Kansas-Germany-Kuwait-Afghanistan

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:

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

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

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

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'.