The Unsung Heros

I proudly serve in the USAF. I do what I do for my own reasons. None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of my wife and children. They don't always understand, but they have NEVER left my side, let me forget how proud they are, and how much they love me. I stumbled across this poem and couldn't think of a better way to say thank you. I love you guys.

The Silent Ranks
Author: Unknown
I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens But I am in the Air Force in the ranks rarely seen

I have no rank upon my shoulders - salutes I do not give But the military world is the place where I live

I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get But my husband is the one who does, this I can not forget

I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind

My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man And the call to serve his country not all can understand

Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me

I love the man I married, Soldiering is his life But I stand among the silent ranks known as the Air Force Wife

Life With My New Team

Old Glory

Very common way of life here

Burned out trucks from an attack

Me

We just finished our longest mission to date and it is good to be home again. We covered about 650 miles in 7 days. That doesn’t sound like much, but a lot of that was done at less than 15 mph. If you saw some of the “roads” over here you would understand why. I spent the trip in the gunner’s turret again so I got some good pictures. We provided security to the ANA troops who were taking soft shelled ambulances downrange to different locations. Driving with the ANA is something that I would describe as interesting if I was using a polite term. We had several unscheduled stops for bathroom breaks, stops for sodas and water, or just to say “Hi” to someone they recognized walking on the side of the road. We even stopped so they could pick up passengers. The problem is they would stop unannounced in the middle of town or nowhere, and we would have to block traffic and do security halts. That makes for some unhappy commuters. It got better as our commander would have conversations with the ANA commander at the end of every day. This is just part of their culture. Outside the wire our senses are heightened as we feel threatened. This is their home and they feel comfortable. Family and friends are very important to them, so it’s natural for them to stop and say hello. It was a lesson for all of us.
We have been working on a big project for the last 2 months and it has finally come to a close. We put together the first annual ANA combat medic competition for the entire country. We had medics from all over the country come and compete in a 4 day competition that included medical lectures and exercises to firing at the range. I was in charge of the range and put together a program for them to shoot their AK-47s. Some of them did really well while it was obvious that some of them had never fired a weapon before. Even so, they all said they enjoyed it.
We had a CSAR team come in and educate them on the proper way to approach a helicopter and load and unload patients. Hopefully this will keep anyone else from walking into a chopper blade. They also learned how to mark a landing zone in case they had to call in a medevac.
The competition ended with a mountain run carrying their medic bag and completing 3 medical scenarios along the way. I was part of the security team that climbed the mountain and set up the station at the top. We had to take a crew serve weapon with us and I carried the ammo for it. With my IBA, weapon, ammo and supplies I had at least 100 extra pounds on my back on a climb from 8000 to just over 9600 feet. It smoked me and I consider myself to be in decent shape. It was something that was on my “to do” list while I was here and I’m glad I did it. The ANA medics that ran the course made it look easy. They gained my respect in a big way. Not only during the mountain run, but during the entire competition. They are smart, eager to learn, and some of the heartiest, smallest guys I have ever met.
After everything was over we had a big feast to celebrate. Their hospitality was second to none as we dined on goat, vegetables, and Nan bread. They would not eat until our entire team went through and served ourselves first. We brought a huge cake and bunch of sodas to share with them. They loved the cake. Some of them went through the line just to get cake and nothing else.
The last week has been a blur and I enjoyed every minute of it. It may be over, but I take every handshake, smile, and thank you with me. I feel good about what we accomplished as a team. More importantly I feel good about what they learned and what they take away from the competition. After some much needed sleep it’s back to work with my new team and on to our next mission.

Four Day Roadtrip

Dowtown Kabul
Me

My office

Women with children begging in the middle of the highway

My truck

Downtown Gardez

Round About in Gardez

Terra Pass

These kids didn't throw rocks so they got Gummy Bears

We just got back from a four day mission that included stops at five different FOBs, covered three different battle spaces, represented every branch of service except the Marines, and included people from the US and Romania. It was successful as everyone came back safely and the trucks are still in one piece. We did have some issues, but it was really cool to get out and see parts of this country from the ground. It’s hard to wrap your mind around this culture and way of life. It would be neat to explore some of the cities and geographical features, but that won’t happen anytime soon. We got a lot of thumbs up, but there were still people that would spit on our truck as we drove by.
This trip I got to do something I never would have imagined doing six months ago. I was the only one qualified on both weapons systems in our truck so I ended up being the gunner. The longer I’m over here the more my training at Ft Riley gets used. I had an M-2 (.50 cal), a 249 SAW, an M-4, and an M-9 at my disposal with more ammunition than I knew what to do with. My driver was a medic and boy could he wheel that big truck. The streets of Afghanistan really aren’t made for big trucks like that, but he made it look easy and took good care of me.
Our first day was pretty uneventful and we made really good time. Kids would line the streets when they saw us coming and most gave us the thumbs up sign. I did a lot of waving and gave a lot of thumbs up back. A lot of the adults would wave too, and that makes me feel like we are making some kind of progress. I saw literally thousands of goats, a bunch of donkeys and even a few camels. I guess some of the donkeys and goats were special because some of them had varies parts dyed different colors. The best one was a white donkey with a pink mane.
The second day we headed out on a road that made a plowed field seem smooth. I was really surprised I wasn’t peeing blood by the time we made our destination. We had some green passengers, but no activity during our trip there. On the way back it was a different story. We weren’t more than 15 minutes into the ride and someone lost their lunch in the back of our truck. I was really glad I was up top and didn’t see it or have to smell it. I felt bad for my driver so I helped him clean things up at the wash rack when we stopped for the day.
The third day we made a few stops at some really interesting places. One of the FOBs was like a little Italian village that had little court yards and mazes of walk ways between the buildings. They even had a Thai restaurant we ate at. It wasn’t the best, but it was a nice change from the DFAC. After our meetings were done at this location we headed out to a French FOB. Our Romanian friends had some business to attend to and I bought some gummy bears, to be used later, and some chocolate. Day four began with a trip to the education center. I have been doing my course 14 online for Master Sergeant and I needed to take a test. One of the officers that was with me needed to take a test also so we both figured why not since we were there anyway. We both passed and then got ready to head back to our home FOB. I got my “office” ready with all my essentials like water, soda, pop tarts, and my gummy bears. I made good use of the candy by tossing them to the kids that lined the road on the way back. It was the same reaction as I see in my kids’ faces when they open presents at X-mas. If all it takes is some candy and a tattoo here and there it is well worth the effort. We had a few tense moments on the trip home, but managed to make it back safe and not fire a single shot. And I know this place is only temporary, but until the day comes when I rip out there is no place like home.

Taking a Break

Our new promotee with her "bling."

The ANA sure travel "light."

Afghanistan sunset


"Heater" for pool.

Going for a swim.

Steps to the pool.

My team has had the opportunity to partake in some special occasions recently. It’s nice because for a while you can forget where you are. There are plenty of daily reminders to let us know this isn’t Kansas, so the chance to get away from it for a while is always well received.
Our first opportunity was a BBQ put on by a group of guys that have a camp close to ours. We were invited to hang out, listen to music, and enjoy some good food and good company. We had hamburgers, brats, chicken kabobs, and corn on the cob right off the grill. We also got to go for a swim in their homemade pool made out of a fuel bladder. It was complete with a 12ft deep end, filter system, and very unique heating system. After our Afghan swim we tossed a football around and even broke out a Frisbee! For most this does not sound like a big deal right? Well, for us this was like kicking back in the backyard with some friends. Something we all miss and haven’t done for a while.
The second occasion was a promotion party for one of the Navy people on our team. We had the traditional military ceremony with an Afghan flair to it. We invited our ANA counterparts and interpreters and they gave her some “bling” to go with her promotion. After the ceremony we were invited to feast on authentic Pilipino cuisine at their little compound. This was some of the best food I have had and I had to come to Afghanistan to get it!
I am really glad to be part of this Med ETT. On an average day we exhaust ourselves trying to squeeze out one small improvement over the performance of the previous day. We deal with death and destruction of the human body on a daily basis and still seem to keep our spirits up. It is in no way, shape, or form as fierce as combat, but the elements of danger and stress are still there. My hat is off to the guys out there fighting the fight. That goes for my American brothers in arms and our ANA soldiers. I don’t think the people back home realize how dedicated the ANA soldiers are to riding this country of Taliban trash. I see their war torn bodies come in on helicopters and I see their medical staff work on them every day. They may not be up to American standards in either area, but the look on their faces say that they would really like to be and we are doing our damnedest to show them how.

Struggle For Progress

One of my rides
Our version of Wal-Mart

Our trauma team at work

Have you had your dose of retard today?

My experience as a mentor continues to amaze me a does the excitement level of such a little base. There are days when my job is very similar to herding cats. Other days little miracles happen in the form of progress and we celebrate them like a Super Bowl win. I seem to be in a constant struggle with my original "problem child." His idea and my idea of what needs to be done don't always match. I have taught him an American saying that I use quite often. I call it raising the BS flag. Half my day is spent at the hospital working with my ANA counterparts and the other is spent back on the FOB taking care of administrative duties. I have made a lot of contacts in the two months I have been here and hope it will help the Med ETT that will take our place. I have seen many different FOBs and it gives me a good idea where I need to take my counterparts to teach them the skills they need to break into modern medicine. I think that is one of the best parts of my job. It helps break up the routine and helicopter rides are way cool!

The bad guys continue to surprise us with attacks in the night. I have been through five attacks in two months and have seen everything from mortars to VIEDs. They are a crafty bunch and they are almost impossible to identify. This has got to be how it felt in Vietnam. I pass hundreds of locals in a day’s time. Some of them work on the FOB and you can’t help but wonder if one of them had anything to do with the last attack.

I LOVE MY WIFE!!!!!!!!! She is the best and has been sending me care packages since day one. It’s amazing how a box from home can make a person’s day. I told my boss I wouldn’t care if it was full of TP I would still be happy as hell to get it. The elections had interrupted our mail runs for a while and it was beginning to show on people’s faces. The good news is the elections are over and the mail has resumed a “normal” schedule. The elections went better than planned. We were really expecting some nasty stuff, but business was not as good as we thought it would be. In this case bad business is good business.

A Few Things I have Learned

Leaving Phoenix-again
My adopted Norman-awesome kid


Lots-o-bling

BAF accomodations

Chinook gunner

Here's your sign

Luncheon and end of the line for the goat

I can tell the difference between five different helicopters and five different MRAPs by sound.

I can determine whether the mortars are inbound or out bound by the sound of the thud. I also know what kind of damage an RPG will do when aimed properly.

I smell good compared to the general population over here.

There are some people that genuinely appreciate us being here and I hope that is contagious.

Taliban are not easy to pick out of a crowd. Taliban are also spineless pieces of fecal matter. The horror they inflict on their own people is quite disturbing.

Goat meat tastes like…steak (you thought I was going to say chicken).

Our interpreters are under rated. They work long hours for what would be peanuts to us. I have learned more from them then I thought possible.

IEDs are non-discriminating regardless of race, religion, age or sex.

MRAPs do exactly what they are designed to do. Let’s hope this continues.

Afghanis are extremely hospitable and very loyal. Their word is as good as a contract and they expect the same in return.

Most Afghanis drive everywhere like it’s a life or death situation. Sometimes it is; they just don’t know it’s theirs.

My CST training at Ft. Riley was not a total waste of time. Friends you make at training become family.

Afghanistan children can throw rocks like nothing I have ever seen before with great accuracy. This talent is usually displayed after telling them you don’t have any candy.

Afghanistan is the leading opium producer in the world yet they refuse to prescribe pain medication to patients that desperately need it.

Inshallah (God willing) is really a way of life over here…with everything!

Weapon safety is not a high priority with the Afghan Army, but blinging their truck, tractor, trailer, or weapon out is.

If you don’t like tea when you get here you will by the time you leave.

On top of being badasses, ODA guys throw an awesome BBQ and they can make a 15ft deep pool out of a fuel bladder, complete with heater and filter system.

Every person that “plays” professional sports needs to donate their salary from one game to one of the gunners, route clearers, or EOD guys over here.

Anyone that says they like to deploy and they don’t miss their family needs to have their head examined, or they don’t like their family. Not a second goes by that I don’t think about mine and how much this sucks being away from them.

First Site Visit

A shot from the Chinook

Here comes my ride

This is my favorite picture

This sure beats a convoy

I just realized that I have been here for about a month and a half. Time seems to run together here and it is very hard to stay on top of what day it is. In a way that is good because it seems to be going by fast. In a way it’s bad because it is easy to lose a day and each day is a slow but steady step towards progress. If one is lost valuable mentoring time is gone.

I recently made a trip to Salerno to do a site visit for a program we are starting. In fact, I just got back today. It is in the eastern province of Khowst. The day before I left Lightning Gardez was exploding (literally) with activity. The day after I get to Salerno Khowst tried to explode. Several suicide bombers were killed in Khowst before they could detonate their bombs. It’s always good to hear they were taken care of before they detonated themselves taking innocent lives with them. The same day we got hit with mortars and RPG’s. When the first one hit I was in my bunk with my headphones in. I literally thought someone was shaking my bed to get my attention…until the sirens started going off. I threw my gear on and headed over to the hospital to see if there was anything I could do. I ended up pulling perimeter security and got to watch another mortar land about 50 meters, plus or minus, in front of me. At the same time this was going on a plane with some of the New England Patriots cheerleaders was trying to take off. I can just imagine what they were thinking. They were at the FOB for a USO tour.
It’s good to get back to my little closet of a room on Lightning. I hit eight different FOBs on my way to Salerno and it's nice to be "home." It may be small, but it has things in it that make it feel somewhat like home. I have enough of my family represented to remind me exactly why I am over here doing this. It does not make it any easier to be away from them, but I have seen enough smiling faces and shook enough hands to know what we are doing here is a good thing. Each day I have a conversation with a different ANA soldier and learn more about this culture and why they live the way they do. It’s amazing how they survive.
We are working on some more big projects. Some may actually make the news. I’ll keep you posted with details as I can. It would be nice to turn on the news and see something positive about this country.

Dear Mr. Bad Guy...

I wanted to express my gratitude to the wake up call received at O-shit-30. While I do appreciate your concern about us being here I would like to prescribe a few remedies for your insomnia and urge to wake us that are sleeping. Both are rather simple and differ in levels of effectiveness. The first one comes in pill form and goes by the trade name Ambien. It is easy to take and works within 15 minutes. The second method is much more permanent and comes in the form of a F-15. As you are well aware, it's effects are immediate and by far my method of choice in regards to your sleeping disorder. Not only does it accomplish the task at hand, but it provides a fireworks display that would rival any 4th of July celebration. Either way, sweet dreams.

A World Away

They "bling" out everything from tractors to trucks
A traditional bathroom...yeah, I think I'll hold it

My workplace for the next six months

Another day has gone by in the world of Afghanistan. I say world because at times it feels like we stepped into a time machine and ended up in a different world. We are trying to do our best in a place that is totally foreign to us in every sense of the word. Judging by the look on the Afghan people’s faces they feel the same when we try to explain how things are in the states. From complex things like handling a trauma to something simple like picking up a broom in the hospital hallway the level of difficulty seems to register the same. I guess it could be worse. I could be in a kindergarten level map reading class like some Lt. I know. That’s right bunkie, I’m talking about you. Before I get too ahead of myself I need to explain my staff that I work with.
In the states pharmacy school is a very daunting task to accomplish. It takes a certain level of intellect and a great deal of determination. Here you just have to know the right people. One of my “pharmacists” was enlisted and not a pharmacist last year. This year he is a major AND a pharmacist. He comes from a wealthy family. He hasn’t produced any documentation, but I’m sure that is just as easy to procure. He is my problem child at the moment. He insists that this country will never change and we are wasting our time. I have to remind myself about the history of this war torn country and not take it personally. I didn’t travel thousands of miles leaving my family at home so I could come and get a door closed in my face. I’m sure it will be the first of many. My predecessor explained his trials and tribulations to me and explained you just have to keep kicking them down if they don’t open up. I can do that. When it comes to expectations I told my staff I have one word: progress. I will accept nothing less.
The rest of my staff consists of a couple nurses that were assigned to the pharmacy by their commander and a few more legitimate pharmacists. A few of them are on board with the vision we are trying to create. Hopefully they can help me persuade my problem child. If not it could be an even longer six months than expected. Damn dry country!

Different, But The Same

I've been in country for a short time and already feel as though I have learned volumes. One lesson taught me as different as we are, they are still people just like us. Recently one of our interpreters lost his 5 month old daughter which is a perfect reflection of their infant mortality rate. We had the honor of being invited to what would be the equivalent to a memorial service for her. It was as heart wrenching as if it were one of our own. Grieving knows no cultural boundries.

Patience, Patience, Patience

The word of the day is...you guess it patience. My job involves working side by side with the ANA in a mentor role. The culture is different to put it mildly and it takes a special approach to get through to them. The problem is this country has been doing things this way for such a long time it is a major stretch for them to see things differently. I have the opportunity to take on some major projects that would positively affect the way they take care of their people. I am excited and overwhelmed all at the same time. But then again I have nothing but time. Here goes jumping in with both feet.

No Longer Jobless, Just Homeless

We have a purpose!!! We have jobs!!! I never thought I would be excited to say that. I was beginning to worry about some of my teammates. You can only read so much, play so many games, workout so often, and "Base X" is only so big. Cabin fever was starting to set in. Tell tale sign was counting down until the next time we got to eat at the dining facility.

I am really excited about the challenges of my new job. I will get to do some things here that would never be possible in the states. All of us will get the chance to interact with the people of this country in some way and that is exactly what our training prepared us for. It's nice to know that the time we spent in Kansas wasn't wasted.

Currently we are in temporary housing stacked like wood. The next item is finding something a little more permanent. I don't want to spend a lot because I know I'm not staying, but...just kidding!! Housing goes by rank, so we'll see how that goes. We are doing fine where we are now, but it would be nice to have some space to call our own for a while.

I should have an address soon, so if you would like it contact Jill and she can get it to you. A big thanks to everyone taking time to think about us and wish us well. Not just my team, but everyone over here. It means a lot to know people back home are behind us. I appreciate everyone reading my blog and really like the comments. As silly as it sounds it's almost like getting something from home.

Will Work For...

We've been hanging out in country just shy of two weeks now. Some members of our team have gone on to their FOBs and begun working. The rest of us are sitting in limbo waiting for the word to leave. We have a meeting soon, so next time I post HOPEFULLY the rest of us will be at our FOBs. I am with a great bunch of people. I believe I would have gone out of my mind without the camaraderie of our group. We all just want to get to work. Did I just say that?!?!

In Country

We have arrived in country and we have started in processing. If there's one thing for certain it is everything changes. We have had some changes to our itinerary since we have arrived and should find out some specifics soon.
It is such a different world over here. You can look at all the pictures or sit through every briefing, but until you have actually laid eyes on this place you can't really grasp what this culture is like. This will be an educational six months. And anybody that is unhappy about living in the USA should come stay here for awhile. I bet most would change their mind.

On Our Way

We left Anchorage Wednesday and arrived in St. Louis to spend the night. The Air Force considers Elmendorf an overseas base requiring us to be in St. Louis 24 hours prior to our load date. It is hard knowing I will be away from my family for six months, but seeing my team again makes it a little easier. These guys have become my second family and we take care of each other like brothers. We have pretty much picked up where we left off in Kansas.
So here we sit in Virginia at one of our many stops waiting to leave the states. We have a long day of flying ahead of us so it will be interesting to see how jet lag will affect us.

GRADUATION!!!

Tomorrow we graduate!!! Good bye Kansas and hello home for a few days! Now the trick is getting all of our newly acquired gear into five bags that we will have to carry. Good thing I have been doing cross fit. Our bus leaves for Kansas City International at 0300 on Saturday morning.
My team has been the best bunch of people I have ever trained with bar none. If it wasn't for their humor and dedication this would have been an unbearable 76 days. I wish each of them the best and pray for their safe return home when this is over.

To My Biggest Fan

The End Is Near

Norman and "Doc"

Wax rounds meet arm

Wax rounds meet leg

My driver hard at work

Our last training mission

We're at the end of our training and they saved the best for last. This week we did close combat marksmanship and urban operations. Close combat consisted of shooting 25 meters or less at bad guys. We practiced walking, turning, acquiring our target and quickly engaging. It was broken up into two different areas. The first one was on the range and everyone had a lane. The idea was to get everyone to identify the enemy target and two tap them with our M-4, drop our M-4 to the side and draw our M-9 and two tap the second target. We did this during several scenarios and not one person had a negligent discharge. I was nervous when we first started. The Air Force would never trust this many people on a range spinning around and firing at the same time.

The second half was an area set up with a building with windows, barricades, and a truck. We ran this area in pairs and started in a low crawl position. The range person would yell at us to get up and we had to run to the building and position ourselves to the inside of the windows. Then we took a defensive position and fired four shots at targets 100 meters out. Then we changed sides and fired left handed the same way. We did this at the barricades and then across the hood of the truck. It was quite the rush because they had smoke and mini explosions going off all the while. This would get us ready for our next section.

Our last section was urban operations. We learned how to clear a structure in teams of 4 or 5. The capstone to the day was clearing a house with a couple of "bad" guys holding up somewhere inside. Did I mention we got to shoot wax rounds at the bad guys? Unfortunately they were shooting at us too. Our first round went as expected and we got shot up pretty good. I have to give the privates that were playing the bad guys credit. They could shoot! I got pegged in the leg 5 times while running from the top of a stair well into a room across the hall. Thank God for body armor because they were going for crotch shots. I love my groin protector. And I'm sure Jill is thankful for it too.

Our second run went much better now that we knew what to expect. There was still some hesitation from some team members that didn't want to get shot, but a little colorful persuasion from other team members helped them find the motivation they were lacking. I took a couple hits in the arm before I took out one of the bad guys hiding in a closet. We walked away a little bruised, but educated on the importance of clearing all areas of a structure. Now all we have left is clean up and turn in. It will be nice to slow down for a few days. Which means in a few days I get to go home and see my family. It's been harder than I expected to be away from them. I don't know how people do this on a regular basis. I know Jill and I don't always see eye to eye on everything, but I appreciate every minute I have with her and the kids.

This will probably be my last post until I get in country. I have to see what the Internet situation is like there and that will determine how often I post. I'm glad I could keep everyone that followed along entertained and hopefully you got an idea of what my time at Ft. Riley has been like. I appreciate the Army and everything they do, but holy crap I am glad that I am blue!

Army's Video Game

Today we got to do a special mounted combat patrol. We patrolled an area that is set aside with pop up targets, moving vehicles, IED's, villages, everything a person could ask for. I am the radio guy for the patrol and I am responsible for sending info to the higher command and to our patrol so I run the mission with a radio on each ear. I have to ask permission to start the mission and then I report any contact and how we handled it to the command post, any medical reports, and IED/UXO reports. I pass back info to the team from the higher ups to keep them on the same page so we know what we are driving into. We were set up in four 1151 up armored HMMVS and sent through two different times. Our first run was with blanks so we could get a feel for our target areas, where our check points were and how to keep safe spacing. We had a mission brief and we discussed our objectives and set out to accomplish them without shooting anything that didn't need to be shot. Really our main objective was to get a better score than the other Air Force team that went through last week. I'm not going to lie!
Our blank run went alright and we were told what we could do better during our "critique" by our OC that was in charge of us. We were determined not to make the same mistakes twice.
Our live run went much better. Our gunners shot the hell out of everything that needed to be destroyed (1200 rounds total) and our communication was awesome. We ended up with a perfect tactical score which is hard to get for an Air Force team, but we got it. And yes, we beat the other Air Force team. I really enjoy being the communication for our patrol. It is far from anything I have ever done, but I feel confident I can do it successfully in a heated situation. We had everything thrown at us in a 15 minute window and I kept everyone alive. That is a sign of teamwork at it's finest.

Nine Training Days and Counting

"Doc" on his MRE chair
Posted in the dining hall

LtCol Weatherspoon presenting me with my line number...it'll be awile, but it's mine!

This week we finished up our combat life saving skills section and started the formal training for mounted combat patrol. Our capstone for CLS was a simulated mortar attack on a DFAC building with several casualties inside. The building was considered unstable and we had to get everyone out in less than 2 minutes. It sounds easy enough, but there were some obstacles in our way. We were in full battle rattle, the building was full of fake smoke and the building was approximately 40x60. I was on the recovery team with my driver as my partner. We entered the building and it was like closing your eyes. I couldn't see my hand if it was right in front of my face! I immediately grabbed the strap on the back of my partner's IBA and followed him around the building calling out for injured people. Their were about ten simulated casualties inside and time was not on our side. There were chairs and tables turned over inside so you did your best to climb over things without getting twisted up. Once we located everyone and carried them outside we began triaging and treating them. We transferred them to the CCP and called in our nine line medivac and saved the day. We kicked ass and it was obvious during our hot wash. Our instructors praised us and told us we did everything by the book. She couldn't find anything to fault us on. This was very important to me because this was our first major task with our new leader. I wanted him to look good and I wanted him to see what kind of team we were. Mission accomplished.

The last part of the week was the beginning of our mounted combat patrol. We went over all the steps for planning a mission and walked through it just like we were in country. I'm a truck commander and the radio guy for our patrol. I get to funnel everything up to the Battalion Commander. This could be anything from an I.E.D report to a T.I.C (troops in contact) report to a medivac request. This is good practice for me because this is more in line with what I can expect to be doing. I have to admit it's a rush and I like this better than manning a gun turret.

This week will also be memorable because promotion results came out and my name appeared on the Master Sergeant list. My current commander and 1st shirt presented me with a certificate and my line number. This is the second promotion I have gotten while Jill and I have been apart. I told her I would have to be deployed when I make Senior Master Sergeant too. I can't tell you exactly what she said, but it was a solid no.

I have to thank Jill for giving me the time to study for this promotion. I missed a lot of events because of study time and she picked up the slack and did without me for basically six months prior to my test date. I can never tell her how much her support means to me, but I plan on proving it to her for the rest of my life. Life in the military is unpredictable to say the least and she has always been there by my side with a " bring it on" attitude. The sacrifices are great and so is my family.

Kane's Disciples Gets a New Leader

Yesterday was a day that put Kane's Disciples to the test. That's our team name. We named ourselves after our combat arms Army E-8 that was on our team. He has always pushed us beyond our limits, but in a very subtle way. He was what was called a bench guy which means he was waiting for a team to pick him up for either Iraq or Afghanistan. He got picked up last week so he took some leave to go see his family before he starts this all over with his new class. The Army has a weird way of doing things. Now that you understand our name on to the story.
Our leader was having a rough time despite some heart to heart talks by several people including me. Things went from bad to worse with an incident that had to be investigated. So the Lt Col from our Air Force team called an emergency team meeting and had to make a change. We now have a captain from the other team as our team leader for the remaining two weeks. Anytime you bring a new person into a group that has reached the level of cohesion we have it could mean trouble. Fortunately for me I am surrounded by professionals that want to do the best job they can and the captain has a very good attitude about the switch, so I think we'll be alright. I think the Army plans these things on purpose. I have been pushed to my limits in so many areas since I have been here. And I thought I was getting a break from pharmacy drama. Silly me. I can only imagine how things will be in Afghanistan, but I hope I am prepared. Thirteen days of training left and it's on to the show.

The Countdown Has Begun

Saturday was intended to be a "fun" day. We used a fancy GPS and did a land navigation course that encompassed some of the skills we have learned along the way. We had to use our Dari, our combat lifesaving skills, we encountered an I.E.D and had to call it in and we had to show our knowledge of certain weapon systems. We were in full battle rattle and it turned out to be 10 mile hike when it was all said and done. After our hike we finished up our leader engagements and the rest of the weekend was ours. We are definitely on the down side of training. We have 19 total days and 14 training days left, not that anyone is counting. It feels like we have been here for a lifetime and it will be nice to bid Kansas good-bye.

Our First Patrol Mission

Waiting to roll out on our mission

MK-19 training rounds
Those little specks are targets to shoot at

This is how we shot the MK-19

This is Lt. Minick's bunk. He went out of town for the weekend. We re-decorated for him.

This week started with our final day at the range, but with a twist. It was worked into a mission we had to plan. Our day started with a a trip to the range to shoot the MK-19 and then on to two different villages. One village was friendly and one was not. Very typical of what we could see on our summer vacation. We did our mission brief and loaded up to head to the range, our first destination. I was the truck commander for truck 3. I have a driver (that I hand chose myself) and a gunner. It's alot different than taking a trip to Wal-mart. I keep in contact with all the other trucks, check speed and distance, watch for I.E.D's, call in med evacs, I.E.D's, and dismount if needed. Jill would be so proud of my multitasking skills. We made it to the range without getting hit, so everyone could relax for awhile.

Our time at the range was the shortest of any ranges, but it was still fun. We got to get acquainted with a grenade launcher and shoot practice rounds at targets form 400-800 meters. That went really quick and then it was alot of waiting for our turn to head down the road to our villages. The call came and we mounted up to roll.

We didn't even get 100 meters out of the parking lot and we came up on an I.E.D. After clearing it with E.O.D. we moved on to the friendly village. It didn't seem that friendly to me. It got alot more friendly when our gunners started pointing their weapons at them. There were still people on phones making things very realistic and we knew we were going to drive into something. Two more I.E.Ds later and we were in the next village. We hooked up with some ANA troops and dismounted to check things out. I felt better knowing my gunner was keeping an eye on me. We gathered our intel and headed down the road and that's when it hit the fan. The truck in front of me got hit by an I.E.D and we started taking fire from both sides. The "insurgents" were shooting at us with paint balls. My driver took one right in the windshield. My gunner took out two bad guys and we pulled up and defended the blown up truck and ended up taking out the rest of the bad guys. Our mission Endexed and we rolled back to Camp Funston.

It was an educational trip and a taste of what we will be seeing in the weeks to come. Unfortunately the rest of the week is classroom and will be very boring. Bring on the coffee!