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.