The Latest from B-man

Before I get to B-man's update let me answer your questions about the allergy post. My new med regime is Astepro and Flonase together. Per the doc, they are 40% more effective when used together than when used alone. I'm also taking Singulair at night (hope to drop that one at my next appointment). I also have Zyrtec for outbreaks of sneezing, etc. Oh, and Pataday eye drops. I should use the drops BEFORE being exposed. I've always kind of used eye drops after my eyes start itching. So, I hope this change will really help.

As for Murray and Sandy...they stay with us! I was the least allergic to dogs out of all of the things I was allergic to and I personally can't tell that I'm allergic to them. The medications should help with any response I have. They are sweet pups and I need to love on them more. Poor pups are on the bottom of the totem pole.
Ok, now on to B-man's update.

We've reached our R&R phase. Our Master Sergeant just returned from his leave yesterday. The other MAJ on the team departed today. This is a good sign! It's great to see these milestones passing. I'll be the last on our team to go on leave.

Things have been picking up around here a little bit. We've been hit a few times over the past few weeks. Everything has been inaccurate/random, but still causes disruption. About two weeks ago we took several rounds. I was working at my computer and one hit close enough to spray shrapnel on my building. I heard that one coming in. In another hit, Friday, I was running (PT) and the sirens started sounding ... I wanted to ignore them, but everyone started heading to the bunkers so I knew that I had to go too. I tell you all of this not to cause concern, but because there's a funny ending. (At least we think it's funny). Today we heard a rather loud explosion and everyone scattered to the bunkers ... usually once we're in the bunkers we hear more detonations ... today we didn't ... curious, I asked the TOC to find out what happened ... Vehicle Borne IED ??? No, it turns out that some of the Afghan Askars (Soldiers) were cooking on a propane tank. The tank had a leak. The hose ignited. The tank took off like a balloon - at least 60 feet in the air, then straight down ... and BOOM!!! Funny.

Oh, one more thing ... don't worry, we always shoot back! We're quick to respond with mortars, or the big guns, and air support. One of the things that I'm very impressed with the Squadron that we support is that they have an active defense. By this I mean that we don't just sit and wait for an attack. We are very proactive in engaging designated targets and even just shooting "test volleys," which act to send the message that we are ready for whatever might come.

Oh, by the way ... we're shooting the big guns as I write. Boom ... wait a bit ... Boom ... wait a bit ... Boom ... There's no missing them when they fire. They really shake the whole place.

Patrol:  While our Master Sergeant was on leave, we covered down on his responsibilities. He is charged with Advising the Afghan Police. Earlier this week I decided to go out on patrol to one of the District Centers. It was a place with two names. Why two names? No one really knows. It's an Afghan thing. This place was a dump. Literally. They have their latrine situated on the side of a steep cliff. When people use the latrine (plywood with three wholes, really) everything just rolls downhill. Needless to say, this place stinks!

Anyway, when we got there and spoke with the police and they told us that they had a report of an IED up the road. When we asked why they hadn't gone to secure the site, they told us because they were scared and were waiting on the American's to do it. So, we got to the sight and confirmed the IED. Then we left the Afghans to secure/block the road so we could go pick up the EOD team so they could dispose of the IED. As we left - BOOM - then about two minutes of small arms fire (AK-47s), which is really harmless to us in our vehicles. We never identified the bad guys. They were too far away and hidden. An Afghan Policeman got hit by rifle fire (not a serious wound) so we escorted them back to the Docs, picked up the EOD team and returned about an hour later. When we returned to the site ... guess what ... no Afghans were there. So we had to go back to round up the policemen. Then we went back to the site (a third time) and cleared it of any secondary devices. A day in the life.

IN AN EMAIL FROM A FEW WEEKS LATER:

I just wanted to send a quick message to let you know that I made it back safe from my last trip. My return was an adventure, for sure...

I got on the bird (UH-60) at 2145 (9:45PM). We thought we were only going to take a short trip, but we arrived at our destination after flying for FIVE HOURS, at 0245! This is a VERY long time to fly on a chopper. Chopper flights are normally less than an hour.

We took the ultimate tour of eastern Afghanistan. We had to refuel our bird THREE times. We landed in just about every FOB/CAMP/COP in our region. At each location we picked up / dropped off personnel. (Personnel movement is one of the main tasks for the chopper units over here). We even flew up past Kabul to Bagram. This was way out of the ordinary.

The good thing about us stopping three times for fuel was that we were able to get out, stretch our legs, and go potty! It was funny, everyone on board would jump off the bird (we all have to exit the aircraft during refueling), run about 50 feet away from the bird and relieve ourselves. This included the pilots and aircrew.

It was eerie flying like that at night. We could see the mountains beneath us, but our depth perception was altered, so it was very difficult to determine our altitude. I sat in the right rear seat, so I was able to see forward out the window the entire time. Whenever I fly over here I always mark the time of take off and try to keep track of the direction of travel, so that I can estimate the closest "safe place" ... just in case. And usually I'm tracking the planned route ... not last night ... it was very difficult to figure out where we were.

I believe, this was a "check ride" for the pilot. Meaning that (in my opinion) the pilot was being evaluated for proficiency. I say this because of the duration, the number of landings / take offs, the number of "holding patterns" we flew, and because we hovered just above several of the mountain peaks ... (mock air assaults / air insertions???).

Anyway, we are back, safe and sound.

  

The Operations Sergeant Major (also the Operations Officers son (nepotism anyone?), me and my “tajiman” (interpreter) in my Afghan unit's HQ building.

 Shooting at the long distance range out at COP WILD.

   Dinner with the interpreters. Their food was the best Afghan food that I've had here.

   Somewhere in Khowst Province, returning to my camp in a Blackhawk.

 Afghan Basic Trainees (identifiable by shaved heads) waiting for chow outside the ANA mess hall.

 My counterparts (six of them) and I flew in a Blackhawk up to another CAMP so they could make an assessment. Beside me is the DPW Commander, he is the best ANA Officer that I've met so far … takes responsibility, has initiative, is motivated, is intelligent … all around good guy.