Life on a mission

After completing a weeklong route clearance mission with U.S. and ANA soldiers, I’ve a newfound respect for life with the Army. Life back at Camp Spann now seems like a stay at the Hilton.

I’d looked forward to the trip previously but an accident with a civilian vehicle forced us back to base a week prior. Our second attempt was much more successful and I soon found myself enjoying the amenities of life in the field. My Army family and friends will find this post amusing but it was somewhat of an awakening for me.

Starting my journey with a gunner, whose last name was Peacemaker, set the pace for what was definitely going to be a good trip. Peacemaker is a young guy from West Virginia who grew up in a town that isn’t even on the map. Listening to him talk over the headset during our trip with his distinctive accent made me constantly snicker at stories from his life in the hills.

Also keeping me amused was the banter between Williams, the truck commander, and the rest of the crew. It was obvious by their exchange that they were a close-knit group. Our truck commander is the seasoned vet of the group with several tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Many years of service, surviving a pair of IED attacks, and multiple enemy engagements have left a hardened soldier who commands the respect of our group. Don’t let the tough exterior fool you though; he does have a soft spot for his guys and Afghan children.

Butler, our driver, has spent time with Williams in Iraq. Together, the pair embellishes the stories from their experiences together. Butler is the even-keeled, poker-faced professional whose quick-wittedness kept the banter going through multiple days in field. A piece of dirt in the eye sidelined Butler on our first day after performing a quick inspection of the MRAP. Thankfully, our medic was able to flush his eye but needless to say, Butler will now were eye protection when crawling under his vehicle.

Price is the platoon medic, so the nickname Doc is an expected call sign to the tall soldier that frequently dons his BCGs (military friends will understand that one). He is a great fit to our truck despite being an outsider like myself. Anyone that can use a body bag for their sleeping bag is a perfect fit to the mix-matched personalities in our truck. I think Doc took the most grief from everyone during our trip but his high-spirited attitude kept his head in the game.

Guardiola, or Sgt G as he is known, is a prior-service Marine who made the switch to Army. G is definitely the true comedian of the group. His humor was quickly tamed and his time in the Marines showed immediately when the situation called for it. I relied a lot on G to guide me during dismount and any other time I just wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. I was very thankful for his guidance.

Our journey was made tediously long because of the maximum driving speeds on our large vehicles. After a pit stop to refuel and catch some rest, we finally made it to our new home – an Afghan National Army outpost. I expected some pretty rough conditions but seeing the war-torn building that would be our new home was still a bit of a surprise. I did what everyone else was doing and found a space on the dirt-covered floor and quickly fell asleep.

Our first day was pretty uneventful, getting the lay of the land and linking up with the 209th Corps Route Clearance Company occupied our time. Later that day we had intelligence that put everyone on edge and forced us to increase our security posture into the evening. As night drew to a close, a rainstorm came barreling over the mountain and gave us a good soaking all night long. It rained so hard that the second floor, which was now the roof due to the previous roof being destroyed, began to leak and create puddles in all of the rooms. I found a room with least amount of water and it became my home for the remainder of the trip.

The next day was uneventful until we were told the ANA wanted to destroy the ammunition to make the last IED they found prior to our arrival. We were taken to the area where the IED was discovered and their EOD team destroyed the artillery shell and mortars used in the device. We were near a river and it was nice to see such lush green vegetation. On the way back we stopped in a local village for the ANA soldiers to buy food for their breakfast the next morning. We were surprised to find a teacher and his students who had just left school. He encouraged the boys to practice their English with U.S. soldiers.

A day later we were awoken to a very early morning mission. Thankfully, we had an hour to prepare so I managed to make coffee, well – it is kind of like coffee, and get a quick bite before heading out. We were all surprised to see so many ANA and ANP when we arrived at our final destination. I was told there were approximately 300 people involved in a mission to clear a Taliban strong hold. The mission of the 209th Corps RCC team was to be on standby incase any explosive devices were found. After waiting in one place for eight hours, the foot patrol cleared the area without incident and we headed home to finally get out of our gear. Side note about the Improved Outer Tactical Vest (body armor), it rests squarely on my hip bones, which were rubbed raw that day – compromise to wearing something that might save my life, I guess.

While we were out we learned two of the ANA officers were being promoted, so we decided to help the celebration by buying a sheep from the local village the next day. That night we all dined on a “home cooked” meal and the ANA even bought some cold soda for us to drink. Our dinner was almost ruined by a passing storm but we were able to enjoy the food without getting soaked. Williams had also purchased some eggs, onions, and tomatoes and our breakfast the following morning was another meal that didn’t come out of a pouch. At that point, I was really starting to enjoy my time in the field.

As I’ve learned already, I am never surprised at many different people I meet. While at our ANA out post, I met two U.S. soldiers living in a makeshift shack – literally. The pair had a unique mission to ensure the completion of two construction projects for use by ANA and coalition soldiers. They were dropped off with nothing more than their rucksacks and a handful of equipment and had to thumb rides from units operating in the area to get their tasks done. It was neat to see how they operated autonomously with just their initiative and help from passers by.

I learned many lessons about living in the field, living with the Army, and working with the ANA. Some experiences I could have done without, such as having to find a different place to sleep because the area I was in was now a puddle. Another lesson I didn’t look forward to learning was the number of days I could wear the same pair of clothes and how to take a baby-wipe shower (for the record they really don’t make you clean, but it does feel nice to be “cleaner” than when you started). I also learned that Afghans love to joke and have fun and that despite some cultural differences and the language barrier; we are a lot a like when it comes to living our lives.

Overall I had a great experience and was thankful to have met a great group of guys from 10th Mountain 1st Brigade Special Troop Battalion 2nd Platoon Alpha Company - thanks for the fun guys!



Stay tuned for more adventures in just another day in my life.

My Perspective

Lack of immediate access to the internet, coupled with longer waits for that access, have kept me from regular updates to my blog. I’ve been busy in the mean time continuing to mentor our ANA brothers while also covering other teams and events here in Afghanistan. I finally found a minute to sit and think about the experiences I’ve had and how I feel about them as a whole.

Opinions on Afghanistan are everywhere, I see them daily in the news and hear them from servicemembers on a regular basis. So I’d like this post to be about the things I’ve seen: the good and the bad.

I’ve seen Afghans who need help. Not just the kind of help that will keep them from being under the rule of the Taliban, but the kind of help that will give them life for another day.

I’ve seen those that are willing to learn. Giving people the ability to provide for themselves has been more rewarding for me to see than just another handout.

I’ve seen laziness. Not everyone in Afghanistan is looking for “assistance” and I’ve seen my share of those looking to take everything they can with no regard for the long-term benefits of learning to be self-sufficient.

I’ve seen a different culture. The biggest challenge in making progress has sometimes been the simple differences between our worlds. Whether I’ve not considered their perspective or they haven’t thought about mine, sometimes we build our own hurdles to overcome.

I’ve seen a mountain in front of us. Low literacy rates, educational levels unheard of in the states, and a complete lack of infrastructure to assist the rebuilding efforts present a very real problem to Afghanistan’s growth.

I’ve seen a divide. Much like America’s struggle to overcome racism, Afghanistan’s different tribes still pose a problem to the unity of their country. From in-house issues with mixed populations in our own ANA office to news reports of larger problems between villages, getting along with neighbors is another hurdle here.

I’ve seen hope. After a previous tour where I was able to see a great deal of the country, I see improvements in the country, the people, and their ability to change.

Regardless of your political view or stance, I hope this small tidbit gives you some insight into the things I’ve seen here…stay tuned for the next update to just another day in my life.

Basic Training

The other day I had the opportunity to watch nearly 2,000 soldiers swear into the Afghan National Army. It was a hot day, 95 degrees, and the soldiers had to wait for nearly three hours for the Afghan general to finally make it over. There should be a completely separate blog on what I think of that guy, but I won’t go there because I don’t have enough time to type it all out.

I was impressed to see all of the soldiers willing to make the sacrifice to fight for their country; it was very inspiring. From financial security for their families to patriotism, I’m sure each had their reasons for deciding to serve. Afghans aren’t that different from us, outside their religion, they want to have a productive life and to provide for their well being, so choosing to enlist was the same decision that many Americans make as well.

After the general finally arrived, and then babbled on for 35 minutes (note: commanders should know to keep it short), they finally reached the oath of enlistment – at least the Afghan equivalent anyway. Each soldier must place their hand on the Koran and swear allegiance to the country – this is a significant point in their transition into the military. It’s so significant that there is a team of sergeants and officers on hand to ensure that the soldiers actually place their hands onto the Koran and repeat the words.

Now I’m not 100% certain why some of them wouldn’t place their hand on the Koran, but some say it is because they are dishonest people with bad intentions. Knowing that there is a +/- 30% AWOL rate (essentially leaving before their service commitment is up) in the ANA, I think it is just because some of them will walk away if their family needs them or if they find a better opportunity. You have to remember that their way of life has revolved around self-preservation.

So, as the leaders walked around the table ensuring the soldiers did as instructed, they made immediate and seemingly harsh corrections to those that failed to comply. From forcing their hands on the Koran to ear twisting and blows to the back of the head, they made it evident that the oath they were taking was serious. Some soldiers looked as if they had just realized the commitment they were making with an almost hopeless look in their eyes while others belted out the oath with passion.

Despite the handful of those who had trouble complying with the instructions, the majority proudly made their way to the table for their chance to begin the new phase of their life in service to their country. During the ceremony, I was moved to see the different ethnicities coming together for the greater good of Afghanistan. It won’t be tomorrow, or even in the next 10 years in my opinion, that this country is completely self-sufficient, but seeing the determination in the eyes of the soldiers gives me hope that one day they will be.

Even with limited computer access and growing lines to use the computers, I plan to try and keep you updated on the events in just another day in my life.

What's your favorite food?

Afghan students study English at a school outside Mazar-e-Sharif.


RC North PAAT members video tape students for a video pen pal project between Afghan and American students.



One Afghan student is interviewed for the pen pal project in front of the school house.


An Afghan child's shoes tell the story of his trip back and forth to school down mud packed trails.

Master Sgt. DeRemer walks with Afghan students after filming the video pen pal project. They were eager to practice their English with American servicemembers.

After a productive trip to meet with the German Public Affairs office at a nearby base, we had an early start to our day as we headed out to film a video pen pal project with local school children. We took step one today of the Afghan National Army initiative to foster relations between Afghan and U.S. servicemembers’ children. Footage of the children in an English class, as well as, individual interviews will be packaged and sent to various American students around the world.

We were greeted in English by each of the students who were eager to share their newfound language with us. We watched and listened as they took turns reading sentences about telling time. One particular boy was very proud of his ability and spoke in a much louder voice when it was his turn to read.

After they finished their lesson, we stepped outside to film the individual interviews. One of the questions that we asked them was, “what is your favorite food?” I have to admit that up to the point of the loud talking young man, I felt like our interpreter was guiding their answers. However, with no coercion, the boy responded “meat.” My knee-jerk reaction was confusion – meat? Really?

Later, as I thought about his response, I realized that one; he was being genuinely honest with us. Two; he likes meat the most because like the things we like most, we don’t always get them when we want it - he liked meat because he didn’t get it on a regular basis.

His honesty reminded me of the reality people of Afghanistan face. It’s easy to get wrapped up in what I am doing here and the tasks that consume my time, but this short visit made me think about my being here. Providing for a better future in Afghanistan is our goal, and I hope in some way we can succeed – even if it only means that the boy’s family can provide meat for him more often.

Stay tuned for more adventures in just another day in my life.

Progress

Random soldier who stopped me to take his photo. This happens on a regular basis, the soldiers enjoy having their picture taken.

Jason, the new broadcaster on our team, sits about 30 feet up on the crumbly mud roof of an abandoned building that was once part of a Russian base.

Afghan soldiers hurry to the starting point of their training lane while practicing squad tactics.

Sgt. Dan Allinson and Lance Cpl. Matt Tune discuss possible changes to an Afghan Army training event.

An Afghan soldier rushes toward an enemy fighting position during a training exercise designed to teach squad tactics.

Yesterday I was able to link up with two British soldiers responsible for training Afghan National Army instructors while they held a class on squad tactics. Yes, the very same soldiers who also accomplished the 24-hour run. It’s amazing how networking happens sometimes and I was very thankful for the receptiveness to our tagging along. Their training event taught the ANA soldiers how to react to an enemy attack, which included attacking the enemy and then holding the position.

After a brief ride in an over occupied humvee, we arrived at training location where ANA soldiers were about to begin the practical exercise of their training. Jason, the new broadcaster on our advisory team, and I quickly got the lay of the land and were brought on top an abandoned building to watch the first iteration of the exercise. I found out that the mud buildings we were standing on were part of an old Russian forward operating base – wow, very surreal.

I didn’t stay on the rooftop long before heading down for some close-ups of the Afghan soldiers as they used their newfound skills to defeat a simulated enemy. Immediately, I noticed a distinct difference in the noise levels of the blanks fired from their AK-47 rifles and the blanks we used in our M4s at training – theirs are much louder! Later, I also found out that I should watch for instructors with flash bangs because having one go off a few feet behind me was extremely startling; a stunt that I’m sure was intentional.

The Afghan soldiers had been split into two groups, so we had the ability to watch both in two different scenarios. I was very impressed with all of the ANA instructors and their leadership, especially when one of them scolded a soldier and forced him to run down the lane and back with his rifle over his head. Listening to the British mentors talk about the Afghan soldiers’ progress, while interviewing them for a story, was a sign that we are making head way with the Afghan Army. Personally, I feel this country is a long way from some of the lofty goals I hear about, but, after watching the soldiers train, I realized that we were one step closer to helping create a self-sustaining Army.

Another great day in northern Afghanistan, keep checking back for stories from just another day in my life.

Acquaintances

Being deployed provides another perk to military life – meeting new people. I know that the civilian sector isn’t much different in this realm but there are a few unique differences to making friends in the military. To start with, meeting several people and then spending six months or more living, eating, working, etc, is not as common outside the military. Another distinctive aspect in a deployed scenario is that there are no familiar family members or friends to balance our new acquaintances against, which means that like it or lump it, they are all we’ve got.

This deployment hasn’t been without its share of new faces. From going to two separate pre-deployment training courses, where I made several new friends, to travelling companions, and now the people I work with and meet at my current location, I am always pleasantly surprised by those I get to know. I’m not sure if it’s the lack of closeness in a new environment or the needs of being a social creature, whatever the drive, I seem to be much more open to new friendships when deployed.

Over the past few days, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Specialist Lamar. Lamar is a medic who was called back to duty from his Inactive Ready Reserve status to deploy to Afghanistan. IRR is the time owed, after your active service commitment, to your respective branch of service; when you enlist for four years you are also committing to four years of IRR where you can be called back up from your civilian life to serve again. Lamar was a nurse during his time away from the Army and is now leaving Afghanistan to go back to that life.

Because of another IRR soldier working in my office, Lamar hung out with us while waiting for transportation out of the country. Lamar is a big guy, both in the physical sense and in his personality. Not your typical soldier, he immediately stood out because of his commanding stature and presence. Sure, Army guys can be loud and intimidating, but Lamar wasn’t the average Army type. Loud, yes, but not in the drop and give me 20 push-ups kind-of way. Big, yes, but not in the watch me bench-press a tank kind-of way. Lamar was a jovial, fun-loving civilian who happened to be in the Army.

During his last night here, Lamar sat and talked to a group of us gathered in our “only slightly warmer than outside” office. Yes, our heater does not do its job…which could be its own blog post all together. Anyway, Lamar had spent each evening entertaining us with photos, videos, stories, and even an audio recording of an hour-long firefight that his unit was involved in. On this last evening, it was a free-for-all of stories from his life that left us sore from laughter.

Lamar’s gift-for-gab was delivered in a monologue-like fashion equal to that of a comedian. Each story flowed into the next, laced with witty humor and side-splitting endings. Regardless of the topic, too include Afghan police being attacked by starfish and meeting a girl who materialized out of thin air, all of us were laughing out of our seats. No topic was safe and even the occasional story by someone else was quickly attacked and beaten with quick-witted jests. It was one of those “laugh so hard you cry” moments.

For a moment as we all sat there, we weren’t deployed; we weren’t dealing with the struggles of our daily events; we weren’t worrying about anything…we were friends.

Thanks Lamar!

Keep coming back to see what else might occur in just another day in my life.

Qala-i-Jangi

Completed my third mission within the last five days here in Afghanistan. Today’s journey took me to Qala-i-Jangi, a fort on the outskirts of Mazar-e-Sharif. Before I left Colorado, aside from returning home, I wanted only one thing during my time here, to visit Qala-i-Jangi. This fort has an important role in history for both America and Afghanistan.

In 2001, after the terrorist attacks in New York, a team of Special Forces was dropped off in the northern regions of Afghanistan with one mission – overthrow the Taliban. Their goal wasn’t to do the task themselves; instead they were to coordinate the efforts of the Northern Alliance – a rag-tag group of Afghan warlords and soldiers, basically a militia.

With the help of airpower, Special Forces helped the Afghans put the Taliban on the run and they eventually freed the city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Shortly after, and through a series of shady-deals, hundreds of Taliban were captured and taken as prisoners to Qala-i-Jangi. Most of the Taliban had not realized they were being held as prisoners and eventually they started an uprising within the walls of the fort.

On the day of the revolt, Mike Spann was within the southern courtyard of the fort. Spann was a former Marine and was currently serving as a CIA operative with the mission of tracking down Taliban leaders, more specifically – Osama bin Laden. News footage from on-scene reporters would later show Spann questioning prisoners, one of which was John Walker Lindh – an American born, California native. Shortly after the footage was taken, a grenade blast launched the uprising into the hell that would continue for several days. Spann was overtaken and killed, making him the first American casualty of the war on Afghan soil.

Qala-i-Jangi had once been a Russian base and stores of weapons and ammo still remained. Heavy-machine guns, rockets, mortars, grenades and rifles soon found their way into hands of the Taliban fighters. A ferocious battle played out within the confines of the fort over the coming days. Airstrikes and a determined Northern Alliance left the remaining Taliban fighters holed-up in the basement of a building known as the Pink House, named because of its pink exterior. For three days, and after shooting through basement windows, lighting oil on fire that had been poured in, and eventually flooding the basement, a defeated enemy finally emerged - beaten and broken. Of those, Lindh survived and was eventually tried and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

A memorial now stands in front of the Pink House in honor of Spann and his sacrifice that day. Standing in the courtyard, I couldn’t help but think of Spann’s wife and children and the loss they suffered. It has been more than nine years since his journey ended here and I now stand on that same soil facing my own journey - thankfully in a much more secure Afghanistan thanks to Spann and many other brave souls that followed.

Below is a brief glimpse of my trip today with the Afghan Route Clearing Company sent in to clear the fort of unexploded ordinance and other dangers that litter the courtyard.

One of the many weapons that sit rusting in the southern courtyard of the fort.

A metal storage container full of destroyed rifles and heavy-machine guns.

The Pink House with memorial to Mike Spann under the dome in front of the building.

View from one of the rooms inside the Pink House where a weapon of some sort has punctured the roof.

One of the basement windows where Afghan soldiers fired their weapons into and poured oil to ignite and try and force the Taliban fighters out.

Remains of weapons lay at the bottom of the stairway that led to the basement.

In the pitch-black basement of the Pink House, a flashlight illuminates a mortar fuse left behind on the dry, cracked floor that once housed the last surviving Taliban fighters.

Scorched walls reveal the attempts of Northern Alliance soldiers to force the Taliban from their stronghold.

From on top of the Pink House, neighboring buildings show the scarred walls from a fierce battle within the southern courtyard of the fort.

This battle-scarred building stands as a reminder of the Taliban uprising at Qala-i-Jangi.

Mortars excavated from a nearby crater wait for demolition.

A view from inside the ammo supply point that the Northern Alliance tried so desperately to destroy before the Taliban could gather more resources.

Mortar fuses seem to be everywhere you walked in the southern compound but were in abundance in the ammo supply point.

Another view of the mortar fuses in the ammo supply point.

More weapons excavated from a crater next to the ammo supply point.

As I wandered from one empty room to another, I would see many types of explosives, including this mortar, which looked in good condition.

Walking around the courtyard yielded many views of the fragmented mortars that were either fired intentionally or exploded when airstrikes found their mark.

This abandoned rocket looked like it was ready for immediate use.

After viewing the other photos above, the need for clearing teams such as this was self-evident.

The turret from a Russian tank lays on top of an outer wall as a reminder of the fog of war. The tank was being used by the Northern Alliance when a 2,000 lb bomb missed its mark and hit the northern tower of the fort. The turret was blown onto the wall where it still sits. Many Northern Alliance soldiers were killed along with many injured American Special Forces.

Today, several U.S. soldiers made the trip to see this historic place.

A view of the inscription on the memorial built in honor of Mike Spann.

Today was a good day in my life, keep coming back to see what might happen next.