With some free time in an afternoon and way too much time spent finding odd web pages, I stumbled on one that let me learn a new skill. It was a tutorial to fold dollar bills into shapes! Some were way above my ability and more importantly patience level, but I did manage to master folding a bill into a collared shirt with little sleeves :) Don't ask, I was just happy I managed to get at least one of them down! Pictures added per request. here.
My roommate from when I first got to Blackhorse is a Marine. He left in November and I talked to him the other day and he is now back in theater but this time in Iraq. I'd feel bad for him more than I do, but he volunteered. I wish him the best.
Six months or so ago, we got a HUGE plotter from the ANA Corps guys....I never wanted it and subsequently refused to help the ANA guys set it up due to lack of space and really lack of usefulness. We moved into an office that has enough space for a volleyball game, so the space issue being gone, I decided to hook it up. We have been playing over the last few days and I ended up having to print a huge picture of the Garrison Commander with the General and Karzai. He is going to hang it up in the chow hall. The Afghans just adore pictures of themselves - especially a 2ft by 3ft picture of themselves. I printed a panoramic of downtown St. Louis I took from the arch and hung it up in my room. It's almost like looking out a window and seeing downtown.
We have a new mission that we have been given. I say we....it's a 201st Corps mission, not a Navy mission, but regardless changes are happening that are affecting us as well. The ANA mission is going really well, the ANP (Afghan National Police) mission isn't going so well so they are moving some manpower in that direction. To that end they needed extra vehicles, so yesterday I was informed I had to give up my truck. Thrilling. Not a huge deal, more annoying than a real problem as I am resourceful :) I parlayed my massive picture for the Garrison Commander into a new vehicle as I requested to borrow a Garrison truck and he said ok. I have a different truck, but at least I am not walking.
The ANA came up with cap devices for the E-7 and above to wear on their beret. I was fortunate enough to present the E-7 I have - Ali Dost aka Ponch - with his insignia. Pictures are here.
87 wonderful days left in the land down under. I think I am getting delusional.
Gary
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Lent
Happy Ash Wednesday....or something like that. If anyone cares, I went with chocolate. It still lets me snack, but not all the good stuff I usually eat. It should be fine though, still not as hard as the years I gave up soda when I was fully addicted.
It's so damn cold here. Holy cow, I can't remember it being colder. I just wish it would decide because all the wide temp swings are making people sick and in turn, they are hacking and coughing on the rest of us who aren't sick.
Our reliefs are definitely in training and we have even heard from them! Still don't know dates, but at least we know they are making forward progress! Good news travels fast as I have been getting emails from my friends all over the country asking if we knew any details. Seems as though we are all in the dark together.
I spent a good chunk of my morning helping Zak translate a couple paragraphs from English into English. He had written it and typed it up, but honestly for the most part I had no idea what he was saying. He has a pretty good grasp on speaking it, but not so much in the writing department. Again, not that I was ever an English major, I have 16 years of grades backing up the fact that I couldn't write my way out of a paper bag. Hell, just read the last 8 months of drivel up here! Regardless, we hammered out what he had to say, and honestly its very difficult writing for someone like that when you have to tone down your vocabulary so much. He knows all the basics, but we have so many words in the English language, words I use daily, he has no clue about. I end up writing a sentence, and then spend 5 minutes translating it and using terms he knows. It's good though, I am helping him and his class that he is teaching, so it's an effort that is well worth the time spent.
87 bottles of beer on the wall....87 bottles of beer...
Gary
It's so damn cold here. Holy cow, I can't remember it being colder. I just wish it would decide because all the wide temp swings are making people sick and in turn, they are hacking and coughing on the rest of us who aren't sick.
Our reliefs are definitely in training and we have even heard from them! Still don't know dates, but at least we know they are making forward progress! Good news travels fast as I have been getting emails from my friends all over the country asking if we knew any details. Seems as though we are all in the dark together.
I spent a good chunk of my morning helping Zak translate a couple paragraphs from English into English. He had written it and typed it up, but honestly for the most part I had no idea what he was saying. He has a pretty good grasp on speaking it, but not so much in the writing department. Again, not that I was ever an English major, I have 16 years of grades backing up the fact that I couldn't write my way out of a paper bag. Hell, just read the last 8 months of drivel up here! Regardless, we hammered out what he had to say, and honestly its very difficult writing for someone like that when you have to tone down your vocabulary so much. He knows all the basics, but we have so many words in the English language, words I use daily, he has no clue about. I end up writing a sentence, and then spend 5 minutes translating it and using terms he knows. It's good though, I am helping him and his class that he is teaching, so it's an effort that is well worth the time spent.
87 bottles of beer on the wall....87 bottles of beer...
Gary
Friday, February 16, 2007
cranky
I have been cranky lately. Part of it is the fact that I am mentally getting tired, and part of it is my boss' boss screwing with us.
You are always going to have ups and downs in a deployment, and sometimes its easier than other times to be happy and productive. At this point in the game, its a grind. I will work my way out of it, but for now, it is what it is.
Adding to the problem is the aforementioned boss. We as a group had a goal when we got here, that involved teaching the ANA vice doing for them. We tell them NO a lot. They have to learn to do things and use the system in place if they ever hope to advance beyond where they are. Be that as it may, we have succeeded in many areas and they have shown the growth we anticipated. Because of that, we try to let them work on their own, make mistakes and learn from them. We are slowly removing ourselves from the mentoring picture and seeing how they react. As a whole, we are happy with how its going. Our boss on the other hand is wanting us to mentor more and do more things with and for them. In our opinion, that will hinder their progress which in retrospect is real and significant. It's just causing friction.
It can't decide if it's winter or spring here. Some days its just gorgeous, others it gets down in the low teens. At some point I imagine spring will win out and I can start mailing home winter clothes!
Oh, for all the Catholics in the crowd, next week starts Lent. We have all sorta discussed what we are giving up and I am in need of assistance. One of my typical choices - soda - I have pretty much given that up already, so that would be too easy. Alcohol...nope, thats forced upon us. I can't workout anymore than I already do, and I think I am down to snack food which is really my only outlet. Hmm. I could give up swearing, but let's be honest...it's supposed to be something you can actually do. Anyway, ideas are welcome.
Gary
You are always going to have ups and downs in a deployment, and sometimes its easier than other times to be happy and productive. At this point in the game, its a grind. I will work my way out of it, but for now, it is what it is.
Adding to the problem is the aforementioned boss. We as a group had a goal when we got here, that involved teaching the ANA vice doing for them. We tell them NO a lot. They have to learn to do things and use the system in place if they ever hope to advance beyond where they are. Be that as it may, we have succeeded in many areas and they have shown the growth we anticipated. Because of that, we try to let them work on their own, make mistakes and learn from them. We are slowly removing ourselves from the mentoring picture and seeing how they react. As a whole, we are happy with how its going. Our boss on the other hand is wanting us to mentor more and do more things with and for them. In our opinion, that will hinder their progress which in retrospect is real and significant. It's just causing friction.
It can't decide if it's winter or spring here. Some days its just gorgeous, others it gets down in the low teens. At some point I imagine spring will win out and I can start mailing home winter clothes!
Oh, for all the Catholics in the crowd, next week starts Lent. We have all sorta discussed what we are giving up and I am in need of assistance. One of my typical choices - soda - I have pretty much given that up already, so that would be too easy. Alcohol...nope, thats forced upon us. I can't workout anymore than I already do, and I think I am down to snack food which is really my only outlet. Hmm. I could give up swearing, but let's be honest...it's supposed to be something you can actually do. Anyway, ideas are welcome.
Gary
Friday, February 09, 2007
Double Digit Midget
Today I have 99 days left in Afghanistan. Maybe I will start singing the world's slowest rendition of 99 bottles of beer on the wall, with plans to finish the day I leave.
I'll keep you posted, you can sing it with me.
Gary
I'll keep you posted, you can sing it with me.
Gary
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Katah Kheyl Village visit
Today I packed up most of the remaining items that you all sent, along with many boxes from the other guys, and we headed out to do a humanitarian assist visit at a new village. They are considerably poorer than Tangi Kalay, so we made sure we brought enough for everyone and then some!
We arrived just after 9am, and they Malik(village leader) wanted us to give out our stuff at their school. The only bad part about that was that it's a good half mile from the village and all the kids had to walk that distance while we drove the trucks around through horrible terrain and 4 inches of mud. Minor issues of trucks getting stuck for a short period of time were overcome and we were ready to unload. The mud was just as bad at the school and we were covered in mud by the time we started. The great thing about the school was its front door allowed us to control the flow of traffic and made for a much more sane procedure.
They started with the youngest kids, and worked their way up to the big kids. That is a great way to get through the line because it allows us to make sure the little kids all get stuff before the big kids come in and attempt to hoard. All in all the give out was uneventful. Very well organized, and everyone got something, most of them got shoes and clothes along with toys! Lots of smiles and happy kids, although you couldn't tell from the pictures we got!! They seem to smile until you put a camera in front of them, then they clam up! Pictures are here.
It was a great day, and again, its always so great to be the final step in the chain started by all the very generous people at home. Many kids are happy tonight because of you, and I thank you for that!
Gary
We arrived just after 9am, and they Malik(village leader) wanted us to give out our stuff at their school. The only bad part about that was that it's a good half mile from the village and all the kids had to walk that distance while we drove the trucks around through horrible terrain and 4 inches of mud. Minor issues of trucks getting stuck for a short period of time were overcome and we were ready to unload. The mud was just as bad at the school and we were covered in mud by the time we started. The great thing about the school was its front door allowed us to control the flow of traffic and made for a much more sane procedure.
They started with the youngest kids, and worked their way up to the big kids. That is a great way to get through the line because it allows us to make sure the little kids all get stuff before the big kids come in and attempt to hoard. All in all the give out was uneventful. Very well organized, and everyone got something, most of them got shoes and clothes along with toys! Lots of smiles and happy kids, although you couldn't tell from the pictures we got!! They seem to smile until you put a camera in front of them, then they clam up! Pictures are here.
It was a great day, and again, its always so great to be the final step in the chain started by all the very generous people at home. Many kids are happy tonight because of you, and I thank you for that!
Gary
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Superbowl and Poker
We had a Superbowl party for the entire camp, which for our time zone started at 330am. It actually was a really good turnout, I think mainly for the food they were serving. Most people didn't have a particular allegiance to either team, although there were some hard cores. It was sorta odd watching it without the commercials, considering thats what everyone talks about anyway. I was torn in who to root for as I really like Peyton Manning, but I also like Lovie Smith and was a Bears fan as a kid. In the end, I picked the Colts as my team to root for, although I sorta felt bad for the Bears at the end. Regardless, it was fun, and much different than my experience with the World Series where I was essentially alone until Game 7, and even then it was only about 5 of us watching.
Prior to the game we held a poker tournament. Now, according to general order #1, which I have spoken about before, we aren't allowed to play for money. What they do to keep it interesting is everyone throws in a one time $20 fee, and then they went out and bought titanium bracelets that say OEF APT (Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan Poker Tour). Just something to play for, so its not just a free for all. Anyway, it was my first time playing during a bracelet week (they hold that event every other week, the between weeks have no prizes). Even though it started at 2am, it was their best turn out to date, with 20 people playing. I ended up playing pretty well and 3 or 4 hours later I ended up winning. It was the most fun I've had at from 2am to 5am that didn't involve alcohol :) I finished 2nd last week in a non bracelet week, so it was fun to rebound with a good performance this week, it also made staying awake for the game much easier!
This is COMPLETELY unrelated to my time here, but I ran across this headline and had to share it. The article is safe for work, it just struck me really funny and I laughed for several minutes. It's here.
Gary
Prior to the game we held a poker tournament. Now, according to general order #1, which I have spoken about before, we aren't allowed to play for money. What they do to keep it interesting is everyone throws in a one time $20 fee, and then they went out and bought titanium bracelets that say OEF APT (Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan Poker Tour). Just something to play for, so its not just a free for all. Anyway, it was my first time playing during a bracelet week (they hold that event every other week, the between weeks have no prizes). Even though it started at 2am, it was their best turn out to date, with 20 people playing. I ended up playing pretty well and 3 or 4 hours later I ended up winning. It was the most fun I've had at from 2am to 5am that didn't involve alcohol :) I finished 2nd last week in a non bracelet week, so it was fun to rebound with a good performance this week, it also made staying awake for the game much easier!
This is COMPLETELY unrelated to my time here, but I ran across this headline and had to share it. The article is safe for work, it just struck me really funny and I laughed for several minutes. It's here.
Gary
Friday, February 02, 2007
Karzai Visit
Yesterday, the President, Prime Minister, King of Afghanistan, whatever he is, Hamid Karzai visited the ANA side of our base. We have been told for weeks that he was going to visit, but never has, so honestly I wasn't anticipating this being the day. I sorta had my suspicions though when as I was driving to work each road was being guarded by large men in pickup trucks with big guns in the back.
It just so happens that the Garrison Building that we work in is adjacent to the helo pad, and by adjacent I mean, 50 yds or less. We basically had a front row seat for his helo landing. It was very surreal though, almost like a thing out of movie. Lots of guys ALL over with automatic weapons, not in uniform though and having that look on their faces where you know they will actually shoot if need be. It was like watching a movie with a drug lord and all of his security surrounding him. I see the ANA with guns everyday, but they just never have that look like they would or even know how to use them.
The guy by the Garrison building didn't really like us standing so close to the helo pad, so he kept trying to move us down towards the end of the building, and they really didn't like people having camera's. What I don't get....I had a GUN. They didn't care about my sidearm, but damn it don't even think about using that camera. I try to look at it in reverse and imagine President Bush landing some where, and there being a foreign military within shooting range and having weapons, without having been searched, or cleared or anything. I mean, they were serious about security, but evidently didn't have all the bases covered. Not to mention the building itself - I would have thought they would have guys in each room with a window just in case, but they didn't. I did later find out that once he was on the ground anyone that went where he went, wasn't allowed a weapon, but what good does that do if he gets shot on the helo pad?
Anyway, we saw him get off the helo and was immediately shuffled into a car and that was it. He had a schedule and I certainly wasn't going to try to follow him around all over the base. One of the guys in my group did follow for a little bit and managed to get pretty close and get some good pictures. They are here. At least it was something to break up the monotony.
Speaking of monotony - today is Groundhog Day! Tonight they are showing the movie, wait for the funny, Groundhog Day. I will probably watch it, it is a great movie and probably in my top 25 all time favorites, but I just don't need to be reminded today of all days that it's the same crap day in and day out here.
Steve is back, we spent all last night hitting him up for stories from Australia. It was nice to be able to catch up with him and now we are back to our little group in the room.
Gary
It just so happens that the Garrison Building that we work in is adjacent to the helo pad, and by adjacent I mean, 50 yds or less. We basically had a front row seat for his helo landing. It was very surreal though, almost like a thing out of movie. Lots of guys ALL over with automatic weapons, not in uniform though and having that look on their faces where you know they will actually shoot if need be. It was like watching a movie with a drug lord and all of his security surrounding him. I see the ANA with guns everyday, but they just never have that look like they would or even know how to use them.
The guy by the Garrison building didn't really like us standing so close to the helo pad, so he kept trying to move us down towards the end of the building, and they really didn't like people having camera's. What I don't get....I had a GUN. They didn't care about my sidearm, but damn it don't even think about using that camera. I try to look at it in reverse and imagine President Bush landing some where, and there being a foreign military within shooting range and having weapons, without having been searched, or cleared or anything. I mean, they were serious about security, but evidently didn't have all the bases covered. Not to mention the building itself - I would have thought they would have guys in each room with a window just in case, but they didn't. I did later find out that once he was on the ground anyone that went where he went, wasn't allowed a weapon, but what good does that do if he gets shot on the helo pad?
Anyway, we saw him get off the helo and was immediately shuffled into a car and that was it. He had a schedule and I certainly wasn't going to try to follow him around all over the base. One of the guys in my group did follow for a little bit and managed to get pretty close and get some good pictures. They are here. At least it was something to break up the monotony.
Speaking of monotony - today is Groundhog Day! Tonight they are showing the movie, wait for the funny, Groundhog Day. I will probably watch it, it is a great movie and probably in my top 25 all time favorites, but I just don't need to be reminded today of all days that it's the same crap day in and day out here.
Steve is back, we spent all last night hitting him up for stories from Australia. It was nice to be able to catch up with him and now we are back to our little group in the room.
Gary
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