Red Sox Nation Afghanistan Chapter

Random chaos under the watch of the mountains

And so the Red Sox have done it again. For the third time in the last ten years they have won the World Series. What's been a common theme to all three? I was deployed. When the Red Sox won it all in 2004 I was on tour in Liberia as a UN Military Observer. In 2007 I was enjoying "The Surge" in Iraq while the Red Sox took home the trophy again. Wouldn't you know it? They win it all again this year and I soak in the excitement from Afghanistan. Red Sox Nation is alive and well here in Bagram. It is amazing how many fans came out of the woodwork to proclaim their pride. It's not an easy thing to do here given the time difference. Bagram is eight and a half hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. That meant that it was around 0430 the next day here when the first pitch went out for each of the games. I was up and watching. Fortunately, AFN has long ago returned to normal service and provided a feed of each game. I am ecstatic the Red Sox won again and that they did it in six games - meaning the clincher came in Boston for the first time since 1918. What a party that must've been! If I could just get the team to come to Bagram I'd arrange a victory parade right down Disney Drive. But here's a word of caution to all my fellow members of Red Sox Nation - if you are starting to believe that me being deployed is a requirement for the team to win the World Series then think again. This is my last deployment. I made a promise. Besides, I'm getting a little tired of my ten-year adventure. But as long as I'm here the Red Sox Nation Afghanistan Chapter will endure.

It is good that we have our sports to sustain us. Football season is in full swing and it is fun to hear the office chatter of fans when I come to work each day. The big game on the slate this weekend (at least for me) is Army at Air Force. Last year Army destroyed Air Force at Michie Stadium. I'm hoping that Army does the same this year. But I am concerned. Which team will Army bring to the field at game time? Will it be the Black Knights who played nearly perfect football in three blowout victories this season? Or will it be the sloppy, over-confident bunch that stunk up the place in getting blown out themselves by 0-6 Temple? If there is one thing that has characterized Army over the past few seasons is that they have a habit of beating themselves on poor execution of the basics. That is something they cannot do when they tee-up to play Air Force. I'll be watching the game. I'm certain AFN will televise it. For now I'll just say GO ARMY! BEAT AIR FORCE!

In the meantime I'll stay focused on work. That's what we do here. We work, eat, sleep, workout, and watch football at god-awful hours of the morning. Then we do it again. The only change is the weather, which is getting colder by the day.

Landmines and Poppies

Mines and Poppies - a sideshow of Afghanistan

Every place has its distinguishing features, landmarks, or signature characteristics. I will frequently encounter something along the way of my day and it will trigger a memory of another place a world away. It could be anything that stimulates the recall section of my brain-housing group. Perhaps a craggy, snow-capped mountain that brings the image of The Remarkables Range near Queenstown, New Zealand to mind - such a lovely place that it is. Or there may be a patchwork of colors that bring me back to my roots in the Blue Ridge of North Carolina and their vibrant leaves of fall. But here in Afghanistan these distinctive features are things I hope I don't normally encounter in future travels. While the mountains that surround Bagram are indeed pretty, they aren't so distinctive that I'll think of this place when I see similar peaks. No, what stands out here are bleak reminders of this country's past, present and future. They are both deadly reminders of the ravages that have beset this land for decades, even centuries. One of them is a by-product of a deadly decade of catastrophic conflict brought on when the Soviet Union invaded in 1979 - landmines. The other is a naturally grown plant that has been the source of trans-national drug trade for centuries - poppies. Both of them are found in abundance in this land of war and crime.

Landmines - death and dismemberment is only a footfall away. Afghanistan is the most heavily landmine infested place in the world. That's a sad claim to fame. They have the Soviet Union to thank. In 1979 the now bankrupt Communist regime invaded Afghanistan in an effort to prop up the failing Commie puppet regime in Kabul. What ensued was a bloodbath over a decade long that saw the rise of the future leadership of Al Qaeda and hastened the end of the Soviet Union. From the perspective of the United States, it was a CIA war fought through "freedom fighters" known as the Mujahideen. At last we were able to suck the godless Commies into their own version of Vietnam. The Red Army gradually found itself in close combat with an increasingly sophisticated, highly-mobile band of guerilla fighters that were more than up to their task. Their task was simple - kill as many Russians as possible and keep doing it over and over. The Soviet response was a scorched earth policy of destruction in which rather than adapt to guerilla tactics they attempted to deny the Mujahideen of their greatest ally - the land itself. Heavy handed airstrikes in which collateral damage wasn't even considered were the normal event of the day. Then came the landmines. The Soviets randomly dropped millions and millions of landmines. They planted them in rivers and streams, along roads, in every farmland, mountain pass, and any other spot they deemed useful to anyone. As the Mujahideen gained the upper hand in the struggle the Soviets fell back on their bases and fortified them as though their own Alamo moment had arrived. Then the end came. But not because the ultimate battle to the death ensued, rather because the Soviet Union itself was collapsing. The Red Army was called back to Mother Russia, leaving the Commie Afghan regime to its own devices. That's when the Russian Bear gave its big, bloody middle finger to Afghanistan. On their way out the Soviets dropped millions more landmines on everything they left behind - including their former bases and the land surrounding them. That's what happened to Bagram. Many an Afghani has lost life or limb in the 25 or so years that have passed since the Russians left. The U.S.-led coalition has been conducting demining efforts for the past ten years and still vast stretches remain. It is simply a sad state of affairs and we know fully well that we'll never fully rid this land of the mess.

Poppies - addiction, money, and centuries of misery. Poppies always make me think of the scene from The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and crew are running to the Emerald City only to have the Wicked Witch of the West put them all (except the Scarecrow of course) to sleep with poppies. Only the snowfall from Glenda The Good could wake them back up. Unfortunately for Afghanistan, there is no Glenda The Good to bring her magic snowfall to remove the addiction of the poppies. These beautiful flowers are the source of opium. Their powerful nectar has been fueling a drug trade that has been ongoing for centuries. With the development of even more powerful derivatives such as heroin the drug trade that originates in the fields of Afghanistan has proliferated. There have been wars fought and nations enslaved over the hypnotic sway of the poppy. The drugs of poppies easily found their way both east and west through the spice routes made popular by people like Marco Polo. Those early trade routes went through Afghanistan. In China, the Opium War broke out against Great Britain, which had introduced the drug into China in order to supress the population and maintain order by keeping the Chinese people in a drug-induced state. For the people of Afghanistan the poppy represents their greatest cash crop. But the crops are controlled mainly by trans-national criminal organizations, the money bankrolling terrorist organizations such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Efforts have been made in the last decade to introduce new farming methods and crops to replace poppies. But the poppy still reigns supreme. With it comes addiction and death. It will always reign supreme here.

And so once I leave this place I hope my flashback is never induced by the two features of this place that stand out the most. I'd just rather not encounter landmines or poppies after my tour is complete.

Routine? Or Rut?

My chariot for battlefield circulation

I've quickly come to the conclusion that my command is understaffed, undermanned, and overworked. It's amazing to me how much the various tenants on Bagram think Garrison is responsible for (or can do) - as compared to what we actually are responsible for (or can do). As for my position as Garrison Commander, I can sum up my days as follows: brief flurries of productivity frequently interrupted by meetings. One aspect of this deployment that I must admit is frustrating is that I am, essentially, confined to the base. It's really just by the nature of the position. I'm responsible for the majority of what goes on "inside the wire" and that's where I remain. But it is such an unusual feeling given that my previous deployments involved me traveling frequently throughout the country. My Area of Responsibility (AOR) for this tour is confined to the 3600 acres of Bagram. My battlefield circulation consists of me climbing in my assigned vehicle and driving around the perimeter to check on the progress of our various infrastructure projects. It's a far cry from the Blackhawk, Chinook, and MRAP rides I'm used to from Iraq. I've become acutely familiar with the inside of perimeter walls and the long stretches of fences and razor wire. At times it feels as though Bagram is a maximum security prison rather than a strategic logistical hub for the war in Afghanistan. I wouldn't be surprised at some point to be driving along one day and encounter Snake Plisken with his cobra tattoo and eye patch diligently attempting to escape from Bagram. I'm in Afghanistan but the closest I've come to the country so far is views of the mountains in the distance and the occasional goat herder moving along a few hundred meters outside the fenceline. No matter, my job is inside the wire. That's where I have to stay focused. But I can't deny my sense of adventure kicks in frequently and it makes me long to venture outside these walls.

Having been in command now for over a month there is a familiar battle rythm kicking in. It's called routine. I've been making changes to many of the meetings the previous commander would hold. The majority of them I deemed unnecessary and eliminated altogether. Those that remained were streamlined to be less time-consuming. Then there are the meetings expected from higher command. I couldn't influence those much so they occur with normalcy on my calendar. All that being said, I have to look at the calendar to remember what day of the month it is. But I always know what day of the week it is based on the meetings. Is that a routine or a rut? It's way too early for the rut to kick in.

At this point the initial new command euphoria has worn off a little as well. In it's place comes the familiar crush of realization that deployments are hard core separations from people and places you love. I'm feeling that crush. My thoughts are frequently to the tune of the strumming of my heart's strings. It is very good that my days are busy because it is making them go by faster. At the same time, the work my personnel are masterfully performing is making a difference on Bagram and have visible, tangible results that affect everyone on the base in a positive way. That makes it much easier for me to stay focused as the commander. Patience with progress is a virtue. And the Red Sox are in the World Series, which seems to always happen when I'm deployed.

Chilly nights, busy days

Sappers on standby

Earlier today I was enjoying a quiet lunch at the Dragon DFAC (yes, they all have names) when I realized the music playing in the background was '80's hits in elevator format. Seriously? Has it really been so long ago now that '80's music is relegated to elevator music status? Not only was I disgusted at this thought, I could also remember how each song is supposed to sound and when they were released. Doing the quick math in my head I pondered on the thought that its been 23 years since that amazing decade came to an end. Most of the songs on the '80's elevator playlist were as old as 30 years. I have reached an age that I would have thought ancient back when I was in high school. How do I know? Most of the "Dragon DFAC Big '80's Elevator Experience" were songs of my high school days. But at least I don't feel ancient at all. All I have to do is look around Bagram and I see contractors who are so old they would have been old when I was a high school kid. No matter the age, everyone in the Dragon DFAC plowed through their lunches to elevator versions of the songs of my teenage years. I'm probably the only one who even took notice of the music. 

The weather has been quite pleasant of late. I would compare it to fall in the North Carolina Piedmont. The nights are getting crisp - perhaps high 40's. The days are a comfortable mid-70's. I believe I can speak for everyone when I say it would be great if the weather would stay like this year-round. But it doesn't. We can all see the snow that's now capping the higher peaks in the distance. Winter is coming. With it comes not only cold temperatures, but rain and snow. There are no "snow days" for the bad weather. We'll work right through whatever comes our way. I just hope the heater in my hooch works fine. I'll find out soon enough.

My days have been averaging anywhere from 12 to 18 hours of intensive work. There is no let up in sight either. I've found that I am cursing the person who invented Microsoft Outlook. My schedule fills up practically before I can even come in. Everyone wants to meet right now and whatever their business is it takes priority over everything else going on at Bagram. I have fallen into the standard deployment routine of work, workout, eat, sleep. Compared to previous deployments though, this one has my routine on super steroids. I can take comfort in knowing I have eleven more months of this to go. The Red Sox are in the World Series. It's been 45 days since I last had a beer.

D for De-scope

Tearing down the "b-huts"

IOTV - Improved Outer Tactical Vest. Why do I mention that? Yes, I know it's another military acronym. But the reason I mention it up front is because we've been wearing ours a lot lately. To put it in simpler terms, the IOTV is the body armor we wear. It weighs around 35 pounds when fitted with the front, back and side armor plates. But that's when the vest is "slick" - as in no extra gear attached. In combat configuration the IOTV also carries at a minimum a full basic load of ammunition in magazines, a 9mm pistol and holster (for close defense), a harness strap cutter (to assist in rapidly exiting a damaged tactical vehicle), and a first aid kit. This increases the IOTV to around 50-60 pounds. It makes for a good workout when you have to wear it around all the time. And we've been wearing ours every day of late. That's because these pesky Taliban types like to celebrate holidays like Hadj and Eid by shooting rockets at us. So we just grin and bear it as we lug ourselves around with all this extra weight. It's all in the name of force protection and everyone understands this. That's why we can take it all in stride. I guess another reason I'm mentioning my IOTV is because I'm wearing mine right now. Ah, the weight bearing down on me brings out my creative best!

The military is very good at using terminology that you've never heard or used before. The catch-phrase of Bagram (and my world for the next eleven months) is "de-scope". A synonym for de-scope would be downsize. That's exactly what will happen to Bagram over the next eleven months. The base will be fundamentally reduced in size to one fourth of its current population. As part of this drastic downsizing of personnel, other aspects of the base will see a similar fate. The vehicle fleet will be only a fraction of its curret size (thank goodness for that). Multiple dining facilities, gyms, recreation facilities, PX's, and other facilities will be closed. A massive relocation of the remaining personnel will see them all moved into hardened barracks that are rocket-resistant. It is almost impossible for many to fathom what's coming for Bagram. The base is so crowded and cluttered at present that some people don't believe such drastic change is coming. But it is coming. And in my position I am running point on making it all come together. It really isn't the chess game it sounds like. I'd akin it to checkers instead. We are building new facilities and tearing down old. The retrograde from Afghanistan will take care of the rest. But why does the military insist on calling it de-scoping as opposed to downsizing? No matter I guess. My team is putting the "D" in de-scope just as fast as we'd put it into downsizing. I enjoy being responsible for this kind of work.

Just this past week we initiated the phased demolition of something that has become an icon of the Bagram experience - wooden "b-huts". These rickety plywood and two-penny nail shacks have served as home for thousands of Bagram residents past and present. They are both a safey hazard and a force protection liability. We are finally tearing them down. The former occupants either move into new reinforced concrete and steel barracks or they go home. For the non-believers, come over to one of the b-hut villages and watch them disappear. Then you'll know what I mean when I say de-scope.

Rain and Rockets

Filling the Hescos



I wish I had invented the Hesco. Just about every Soldier who's served in either Afghanistan or Iraq has thought that same thing. If there is one enduring image people will have from serving here it is of the ubiquitous Hesco. A Hesco is such a simple, yet effective device that has found its way into every nook and cranny of every FOB or base in existence. They are made of a durable fabric with a heavy-gauge wire frame and once unfolded just have to be filled with dirt - voila! In a few short hours a strengthened barrier can be in place to provide protection from various nasty things. I'd venture to say they've saved many lives during the course of our current conflict. Although I regret having not invented the things, I am grateful to the person who did. Hescos are all over Bagram too. Even though most of the construction on this base is permanent buildings and concrete "T-walls", Hescos fill in the void in various places in the name of force protection.

As the year creeps further into October the weather has slowly been changing. The evenings are cooler and, occasionally, provide a glimpse of the cold weather to come. Generally it has remained sunny and dry. But that changed the other night. Around 0400 I was slowly aroused from my deep slumber by a steady, peaceful background noise. As I regained my senses from my snooze I began to process what I was hearing. It was a light rain falling on the tin roof of my room. As I listened it increased in intensity. It's such a comforting sound and in no time I was back asleep. A couple of hours later when I awoke it was still coming down. I poked my head out the door just to see the first rain I had seen in months (it never rained for the two weeks I was in the US after I left Saudi Arabia). Not long after I got ready for work the rain tapered off and the sun poked his head back out. The ground around here was so dry that by 0900 there was practically no evidence it had rained at all. But the passing shower was followed by a much cooler day that the ones previous. It was a welcome change. I am always amazed at God's miracles, His ability to reveal himself to us in even the bleakest of places. Every deployment I spent in Iraq I would see and feel his presence with each spectacular sunset in the land of Babylon. Afghanistan is a rugged war-torn land of centuries-old conflicts. But in a simple stroke of a morning shower, we were reminded of His presence and the abundance of life He brings everywhere - including a war zone.

But we've been visited pretty regularly by another type of object that falls from the sky. This one has only deadly intentions and remind us that this is a war zone and there are enemies that stand against us. Rocket attacks, while random and inaccurate, have been relatively frequent. They keep us on edge, on our guard, and ever vigilant. October is becoming a month of rain and rockets. We stay focused on our mission and always aware that harbingers of life and death are with us every day.

Government Shutdown = Nuisance

My TV viewing option on American Forces Network

It's a good thing our military doesn't work like our government at times. Just imagine, a US military shutdown in the middle of a war? Yes, we do have our share of "analysis to paralysis" types who clog up our staff work and waste everyone's time with meeting after meeting to discuss the same thing. I had to work with some people like that in Saudi Arabia and it was frustrating for sure. But we'd never just shut down. But our government does and it did. I'm not going to venture into ideology of who's right and who's wrong in the midst of the current mess back inside the beltway. Instead, I'll stick to making mention of some of the ripple effects it has on everyone at the tip of the spear of America's ongoing war on terror. The media appears to have thought that getting paid was the only thing that needed to be resolved where the military was concerned. We're thankful that a resolution was passed to ensure our pay kept coming through this mess. But just paying us without resolving the other issues doesn't make everyone happy on this end.

Perhaps the most obvious effect the government shutdown has on all of us here is the morale aspect. American Forces Network (AFN), which is our sole source of TV entertainment, went off the air sans funding. This meant no college or pro football, no baseball playoffs, no network sitcoms, no anything except The Pentagon Channel (propaganda and old training films) and AFN news to fill us in about the lack of progress in the shutdown. We can deal without the other programming. But no football? Another big disruption came in our ability to make calls home. We have "morale lines" that we can call back to the US to connect with family and friends. But many of these are manned by civilian operators who were furloughed. That left a lot of us scrambling to find other venues to call through. In my command I have a number of Department of Defense (DoD) Civilians who work for me. Some of them had planned to take leave this month. But with the shutdown they can't because if they go on leave they will be immediately furloughed. What? That's just wrong. But it's the way it is. We try not to think about any of this. The resiliency of our military deployed is that we turn these challenges into jokes. But, truth is, we'd like this stuff to get resolved.

As expected, with so many people on furlough back in the US it effects our "reach back" capability with our organizational counterparts. In contrast to what I heard some idiot reporter say on CNN, these civilians were not just "support staff such as secretaries, custodians, and staffers." Many of them were high-level executives who are in charge of important agencies that support our warfighters. While they are on furlough it made it difficult to get action to be taken on our behalf when it was needed. I could go on and on but I think I've made my point. The government shutdown is a drain on us here. But we drive on and try not to let it affect us. Our mission comes first. Unlike the federal government, we don't shut down.

An example of what right looks like

Korean Hospital and Vocational Training Center

The Republic of Korea is one of our staunchest allies. This is no exception in Afghanistan. Here at Bagram the Koreans operate a hospital and vocational training center complex that is completely dedicated to helping the local population. The center is funded through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which is their equivalent to our United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The month of October started for me with an invite from the Koreans to tour their facilities. Although they lured me in with a promise of a traditional Korean lunch, the tour turned out to be the most satisfying part of the visit. What they are doing with the local population is exactly what right looks like. Even the most cynical of people would be unable to visit the Korean center here and not be impressed. They are making a positive impact on the lives of local Afghans through their dedicated medical care and skill training. And I have to say that the lunch at the end of the tour was splendid Korean fare.

My tour began with the hospital. This small facility handles around 250-400 outpatient cases a day and has a limited ability to provide longer-term care. On the day I visited they were only treating women. Their husbands huddled in the village nearby patiently awaiting their return. My tour guides, Nurse Yoo and Mr. Lee, were very passionate about their work and clearly expressed sincere belief in their efforts. They showed me the entire operation and it was very impressive. We started by looking at the Entry Control Point (ECP), which was manned by tough Korean Soldiers and professional Nepalese guards. Then we moved through the patient inprocessing area, where multiple Afghan women waited patiently for their appointments. The Koreans kept the process extremely orderly and the hospital was immaculate. As we moved through the corridors I met various doctors and nurses - all of whom were very polite and professional. At one point we stopped to speak to an Afghan father who was visiting his daughter. She was ill with a rare form of cancer and kept in an isolated, germ-free environment. This meant I could not visit her. But her father was teary-eyed and expressed such heartfelt appreciation for the help his daugher was receiving. I walked away with solid belief in my heart that I had just met at least one family that would never consider joining the Taliban.

My next stop was the vocational training center. This was a center devoted to training local people in critical skills that would make them readily employable. There were classes being taught in woodwork and carpentry, plumbing, electrician skills, automative work, computer operation, and various other areas. Every class was full. I was extremely impressed when I was shown the attendance rosters. Almost every class had perfect attendance for the year and those that didn't were close to perfect. The students were enthusiastic and eagerly embracing their new skills. The Korean instructors were dynamic and engaging. There were also Afghan graduates of the institute who had been hired as instructors. The real honor came when I was informed by Mr. Lee that they wanted me to return as the guest speaker at their graduation in a few months. I accepted on the spot. Damn right.

I think the ultimate feeling of satisfaction came the day after the tour. I was visiting our automotive shop that services the Bagram Non-Tactical Vehicle (NTV) fleet. While walking around the maintenance bays I noticed local nationals working on the vehicles. I asked the manager where his Afghan workers had been trained. I should have known the answer - the Korean Vocational Training Center. Yes, that's what right looks like.