Army Life for Now

Afghanistan Adventure APR08

2008-04-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hello from Kabul, in the 'Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’. I hope all of you and your families are doing well.

I just clicked past four months in country- the time is going quickly. The weather here has been beautiful for most of March and April; 60s and 70s every day- a famous king I can’t recall once commented on the moderate weather of Kabul.

picture above- Team Wolfpack at historic site; Balla Hissar. Belowr, Ceremony General I work with.

My job and the situation here in Kabul continues to go well. My Afghan groups (Presidential and Ministry of Defense Ceremony and National Band) have been practicing for the biggest parade of the year, the Islamic Revolution parade. Picture our Presidential groups getting ready for our 4th of July parades in D.C. I am in the capitol here and it is a very iconic event for this ‘newer’ military and government standing up. Just like ours, these groups represent the best the country has to offer, and also to help build confidence/ pride/ identity in its soldiers and citizens. My team will not be able to make the main event due to space and security but I did make it to a major dress rehearsal with the Afghan Chief of Staff group. The parade was quite impressive.

My position has shifted to an Event Coordinator, Band Promoter, and Tour Guide in addition to mentoring duties. Oh, and don’t worry.. I do more than this also; Team Counselor (it seems), Motor Officer (trip tickets and convoy briefer/ planner) and assistant Signal Guy (electronics operation/ security). Being a band mentor but not a musician I’ve had to play the creative card.. I am actively trying to get a full time US band mentor to work with the ANA, but for now I connect the US ‘in-country’ band (101st Airborne- Bagram Air Field based) and the ANA a few times per month. I plan events for each of them in the Kabul area; concerts, promotion ceremonies, luncheons, and at various bases dining facilities.
Doesn’t sound very tactical or military-like? Well, I still have to get around to all of these places and still always on patrol and on the lookout for Taliban. Not heavy tactical though and this is good because I’m not a ‘Ranger’ or tactical type of guy. We travel around in armored Humvee’s with windshields 2” thick, radios, headsets, full armor gear/ helmets weapons, and a gunner up top. We rotate positions; Driver, TC (Truck Commander- Navigator), and gunner. Aside from the responsibility of creating a ‘bubble’- pushing traffic aside- the best job is gunner – you get to see all around and be out in the fresh air.

I had some adventure this past month taking a night flight in a BlackHawk helicopter- ‘Black Ops’ as they call it- no lights as the pilots fly with NVGs (night vision goggles). I swear I could have reached out and touched the Mtns we were going over. Awesome military might in these machines- something to be proud of.. However-- Only in the military can you be sent on a medical appt [for a bum ankle] to a distant base only to be dropped off and expected to walk a mile with 150 lbs of gear on..!

Kabul Security? We are going through the ‘Spring Offensive’ period right now and their haven’t been many SIGACTs (Significant Actions) fortunately- except the explosion of an IED about a mile from our base that went off while I was talking on the phone to my -- wife! U.S. Humvee’s are armored, tough, and manned with 240’s/ 50Cal’s, and can withstand a massive blast- but you should see what the French and German’s roll with.. If I was the Taliban I wouldn’t duck my head out either.

On a serious note, security is very good here in the Kabul area, and the rest of the NW. There are ANP (police) and ANA soldiers everywhere as well as many NATO coalition forces patrolling and keeping tight security. Kabul is and has always been a more liberal and democratic city where there are many professionals working in Ministries, schools, radio, TV.. From what I hear from my counterparts and news is that the biggest problems remain in elements in Pakistan’s govt/ tribes and drug warlords/ Taliban in the East and South (Kandahar). A complex problem because you have farmers that need to feed their families and 10x the amt can be earned growing drugs- however drugs are against Islam- so what’s going on here?

If you desire some ‘off the beaten path’ history try this country and region. Type in history of Afghanistan, Kabul, ancient Persia, or Bamiyan into Google and you should find some items to go on. Related to this mission try Task Force Phoenix, ISAF, or NATO. What I have found is that Afghanistan is really an ancient ‘melting pot’ of Asian’s to Macedonian’s with great historic accounts from Alexander the Great, Ghengis Khan, and many other empires. Buddhism had a large boost from an Afhan king, and from I read, the actual Buddha ‘stupa’ or statue as we know it got its start here- previously just images were allowed.

A great book I’m working through now is Afghanistan- Companion Guide. Taliban is also great book that covers the extremist group and how they got started (including help from US) as well as much other historic info on the region. I hear very good things about The Kite Runner, Three Cups of Tea, and The Lone Soldier but haven’t made it through these yet. Rory Stewart’s The Places In Between- he is a reporter type guy that is here presently rebuilding historic Kabul; see: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/photography/afghanistan/rory-stewart.html
Ok, last book: Understanding Arabs; Afghanistan is not a Arab country (nor is it Middle Eastern) but the culture is very similar- it is a quick read and will give you great insight into the culture of this region of the world.

picture at right and below- the Turkish House; conference center on MoD grounds a.k.a. MAJ Mowers office from my team..

Movies to get acquainted with the area; Osama, Kandahar, and Afghan Stories. Others are Children of Heaven, Breaking the Silence- Music in Afghanistan, and In This World. Searching Amazon I’m sure you can find more.

Overall for me, I like it here, I look at it as an adventure- I do wish I could go downtown to interact with the city and culture. I have the opportunity to meet very diverse people from Afghanis to European and Asian coalition forces to hired help from India and Pakistan. I have made an artist friend who comes to our base on Friday’s for ‘bizaar day’ – I hope to have a basic exhibit on his stuff when I finally get home. My family are all doing well- we are able to talk and email a few times a week- even at times with a webcam.

Thank you for your support and correspondence- aside from all the hoopla I wrote above it still is a great day to get letters and pictures from the great United States.

Tashakur,

Mark

Add'l Photos; puppies at MoD. Gardener friend.

More gardener friends. Wool 'killim' rug. Kids at MoD daycare. More rugs. Kitchen help at band complex.

FEB08 Update: Kabul, Afghanistan

2008-02-28T01:30:00.000-08:00

Salaam-Alaikum. Chiga Pas? Hello and May Peace Be to You. What’s Up?

Hello United States- Do I miss you.. I also miss my home, Susan and the girls, my friends around town, strolling around my neighborhood for evening walks. Hanging out in my own kitchen eating what I want or some heavenly dish Susan prepared. Visiting a great restaurant back home- let me tell you- they don’t know how to eat here- or at least I haven’t been hanging out in the right places. Driving my own car to wherever I want without having to do a mission brief- and a ‘trip ticket’ from the Tactical Operations Center and without ‘full battle rattle’ (protective gear) and having to be concerned about every little thing along the way..

I miss coffee shops, backyard fire-pits, cycling, and visiting the art museum. Enjoying the variety that the awesome U.S. has to offer. Ok, enough sniveling- life here is decent. I haven’t been shot at and my living conditions and job are good. Many other military folks are in tough areas in Iraq or the borders of Afghanistan so I will be thankful.

In this FEB update I will talk about what life is like here- not just for me but from what I can gather on the ANA soldiers, the Afghan nationals, and the KBR workers.. I will also try to describe my job as much as I can and what the days are like. Spring just clicked in- it has been 60 degrees this week. ---
Love, Not War. I saw this on the side of the bus when I was ‘gunning’ a few weeks back- 110% in military mode- ready to shoot and disable or kill anything that threatened our convoy. This banner conjured many thoughts- and made me think of the many viewpoints a person could have of the military and the thoughts that I have had through the years of military and war. Another statement that continues to go through my mind is one that a neighbor said years ago; ‘Why are you in?’- with more a negative slant to it..

Well, I am active duty military now but I have not been brainwashed or influenced much to lean one way or the other. I will retire soon after this hiatus so I especially feel free to look at things however I want to. I went into this whole thing with the intention of keeping an open mind and taking away any positive elements I can- that’s all that I can get out of it.. I don’t get a special pension- some vet benefits when I turn 62.. One of the good things about this mobilization is the chance to serve my country, but also to experience military culture and another part of the world.

The bus made me think of some of my more ‘liberal’ friends- I’m not sure if that is the best term- and times when I was more ‘anti-war/ military’. It made me think of thoughts and comments I have made about our president, about the deaths of soldiers, the deficit the children of the U.S. will inherit due to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Geez, 6 months ago I barely paid attention to the war in Afghanistan. (By the way it is known as The Forgotten War).

The Love Not War slogan was a surprise to see here and especially in English but it made perfectly clear how important the military is. It is one of the pillars of a society- and I am witnessing it first-hand. The other pillars are economy, institutions (incl govt), education, and culture. I may not have them correctly stated- it’s been awhile since I have read about what the coalition calls COIN (Counter Insurgency). These pillars are everything we are rebuilding here and have to be built or the country will fail. Now, if I had my choice, I would be in the economic pillar because I think I like business and marketing better then military concepts- I would rather help them expand Afghan rug sales internationally for example..

Now, I’m trying not to be naive- the military does make mistakes- we may have supported wrong groups at times over the past few decades. Has the U.S. has gotten arrogant..? Maybe our reliance on oil has influenced policy..? Iraq- we may not have had the best plan for Iraq- and knew way too little about the culture- to invade like we did.. But it was not just WMD and President Bush’s decision to invade- the situations here in Afghanistan and Iraq have been brewing for decades.

Love, Not War, well of course, but let’s just make sure our military is ready just in case extremists enter our kids schools. Last comment on Love, Not War- At times people can get caught up in the headlines- I will attest- that at least here in Afghanistan the military does as little shooting as possible- troops are very careful and leadership stresses heavily the positive identification of a threat before engaging.
-----

Life Here.
Kabul. This is one tough culture. When I come home I hope I’m not too desensitized to poor people back home. These people work hard and have lived under tough conditions for decades. Many don’t have anything unless they get out and get it- and I mean nothing-. No charity, food stamps, government assistance. The kids are happy for a pair of shoes- color or fashion does not matter. It is great to see many bicycles on the road- I wish the US had more of them. I saw 3, maybe even 4 people riding on a motorcycle, I wish had my camera out to capture the bicycles and motorcycles out traveling in the blizzards- interesting.

Kabul is a beautiful city with much history- what appears to be a well planned city with great influences from first Britain, and then Russia. The city is nestled in outlying mountains (Hindu Kush range) and the MoD (Ministry of Defense) was planned in one of the nicest locations in the region. Kabul is a more contemporary city like Herat and Mazar-E- Shariff (all in the north), and more ‘democratic’ and mixed in culture then the south. Kabul and most of the area is now quite poor and beat up from three decades of chaos but still has distinctiveness to it which I would describe as Asian and British. This is the capital city and much of the Govt and military HQ’s are here. There is still a great deal of corruption here- something I believe is common in most developing countries when institutions are new and have experienced turmoil- Sopranos style of government. If you need a license or passport, well, it’s all about the money. It does seem like President Karzai and his administration are doing a good job of taking hold of the country.

‘Normal’ coalition military people cannot just go about town- you have to have a reason to stop or go anywhere- so I don’t get to intermingle with the citizens- only those that may work on a base. Luckily my team has a few ‘checkpoints’ and facilities to check on from time to time so we get out and about the city and some countryside and take in some culture.

One such stop is a place called Balla Hissar- an old military fort/ complex (pictured here) on top of a small mountain goes back to the 5th Century. Another one is called ‘Carga’ where the old King’s castle is located- as you can see it needs some remodeling. Some logistics, training and Special Forces bases are nearby.

In Kabul area it seems as though many people are literate but I keep hearing that most are not and definitely not out in the hills in tribal country. Even though people are illiterate does not mean they are dumb- I met some soldiers who could not read that had some very good insight and questions about life in the US and military.

The air quality is terrible- much of the electricity is dev by generator, many homes are heated by wood, and I think in some cases old tires. Many of the cars and trucks here blow black smoke like crazy. On an environmental standpoint, the military is not helping as I cannot even fathom how much we burn for generators and trucks. Every meal we eat is on and in paper or Styrofoam, all plastic ware. The only water we consume is out of plastic bottles- and there is no recycling here.. I had bronchitis a few weeks ago and who knows what effect this environment will have on all of us here.

Ministry of Defense/ Presidential Palace. This is where we go to work most days. These grounds are downtown Kabul, very secure, and the US Embassy and ISAF HQ is right down the road. To change things up or if we have business we have lunch at either of these places. One of the games around here is to get to ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) for lunch, or a large French base a few miles down the road from our base which has an actual German restaurant that is fabulous- come to think of it- this last week we discovered the French DFAC (dining facility) which we can just sign in at that had Brie cheese, great breads, fish and tenderloin, gelato, and wine which of course we can’t drink.. The Embassy is the securest places I’ve seen yet- nothing is going down there I assure you.

The MoD is Afghanistan’s Pentagon- the hub of funding and coordination around the country- troops, bases, vehicles, operations, intelligence. My teams work with security, training of troops, and top level ceremony, and the Afghan National Band. I’m lucky enough to be the lead on the Band and the Ceremonial groups. I mentor the ANA staff in improving their training, readiness, operations, and logistics. The U.S. and the coalition countries pay for I believe everything right now and this is one of the frustrating parts of the job. Officers skimming $ from soldiers and on fuel days witnessing many civilian cars in the fuel line. You have to remember most of these people don’t have the money to buy cars so when they get behind the wheel of one of the coalition purchased Ford pickups they drive like lunatics. I concentrate on Ceremony and the Bands and work with very bright and kind people. And we thank you (U.S.) for the instruments.. BTW, since my last update- many people incl. my mother-in-law Connie, and neighbors Mike, and Piper have sent instrument maintenance materials- Thank you.

Some business this week entailed personnel # reviews, project inspections, facilitating engineer work for a leaky roof at the band complex, trying to get the band another truck. My team is finding the previous group did much of the work for these guys- now we are the bad guys in making them turn in requests, following up on them, attending meetings so that they can get things done. One of the issues I was surprised to hear of this past week was that soldiers for one of our groups did not have showers and were expected to clean up outside before daylight under cold water (it’s winter time here also folks). I had to sick my Lieutenant from Texas on it and I think we have a fix now..

Another project we are working on related to that is a laundry facility so that troops don’t have to wash clothes by hand. We are also trying to fix the ‘sundries’ supply problem as either our teams are not requesting correctly or the HQ is hoarding all the stuff- as I mentioned I deal with ceremony so cleanliness and appearance are big part of our operation. Aside from ‘business’ during the day, we discuss religion, English classes, and the news. Many Afghans watch Indian soaps and some ‘Idol’ show- i’m not sure either Afghan or Indian.

Of course I told you about how friendly people are here and the concept of Chai- this culture operates for Islam, Chai, family, and then food, I think. I am becoming known as the ‘Candy Man’ as I give away candy to gate guards, grounds people, and staff around the MoD. Photo- lunch w/ troops @ MoD.

Camp Phoenix.
This is one of the larger bases in Afghanistan and home to about 1500-2000 civilian workers and soldiers and was established in 2002. Camp Phoenix acts as a regional hub for some training, mail, vehicle mechanics, construction, and transitions in and out for many of the FOB’s around the country. I may have mentioned it’s like living at State Fair Park and it really is- structures are mostly temporary except for some old office building that is the PX (Post Exchange) which houses the barber shop, offices, a small food court with Pizza Hut, DQ, a Green Bean coffee shop, and educational center. We have a Post Office, a large Dfac, 2 computer labs, a sm. Library, a movie room, billiards room, and a nice gym. Laundry is taken care of by a drop-off service ready the next day.

Camp Phoenix is like a small city with necessary services and the military has all of it’s normal functions as well; finance, personnel, legal (JAG), electronics, logistical and operations centers. SECFOR (Security Forces) with gate guards, intelligence, and watch towers all around the post. KBR handles almost all services that the green suitors don’t- and workers from all over the world- the more technical are Americans making good $, but mostly Bosnia, Kosovo, Kurdistan, and other soviet republics where the economies are poor. These folks typically work 12 x 7. Geez I feel bad for many of them- I think I might start becoming the candy man for them too.. It is interesting chatting with these folks and inquiring about their countries. There are local Afghans working here that are led by KBR folks- some are in skills training such as in the wood shop. I met some guys at the PX that were contractors involved in Poppy plant ‘removal’ working in dangerous communities in the South.

‘HA Drop’.
We did our first Humanitarian Assistance drop last week in a remote village way SW of Kabul. At these things the ANA is the face of the operation and we are there to assist with handouts and security. The village was actually on the other side of a small mountain because we have to have some standoff for control. People came in on foot and on donkey and were true ancient village type. I wonder what life is like- what they think about- probably their next meal most of the time.
If you could have seen the shivering kids- one I’d say 5 years old was so afraid- I would have taken him home.. One young guy came in sandals- we found him some boots. I became a runner bringing kids into and out of the handout area- I’d hold their cold hands and try to get them to laugh with my poor pronunciation of the Dari words that I know.. It was one of the best days here for sure.

Tashakur,

Mark

Photo extra's: Below: Darulamon- Kings Castle and old Defense Ministry.

My favorite vehicle- Russian Jeep.. Maybe i will start importing or approach Harley-D with remaking this and starting a unique line.. Dogs up on Balla Hissar. World sign and chapel at Camp Warehouse (French Camp). Incredible rugs available here..

Kansas-Germany-Kuwait-Afghanistan

2008-01-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hello. Salaam.
Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan. Internation Security Assistance Force. Building a new Army, fighting the war on terror. How did I end up here?

Since leaving Fort Riley, KS life has been well, a trip. Let me lay the 'how things normally go' in the military- when you have a 6AM departure- you start preparing at 11PM the night before.. From KS on a contracted jet into Leipzig, Germany, then into Kuwait to a base which has constant flow of soldiers going into and out of 'theatre'. The plane was first-class actually- great meals and those intl' flight 'hot wash clothes'.. Kuwait for a few days in heated tents- it was like living at the State Fair- tents and restaurants with small little fronts.. One tiny storefront is part of a Armed Forces network that sells more Harley-Davidson's than any other dealer- good deals- maybe that's how I should treat myself when I get home..?

After leaving Kuwait- it's back to military aircraft- no windows, hard seats- however- you can just walk to the front- climb the steps to the cockpit and say 'Hi' to the Air Force pilots! The experience was surreal- finding out at dinner that 'we are flying tonight'.. Working at 3AM crating duffels and loading a military aircraft..

Now that I have arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan, my team has to get integrated into our jobs as the guys we are replacing will be leaving 10 days or so.. The first few days were 'death by Powerpoint' as it's called- admin stuff and introductions.. We then proceeded into 'left seat, right seat' old staff mentoring new staff, showing the ropes, routes, current projects. With this, the past few weeks have been meeting many ANA (Afghan National Army) leaders and drinking lots of chai tea.

I was at first very apprehensive about arriving in Afghanistan, not knowing what to expect- food, military leadership, and of course security. I was nervous right when we got off the plane- as you know I've been a corporate guy my entire life and not used to traveling with body armor and a loaded rifle and pistol..! Anyway, more apprehension to follow on the first few convoys- you have to remember how things are stressed in training environments- they lean on the side of caution- scared the daylights out of me.. they had me thinking their were IEDs everywhere- all the time and bad guys would be shooting at us.. Anyway, I'm getting used to traveling and the environment now- I realize terrorists are still out there- and we travel with intense defensive posture and awareness, but overall the people of Afghanistan welcome us, and want their country back. Kids give us thumbs-up..

Convoys to anywhere outside of the gate are taking very seriously; convoy briefs take place before any trip- intel & road conditions updates, checks, identifying people in charge, communications plan/ tests, a 'trip ticket' from the TOC (tactical ops ctr). Every veh has headsets with microphones which are useful for communication.

The coalition countries (with large part the U.S.) have spent over $65 Billion in this country since 2001. There are over 40K coalition troops here now, from over 30 different countries. Most of these are actually security troops that protect areas and hunt down insurgents, but I am here under a program called Coalition Joint Task Force PHOENIX, under ISAF which executes a broad-based training, mentoring, and assistance program in order to enable the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) and other security forces such as the ANP (police) to secure their own country. The ANA is the most respected govt organization in the country, the ANP is one of the least respected because of corruption. Advisors arrive into Camp Phoenix and then stay or are sent to all regions- to large and small bases.

My home will be Camp Phoenix which is about 6 miles west of Kabul. My group will be mentoring troops at the 'MoD' the Ministry of Defense- this is Afghanistan’s Pentagon and is on the complex with the Presidential Palace. The grounds are extremely secure and quite beautiful- their is a backdrop of mountains that is just stunning- very much like the Grand Tetons in WY. There is quite a buz of construction around the grounds- by civilians and soldiers- and one of our jobs is the reconstruction efforts of buildings and security.

At least initially here, I will be working with the Presidential Ceremonial Battalion, and the National Band. The rest of my small team work with other security affiliated groups to the MoD. We also will have other projects such as HA 'Humanitarian Assistance' visits were we will give out blankets, coats, and food. Nearby the Palace is a UN Food depot, the U.S. Embassy, the ISAF HQ, and various other coalition bases run by Germany, France, Romanians.. --This is where we will try to have lunch on occassion :).

This wall is the wall around the Palace-->.

The Ceremonial Bn has a General as a leader and several hundred soldiers, 42 of which are are band members.. Then the National Band has just over a hundred with a Colonal and staff. NO, I don't have any musical background, nor mentoring Generals, political figures, or building contractors.. SO, how am I going to skin this cat..? Basically what's going on is a situation where the ANA Army is new and has to build it's infrastructure and operations.. These leaders are sharp but need help rebuilding its structures, getting past tribal and political issues, and setting up proper operations such a supply and training. I hope to fulfill my role by quickly learning, good listening skills, and leveraging the OPS experience that I have.. Or I'll make it up :).

I will be working on training plans, drivers training, communications, computer classes, ensuring proper uniforms, equipment and supplies are issued.. This past week I coordinated a trip for the ANA band to visit the 82d Airborne Band up at Bagram AF base. Some further examples of projects include completing barracks and office renovations; generators, adding A/C, painting, windows, and new walkways and asphalt drives. A soccer field, building a new vehicle maintenance facility, and upgrades in dining facilities (wood to propane)..

The culture of Afghanistan is very warm and welcoming and we see this everyday at work in soldiers and civilians.. Lifestyles and traditions are quite different than the western world, but people are people, kids are kids, all over the world. This culure is very old and people really aren't in a hurry to do anything- unless it involves $ since it is so scarce around here. The Muslim religion is a big part of peoples lives, but no where near what you'd think from watching U.S. news.. When you meet an Afghan, much handshaking is done, usually they will place both hands on yours and when you get to know someone well and become friends, you touch cheeks (I don't know anyone that well yet), and you place your right hand over your heart as a gesture. Salaam means 'hello' in Dari, or you may say Soob Bah Khaar or 'Good Morning'.

Another aspect of the culture is the chai tea and casual talk before business- you ask about family, what's going on, before business. I have seen no coffee served anywhere except on coalition bases- chai is the thing. Along with chai and conversation is usually some flat bread, the best raisons i've ever had, walnuts, small yellowish kernals like corn.. Communication is accomplished via 'terps' and we have 2 assigned to us that are smart 20 something guys that are a lot of fun.. Our group has lost a few that got U.S. visa's as these guys can go to America and earn a ton of money as interpretors stateside.

**By the way, if anyone has any musical connections, we could use some 'slide grease' and 'tuning oil', and bathroom sundries, candy is always good to keep the kids and troops happy as well.##

Future updates on my job, the posts, landscape, and any questions you readers have.. in future postings.

Mark

NOV/ DEC 2007 Update:

2008-01-16T04:28:00.000-08:00

Greetings,

I didn't keep to my once-a-month update- but I guess I have to get my priorities have to be straight or the Taliban wins.. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see more people when I was home but family had quite a bit planned and I couldn't get enough of Elizabeth, Amelia and Susan around the homestead.
~100 days have passed. 1/4 of the way through..

Completing training @ Fort Riley~ NOV-DEC07:
Since the last time I wrote in mid- NOV, we have continued our required training at Fort Riley. PT (Physical Training) 3-5 mi runs + extras.. hill runs, sprints (more for smokers and doughnut eaters), rope climbs, and plenty of upper body work done on the ground. Most groups are not as intense but I was lucky to have a motivated SGM (Seargent Major)- our fitness guy. The weather cooled off and KS became windy and damp- lending some cold days on weapons ranges. PT at 5:45AM in 18 degrees was a bit of a challenge.. BUT, you know- that was the fun of it- getting through it really works to build teams and offers a real sense of accomplishment.

We have had several training events to complete- a few highlights: The first one was 3 days of CLS- Combat Life Saver which is essentially treating for trauma and stabilization; tourniquets, bandaging, lung injuries, IV, and clearing of areas if their is an traumatic event or explosion. The IV part is what I really didn't enjoy- I don’t like needles or blood. I had to stick a partner with a needle and catheter, put on a valve, and start an IV- and then have it done to me.. Everyone new it was a huge challenge for me and I had quite the audience. The military has emphasized this training because it figured out that 80% of deaths could be avoided by immediate treatment of bleeding, etc by having more CLS certified people in the field.

Other mandatory training for ‘Mentors’ was police and security related; establishing and running traffic control points, clearing of rooms, cordon and search, searching vehicles and personnel and raids.. Convoy Operations was a focus because forces are constantly on the move either in patrols, logistical support, or moving to a place of work as in my case from the U.S. base. Convoy Ops is a big deal because it’s a highly synchronized effort where everyone in the Humvee has a job of either Driver, TC (Truck Commander- radios, computer, navigation), Gunner- there is a turret in the top center with a mounted rifle, or passenger who would dismount in case of an ambush. We practiced in multi-million $ in hi-tech computer rooms- role playing convoy ops- and on the road in live-fire ranges reacting to simulated IED's and friendly and enemy pop-up targets. At first much of this technical stuff was overwhelming- It's interesting how when roles are layed out and practiced everything works out as planned.

During this time we trained with some ANA soldiers and started working with interpreters, We also received some 'intel' updates on our AO ‘Area of Operations’ from senior officers home from theatre and secure web briefs.

I was able to go home for a few days for Thanksgiving which was wonderful- my sister Risa made a huge dinner and great event for family at her place in Wauwatosa. In a way it was like walking the last green mile (~movie). After being gone and living in open barracks when I stepped into my house my first thought was ‘Wow; all this is mine? I have my own kitchen, and bathroom..?!! And a loving family- I consider myself so fortunate- the girls were so cute- they had so much to tell and share..

I really enjoyed a Chaplain on the base named Major Fisher- he has such a sense of humor.. One day he started by saying ‘ya, I did a little hunting this weekend, over on I-70 doing about 70mph’.. Just that kind of stuff- he could really get the room involved and engaged. Each weekend we would get up, put a hand on the next guys shoulder and pray for the folks that were departing overseas.. The Sunday before Thanksgiving his talk still resonates in my head- now you may not really get it- but bear with me- I started out in the Army in infantry which is a lot of ground work.. Anyway- the message was how thankful infantryman are- they are thankful first when it’s not raining, then if they have a shelter halve, then if they can get some food and sleep.. You know- the basics- appreciating what you have..

Lastly, I also was able to go home for a bit more than a week in December.. Everything worked out just great- flights, seeing family and friends; good quality time with Susan; we hit our favorite coffee shops, visited the art museum with Risa and Dad. Had a great early Christmas at my parents house and later saw ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Pabst which was amazing.. Went to Baccus restaurant via close friends the Lewanders.. Plenty of quality time with the girls- taking them to school- I normally take the to school one day a week- let me tell you that was tough for me; the national anthem, and realizing that I won’t get to do this for a year- I’m a softy and I had to hide the tears.

Departing Milwaukee wasn’t as tough as other times- I had been through leaving a few times now and was ready to get this adventure rolling.. Overall the mission still remains the same- Advising the Afghan Security forces.. Exactly what this involves and will be like I don’t know but will soon find out.

Mark

Ft. Riley, KS- After 1 Month

2007-11-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd drop a few lines to say hello and let ya'all know what's going with me and the Army adventure. I have been at Ft. Riley for 4 weeks now and will be an advisor (under the 82d Airborne) to the ANA (Afghan National Army) on a small team replacing a team in place right now.

Training has been full-speed and many long days- this advisorship to Iraq and Afghanistan is growing with the DoD (Dept of Defense) and Congress has made this program a high priority for the Army- and you can tell by the size of this 'Camp'.. It is a simulated FOB (Forward Operating Base), which is a military base in a Combat zone- they play Islamic prayers over the loudspeakers 5x per day like 'in country' and many Afghan and Iraq actor and translater contractors are here to help us get accustomed to the culture and environment.. The Camp has produced roughly 5000 advisors already and currently has 1500 going through. The 'DFAC's (dining facilities) are packed as well as scheduling for classes- we have had to have some language and commo classes at 6am to get trng accomplished.

The Army is short of troops and is now reaching out to AF and Navy- which was very unheard of in the past. We have 4 AF guys training with us and they are very 'high speed' and have fit in very well, but I have heard of some not doing well w/ Army culture and the difference in weapons, etc.. It has been very interesting hearing about their careers and lifestyles on AF bases- and I tease them constantly because they get stationed at cush bases stateside and often in Italy, Germany, Alaska.. Our guys are hospital administrators that will be advising the ANA (Afghan National Army) and Govt on medical depots.

I'm still not completely sure of what I will be doing in Afghanistan, but I am on a team that is slated to go to Kabul to work with the MOD (Ministry of Defense) forces and advise/ partner/ mentor the ANA to help them build a better Army. Basically what this 'advising' means (from what I can gather so far) is two-fold; first, work with them in a technical and professional manner to build a more better forces- and these vary by region. Where I will be I think the forces are professional and disciplined- I may be helping them in planning processes or communications planning- for example- communications infrastructure, budgeting, emergency planning- planning commo/ radio training for their soldiers.. (think secure, long range walkie talkies and satellite links- frequency and encryption planning). Secondly, 'winning the hearts and minds' as its called to get them to trust the NATO and US forces. This country is over 4000 years old and has been under war conditions many times over- most recently by the Soviets ending in 1989.. Also, traditionally their has been a lot of corruption in the forces. Working with the Ministry of Defense sounds like a great opportunity as this is their equivalent to our Pentagon and is where the President and Dept of Interior is.. Althought this could change in a heartbeat and I could also go down to Kandahar where all the action is or anywhere else so we'll see.

Training has been interesting.. We have PT (Physical Training) almost everyday at 5:45 for an hour- I am very lucky- our SGM (Sergeant Major)- a high ranking NCO (Non- Commissioned Officer, (the guy who most of the time knows and leads everything and everyone- incl the Officers!) is a career Army guy and is a Master Fitness Trainer (equiv to Wis Athletic Club trainer type) and really knows how to challenge us. Lately we have been running 4-5 miles on odd days and doing a variety of other hill-climbs, abs, rope climbs, sprints- he seems to know just how to make it hurt- but, I have to say- I really enjoy it and have been getting into decent shape. Next subject- Food- the DFACs here are amazing and serve excellent food- today I had bbq ribs for lunch w/ vege's, salad- consistant, clean, free, and fast- you all would love it.. There are 2 DFACs on base and are basically nice cafeteria's and large dining rooms. News on a big TV is constantly played. I almost had to eat my first MRE (the infamous Meal-Ready-to-Eat) the other night at a range but dodged it by eating beef jerky and Triscuts that I had in my pack- I don't like MREs at all- (preserved food in packets made to last about 3 years- though the latest ones include candy such as Skiddles and M&Ms) let me know if you want one and I will try to get you one if interested..

Training completed is too much to list, but highlights include: language (Dari)/ culture (Midl East and Islam), best practices of advisors- we have had many culture and country briefs, a Afghan cultural dinner, and simulated ‘Leaders Meetings’ (meetings with Afghan tribal leaders, Mayors, or military commanders).. Driving HMMWVs (Humvee’s- Army Jeeps) day and night (we had to convoy without lights on using only our NVGs (Night Vision Goggles). Humvee rollover training- they literally have a couple of machines that roll you over and you have to get out w/ wpns, gear, and then practice getting an injured person out.. This week we completed weapons familiarization with some of the larger weapons- the M240 (SAW) machine gun and the infamous M2 ’50 CAL’ which is often mounted on the top of Humvee’s- we get to shoot them soon.. I have been issued a 9mm pistol and a M4 rifle which we qualified on the ranges already- day and at night with the NVGs and laser sights.

I have had specialized training in radios and SATCOM which was very cool- the military has it's own satellites and I learned how to get access to 'the birds'.. It's a challenge to get access to 'the birds' here in the states as most are in the Midl East.. Lastly, I had some training on computers that each Humvee has which tracks GPS, friendly and enemy positions, and communications- it is very impressive stuff- you wouldn’t want to know the price tag on some of this stuff. Coming up is training in CLS (Combat Life Saver), more weapons, some legal stuff, and Cordon and Search.

Living conditions- a unique experience to say the least- living with 35 guys in one big room.. Well, enough said- once done here I should get my own space (though measured in inches) in Afghanistan. Snoring, other peoples alarms, no personal space- but it is also quite comical and fun at other times. I have visited a nice brew pub in Manhattan, KS with some friends. I went golfing last Sunday. This weekend some AF guys and I went to Topeka to see the normal world and had a great lunch.. On Sundays I have been enjoying attending several types of Christian services to get a taste of what things are like outside of Catholic Mass..

Lastly- thanks for reading- I will be home for Thanksgiving..! I will then be back for 2 weeks to finish our class, then home for a week in DEC before shipping off to Kuwait for a bit before Afghanistan.. Time in Kuwait and Aghanistan will be 10-12 months with a 2 week visit home sometime in summer 08.. Whew- I still cannot believe this is me being engaged in all of this.. The only tough part about it is missing Susan and my girls, family and friends, but other than that the Army is a pretty fascinating environment and should continue to be that way.

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and messages. I will try to write monthly to share what I am learning and experiencing.
Mark

Arrival at Ft. Riley, KS

2007-11-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

9OCT07

I have arrived at Ft. Riley, KS.. It’s a very beautiful post- General Custer was here in the early 1900s. This is home to big Cavalry history and their are still CAV facilities- many large great buildings made of limestone from the nearby Kansas River.

After administrative check-in for a few days, my class was moved to a similated FOB (Forward Operating Base) which are what our forces put together when we are oversees in a combat zone.. it is camp with just about everything needed; arms rooms, DFAC's (dining fac's), barber, training facilities.. Our lodging is 40 man open bay rooms with bunk beds and wall lockers- holy cow I thought this stuff was done in basic training. We do have wireless connectivity so I do have a connection to the outside world and I did a Windows Live conference w/ family today.

I am on a MiTT which means Mil Transition Team- these teams act as advisors/ trainers to foreign Army's. It is part of our natl strategy to make Iraq and Afghanistan's security forces self sufficient. With an eventual troop draw-down this advisor role will continue on for some time. I am scheduled to be on a advisor team in Kabul, Afghanistan.

I have met and continue to meet many interesting people; Officers and Enlisted, from Army Air Force, and Navy- My team is a 'mature' group of I'd guess my age and many smart guys.. One charactor is a West Point grad lawyer f/ Dallas, our leader is a Major and Ranger from Puerto Rico- a great guy.. I am fortunate and comfortable being MOBd w/ my team- I don't know how they came up w/ a slacker like me.. Life has been mostly getting lots of equipment- much of it very cool- you almost feel like RoboTron when you have it all on. I am issued a M9 (9mm pistol) and a M4 (rifle). It would be fun if I was getting ready for a paintball game w/ it all on- it also weighs geez I'd guess 75- 100 lbs when all on. I was shot up w/ all kinds of shots the other day- and more to follow.. Anthrax- our medic said: ya, many GI's have issues w/ that one....

My initial duties in training as the Communications Officer is to facilitate 'add-on' training for our language training- mainly Dari- a form Persian. Later I will get into communications equipment (Satellite and HF) and I may be working some web items for communications w/ families..
More to follow as I get integrated and more time..

I will be wearing the 1st ID (Infantry Division- The Big Red One) patch for my deployment patch which is a great unit in American history..

Mark, MAJ M

Images of Fort Riley, KS

2007-11-09T15:35:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of Fort Riley which is one of the oldest Army posts- it was formed in 1853 during westward expansion.

Office buildings (above)

Once 1st DIV HQ, now museum and office space.

Cavalry horse stables- 12 total in the early days- now many converted to other things. Patton Hall- they don't build 'em like that anymore- not just the building itself, but if you could see them in total and placement on the rolling hills..

Officer housing- Field grade on left and senior officer housing on right- these overlook the Parade Grounds where significant events occur.

King Hall (above left)- once a massive indoor training facility- now a gym and cafeteria

St. Mary's Chapel (above)

Old HQ building (right)- now the museum.

Senior Officer housing (above)- notice the 'Southern Living' beautiful porch. Congress has mandated that 'Quarters' will no longer be built so large..

Simpler porch below, but still very nice. Remember, I am just visiting this neighborhood- they have us 'trainees' in quite different 'Quarters'.