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.