Boots on Ground....Again.

So here we are..in the blog, around the world. I won't bore you will details of how I got over here, because it is very similar to last time. Fly, stop, fly, stop, plane broke, hotel, fly..and eventually you get to where you need to be. I haven't written since January, and now it's almost April! The blog is back alive because if you didn't know, I am back in Afghanistan! Since January we did the rituals of preparation for one of the biggest troop surges in Afghanistan since we entered the country in 2001. And let me be the first to tell you, that being part of a troop surge is ugly.

It all started with me having to leave my family and my lovely wife, crying in an empty hangar as we all left on buses to gather our weapons and go to the terminal of Fort Campbell for departure. I learned that there is no use fighting back tears because they are coming one way or another. Especially when my beautiful wife is so sad and crying. It knots me up inside to have to leave her like that, and she is a hell of a woman for putting up with all of this. She has my undying gratitude for her support and love that she is giving me and I will never be able to fully repay her, or my family for everything they've done for me.

Fast forward through all the hoopla and I find myself at Kandahar Air Base. I always hate the big air bases like Bagram and this place because there are people everywhere. Foreign nationals, international soldiers, civilian contractors and the like. Because of the surge, everywhere is overcrowded and dirty. Transient living areas are packed to the max; members of a unit spread all over the base so that they can have some sort of roof over their head...whether it be a simple tent or a hardened building. Another thing I don't like about these places is that there are so many amenities that people forget where they are and why they're there. Kandahar Air Base has this place that they call the BOARDWALK....It's exactly what it sounds like....A boardwalk that goes in a square and has an open area in the middle. Along the boardwalk are shops and eateries to the likes of Burger Kings and Tim Horton's and guess what? They even have a TGI FRIDAYS! A freakin' TGI FRIDAYS in the middle of Afghanistan. I guess most people would be excited about that but all of this kind of pisses me off. In the middle open area are volleyball courts, basketball courts, and even a hockey rink. Of course there is no ice because it is hot, but the carnival-like atmosphere of this place is very off putting in my opinion. On some nights I went to the boardwalk and it seemed as if I were back in Oxford, Ohio during my college days. There are people walking around, sipping lattes and teas and having an exquisite time. There was even some Canadian rock band slinging horrible renditions of AC/DC songs, a true party. And perhaps a few miles away, our soldiers are engaged in a firefight and getting shot to shit. I find it truly awkward that two such extremes can be found within the vicinity of each other. There are so many war profiteers here that I am disgusted. Probably enough to send the real soldiers home and let the civilians figure out this conflict with their huge salaries. I could not wait to get the hell out of Kandahar.

When we did get out of there I was relieved. It's a 45 minute ride to FOB Tarin Kowt from the air base. Some of us were lucky enough to ride on an Australian Chinook to our final destination. The aircraft was fully loaded with bags and people; there was hardly any room to put my legs when I sat down because of the wall of "stuff." The Aussies have two Gatling Guns on either side and an M240B on the back ramp. About halfway into the flight the helicopter popped flares and all guns starting blaring. It was quite the spectacle. I'm pretty sure it was just a test fire, but nonetheless my heart was beating. One of the new platoon sergeants who had never been deployed before vomited on the ride over; I'm glad I'm not new to this.

As we came over a mountain I saw out the bubble window what appeared to be our destination: a large, dirt runway, big enough to land a C-17, surrounded by little towns that make up the FOB. I didn't think it was much to look at. When we landed we were briefed on the layout of the FOB and where we would stay. Everything we have now is new, because the unit we are replacing are the first Americans to stay at this outpost. This was mostly a Dutch base, and they are still here, but in small numbers. Now it is the Americans, Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police, and some special forces elements, along with some Navy and Air Force guys who operate UAVs. We are here to continue the fight.

I have to comment on how easy it was to slip back into deployment and soldier mode, and I am not the only one to say this. It felt like we were on vacation in America, and then we just came back here. I don't want to call this place home..it is a desolate wasteland. But there was some sense of comfort to be back. All of this is weird because I do not want to be here at ALL. I want to go home. I can't explain these feelings, but it made the transition easier.

For now, we are learning the daily operations of the FOB. There is really no outer fence, only some Hesco barriers. We are literally always outside the wire, just living in some random American compound within walking distance to the town of Tarin Kowt. We're currently building work areas for each of our shops and flight companies. We've made large floor frames and layed plywood flooring so that the tents will be up off the ground and we'll have solid, dry flooring to work with. After the tents go up on these platforms we'll build counters and work benches and desks. Our whole operation will come from the fruits of our labor, and it is quite satisfying. Hopefully we can create something that our replacing unit can appreciate; it's our chance to turn nothing into something.

That's all for now. I'll make updates with our construction, combat, and other aspects of the FOB. I miss my wife and my family. I hope that part of it gets easier, but I truly doubt it. Take care.

Respectfully,

-J