Patrol to Sayyed Karam

We rolled out of FOB Gardez at approximately 0730 for the run up to Sayyed Karam, a police station (see photo) adjacent to a small city of the same name about an hour away on a low-traffic day, north-northeast of FOB Gardez where we had overnighted.

We rode with 1st Platoon, 92nd Military Police (MP) Company, under command of 1LT Michael Barnhart. The particular model of MRAP we were riding has a large window in the rear door, and windows on the sides, making visibility considerably more user-friendly than the models with less glass. Somehow being able to see what’s happening gives a sense of comfort, regardless of how false.

The 92nd Company is normally organic to the 709th MP Battalion, based out of Baumholder, Germany. Since the 709th and the 95th recently changed flags, for the remainder of their deployment the 92nd now falls under control of LTC Miller and CSM Stearns. MP units, because of constant attachment to different units due to changing missions, are comfortable with such line-and-block changes and the transition seems to be fairly seamless.

We rolled with a convoy of vehicles, headed north and a bit east, most of it on unimproved dirt roads. Once out of Gardez we gradually gained altitude, and ended up at about 9,500 feet when we hit our destination. Probably “dry, dusty alpine desert” would be the best layman’s terms for the terrain. Large sprawling flat valleys surrounded by steep, sharp mountains mark each populated area. Mountain passes link the valleys, channelizing traffic along predetermined routes. Such terrain favors a defender and it is easy to see how centuries of invaders have been ambushed.

The lead vehicle, in which Avery rode, had a long arm extended from the front bumper with rollers on it (see photo). Any pressure-plate IEDs theoretically will be detonated by the weight thereby sparing the vehicle itself. Of course, if the IED is command-detonated, then all bets are off. Still, it is a good defensive measure.

In addition there are sophisticated electronic systems – called “Dukes” – on each vehicle that provide an interlocking jamming and interference signal that – so the theory goes – can help defeat cell-phone and other signal-detonated IEDs. Every provision is being taken to protect Soldiers and vehicles, but this enemy is much smarter technically than many realize and constantly adjusts his training, tactics, and procedures (TTPs in military parlance) to US and NATO counter-measures.

Today Barnhart left the wire with about 22 Soldiers from his platoon and an attached mortar crew that I’m pretty sure is from the 1/172nd Infantry Battalion, an Army National Guard unit from Vermont that has been in-country for less than a month. When we arrive at Sayyed Karam we spend some time chatting up the mortarmen (see photo at right). Only two – the platoon leader, SFC Adams, and the team leader, SSG Barrett, have previous deployment experience. Adams, a short, thick-bodied black NCO, operates at only one speed: all ahead full. He has a sharp, penetrating voice and booming laugh can be heard dominating conversation all across the camp.

There is a sense among the new Soldiers of what we’ve come to see over the years in any group that is standing at the edge of a dangerous situation and is uncertain as to how they will perform when the time comes. They are hyperactive, a bit too loud, and take pains to display a cool demeanor. You’ll see it in newly deployed units before they hit their first firefight, in paratrooper candidates before the first jump, that sort of thing. After they get through the first one they’ll settle down, but for now the air about them reeks of uncertainty.

By contrast the 92nd Soldiers have been here for at almost 9 months and have been tested, albeit not to the extent some of them wish. It’s not that they are a bunch of blood-thirsty marauders, but when you train up for a combat mission your mental attitude shifts: I’m here, this is a war, bring it on. While some Soldiers are fully content to spend their year sitting on the FOB, these Soldiers are more imbued with Warrior spirit and if given a choice would seek out and close with the enemy at every opportunity.

While perfectly willing to mix it up with the Taliban, the MPs realize that they are here to mentor, train, and support Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP), and to carry out the COIN mission that means winning over confidence among the civilian populace

At Sayyed Karem Soldiers drag a bag filled with school supplies, stuffed bears in multi-colors, candy and food, and distribute it to three young boys who are the sons of one of the Afghan policemen. The kids have natural shyness but run quickly when the goodies come out.

Once again we see on a micro level what has come to characterize American Soldiers for decades. It is as the late historian Stephen Ambrose said: “Of all the armies in the world, when local kids see foreign soldiers they run away and hide. When American soldiers arrive, they run to them for help and security.” In a country in which the Soviet army sowed upwards to 30 million mines, many gaily painted to attract children’s attention, just that change in perception of what a uniformed foreigner is has been a major mental transformation.

Although 1st Platoon has not been to Sayyed Karam in several weeks – they were visiting regularly but other mission requirements took them to other places – their routine is familiar to the AUPs. While LT Barnhart visits successively the mayor, chief of police, and other officials, some of the NCOs drop in on the communications center, others ask their counterparts to assemble AUPs to inventory weapons and check general condition, and still others visit with those responsible for personnel accountability, serious incidents, and enemy activity.

From outward appearances everyone is happy to see the Soldiers, and query why they have been gone so long. The chief is away because a woman was murdered in the town this morning and he has taken a team to investigate. Later we learn that the gathering we saw on the road coming in that morning was her funeral. Under Islamic custom bodies must be buried within 24 hours of death, so that was done. We never learn the circumstances so whatever forensic evidence was associated with her death went into the ground with her.

The mayor (left) is an interesting individual. Somewhat above medium height with dyed henna red hair and the fingernails of his right hand painted a subdued pink, he has the dark eyes, hawk nose, and full beard of many Afghani men. His name is Manur Jan, about early 40s, and has been in the position for several years. In a way that the Americans don’t really understand, he collects taxes of a sort from vendors in the large local bazaar held in the city outside the gates of the camp and reportedly uses them for infrastructure improvements.

“I’m certain that some corruption happens,” Barnhart notes, but it falls into the category that most Americans resign themselves to dealing with. We’ve heard the terms “acceptable” and “unacceptable” corruption for months now, and it is admittedly two extremes with a broad gray area between. Acceptable seems to fit this case, as the mayor no doubt siphons off some for personal use, but still does the local improvements. Unacceptable, to use a well-known case, is when Karzai’s brother in law runs the national opium traffic. All the thousands of cases in between have to be evaluated by Soldiers and civilian analysts.

Also decidedly unacceptable is taxing the population to support warlordism or Taliban.We were assured by the locals that Taliban activity was minimal in the area. However, warmer weather is here and the fighting season approaches. We shall see.

War zone tourism: Afghans on the FOB; shopping at the mall

Hey out there, Avery here, with some more interesting photos from our ongoing Afghanistan tour:

Afghans work all over FOB Lightning (i.e., the Forward Operating Base where we're staying), although their way of doing things is somewhat different than what we're used to. The other day we looked up and saw this construction worker dangling from a crane:

Turns out he was swinging over to help place a concrete barrier in front of some of the B-Huts, with help from some soldiers and a fellow countrymen who wore only sandals (OSHA would have a fit but hey, this isn't America):

There are a lot of Afghans here (which isn't too surprising since we're in Afghanistan of course). They work all over the FOB on construction and maintenance, among other things. Since this FOB doesn't have government-run shopping facilities, the Afghans fill in the gaps by selling all kinds of things to soldiers -- usually from stores they make themselves out of shipping containers (generally called "Con-ex" containers here, although I'm not sure of the correct spelling):

While we have some basic shops on Lightning, the really big "mall" favored by Soldiers is located just a short MRAP ride away on FOB Gardez. It's a little strange at first, yet who can resist the Afghan versions of Walmart, Best Buy, and K-Mart -- you can even stop to get a cup of coffee at Star Bucks! Check 'em out:

 

Radio Shack is also having their grand opening in the next few days... the new owners are pretty excited about it, too:

After our shopping trip we had to wait a while for our ride back to Lightning. Sgt. Nicholas Olsiewski (we call him "'Ski") and SFC Jared Matthews were among the soldiers waiting with us... Ski's quite the character, and didn't drop Matthews once during an unscheduled weight lifting session: 

Yikes, computer time here is limited to 30 minutes and people are waiting in line, so... until next time! Gordon will also be posting another update in the morning regarding yesterday's trip "outside the wire" to Sayyed Karem, where we were honored to have tea with the Mayor as well as some Afghan National Army soldiers. Stay tuned!

Our Welcome to FOB Lightning

Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lightning actually sits inside FOB Thunder. (No, we don’t know why. If we get the history, we’ll pass it on to you). Compared to Salerno the combined area is tiny.

Minutes after we landed and emerged with full battle rattle from the Blackhawk carrying our rucks, we were met by Staff Sergeant Villalobos who we met in Mannheim, Germany before Christmas. It was great to see a familiar face!

He drove a four-wheeler gator, so we had to keep our ACH (Army Combat Helmet) on during the ride but were permitted to doff IOTV (Improved Operational Tactical Vest), what the Army has replace the IBA with, and ride in comfort.

FOB Lightning in some ways reminded me of FOBs I had been on in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Surrounded by desert not jungle, but with simpler construction and cozier living that one finds on the larger bases. When we entered the 95th MP Battalion TOC (tactical operations center) and saw Command Sergeant Major Henry Stearns we felt like we had come home after a long journey.

We are billeted with the battalion in B-huts that house from 4 to 6 personnel. Plywood dividers offer privacy and security of equipment. It was a great feeling after 10 days in travel, to be able to unpack and stow gear in what will be our home for the next several weeks.

Food here is good and plentiful. The DFAC (stands for “Dining Facility”) serves four meals daily – including a midnight meal for swing shift Soldiers or those returning from outside-the-wire missions. It is also open 24/7 for cold food – sandwiches, snacks and drinks.

The shower facilities are the nicest we’ve seen in country so far and as a very helpful touch include washing machines and dryers. I wasted little time in turning my smelly clothing into something resembling a civilized state.

Like FOB Salerno, Lightning is dark at night, enforcing light security as a preventive for possible Taliban snipers. The first night we have almost a quarter waxing moon, giving it a very exotic appearance.

South of the FOB, perhaps half a mile and three quarters of a mile to the south on two formidable hilltops but clearly visible, are two castles that – according to rumor – may date back more than two thousand years. They sit astride the famous Khowst- Gardez Pass road, a part of the ancient Silk Route that originated in Beijing and terminated on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea. We would love to visit the ruins and hope a chance opens up.

It is becoming clear from mission statements and a briefing we listened to at Salerno, that emphasis has firmly shifted from direct combat (although in places plenty of that still happens) to a population security-centric approach that is General Stanley McCrystal’s strategy for victory.

Soldiers salute and carry out the assigned mission to the best of their abilities. They are loath to criticize or second-guess commanders, so we have encountered the traditional military attitude of focus on getting the task accomplished.

One thing that we hear fairly consistently is that few believe that the magnitude of the mission will be completed within the short time span that President Obama has indicated. A 2011 pullout seems wildly optimistic to Soldiers working daily with Afghanis either in the security forces or the general civilian population.

Most Soldiers think that there is just too much work to be done and that it will be impossible to get to the desired state in such a relatively brief time schedule. When you consider the extraordinarily high illiteracy rate, primitive state of what is essentially an agrarian society, rampant corruption, and deep loyalties to tribe and family, not central government or nation, it does indeed seem to be an overly ambitious schedule.

Blackhawk Ride Over the Hindu Kush

Yesterday morning we loaded on a Blackhawk helicopter (UH-61) at FOB Salerno for a flight to FOB Lightning, where we expect to be based for most of our embed. SGT Victor Gardner from public affairs picked us up at our tent and drove us to the DFAC for a hearty breakfast.

MAJ Pratt, the PAO of 3/101 Rakkasans, graciously met us at flight operations and offered to arrange for us to accompany Soldiers on operations in the future. We hope to take advantage of that offer.

In Afghanistan, as in Iraq, Blackhawks fly in pairs (photo at left shows the second helicopter as we saw it out the window). This is theater SOP. In case of an emergency landing or shoot-down, the second bird may be able to pick up survivors. As we took off we watched a CH-47 Chinook chopper lift a very large sling load under the helicopter and rotor off into the distance. This is just one of the ways that remote outposts are supplied and takes the pressure off road-bound convoys.

To get to our destination – FOB Lightning, from Salerno, the most direct path is over the beginning of the Hindu Kush chain of mountains. These start in many places – like arms of a starfish – and converge at Everest, the roof of the world, in Nepal. We saw some of the arms of these mountains when we were in Manas, and also in Bagram. Today though, we got to fly over them and through a spectacular pass.

Looking down on the road snaking and twisting through the narrow defiles it was easy to think of ambush sites. With a bit of imagination one can see Soviet armor columns winding through them. Drift back a bit further and this part of the ancient Silk Route felt the hooves of horses, camels, and other beasts of burden as precious spices, silks, and other treasures made the incredibly long and dangerous trek from East to West.

It is every bit as dangerous today.

From the start of the flight we looked down upon Afghan villages and compounds – mud-walled, secretive, and even when clustered, isolated from each other. Initially the fields were surprisingly green and we observed orchards, pastures for grazing, and newly emerging crops. The bucolic picture turned grim as green faded rapidly to dun brown and the ridgelines grew steeper, valleys deeper, darker, and more hidden.

At one point, rather farther up into the mountains, we looked down on a tiny cluster of huts with their surrounding wall that appeared to have no road in or out, just a dry wadi bed that accommodated snowmelt, that, judging from meager traces of snow remaining, had already occurred.

Then the Blackhawk clawed its way into the high stuff. It felt from the thin, cold air that we were easily above 12,000 feet, maybe higher. Snow-capped peaks rose on both sides of the bird and the ground below was amazing close. In some places our actual above-ground altitude was less than 1,000 feet.

Given the normal heavy vibration associated with rotary wing aircraft, the Blackhawk is a good, stable, powerful ride. In contrast to the UH1H, Huey, the previous generation of lift helicopter, the performance of the Blackhawk is outstanding. Within thirty minutes we cleared the mountain range and began to descend to FOB Lightening and FOB Thunder.

Not that we had all that far to descend, since the FOBs sit at an average 8,000 feet. Compared to the warmer days at Salerno, it felt like early spring or fall here: crisp, dry air; energetic rather than enervating.

Almost "Club Med" at FOB Salerno

Gordon and I are leaving for FOB Lightning tomorrow, yet I've received a number of emails asking what it's like here so I'd like to take a minute to describe the accommodations at FOB Salerno.

War zone or not, it's been very comfortable in the area where visiting members of the media are kept, with porta-potties that are cleaned every day, air conditioned tents with semi-private rooms, a fenced yard with a locking gate, and wonderful views of the local mountains. Take a look:

Each tent has plywood doors, with very large concrete barriers just outside to help  prevent any vehicles, sniper fire, or Taliban rockets from crashing into the living spaces inside:

The interior hallway and bedrooms are also made from plywood, quite simple and in some ways even elegantly appointed. My quarters have a large carpet and a folding chair that serves as a side table (since one leg is too short and can't be sat upon):

Just outside the gated yard is a private bunker, used only by media, members of the Public Affairs Office and their Afghan counterparts mostly during the day, and any passing soldiers, sailors, contractors, or others who might be passing by during an emergency. However, since the area is away from most other facilities on the FOB (which stands for "Forward Operating Base") it feels rather exclusive:

And just around the corner from the bunker are the aforementioned porta-potties, complete with a quaint, chocolate brown plastic, foot-pump operated sink.

While difficult to see in this photo, both liquid soap and paper towels are conveniently located within easy reach. Water pressure is not a problem (as long as one stomps hard as quickly as humanly possible on the foot peddles... otherwise, a trickle does nicely for hand washing).

Although we didn't have the opportunity to venture outside the FOB main gates (commonly referred to as "going outside the wire"), it is our understanding that courtesy transportation is also available upon arrangement.

Unlike Iraq, Humvees are no longer used while outside the wire in Afghanistan. MRAPs (that is, "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected" armored vehicles) are the preferred way to travel.

Finally, and very seriously, the staff and personnel throughout FOB Salerno have simply been outstanding throughout our stay. They have bent over backwards to show us around, answer countless questions, and even driven us to the DFAC (the "Dining Facility") in the evenings to save us the walk in the dark (note that Salerno has black-out rules after sundown, and it's difficult to navigate using small red, green, or blue lights unless you have some idea of where you're going and what the layout is.

We're almost certain to transit Salerno again on exit, as this is the best place in the neighborhood to catch flights for Bagram, and it is likely that the Brigade staff will like an exit briefing from us before we fly away.

Impressions of Bagram

The base itself huge and growing. Clearly the surge is starting to show here. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) presence is multi-national and apparent.

Bagram sits on a large plain, about 5,400 feet above sea level. It is surrounded by spectacular moutains on all sides, mountains which, like those we say in the distance outside Manas, will grow and become the Himalayas. The near, lower ones, have traces of snow and those in the distance are fully covered. In the morning and evening the views are spectacular.

Closer to home, the operative word is dust. Kicked up by vehicles, walking feet, and carried in by the blowing westerly wind. We brought a small make-up brush to clean cameras and computers and it will be handy. I'm happy that I no longer wears contact lenses -- that would be blinding from the ubiquitous dust. (Pictured: PFC Dailey, Avery and I goofing off over the dusty gravel near the B-huts)

Most construction in Bagram seems to be wooden huts or converted conex containers. Most of the shower and latrine facilites are in the latter. We saw a lot of new, more permanent construction ongoing but it can't keep up with the inflow of military and civilian. To give an idea, we're told that more than 15,000 Afghan nationals work on the base.

That number was staggering and not a bit concerning. If even a small percentage are working for the other side (do the math) that means a lot of potential spies and bad guys all over. They are screened, of course, but when you consider that the Fort Hood shooter, Hasan, was an active duty Army major and was overlooked, imagine how easy it would be to squeak under a background check here.

Our B Huts are close to the perimeter wire, so we hear the call for prayer at local village outside of the wire five times daily. Competing with the normal hubbub of the base are the roar of jet engines as transports, fighters - F-16s and F-18s - launch and land. After awhile, we are told, the sounds get to be normal. (Pictured: row of B-huts surrounding a conveniently located bunker)

Food is good and plentiful, supplied by civilian contractors from Flor Corporation. There are lots of choices and I'm pleasantly surprised by the salad bar, which is higher quality than I'd seen in Iraq.

Lots of processing and training. We are scheduled for a morning class on IEDs and an afternoon session on how ot survive a roll-over of a military vehicle. Sleep patterns are still disrupted by multiple time zone changes, oddball schedules, and altitude - Bagram sits at about 5,400 feet above sea level.

More from Afghanistan as the trip develops.

Bagram Arrival - and Tragedy

Bagram is in a time zone an hour and a half earlier than Manas, so we adjusted watches accordingly. We were outside waiting for bags to be unloaded when some Air Force personnel inside the terminal began to shout that the base was under rocket fire. Three rockets landed inside the perimeter, unfortunately killing a US civilian contractor (also see Taliban Strikes At Main US Military Base In Afghanistan).

These are typical of the attacks on Bagram. Too large by far for any kind of ground attack - Stars and Stripes reports more than 24,000 military and civilians are stationed here - the Taliban like to shoot fire-and-forget rockets in as harassment. Typically at night to cover their actions and wake tired people up, the only counter are Kiowa helicopters who fly out with night sensory devices to try and spot the bad guys.

Much to our relief we were met by Sergeants Liery and Douglas of the 95th Battalion's liaison team. It was great to see familiar faces after a long haul through replacement depots. We were headed to wooden buildings called B Huts clustered around the 95th Battalion's offices.

The Soldiers from the Military Intelligence (MI) unit were on their way to Warrior Base, described by a briefing sergeant at the airport as "District 9" after the film. "We'll be bringing cat food and tires over to you shortly," he joked.

After loading our bulky gear onto their vehicles - PFC Dailey temporarily lost his rucksack and duffel bag which were mistakenly loaded on another unit's truck; the Air Force lost 1LT Lanika Van Borkulo's ruck before it got to Manas and it hadn't shown up yet - we motored over to Task Force Sheriff's base in time for a big breakfast at the Dining Facility (DFAC). (Pictured at left: PFC Dailey and 1LT Lanika Van Borkulo trying on hats)

Then we crashed for four hours.

That afternoon we did admin stuff, including getting 1LT Van Borkulo a new issue of equipment to replace some of what was lost. Unfortunately a lot of personal comfort items she had packed for a year-long tour were probably gone forever.

Heading for Bagram, Afghanistan

Finally arrived at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan sometime just before dawn. We were up all night. And boarded the C-17 gratefully. Every seat was filled with Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, and Sailors headed downrange. When configured for passengers the C-17 has multiple rows of 8-across airline type seats but without the leg room. It also has rows of bench seats along each side and we quickly grabbed a place there. At least we could stretch legs.

The ride for passengers is extremely cramped. Consider that in addition to bodies with desert boots, each passenger also wore body armor, helmet, weapons, and a carry-on bag that went in laps. Surprisingly, there were few complaints, each person recognizing that this was the available mode of transportation on the way to war, and would have to do.

After we were all seated and belted Air Force loadmasters supervised forklift drivers as they brought the pallets to the rear of the aircraft ramp and slid them onto the rollers. Along with ground crew, the loadmasters pushed them into position then secured them to the metal floor with hooks and winch clamps. (Photo: 1LT Lanika Van Borkulo waiting for cargo to be loaded)

Did we mention that it had been raining pretty hard since late afternoon? Ah, well. To our dismay none of the folks over at the loading dock had deemed it useful to take the time to throw plastic covers over the six pallets. As the forklifts raised them into the aircraft water gushed off. I spotted one of my rucksacks - the blue one stood out against the camouflage patterns of the mass - perched atop one pallet.

My suspicions that the contents were soaking wet was later confirmed at Bagram.

Takeoff was dramatic. The C-17 likes to crank to max power at the start of the runway then pull the brakes. There were few tears shed upon leaving Manas. Most of us had our heads downrange. We just needed our bodies to catch up.

On route one of the Soldiers, Sergeant Khan Eakin, from a North Carolina-based Army National Guard Military Intelligence unit headed to Bagram pulled out a magazine. Quick: guess the title.

Did you say Car and Driver, Soldier of Fortune, Muscle, or Guns and Ammo? If so, you missed it.


He was reading Food and Wine. Wow.

Sergeant Eakin told us that he owns two restaurants in Greensboro, North Carolina named Sweet Basil's and Basil's and Lo. He is the head chef ("My sous chef is three rows back," he confided.).

Avery was able to doze on the flight, but I got somewhat claustrophobic midway, which after years of flying in windowless military aircraft surprised me. Later I chalked it up to sleep deprivation and space-time dislocation.

After about ninety minutes we knew we were approaching Bagram when the pilot began evasive action. We began a teenager's dream roller coaster ride with turns, drops of altitude, now negative now positive G forces, and prepared for a combat landing. To our amazement, the highly skilled Air Force pilots greased the landing beautifully. We didn't know we were on the ground till the engines were reversed.

Finally Got a Flight Out of Manas

Another day at Manas, Kygrystan, but good news is that we got booked on a flight with the members of the 95th MP Battalion, 18th MP Brigade, with whom we have traveled since Ramstein. In fact they have taken us as a mission and made certain that the Air Force managers knew that we were to fly as a group.

Our departure time is now in the wee hours of Monday morning for about a two-hour flight time to Bagram. Aircraft will be a C-17 Globemaster, a large 4-engine jet with a generous cargo capacity. Due to the surge cargo now has high priority and we suspect that we will be among the relatively few pax on the bird along with many pallets of cargo.

The requirements are to show up for "bag drag" 7 hours prior to block time. We'll retrieve our bags that were stored on the night we arrived, and pack all group equipment onto a pallet that will be netted and placed on the aircraft. Ought to be significantly less of a goat-rope than arrival, but given a certain military proclivity for complicating the already complicated, one never knows.

At Manas we're losing our great friend MP Lieutenant Colonel Lance Stratton who is going to an assignment elsewhere in Afghanistan. We intend to keep in touch and if possible visit him later at his base.

Got good news from the 95th Battalion executive officer yesterday by email in which she told us that the liaison elements of the 95th posted at Bagram are ready for our arrival. Looks like we'll have at least a day of in-country briefings scheduled concerning things like IEDs, customs and the like.

We're then scheduled to fly to FOB Salerno, home of the "landowner" of the area we'll be covering, the commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). This is unexpected but welcomed. Apparently we'll be there a day or two then fly to FOB Lightening, home of the 95th Battalion.

It will be good to get to a "permanent" home for awhile. Living out of carry-on and communal life in tents with other transients is wearing.

Otherwise Manas has been interesting. Yesterday broke clear and cold and the mountains in the southeast stood forbiddingly tall and snow-covered in the distance. From here the range continues to grow until it becomes the Himalayas.

Most of the NATO soldiers pass through Manas. At the moment a Croatian infantry unit, previously stationed at Masir-al-Sherrif is here, getting ready to head back home. We see lots of Brits, Germans, and other nationalities wandering about.

Expect that our next post will be from Bagram.

Arrival in Manas Air Base

We hopped on a DoD Omni Air charter flight from Ramstein Air Base Germany headed for Manas Air Base, Kyghystan. Manas serves as a transit facility for units and individuals entering and leaving the war.

The Omni Air flight originated in Baltimore Washington Airport and was scheduled for an intermediate stop at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. There were several families and wives traveling with small children for whom Incirlik was a final destination. Many of the children flew quietly, but one little boy - probably two-ish - shrieked and screamed the entire flight, kicking the seat of one of the 95th lieutenants so hard that she had to move.

The aircraft, a DC-10 (who knew they were still flying?) was sorely in need of attention. Many of the seats were malfunctioning, and the interior was worn and dirty. We hoped that the airframe and engines were better maintained.

We landed in Turkey about 1900 hours, and it was already dark. Incirlik, originally a two-hour layover turned into an overnight when we were told that bad weather at Manas (snow and fog) closed the base to incoming traffic.

Naturally, this took several hours of waiting in the terminal to determine. First it was a four hour wait, then that got extended, once again. Finally when it was decided that we couldn't fly that night, we went through a painfully long process of having orders and passports stamped by the Turkish government so that we could leave the terminal. We ended up paying $20 each for the stamp.

Then we were assigned bunk space in large pre-fab buildings divided into 12-person rooms. Some of the buildings were designated all-male or all-female. After being told that the buildings were a "five minute walk" distant we took off. The evening weather was in the low 60s and felt good after sub-freezing temps in Germany. However, being dressed for Germany and carrying gear, when the walk turned into a mile and a half hike, we were drenched with sweat.

A shower helped. Some of the bunks were - to say the least - not quite ready for habitation. One soldier on an upper actually fell through the bunk down to the lower where fortunately, no one was sleeping. The bus scheduled to pick us up the next day at 1100 failed to show, so we trekked back to the passenger terminal.

More waiting and processing. Finally, two hours later than designated departure, we left Incirlik, this time, thankfully, without screaming kids.

We landed at Manas - late at night, having gained three more time zones. The base, located outside of the capitol of Bishkek processes just about everyone going to Afghanistan. Forty-four soldiers were picked from the passengers to unload baggage in the cold. The rest of us piled into busses. We went to a big tent for a long briefing.

After a couple of hours briefing - regulations are odd: Air Force personnel are allowed two beers in a 20-hour period, Marines can drink at the discretion of their commander, and Army Soldiers may not drink. Stuff like this may make sense to some staff officer back in Washington, but for people on the ground is needlessly confusing and mildly irritating.

Following a bizarre exercise in which the truck with baggage was unloaded, then sorted by passengers in a large lot marked with patchy ice spots, we were allowed to remove items from bags. Then the bags were placed on pallets, stored and would not be accessible until just before we were to leave. The process took hours.

Finally, around 0400 we got our stuff sorted and stacked, drew bedding and moved into temporary tents about 200 feel long and 50 feet wide, with scores of stacked bunks. A shower/latrine facility was next door.

Tent is warm, cot is firm, got some chow at 0500 this morning and good to go.

By now we're on a "reverse cycle" where we're up all night and sleep during the day. Expecting a flight to Bagram within the next two days if we're lucky. Only night flights now as daylight ops were drawing ground fire.

More to come as we get closer to the war.

In transit through Germany

Mannheim, Germany. Arrived yesterday after one of those too-long trans-Atlantic flights. Managed to get booked on Singapore Airlines which is as good as its reputation. The 6 hour layover at JFK due to connections made us tired before we ever boarded.

Mannheim is warmer than we left it in December, but still pretty cold. Weather reports from Gardez show mid-50s. Never thought about going to Afghanistan to warm up! Also found a laundry room in the basement here at lodging, a huge relief, since we had to stash our unwashed gear here last year due to a lack of facilities.

After getting through some potential glitches ("...You won't be able to fly before 17 March! Might have to get routed through Kuwait!"...), we were able to secure seats on a military charter flight out of Ramstein tomorrow that will take us to Manas Air Base in Kyghystan. From there we'll face the challenge of getting booked into Bagram.

No idea about what Manas will be like but have a mental image of the replacement depot in Kuwait that Gordon transited back in spring of 2008. We expect the same confusion, hurry-up-and-wait, and sense of dislocation that comes with all transitory bases, just colder than Kuwait.

Elements of the 95th MP Battalion, 18th MP BDE, we're told, are already in place, and have closed on FOB Lightening, which will be our home for the next several weeks. Communications might be a problem for a while but we'll do everything possible to hook up to the web at the earliest opportunity.

Stay tuned,

Gordon & Avery

Preparing to Deploy on Embed

Me (Gordon Cucullu) and Warrior Police co-author Avery Johnson on a Humvee obstacle course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri (September 2009)

"Boots and saddles!" - Getting ready to move out yet again! In recent years I've spent time in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay - two big theaters in the current war. Although I now qualify for senior discounts at restaurants and movie theaters, I'm determined to wear out rather than rust out.

So, my co-author Avery and I are heading off to Afghanistan for the final research phase of our "Warrior Police" book project. By this time next week we'll be well-ensconced with headquarters of the 95th Military Police Battalion, 18th MP Brigade, in Gardez, Afghanistan.

The area of operations for the 95th includes the Paktia, Paktyka, and Khost provinces, tucked into that part of Afghanistan that borders the volatile Pakistan border where much of the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists take refuge. We will be working alongside Soldiers as they interact with Afghan counterparts, ride with them on patrols, and interview them at rare moments of relaxation.

The topic and realities there are dead-serious, although this blog will reflect the adventurous personal side of our work that will probably not be covered in the book. As internet connections permit we'll be updating these blogs with what we hope you will find interesting observations from "downrange" as Soldiers refer to a deployment.

It promises to be an interesting two months or so. As a retired Special Forces officer and Viet Nam veteran who also embedded with the MPs in Iraq I have some ideas of what to expect, whereas Avery will be covering the experience from a decidedly non-combat, "tourist-in-a-warzone" perspective where everything is completely new and unexplored.

We'll both be posting to this blog so anyone who's interested can read what will undoubtedly be very different perspectives on the same experience. Whether you're a Soldier, a soccer mom, a college student, a concerned citizen, a counter-terrorism analyst, or whomever, through this blog our goal will be to find out and reveal the on-the-ground situation in Afghanistan today in an interesting, informative, yet also entertaining way.

Out Take of the Day: Getting There

While getting there may be half the fun on a cruise ship, the administrative hurdles associated with an embed can be daunting. Since we intend to fly with Soldiers from Germany, we needed to secure permission from authorities to accompany them. We got it, thanks in large part to persistent support from the commanders and staff of the 95th and the excellent work of CPT Martyn Crighton, the 18th MP BDE public affairs officer.

Just getting an Afghan visa turned into a comic opera. When trying from Barcelona we found that the Madrid embassy was in the process of relocating - closed for three weeks! Then we hit the States just in time for the Blizzard of the Century to close Washington, DC down for two weeks -- argh!

We finally got visas, have sore arms from requisite immunizations (typhoid, polio, tetanus, Hep A & B etc.), and have our deployment gear (what Soldiers call "battle rattle") all positioned in Mannheim for pickup. Also, a US Army memo in hand to get us through any suspicious European Union immigration officials since we're traveling on one-way tickets with little more than the clothes on our backs.

Whew.

Stay tuned for more as our adventure unfolds!