Happy New Year!

2013 ended with a bang. - literally. We can thank the Taliban for giving us New Year's fireworks free of charge. They got to work earlier than normal on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, their rockets disrupted a much-anticipated USO performance by comedian Tommy Davidson. But, appropriately, it did make for a comical story. Tommy's show was held in the Clamshell across the street from my HQ. my CSM and I were in attendance. Although the event started earlier in the day for security reasons it still packed a big audience. Halfway into Tommy's routine the IDF alarm sounded. Everyone hit the floor as we've been trained to do - everyone except Tommy. Apparently, he thought we were playing a joke on him. It only took a few seconds for him to realize the alarm was real. He froze for a moment holding the microphone and then simply said, "shit." With that he sprinted off the stage and hit the deck himself. After a few seconds my CSM and I got up and moved out to our HQ to monitor the emergency response. But we both stopped to thank Tommy as we departed. He remained prone and laughingly said he'd finish his routine lying down. It was a funny sequence and, fortunately, nobody was hurt.

About three hours later I stepped from my HQ back to my room just to take a break. I stretched out and dozed off. It was around 1830. A short 30 minutes later I was awakened by the dreaded IDF alarm. I didn't move other than muttering "fuck" under my breath. But just a second or two later I got a vivid reminder of why reacting to the IDF alarm is important. Just after emitting my f-bomb came a loud screech and explosion - "FIP-BOOM!" The concussion knocked me out of my bed and onto the floor. Gathering my wits I put my glasses back on and instinctively ran out on the catwalk. My initial impression was that the rocket had impacted on one of the bunkers adjacent to my room. I saw my CSM and together we scanned around. Realizing my vision was blurred I looked at my glasses. They were broken. Returning to my room I found the lens and managed to pop it back in place. Then the two of us donned our IOTV and moved to the point of impact. The rocket had landed on a concrete pad a short 75 meters away from my room. God's grace had been upon us all once again. Earlier in the day a tent had resided where the rocket landed but it had been taken down. The area was normally busy with foot traffic but only two people were in the area when the rocket hit. Both of them, unlike me, had reacted correctly when the alarm sounded and hit the deck. Their actions saved their lives. Both of them were within twenty meters of the blast and were pelted by debris. Although they were obviously rattled, they were not physically harmed. CSM and I, along with a few others who had rushed to the scene, helped them to their feet and ensured they went to the hospital to be evaluated for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The only damage was a hole in the concrete pad, destroyed tent supports, and wrecked electrical transformers adjacent to the impact. The smell of cordite lingered for some time. It was a close call for sure but everyone was safe.

Amazingly enough, the rest of the night went without incident. Midnight came to herald in 2014. The last year I'll ever spend deployed had now arrived. Back in my room I watched the New Year ring in places like Dubai and other cities. They had their fireworks too. But they had nothing on the excitement of ringing in the New Year in Bagram.