgent activity resulted in 5 million dollars in losses and damages.

The traffic was surprisingly light in the city today.  But the merchants were still packed on the streets selling their goods and trying to make a living.  This is such a tough life and tough business.  However, when I do the arithmetic, the odds of selling an item is actually pretty good, especially when you are providing goods for a city of 4 million city dwellers.  It seems like everyone wants to migrate to Kabul and live.  Much of the developments and houses were built illegally and the infrastructure suffers tremendously due to the large influx of people.  Perhaps this helps to explain the rationale why people have to bribe government officials to be connected to electricity, water, and sewage services.

Army SGT shares camera pictures with ETT leader.

A few days ago I detailed about ANA computer programs.  Today I got to experience one of the US Army programs at the Army Supply store (SSSC….still don’t know what the acronym stands for).  Anyhow, I signed in and couldn’t remember my 6 or 7 digit alpha-numeric supply code.  Surely the computer database would be able to retrieve me by name, unit, or location.  Nope!  Not only that, without the supply code, they couldn’t verify I was authorized to shop there.  However in all fairness, they had a manual book about 4 inches thick with all the customer names in it.  Only problem, it was sequenced by supply code.  So after paging through ¾ of the book and reviewing every page I managed to find my authorization card and was able to purchase some administrative supplies.

Camp Phoenix food court.

The equipment repair took longer than planned, so several of my teammates decided to pamper ourselves with some of Camp Phoenix amenities.  We visited the food court (not sure that is the proper name for it), but they have Subway, Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen, and Green Bean Coffee.  I couldn’t resist buying a Caffe Latte.  It wasn’t StarBucks, but it tasted

Hey Captain, is that a double fudge triple chocolate chip muffin you are eating? You will have to spend extra time at the gym for those calories...

better than the coffee served at the chow hall.

The equipment was repaired and we fired up the vehicles preparing to return to camp.  The only problem was one of the MRAPs would not start.  We attached the slave cables (special jumper cable) hoping to jump start it, but to no avail.  The mechanics came out and was unable to repair it.  So we transferred everything over to the other vehicles including the crew members.  By now it was getting dark and we would drive back through the city that is barely illuminated.  We returned to camp and I missed chow, so I settled for soup and sandwiches which is always available.  Another mission is complete and who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Tea and Coffee

Slushy roads at ANA land.

Last night it snowed all night and in the morning we had about an inch of fresh snow.  I followed someone else’s footsteps for my morning trek to the latrine.  Later in the morning the fresh snowfall would melt creating slushy conditions.  On the camp, we are fortunate to have a bed of gravel around the b-huts and walking paths.  In fact, it seems

New recruits training outside in the snow.

like the whole camp is a gravel pit that was spread out evenly and then structures were placed on top of it.  The gravel allows the snow to melt easier and due to the drainage, we don’t have large puddles of standing water.  Outside the camp is a different story.  Slush and mud best describes the terrain in ANA land.

Today was a real treat

My ANA SGT Major sipping a cup of tea.

and I had an opportunity to see my ANA Sgt Major.  He has been gone for quite awhile.  His wife needed some medical treatment and he took her to Pakistan for surgery.  This seems to be a common occurrence here.  I don’t want to paint all of Afghan doctors with a broad stroke, but based on testimony from interpreters and my ANA counterparts, the civilian medical care provided here is substandard.  According to them, the medical personnel seem to be focused on making money and not really taking care of their patients.  My interpreter said if you argue with the doctor about expired medicine shelf life or mediocre care, they have an arrangement with the Police who will remove you from the facility.  Often they prescribe cheap medicines that are ineffective.  As such, Afghans drive to Pakistan for quality care.

Tribute to Mujahedeen fighter during Soviet era.

The Sgt Major and I had a good conversation about various topics including corruption, history and future.  He provided me the history behind the rock soldier outline on a nearby hill.  This was a tribute to a former Mujahedeen fighter during the Soviet era.  This “champion” served under Massoud’s Northern Alliance.  After the Soviets departed in 1989, this stone artwork was constructed in honor of this fighter.  After winter passes, the Sgt Major has offered to give me an up close look at this sculpture.

Planning session with ANA officers.

After sipping 2 cups of green chai with the Sgt Major, I attended a meeting with other ANA officers.  The Army Major in the picture was introducing them to “American Chai”, better known as coffee.  I plan to add this picture to my collection of officers doing physical work….lol.  What you don’t see is when he first poured the coffee from

Army Major Pouring coffee for ANA officers.

the carafe, the lid came off and he made a mess.  Better to leave pouring the coffee to us enlisted personnel….lol.

Even though winter is upon us, this has not diminished the on-going training of new recruits.  Every day I see new squads of recruits being transformed into soldiers.  Today I read in the local newspaper that the Karzai administration is contemplating implementing conscription for the country.  For me personally, I think this is a great idea.  This would support the expansion initiative of the national security forces, but it would also give the young men an opportunity to serve their country, form teams with other tribal ethnicities and teach them a skill and enhance their literacy.

In other local news, intelligence operatives foiled a bombing attempt by insurgents who used a donkey laden with explosives.  The donkey had four remote-controlled and more than 40 kilograms of explosives strapped to its back.  I’m uncertain whether the Taliban are trying to get creative or perhaps they are running low in suicide volunteers for their warped ideological cause. Almost every day, the local paper prints how many insurgents and Taliban are being killed by the ANA, ANP, and coalition forces.  Perhaps that image of going to heaven and being greeted by a multitude of virgins is being questioned and males are reluctant to give their life for such a misguided cause.  Don’t get me wrong, there are still brainwashed followers who believe every word that the one-eyed Mullah Omar spews from his mouth and these are the ones who are not going to reconcile and will fight to their death.  This will be evident in the much telegraphed NATO offensive of the Taliban strong-hold of Marjah in Helmand Province.  The insurgents are digging in and preparing for a fight.  Meanwhile, hundreds of civilian families are fleeing the major opium-production town to avoid being caught in the middle of a crossfire.

Puddles of Water

Army Sgt Major as my TC.

It continued to snow all day and all night. But by night time the size of the flakes were miniscule in comparison.  This morning when I woke up, the precipitation had turned to a rain/snow mix.  Today we were going to visit Camp Phoenix and take care of some maintenance tasks and some administrative issues.  Afterward, we would drop off a

Sloppy day in the city.

teammate at Camp Blackhorse.  This would be my first time in driving the Maxx Pro MRAP for a long distance.  The Army Sgt Major would be my Truck Commander (TC).

We departed the camp and the snow had already started to melt forming large puddles of water.  All of the road potholes were full of water and the dirt had turned to mud.  The

Street vendor with his 4-wheel cart.

weather had no effect on the street vendors as they were busy setting up their fruit stands and items to sell.   We traveled rather slowly through the market area so we wouldn’t accidentally splash the citizens when our big tires would drive through the mud holes.  Otherwise, someone would complain about the occupiers or infidels purposely splashing the people.  These are the opportunities that the Taliban look for so they can dissuade opinion against the coalition forces.  But instead, we practiced good Counterinsurgency (COIN) principles and did not soak any innocent bystanders.

Large puddles of water at Camp Phoenix.

Sitting with an AF SMSgt Select and Major Select at Camp Phoenix food court area.

By the time we arrived at Camp Phoenix, the temperature was increasing causing the recent snowfall to melt even quicker.  Large puddles had already formed near the entrance and vehicles were causing ripples as they drove through it.  An Army SFC and I drove our vehicle to maintenance to have some work done and the entire parking lot was flooded.  While I drove, he waded through 4 inches of water and got his boots soaked while guiding my MRAP on foot.  Since there are several blind spots on these mammoth vehicles, we rely on spotters to guide us on the ground to prevent from hitting any unsuspecting pedestrian traffic.

While at Phoenix we took a break at one of their MWR facilities.  The Captain was thirsty along with his friend.  This is when I found out “my Captain” was recently selected for promotion to Major.  Congratulations Captain, you deserve it!!!  The MSgt sitting to my right was also selected for promotion to SMSgt (E-8).  My Captain and he have known each other for quite awhile.

Road leading to Camp Blackhorse.

The next part of our journey was a jaunt to Camp Blackhorse.  One of our teammates will be staying there for a few days.  We wanted to beat the city traffic, so we made a quick turn and burn and dropped him off.  I didn’t get out of the vehicle and wasn’t close enough to the gate to catch a glimpse of Liberty or Justice.  Perhaps I will see them again in the future.

The trip back through the city was uneventful and we were able to get a jump on the rush hour traffic.  The snow continued to melt and the puddles of water had grown in size and in depth.  We made it back to camp and parked the MRAPs for another day.

The 3 Amigos ... lol!

What is that white stuff?

It's starting to snow.

Last night after completing my TAC duty, I walked back to camp from ANA land.  Shortly after arriving at my B-hut, it started to rain.  The temperature was dropping and I was certain the freezing rain would turn into snow.  When I awoke in the morning, my assumption was right.  It was snowing and the snowflakes appeared to

Ugly looking snowman.

be getting larger by the hour.  Lately it has been cool in the morning and at night, but during the day it has been rather warm.  Being from Tampa, Florida, balmy might be too strong of an adjective.  But the weather has been unexpectedly warm.

Since it started snowing, it hasn’t stopped and the flakes are increasing in size.  I spoke to a contractor who has weathered several years here and he said February and March are the winter months here.  According to him, he last time we had these same weather conditions, it snowed for 3 days straight.  As much as I like the snow, I don’t enjoy trudging through it to walk to the latrine and shower room.  So far it seems to be melting and not

Despite the snow, the vehicles must be inspected.

accumulating too much.  Some energetic soldiers were scraping off vehicles, roofs, etc to get enough snow to build a snowman.  That must be the dirtiest snowman I have ever seen….lol

Despite the blustery weather, we still had to perform our weekly inspections on the vehicles.  A little bit of snow never hurt anyone and we had to ensure our

Is that a snowball in your hand?

vehicles were inspection order in case we are tasked with a mission.  Some of my teammates also engaged in a friendly snowball fight.  Actually it appeared two of them were ganging up on an unsuspecting teammate who had his back turned.  So perhaps if he is interested in the responsible culprits, my photographs might shed some light on who the

Who are you going to throw that snowball at?

guilty parties might be.

A friend of mine sent me a humorous picture.  It just goes to prove that I am not the only one who sees bizarre things here and takes unique pictures.  The picture was supposedly taken in downtown Kabul.  Look closely in the back window and you will see a McCain-Palin sticker …. lol.

McCain-Palin sticker in back window of a truck in Kabul.

Lastly, I couldn’t resist taking some pictures of the stray camp dogs outside the camp.

ANA Camp dog posing for camera.

They are very friendly and even pose occasionally for a picture.  Vixen didn’t hear me approach, so she was sound asleep with her puppy nap.  I’ll bet if a piece of Pupparoni accidentally fell from my hand, she would wake up … lol.

Vixen taking a nap.

MRAP Certified

RG-31 MRAP overlooking Kabul.

For the past two days I have been in class learning about all the gauges, knobs, and devices on various MRAP models.  So now I am certified on all 3 of the MRAPs to include the Max Pro, Cougar, and RG-31 models.  The only one I haven’t trained on is the new MATV.  But the best part of the training was that it was conducted locally.  We

Snow covering barren land.

did not have to go to BAF for our training.  The contractors normally conduct the MRAP classes at BAF.  Somehow our ETT leader with his power of persuasion convinced them to visit our camp and train our team members.  So now instead of the Air Force being the only ones trained on MRAPs, our Army brothers can

Snow covered peaks near camp.

experience the joy of being behind the wheel.  Before long, I might work myself out of a job since they recently qualified on the crew serve weapons too.

The first part of the course instruction was “Slow Death by PowerPoint”, but since we already went through the torturous 40 hour course on another model MRAP, we were given the condensed and abbreviated 14 hour course.  Despite driving them several hundred miles in the past few months, I was still able to learn something new.  I was totally unaware of a water plug in the back of my vehicle.  When the instructor released the plug, a torrent of water poured out.  So now I wonder without my ballast how my vehicle will ride…lol.

Darulaman Palace with city of Kabul in background.

We also were required to demonstrate our driving abilities too.  This was the fun part of the course and we drove up to the former Russian Officer’s club as part of the curriculum.  This road is not for the faint of heart with the steep incline and drop offs.  There are still old Soviet vehicle carcasses at the bottom rusting away.  I can only assume, they failed to

Tajbeg Palace with city of Kabul in background.

negotiate the hairpin turns or lost control of their vehicle.

At the top of the hill, we had a great birds-eye view of the surrounding city and the two palaces that were destroyed during the civil conflict here.  Also notice the snow is starting to cover the crest and encroach on lower elevations.  Personally I like the snow because it gives new

My haven't you grown!

color to the drab brown craggy ridges.  While there, I ran into a familiar friend.  The last time I saw this dog, it was still a young puppy with short hair and chewing on my boots.  Since then he has grown a thick fur coat to ward off the cold.  He is still rather timid, except for when he is around the ANA soldiers.  This is rather unusual because most ANA soldiers and Afghans do not like dogs.  But this dog seems to be an exception.  The soldiers play with the dog and he seems to reciprocate by being a good guard dog and barking when strangers approach.  He also appears to be quite healthy, so it’s apparent they are feeding him.

We returned to camp and parked the

"Nameless"

MRAPs.  Since we didn’t attend their 40-hour course, we don’t get the fancy certificate that normally accompanies the course completion.  Instead, it’s just another addition placed on our military driving license.