Today I pulled out my journal I wrote daily while in Afghanistan to reflect a little. I always find myself opening it up to one of the toughest days of my life to remind me that life is pretty darn good right now. For the first time, Id like to share with you all my thoughts on that day. I do this so each of us reflect and realize life really is pretty good most of the time. And there are worse days. And many before me have sacrificed SOOOOOOO much more than I ever could. Some of you that were with me that day and will remember it well. July 4, 2004 - our first day in Tarin Kot Afghanistan. This may be a little long but here is a day in the life of a soldier. -- Day 141 away from my family - We wake up at 0300 and pack our stuff, preparing to fly to our final destination in Afghanistan - a place called Tarin Kot. Its in the center of the country - a place still not seen by many Americans despite being in this war for 3 years. At 0400 we head to the flight line - manifest and then try to sleep on the hard concrete tarmac....waiting. 0630 we load up in the birds - 30 year old Marine Chinooks that leak hydraulic fluid everywhere including all over me and my weapon.....SWEET! Packed in like sardines...but wait - unload the choppers the pilot says - our armed escort has not arrived. I silently think - oh great - we need armed escorts where we are going - this should be a hoot! They send us to eat chow. Little did I know it was our last hot meal for awhile. 0930 we finally take off - the flight is interesting - one of the soldiers loses his breakfast - but at least hes in the other bird - Id rather have hydraulic fluid all over me than someone elses lunch. We fly low - dodging rocky mountains that are completely bare but open up to valleys with a few trees, small creeks running through them with vegetation and small paddocks of fields surrounding the water sources. From one extreme to the next. Looks like pretty tough country - houses are made of mud brick and there is mostly nothing as far as the eye can see. Rough desert country. Once we land, I know we are in the worst place in Afghanistan (which has been verified from comments by a 1 and 4 star general in the past 2 weeks). What isnt covered by rocks has a 3-6 inch layer of moondust powder so very fine that the smallest sifter couldnt hold the powder. Every step you take creates another small dust cloud. After watching our birds depart and giving every crevice in our body, clothing and equipment its first (among many) layers of dust, we trudge up to our FOB (forward operating base). Well, how can you describe the worst place youve ever seen? Its almost 120 degrees today, no air conditioning. Tents are nothing more than a canvas sheet pulled over a wooden frame. Dusts creeps in as the dust storms pick up daily. Its like fog - only the fog is dust. No sleeping cots - just lay out your gear on the floor and lie down in the 6 inches of powder. We all look like brown snowmen. These tents hold in the intense heat. So do you go outside and sit in the dust storm (10 degrees cooler) or sit in the tent and bake at 130 degrees. Hmmmm suck or more suck? Our bathroom is a PVC pipe sticking up out of the ground at a 45 degree angle that you pee into - no doors, no walls, just pipes. The smell is horrendous. High society right here. Our water source is the same temp as it is outside. How is it that our water is warm and yet our meals are still cold? Bizarre. No creature comforts here. We will play board games to pass the time. Electronics will be ruined - glad Im a simple man - left those at home. 2 computer lines that periodically work that 40 people share. 2 satellite phones - same story there. I hope I at least get to call later this year when my wife has our second child. Man do I miss home. Cant think about it - focus - lead your squad through this hell and come back to those who love you. And bring your guys back too. What is in store for us outside these wires? I guess we find out tomorrow as some of use will get a battle handoff from the group we are taking over for. Before bed after our tour we find out our showers are a 500 meter walk through the powder - hmmmmmm walk 1/4 mile through dirt, shower and walk back through dirt...........and the dust storms - whats the point? And our laundry facility is a bucket of water where you dip in your clothes, twist and squeeze back into the bucket.....and then hang outside to dry - while the dust storms pile on another layer. Sounds like this nearby area is pretty secure - but missions to Deh Rahwod and Chora could be a different story. Hope Im ready for this - pretty miserable so far.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 17:18:22 +0000
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