From the Statehouse to the Fields...of Afghanistan

A Hoosier Homecoming

2011-08-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

Members of the 3-19th ADT reunite with their families

Greetings from Hoosier soil! I'm happy to report that this update (although several weeks tardy) was completed in the comfort of my parent's home, the same dwelling that I've called "home" for the last 28 years. In addition to this blog being the first done while back on the farm, it is also the first that I've been able to enlist the efforts of a tasty glass of port when facing a writer's block.

During my last post, I mentioned "an undisclosed location in SW Asia". Today I write from "from an extremely familiar, hospitable location in Allen County". Fortunately, within about four days of writing that post I was notified that it was time for me to begin my final leg of travel back to Indiana. After nearly three weeks in transit, you might imagine this was music to my ears. There was a slight deviation in my flight plan though- instead of traveling into Indianapolis, they informed me that I would be flying to Ft. Wayne in an effort to return to my Air National Guard base.

Upon learning that I would be traveling into Ft. Wayne, a light bulb instantly turned on alerting me of a chance to surprise my parents. For weeks, I had been telling my father that I would be home in time for his 72nd birthday which fell on August 4th. As the delays continued, it appeared that there was no way I would be in Indianapolis before August 5th. Therefore, I decided it'd be best not to tell my parents (or anyone for that matter) that I might now be coming into Ft. Wayne until I was physically on the ground.

Several months ago the Indiana News Center featured a segment on the work of our team in Afghanistan. One of the producers (Krystal) for the INC actually used to intern in the Indiana Senate's Media Office, so she and have I kept in touch over the years since we were colleagues in the Statehouse. Just for fun, I emailed Krystal to gauge her interest in helping me stage a surprise homecoming for my family. Needless to say, she loved the idea and the rest is history. My sister Ellen was the only person in the family who knew about my plan and this entire surprise would not have been possible without her assistance/coordination. The following link will take you to the story and accompanying video clip. Thanks again to Krystal and Max for all of your help!

http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/video/A-Soldiers-Surprise-Visit-Home-126727868.html

Within 30 minutes of conducting the interviews with the Indiana News Center, my dear mother was hard at work preparing "the quintessential Indiana summer meal" I publicly announced I was hungry for. Just as the story goes about the loaves and fishes, mother dearest performed several miraculous feats with her BLT's and sweet corn as all 16 of us ate to our heart's content.

State Fair Fun

For the last four years, I've had the opportunity to attend the Indiana Pork Producers Ham Breakfast. The breakfast, essentially a "Who's Who" in Indiana agriculture, is held at 6:15AM each year on the Opening Day of the Indiana State Fair. In an effort to spend as much time as possible with my parents in the immediate days following my homecoming, I invited them to join me for the breakfast. With close to 300 people in attendance that morning, the look on my parents' faces when Lt. Governor Skillman mentioned publicly that they were in the crowd was one I'll not soon forget. Following the breakfast, the official Opening Ceremonies took place over in the Pioneer Village section of the fairgrounds. During the program, one of the Queen contestants sang a rendition of "Back Home Again in Indiana" that honestly could have made a bald man's hair stand-up. Standing with a close friend at the moment, I mentioned that the song now had an entirely new meaning and has never sounded more beautiful. Although I've heard countless renditions of the classic, I'm certain that version will stand out in my mind for years to come. The State Fair was a great welcome home for so many, our thoughts and prayers go out to those killed or injured during last weekend's tragic accident where the stage collapsed just before the Sugarland concert.

The remainder of our unit, a group of 57 soldiers, all arrived back to Indianapolis this past Wednesday. It was wonderful to see all of them as they stepped off of the aircraft, but as you might imagine- other military members were the last people they wanted to see at that point. Awaiting just a few miles away, families who hadn't seen their loved ones in close to a year were just as anxious for their reunion.

In the short week that I've officially been back at home, we as a family have been able to accomplish an entire summer's worth of activities. Together we've logged countless hours down at the family swimming hole, snuck in quick trip to Cedar Point, enjoyed far too many extravagant meals, and even managed to shoot a few squirrel during a morning father/son hunting expedition.

Cedar Point with the nephews
(Mitch on the left and Zach on the right)

I couldn't help but laugh at the irony involved in the squirrel hunting episode with my father this past week- Just three short weeks ago it seemed the day where I could wake up, put on civilian clothes, and not have a weapon in my hands could not come soon enough. How quickly we forget though...

Suiting up in my camouflage once again, I was headed out the door for some quality bonding time with my father- after all we've got plenty of catching up to do. As we pulled back to our hunting spot, the landscape we encountered could have been the cover shot of a National Geographic. Two buck deer, a doe, and a fawn were all carefully observing our every move as we entered the woods under a very patchy sheet of morning fog. After several hours of enjoying the serenity of an Indiana August morning, we made our way back home with a meager one squirrel each.

As Dad gave me a refresher course on the proper skinning and cleaning techniques necessary to prepare squirrel for consumption, I couldn't help but think that this was yet just another example of type of lessons we as Americans take for granted in the hustle and bustle of today's society. After having spent time in a part of the world where many men don't have the luxury of learning such lessons from their fathers, you can rest assured that I took great notes.

Lunch!

Homeward Bound

2011-07-30T05:37:00.000-07:00

Freedom Bird - Sergeant Matt Williams and I preparing to board the C-130
that would take us off of FOB Salerno for the final time.

Of the thousands of phrases that are used to describe life in the military, I would have to argue that "hurry up and wait" is hands-down, without a question- one of the most appropriate descriptions a tongue could speak in an effort to capture the feelings of so many in uniform.

Traveling via the military transportation network is also quite a humbling experience. With no first-class seats or in-flight movies, you quickly learn that you are just another number, a small star in the enormous galaxy that is military movement.

As I was reading a recent edition of Conde Nast, I came across the following quote in a Louis Vuitton advertisement (featuring none other than Sir Sean Connery) that I couldn't help but share. As I sit here, now on my 16th day of travel, awaiting word on when I'll finally be headed back towards the land of the free and the home of the brave, Louis' tag line seems all too appropriate-

"There are journeys that turn into legends." - Louis Vuitton advertising campaign

At 12:15PM on July 16th, a C-130 aircraft operated by Air National Guardsman from Niagra Falls, NY lifted off, shuttling Sergeant Matt Williams and me off of FOB Salerno for the final time. If only our departure from Forward Operating Base Salerno was that simple...

Tres Amigos

If you'll recall my first post to this blog, back in October of 2010, I detailed how I had been chosen as the "pallet rider" for our team's movement in and out of Afghanistan. Although it took me 28 days to get the cargo over there, the kind folks in our command decided that I was as capable as anyone else to shepherd the goods back towards US soil on the return trip. In an effort to ensure that the shipment arrived Camp Atterbury in advance of the rest of the team, a decision to send the cargo and myself up to four weeks in advance was made. Accompanying me and the pallets would also be Sergeant Matt Williams, a broad-shouldered, square-jawed (nicknames include Buzz Lightyear and/or GI Joe) soldier from the Muncie area. Matt actually managed to tear his meniscus several months ago, limiting his mobility and combat capabilities to an extent that it was determined he should be sent home early for a closer examination. A former high school football stand-out as linebacker, Matt has a history of knee injuries. With the Fall semester beginning at Ball State University on August 22nd, Matt is anxious to return and start a treatment plan before he goes back to school in pursuit of his degree in Exercise Science. If a surgery of sorts is indeed warranted, he and his wife Lacy are going to have a busy couple of weeks as he completes the required redeployment procedures at Camp Atterbury in addition to whatever type of rehabilitation he is prescribed.

Our home for 46 hours

Because one of the pallets we are accompanying is classified as sensitive, the need for constant supervision of said pallet is necessary. Matt and I first got word from Captain Randy Cuyler (one of the three amigos) on July 14th that we were to report to the Salerno Airfield in hopes to catch our flight bound from Bagram. Due to low cloud ceilings on the evening of the 14th, all flights into Salerno were forced to turn around as visibility of the runway was too low. Alas, that evening marked my first "night under the stars" at Salerno. Matt and I took turns "guarding" our precious cargo over the next two days; while the other caught a bit of shut-eye, grabbed what we hoped to be our "final" meal at the dining hall, or most importantly- took a highly coveted shower. Several teammates, including our Commander Colonel Colbert, Executive Officer Lt. Colonel Webb, and numerous other friends (Randy, Andy, Sweetness, Nurse Mary, Innocento, and Big Mac) all came by during our 46 hours of fun to bid us farewell. Randy, our official movement officer, logged the most hours along with Jared- a devoted fellow connoisseur of fine cigars. Thank goodness for all of those thoughtful shipments of coffee and stogies, those two nights would have seemed unbearable without a few vices. (Editor's Note: For the record Lacy- I haven't the slightest clue when Matt started smoking cigars ;-)

When we finally got the word that our bird was in-bound, a mood of cautious optimism began to fill the air. We'd been told that before, but this time it seemed like all of the stars had finally aligned. Even as we walked out to the runway in hopes of boarding the plane, we were careful not to get our hopes up too much. After all, the night prior we had been in the same position and ultimately turned away as the aircraft had been designated as a medical evacuation flight at the last minute. But this time it was for real, Matt and I were finally taking off from Salerno.

The Magic Pallet

The flight that came in was actually a cargo plane designed specifically for moving cargo in and out of smaller bases just like Salerno. A C-130 operated by Air National Guardsman from Niagra Falls, the six small seats burrowed into depths of the fuselage looked very welcoming. As we climbed aboard, the pilot stopped Matt and offered him a seat up in the jumpseat of the cockpit- a great sign that things were finally starting to go our way. As I sat there strapped into the cargo-net framed seats, a sigh of relief that could probably be heard back in Indiana came out as the first pallet they loaded into the aircraft was that high maintenance sensitive piece that had already claimed two good nights of sleep from the both of us. After an uneventful flight (that's always a good thing in this part of the world), I have to say it has never felt so good to step foot on Bagram Air Base.

For brevity's sake, I'll refrain from going into detail regarding the many complications our cargo was faced with upon arriving at Bagram. A long story short, even in today's world of advanced computing, there are definitely still some serious communication issues between the Army and Air Force. In this very blog, I have raved about advances made in joint operations over the years, those advances must be operating in a vacuum far outside the world of cargo movement.

One member of the 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team, Sergeant First Class Tom Johnson, has had the unenviable task of operating as the unit's liaison officer at Bagram Air Base over the last year. In this role, Tom was responsible for facilitating the movement of each and every team member's travel in and out of Bagram for our individual leave periods. While the travel coordination portion is the most visible part of Tom's job at Bagram, he is one busy-bee as he also handles countless other issues around Bagram for members of the Indiana National Guard and beyond.

It seems that each additional visit I make to Bagram, the more I enjoy my time there. Perhaps this visit was cloaked by a sense of completion, who knows. During this stay, I made sure to coordinate sleeping arrangements through the Media Operations Center again as we did during a visit there in May. The only other sleeping option was in tents, not an ideal situation when the average daily mercury reading sits between 106-108 degrees Fahrenheit.

Major Ducrocq behind the bar at Talibanned Tavern, a gathering spot for French soldiers near the Coalition Village

According to the original travel itinerary, we planned on spending four or five days on Bagram. Due to the complications previously mentioned, we quickly learned that there wasn't a chance in Haiti that we'd be flying out anywhere near our scheduled departure date. While we did feel like we were beginning to overstay our welcome at the Hotel California, the staff at the Media Center were extremely hospitable over our entire nine day stay. They knew all too well the joys and frustrations of military travel and were happy to accommodate.

Aside from the high temperatures and seemingly daily dust storms, the low humidity found on Bagram was a welcomed relief to those of us who were used to Salerno's muggy days. Our time on Bagram actually flew by as we kept quite stringent schedules. Personally, I took the opportunity to enjoy a few long runs, write a few blog updates, read Tim Russert's book Big Russ & Me (a great read for any son), and also enjoy a little more variety in dinner options offered between the base's seven different dining halls. On our first evening on Bagam, Saturday the 16th, we noticed a large crowd gathered near one of the activity tents. As we walked closer, the Air Force Tops in Blue came in to focus on the stage. After six months months on a "black-out" FOB, where noise and light discipline are practiced after dusk, live music was a much-welcomed sound. I've heard this group of talented Airmen in the past, but have to say that their patriotic-themed set and songs took on a whole new meaning while listening to them in a war zone.

Evening Stogies

Much as in the States, Saturdays must be a great day for live music on Bagram. This past Saturday, while again walking home from dinner, we noticed the faint sound of a saxophone in the distance. Fortunately, at Matt's urging, we set off to explore and hunt down where this music was coming from. After a few minutes of navigating the maze of b-huts scattered across Bagram's bowels, we were led into a courtyard setting deep within the Coalition Village. Shockingly enough, the first person to greet us as we entered the area was a familiar face- Major Ducrocq, one of the French soldiers that I had met several months earlier during another visit to Bagram. Apparently the French host a sort of Saturday social each week at the "Talibanned Tavern", a small wooden hut with more war memorabilia than the Smithsonian. This week, they just so happened to be featuring Espresso 57, a jazz component of the 1st Cavalry Division Band. While the scene lacked a few of the critical components (booze and Ingrid Bergman) that brought fame to "Rick's Cafe" in the movie Casablanca, I couldn't help but think of how GI's must have felt after spending an evening listening to great music and of course in honor of Humphrey Bogart- enjoying a fine cigar.

Monday July 25th, our ninth day at Bagram, started off with an alarming phone call. Just as a parent must feel when the phone rings during a sound night's sleep, this was not the call I was looking forward to waking up to. Apparently in the course of the last few days, in the hustle and bustle that is cargo movement at Bagram, the four pallets that we were assigned to travel with had taken off without us and were now sitting Dover, Delaware. The issue of the sensitive pallet isn't quite as concerning now that the goods are back on US soil. If anything, I think the strongest feelings were that of frustration, after learning that we too could have accompanied the cargo and most likely would be nearing Indiana by this time.

In an effort to "catch-up" with the cargo, we were sent to the Bagram Airport in an effort to obtain the first available flight out of Afghanistan. Within eight hours, we were on a C-17 bound for an "undisclosed location in SW Asia" as the military refers to this particular installation. Upon touching down at this location, a particularly rough landing resulted in the foot peg of a gurney-type stretcher (3 foot long piece of titanium) giving me my first official welcome to the country. Fortunately the blow to the top of my head didn't knock me out or require stitches- although it definitely woke me up after my in-flight nap.

Bon Voyage, Bagram!
(Matt Williams, Tom Johnson, and I)

Within minutes of arriving to my current location (that's how I'll refer to it from here on out as opposed to typing an "undisclosed location in SW Asia" each time) it was apparent that my complications were far from over. Apparently, in the haste of rushing us out of Afghanistan, the necessary paperwork for my "release from theater" and "authorization for movement" had not been properly documented. Although I was hand-carrying all the required documents, this was still not sufficient for the kind young Airman I was now faced with and I was told that a "deviation" to my orders must be completed, a process she claimed could take "several days".

As for Matt, I think the rigors of traveling in and out of Bagram, loaded down with several hundred pounds of luggage each, took their toll on his ailing knee. By Tuesday, our first full day on ground here at my currently location, he was limping around considerably. With temperatures nearing 120 degrees here each day and a 10 or 15 minute walk necessary to access any of the bases many amenities, we both decided it was best for Matt to head for the US on his own. Because Matt is an Army soldier, traveling under a different type of "order" per se, he was authorized to leave while I was forced to watch him board his plane bound for the Glory Land.

So in a most bizarre string of events, I find myself alone on Day 16 of my journey home. Things could be much worse though, as there is actually quite a lot to see and do at my current location. With an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a Fox Sports Skybox themed sports bar, it's not hard to pass the time. Now if I could only round up my French comrades and Espresso 57 to join me in enjoying the three drinks per day we are rationed here, then we might have a scene worthy of a Casablanca sequel. After all, as Louis Vuitton cautions, some journeys are bound to become legends...

Bagram at Night

Farewells and New Beginnings

2011-07-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

One of the Guys
From L-R: Zahman, Shariff, Isah, Zaiulhak, Patman, Rahim, and Ajmal

Several years ago, in an effort to liven up her weekly staff meetings held each Monday morning, Lt. Governor Skillman requested that several of her fellow elected officials and also state agency leaders join as a "guest" for the day in hopes that both the guest and the staff would leave the meeting with an improved understanding of the other's operation.

Throughout the course of those dozen or so weeks, countless leaders shared a plethora of valuable lessons and experiences in government service. Of all the guests who entered Room 333 of the Indiana Statehouse during that speaking series, it might come as no surprise that the most memorable of all was Governor Mitch Daniels. This of course was before all of the speculation involving him in a 2012 Presidential race, a much more intimate discussion regarding his work as a staff member to both Senator Lugar and President Reagan.

Speaking in regards to Reagan's hesitation to become dependent upon or deeply involved with a set group of people, Governor Daniels attributed this character trait to Reagan's time in Hollywood. Traveling from set to set on a sometimes weekly basis, it was difficult to really get to know or trust someone. As anyone who travels frequently can attest, saying goodbye can be an exhausting affair and also quite time-consuming.

Fortunately in today's society, as opposed to Reagan's era, there is a tool that over 750 million people use to stay in contact with one another- Facebook. The website is now available in over 70 different translations, so rest assured that language now won't even be a barrier. Even in a country such as Afghanistan, where electricity is a luxury in most villages- rest assured that the youth are connecting. With the advent of smart phones and increasing broadband services throughout the country, many of the locals have already sent their "friend requests".

Several of the interpreters hosted a ghullam jani party in honor of our upcoming departure

As I attempted to make a list of all those I wanted to visit before leaving FOB Salerno, I decided to focus on those that I might not soon see back on United States soil. The obvious group of men involved here would be our interpreters, mainly men in their mid-20's applying feverishly for "Special Immigrant Visas" to the United States.

These dedicated, jovial Pashtun men we have worked with over the last year have done great things for all of humanity. Some immigration critics may argue that these are the very types of citizens that Afghanistan needs, but I'm quick to argue that these are also the very types that America needs as well- in fact, one might conclude that these are the types that actually make America the country she is today. Some of these men have actually been serving as interpreters for US and Coalition Forces for the last eight years. Each and every one of them have chilling details of past firefights, as you might well imagine.

One night last week, in an effort to bid farewell to as many interpreters as possible, I attended a ghullam jani party. The party was held at one of the small huts where all of the local nationals live, near the perimeter of FOB Salerno. Ghullam jani (think donut holes but all sugar, no dough) are a traditional candy in this part of the world, taken with chai tea to commemorate special events. While these treats are a bit sweeter than my usual choice of desserts, it's the experience that counts and for that I am most grateful.

At first glance you might not notice the Caucasian Hoosier in the opening photo. As always- there is a great story behind my very own custom-made set of man-jams. Isah, one of our interpreters, was kind enough to take my measurements to the local tailor in the downtown bazaar. Before giving Isah my measurements, I went to the laundromat on FOB Salerno to inquire if someone there could size me up. Within minutes of the tape coming out, a crowd had gathered to marvel at the sizes the tailor was announcing to his scribe. Isah was also very anxious to inform me that the tailor who actually made the man-jams was curious where this "large man" came from. Isah, never one to miss a beat, quickly responded that I was his "Uncle from Japan, just visiting Khowst for a few weeks this summer."

My farewells would not be complete without at least a thank-you to my great Ugandan friends. All of these men are great examples of optimism. No matter how miserably warm of a day it is on FOB Salerno, you can always count on a smile and a wave from each and every Ugandan you encounter. The economic opportunities that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have opened up for thousands of Ugandans such as these men is a story in itself.

"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." ~ James D. Miles

One Ugandan man in particular has been especially inspiring. Innocent Mwakatabu, a loving husband and father of three that I've mentioned in past blogs, is one of those people you meet and within seconds of shaking hands- you know you're in good company.

Throughout our time on Salerno, Innocent and I have shared countless discussions on topics ranging from the 2012 Presidential Campaign to the terrifying reign of Idi Amin. Most of these discussions took place over the dinner table, at first after mass on Saturday evenings but later on a much more frequent basis of several nights per week. One evening while having a political discussion, the topic of President George W. Bush came up and Innocent's eyes immediately lit up. I just so happened to be reading a copy of GWB's newest book Decision Points at the time, so I offered to let him borrow it. Within two days time, the book had been returned and we now had yet another topic to discuss over the increasingly mundane meals the Salerno "chow-hall" had to offer.

Innocent's Innocence

Several weeks later, during a conversation with a friend who works in President Bush's "retirement" office, I shared Innocent's extreme interest in American politics and devout appreciation to the Bush Administration for all of their efforts to combat AIDS in Africa (even Bono agrees on this accomplishment). Astounded by this story, she offered to send a signed copy of Decision Points. Just a few days ago, in what became my last dinner conversation with Innocent, I invited him over to the ADT Headquarters prior to dining to present him with this great surprise. As you might imagine, the look on Innocent's face as he opened the package containing the autographed book was one that words can't quite describe. Instead, I'll yield to the photograph. This book will be a perfect memento for Innocent and his entire family to commemorate the time he spent away from them while in both Iraq and Afghanistan. If all goes as planned, Innocent should be home for Christmas this year- a first since 2008.

Unfinished Business
With my list of "those to say farewell to" pretty much complete, there was only one item of business left for me to tend to. This item, a work in progress, came to my attention after the world lost a great man. That man is John Harrington and many of you might recall that he was the forestry expert from New Mexico State University who was tragically killed in a bicycle accident within the last few months.

Rahim informing Colonel Colbert and
Major Gulley of his acceptance to NMSU

Before John departed FOB Salerno, he began assisting one of our interpreters with the arduous task of applying for admission into the New Mexico State University Graduate School. With the help of Captain Randy Cuyler, the conversation continued between Rahim and John up until we received the unfortunate news of John's passing.

After reading my tribute to John on this blog dated June 9th, a colleague of John's emailed me in an offer to assist wherever possible with Rahim's pending application to NMSU. This gentlemen, coincidentally named John as well (now the Afghan's think that all forestry experts in the US are named John), worked with John Harrington at the Mora Research Center in Northern New Mexico. In email correspondence we all agreed that this would be a fitting tribute to John Harrington's legacy, to finish what he had started. What better way to honor a man's work on this earth than to nurture a seed that he had planted before his departure?

With an 11.5+ time difference and a sketchy phone network, the weeks we spent communicating with folks in both the Plant and Environmental Sciences Department and also the admissions office were a great test of patience. Needless to say, although I've never before been involved in immigration issues or even graduate school admission- I can now hold a scholarly conversation on the topics of I-20's, TOEFL tests, and the wonderful world of third party "credit evaluators".

Letter in Hand

One of the largest hurdles that most international students face when applying for admission to universities in the United States is the necessity of proving that they have the financial wherewithall to support themselves. As any parent or student who has seen paperwork from a bursar's office in the last decade can attest, higher education is anything but affordable these days. Fortunately for Rahim, over his years as an interpreter and most recently his work as the contractor who made the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project possible, he has been able to save up an amount sufficient to prove to NMSU that he is financially capable of supporting himself.

I'm happy to report that late last week, in an email Rahim opened with great anxiety in the presence of a few of us who helped him through the process, he received a "conditional" acceptance into the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University where he will work towards a Masters of Science degree. (The conditional acceptance was based on a few technicalities that he has to complete either at the Kabul Embassy or upon his arrival in New Mexico, minor details in the larger picture.) To say that Rahim was excited to read this news would be a drastic understatement.

When I look back to examine how this whole string of events has unraveled-Rahim's selection as the contractor for the FFA project, John's coming to Salerno, Rahim and John's mutual interest in forestry and ultimate application to NMSU, John's tragic bicycle accident, and finally Rahim's acceptance into the Plant and Environmental Sciences Department-I can't help but marvel at how things have a way of working themselves out. In a most fitting tribute, the gracious folks back at NMSU are also looking into the possibility of funding an "assistantship" for Rahim out of salary savings that would have originally gone to John Harrington.

So alas, because of the wonderful world of Facebook and other social networks- there was no need for me to really say goodbye to any of these delightful individuals. Just think of how many friends or fans President Reagan would have if he had his own personal Facebook page today? Regardless, I'm very thankful to have had the opportunity to meet so many unique individuals across the world who are fighting for a just cause.

Rather than saying "goodbye", I'll sign off with a more traditional phrase in honor of both my Ugandan and Afghan friends: Mungubariki ("God's Blessings" in Swahili) and De khoday pa amaan ("Go in God's Peace" in Pashtun)

Sincerely,

Nyeupe Cheetah (The White Cheetah in Swahili, my nickname from the Ugandans) and of course Patman ("Man of Honor" in Pashtun)

Rahim and his four children- the second and third order effects of our work here will only be fully realized in the decades to come...

The Finishing Touches

2011-07-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Turnin' Dirt

Major League Baseball players sweat through the nine-inning ball games all summer long in hopes that they might have the chance of playing in the World Series. NFL players tirelessly endure a 16-game schedule over the fall and winter months in preparation for the Super Bowl. Every great sport or organization has a culminating event; and the Future Farmers of Afghanistan is no exception to this rule.

Over the last five months, students at six high schools throughout the Khowst Province have been participating in a program made possible by a partnership between the Khowst Province Director of Agriculture, Director of Education, Shaikh Zayed University, and the 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team.

His Pride and Joy...

This program, the Future Farmers of Afghanistan, was first envisioned by Major Jeremy Gulley (3-19th ADT Education Officer and Huntington North High School Principal) after members of the agricultural team met with Jim Moseley at his lovely farm in southern Tippecanoe County.

As Moseley (Former Deputy Secretary at the USDA) discussed the critical need for leadership and development type programs as a way to break the corruption cycle and empower young minds, Gulley's wheels immediately started turning. After a few coordination meetings with the implementing partners, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed by all parties involved (which might be considered a miracle in itself when you consider the fact that three Provincial "Line Directors" were willing to set aside their personal agendas in an effort to benefit the youth).

With Phase I of the project calling for a renovation of the agricultural facilities at Shaikh Zayed University and Phase II utilizing those same facilities for hands-on training of over 130 Khowst Province teachers and agricultural extension agents, a significant investment in infrastructure was made on the grounds of the local "land-grant" style institution of higher learning.

Phase III was the mentorship phase, where the professors from SZU visited each of the six schools and did a bit of quality assurance on each of the teachers' individual instruction techniques. During this phase, agricultural extension agents from districts across the province also visited the schools, utilizing the facilities as a training site for local farmers. This is a major step forward when you consider that just a few short years ago the very thought of a public school was unheard of as the Taliban governed in such an oppressive fashion.

Listen Closely

Just as in Major League Baseball, not all schools make it to the World Series of the Future Farmers of Afghanistan (Phase IV). Rest assured that we've informed the other five schools of the paradox that is the Chicago Cubs; hopefully it won't take any of them 102 years to take the crown at the "Khowst Province Agricultural Fair". Regardless, they were happy to hear that just as in the case of the Cubbies, they could still be inexplicably profitable while failing to take home the grand prize.

Of the six high schools participating, one school stood out among its peer institutions. Gharghash High School, with Principal Ajap Pan at the helm, was the schoolhouse that we chose to host the first annual agricultural fair. As I mentioned in a previous post, there was definitely a genuine interest shown by all members of the community surrounding Gharghash, dating back to the program's inception in February.

While I don't foresee the "agricultural showcase" hosted by Gharghash High School breaking the million visitor mark the Indiana State Fair flirts with each August, a promising foundation and precedent has been set. In addition to the government officials involved as signatories to the project, Khowst News television crews, family members, and other community leaders all came together on the school grounds to show their support and interest for the program.

By design, there was not a single United States service member on the grounds at Ghargash High School during last week's showcase. Even the photographs you are looking at in this blog were the work of local national Afghan men, sent to me in the days following the event. With all event preparation and coordination conducted by Afghans, there was little hint of any US involvement as community members visited this local public school for what quite possibly could have been their first time on grounds.

All Smiles

In terms of sustainability, these farms are actually turning a net profit for each of their schools. After the initial investment of the actual infrastructure-greenhouses, chicken coops, composting pits, and solar dehydrators-the actual expenses incurred by the schools is minimal. At the time of reporting, schools had sold a total of $420 worth of produce at local markets. While this number might not cause you to leap out of your seats, please also remember that the average annual household income for Afghan families is a mere $800.

Another interesting number to analyze is the number of women trained within the program. Of the 567 total students trained over the past five months at the six schools, 129 of them were females. I mentioned earlier the lack of public schools under the Taliban leadership; I hope the magnitude of such a large percentage of this program's participants being female speaks for itself.

Improving Animal Care in Khowst
As we prepare for our successors to take over the agricultural development efforts of Khowst Province, a project similar in nature to the Future Farmers of Afghanistan might seem like a natural fit. Rather than reinventing the wheel, we have chosen to build off some of the successes we've noted in the FFA program, while also tweaking it a bit to better target an area of great need in Khowst Province- livestock care.

The actual training will ultimately be carried out at the will of Indiana's fourth team, the 4-19th ADT. Just last week, in what actually ended up being my last mission outside the comforts of FOB Salerno, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between Colonel Colbert and the Khowst Director of Agriculture Sayed Rahman. This agreement is very similar to the one signed back in February in the preliminary stages of the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project, with buy-in required from several different entities in an effort to encourage provincial government partnerships.

Shaikh Zayed University will again play the central role in this next training platform, with the ADT obviously providing the majority of the funding and the Director of Agriculture's office providing administrative support in addition to hosting the actual training. Extension agents will identify quality individuals from all thirteen districts who could benefit from an animal care training seminar, before the training is actually carried out on the newly constructed demonstration farm at the Director of Agriculture's office. One area of this negotiation that I personally felt strongly about was the need for the Director of Agriculture to contribute some of his own funding towards the training. While a portion of the program design calls for the renovation of animal care facilities on the grounds of the Director of Ag's compound, it only makes sense that some of the funding required for these renovations should come out of Afghan budgets.

As we were finishing up the signing of this agreement, the Director of Ag's assistant came into the office to inform us that the District Governor (think Mayor) of the Qalandar District and his Shura Commissioner were outside of the office and would like to meet with a representative of the 3-19th ADT. The old saying of "rank has its privileges" rang true here, so the fact that I was the only man in the room without the word "Colonel" in my title resulted in me leaving to go meet with the men from Qalandar.

Looking back on this impromptu meeting, I have to say that it was a most fitting way to close out my time here in Afghanistan. Back in November, on my first mission here in Khowst Province, I had the chance to meet with Dhalil Khan; the Sub-Governor of the Tani District. It was during this mission that I first realized the striking similarities that those in local government in Afghanistan share with their counterparts back in the great State of Indiana. Last week's meeting with the Qalandar officials was no different- roads, bridges, and improved security were all topics of discussions.

At the end of the day, these men were attempting to state their case to anyone that would listen; in an effort to improve the quality of life of their district. Closing my eyes briefly during this meeting, I traded in my flame-retardant camouflage uniform for a suit and tie and envisioned myself back in Indiana, conducting local government visits on a sunny summer afternoon in Southern Indiana. With our team's ultimate departure from Afghanistan just a few weeks away and mine coming even sooner, it seems I can almost taste the perfect Hoosier summer meal of BLT's and sweet corn.

Oh how I long for my Indiana home...

Nearly eight months to the day after my first "local government visit", the fine gentlemen from the Qalandar District
paid a surprise visit to meet with members of the ADT while we were on site at the Director of Agriculture's office.

Meanwhile on Salerno...

2011-07-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

Me and My .50 cal

I've mentioned in past posts that there is actually quite a bit to do around Forward Operating Base Salerno to pass the time. Today's update is going to be more of a photo essay format, in an effort to let the pictures speak for themselves...

Every few months, on days when we're not conducting agricultural training out amongst the populace, the Reapers of the 3-19th ADT often find themselves on the firing range. After some persistent persuasion, and of course my offer to bring a camera, the kind souls from our Security Forces Platoon allowed me to try my luck on a .50 caliber machine gun. As you can see in the photo below, I very much enjoyed givin' her hell!

.50 cals stir up just a bit of dust...

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's) are making plenty of headlines these days. As a cost-effective approach to providing aerial surveillance of an area, the future looks very bright for those involved in this field of work. During my time here, I've enjoyed getting to know quite a few of the men here who operate the Silverfox, a UAV that the Air Force contracts through BAE Systems.

Lunch w/ the Silverfox crew at Aziz's
From L-R: Ryan, Ed, Ben, Jason, Joe, Rudder, and I (only the first four are with Silverfox)

Most of the operators of these UAV's are pilots in the civilian world, perhaps that was our initial connection. After learning that they too enjoyed the finer things in life (stogies at least once a week on their back deck and Peet's coffee on Sunday mornings) our bond only grew stronger.

Applying the Henna

Always a fun group of guys, we've had a lot of laughs together over the last year. While several of the men have rotated out over the course of my time here, each replacement has also fit right in to the crew.

Earlier this month, as Jason and Ed were preparing to return back to their home base of Tucson, Arizona; a few of us convinced one of the more outgoing individuals in the group that it might be a good idea for him to look a bit more the part if he was going to wear a pair of man-jams (the loose-fitting, two-piece clothing sets that Afghan men wear) during his stay here on FOB Salerno. Within about 15 minutes of Ryan's agreeing to have his hair dyed with henna, I coordinated with Ziaulhak (one of our interpreters who has a beautiful head of henna'd hair) to come down and perform the tribal ritual on Mr. Ryan. After a few more laughs, the dying was complete and the fun was just about to begin.

On the day that Jason and Ed were scheduled to depart, we all met for lunch at the usual spot- Aziz's. To say Ryan had a little extra "spring in his step" as he left his quarters would be a drastic understatement. With his custom-tailored man-jams, matching hair and even an authentic beard (although we're cautioned that his ungroomed approach may cause some to mistake him for Taliban), he was well on his way to blending in. The only other step I can think of would be his application for Afghan citizenship, but I don't see the required trip to Kabul anytime soon.

Dangerously close to a native Pashtun

The weekend before last, I was invited down to the airfield to photograph a promotion ceremony. My friend Jennifer Bales (a name you might recall from the 4th of July Blackhawk flight post) was set to be promoted from 1st Lieutenant to Captain, along with several other members of the Task Force Tigershark Aviation Element.

As I approached the flight line, I was immediately greeted by two men whom I had never before met. Jon and Nathan Dyer, twins that originally hail from Maine, both extended a hand-shake as they introduced themselves. It's rare that I find myself in a crowd where I'm the shortest man, but that was very much the case that day as the brothers who were both every part of 6'6" dwarfed me on our walk out to the flight line.

The more I spoke with the brothers, the more interested I was in their backgrounds. While they both graduated from West Point several years, they have spent a bit of time apart. As a part of their Mormon faith, both set off on separate missions to spread the good word. As one headed to the Far-East to spend time in Korea, the other journeyed to Poland in an effort to enlighten others. Amazingly enough, before their reunion today on the occasion of their promotion from 1st Lieutenants to Captains, the two had not seen each other since early 2009.

The Twin Towers

After a few weeks of coordination, the two received permission from their respective commands to pin on their Captain bars together. While one brother is here on Salerno as an Apache pilot, the other is based in the northern portion of Afghanistan in Mazar-e-Sharif as a Combat Engineer. And I thought my mother was nervous having her only son in Afghanistan....

The Captains' Cheers

The Fourth on the FOB

2011-07-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

Fireworks Over Salerno

The very mention of the words "July 4th" has a unique way of bringing a smile to the faces of so many Americans. As I mentioned in my Memorial Day post, those of us here on the 3-19th ADT have been eagerly awaiting July 4th- as it is the last holiday we will have to spend away from our families.

While even a scrumptious BBQ cookout followed by the finest cigar still wouldn't replace our loved ones back on the home front; we decided to do just what we have done for every other major holiday over the last ten months here in Afghanistan: cherish each moment and be happy it will be the last "insert applicable holiday here" you spend in Afghanistan.

Team members and a few other friends from different units across FOB Salerno gathered here at the ADT compound on Sunday evening, July 3rd for a Hoosier style cookout. With Independence Day staples such as burgers, chicken breasts, and hot dogs on the grill; it might have been easy for guests to imagine they were back in the States for at least an hour or so. As Chief Rance assumed grill master duties, I volunteered my services to prepare appetizers.

As I meticulously sliced each hunk of smoked gouda from the wheel, I said a little prayer that none of us would get sick from the cheese that had obviously seen a wide range of temperatures across the eight time zones it traveled through before reaching FOB Salerno. Four days later, I'm happy to say that all turned out well. There were smiles all around as I delivered triscuits topped with smoked gouda, the only thing we were missing was a nice glass of wine ;-)

Senator John McCain exits a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter

Man's worst friend (his alarm clock) started yelling at me a bit earlier than usual on July 4th, as I had set it for 5AM in an effort to grab breakfast before starting off on my Independence Day adventure. Several days ago, I approached a Blackhawk pilot friend of mine about the possibility of having several American flags flown over the Khowst Province. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that not only would the flags be flying on July 4th, but that I would also be welcome to ride along as an honorary "aircrew for the day".

After a quick breakfast and a last minute effort to ensure both camera batteries were fully charged, I made my way over to the Task Force Tigershark Operations Center where I was greeted by several members of the crew that I'd be flying with for the day. We met just a few minutes after 6AM, although their first flight wasn't scheduled until close to 8:30AM. As I was handed the flight schedule for the day, I was a bit disappointed to learn that I was going to be "bumped" from the first mission of the day. The disappointment lasted only a few minutes, until I heard the reason for the change in plans.

With only a few hours notice; a Congressional Delegation consisting of Senators John McCain, Joe Leiberman, and Lindsey Graham popped up on the airlift schedule. Apparently the Senators decided that they were going to leave the comforts of Kabul for a few hours and make a trip down to see those of us roughing it in Khowst Province. Where better to spend the 4th of July?

Senators Joe Leiberman and Lindsey Graham walk with staff
and security during a 4th of July visit to FOB Salerno

Never one who would willingly miss a good photo op, I decided to make my way down to the flightline in an effort to at least catch a glimpse of the Senators as they arrived. The Senators arrived on a C-130 aircraft and immediately made their way over to the group of Blackhawks (the ones I was supposed to be on) where they would embark on a short journey to visit with troops at smaller outposts surrounding Khowst Province.

While I think the total time on ground for the Senators was less than two hours, the chance to shake the hands of three of our nation's leading legislators on America's Birthday made for a great start to what would only become another day to remember here on FOB Salerno. I had met Senators McCain and Graham during campaign events leading up to the 2008 election, but this was the first time I had met Connecticut's Independent Senator. Just for fun, I handed one of the staffers accompanying the delegation one of my "Indiana" patches (like I gave Bob Griese) and asked that if possible, the patch make its way back to Capitol Hill and into the hands of Indiana Senator Dan Coats. More to follow on this, as a staffer myself, I thought it'd be fun to test the system a bit.

I boarded the Blackhawk just before lunch to start my journey for the day. The pilots had just finished flying around some "precious cargo", so they too had a great start to their 4th of July. As we traversed the province, I couldn't help but marvel in the potential of the surrounding mountains. While I don't see Khowst Province competing with Vail anytime in the near future, the mountains that makeup the Khowst Bowl still have a way of marveling a man from the sprawling cornfields of Northeast Indiana. In years to come, after the security situation has hopefully improved, a tourism industry in its infancy wouldn't surprise me in the least bit.

Captain Jennifer Bales and I after the Blackhawk flight

After several routine stops along the way (with road conditions still "dismal" at best here in Khowst, helicopter travel is by far the most common method of transportation to many of the outposts), I began taking pictures from the gunner's window. In addition to the two pilots in the front of the aircraft, immediately behind the cockpit sit two "crew chiefs", or gunners if you will.

Armed and Dangerous
The view from the M240B machine gunner's seat

If there is one thing that the American military has mastered over the last 235 years, it is that of teaching its members the art of "multi-tasking". Those involved in aviation most definitely understand this critical competency, as it is a necessary trait involved in flying any type of aircraft. The "crew chiefs" assigned to our flight today, in addition to conducting pre-flight mechanical inspections, also had the responsibility of ensuring our safety during flight as they sat perched behind their M240 Bravo machine guns. Each fully automatic weapon is capable of firing up to 950 armor-piercing rounds per minute, enough to make even the most incompetent of Taliban warlords think twice before launching a rocket-propelled grenade towards any NATO aircraft.

After completing our scheduled stops for the day, Captain Bales asked over the radio if I had a good view of our partner chopper off the right side of the aircraft. As I moved a bit closer to the window, with a cool breeze in excess of 100mph greeting me in the face, I responded that I indeed had a fantastic view of our wingman. The only words that followed echoed a very well-known countdown that millions of Americans back in the USA also heard on Independence Day-

"5.....4.....3.....2....1- Happy 4th of July!!!!"

Just as Captain Bales finished her countdown, the Blackhawk traveling next to us shot off its flares. As you can see from the photograph at the beginning of this post, it made for a very appropriate photo-op on this 4th of July that we were all celebrating so far from the home front.

The flight back to Salerno seemed like it literally flew by after our flare disbursement. With my adrenaline rushing after the photo-op, each additional segment of the flight seemed like it was out of a storybook. As we arrived back on the ground, I honestly felt like a child that had just conquered Cedar Point's highest coaster. We took a few moments to snap a couple more photos, then parted ways. The crew was just down for a brief lunch stop, then headed back up to finish their work for the day. As for me, I was headed to download some of the 600+ pictures I had taken that day.

So as you might have already gathered, the 4th of July has kept in tradition with providing a fantastic memory of holidays here on FOB Salerno. While I'm happy to say that I'll be back on US soil for Labor Day, holidays spent here will undoubtedly spark fond memories in my mind for years to come. Between a random visit from a group of US Senators and a once in a lifetime opportunity to photograph flares fired from a Blackhawk; July 4th, 2011 was a day to remember. Thank you to all at Task Force Tigershark for making this remarkable day a possibility!

With the Bugsy aircrew

The Art of a "Care Package"

2011-06-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

Students at the Shamal Peran School anxiously awaiting the handout of pens that were specially shipped all the way
over to Afghanistan from the good folks at Bedford Federal Savings Bank

While it'd be foolish for me to attempt to personally mention each and every thoughtful soul that has taken the time to send members of the 3-19th ADT a reminder of home; I would be remisce in my duties as a grateful recipient of countless packages if I failed to at least highlight a few.

A few of the literally 500+ boxes of
Girl Scout Cookies sent to the 3-19th ADT

After reading the creative wordsmanship used on several customs receipts, I feel that some should consider a career in politics or lawyering. While there hasn't been anything illegal shipped over per se, much excitement has come from the anticipation levels associated with the thrill of opening a new box of goodies. At the time of writing this- June 30, 2011; an astounding 111 packages have made their way onto FOB Salerno addressed to "1LT Bart Lomont". With return addresses from California to Connecticut; and of course a dominant majority from the generous folks in the Midwest, I have truly been humbled by the remarkable, genuine interest that so many share for our team and mission.

Last fall, as we first arrived FOB Salerno, the initial inquiries began coming in from the usual suspects (with a mother and five older sisters, I often quip that I've been blessed with six mothers). It didn't take me long to realize that there was very little that we here on FOB Salerno actually "needed". With a stocked dining hall featuring all the fresh fruit and energy bars a man could ask for, I really couldn't think of much more that I'd like. Never one to turn down a good offer; I replied with a request for two items that would satisfy two of my vices: coffee and cigars. Since they don't allow alcohol in the country of Afghanistan, I figured that I'd may as well comply with the old adage life's too short for cheap coffee...

Buy Local

Some of the 430 packages of popcorn sent by
MSM Trucking and Weaver Popcorn

One of the unintended benefits I've noticed after receiving all of these packages is the opportunity for my tastebuds to explore uncharted territory. From Willa's Shortbread Cookies in Nashville to Peet's Coffee out of Berkley and heaven forbid I forget to mention My Grandma's Coffee Cake from New England, I'm exhausted just thinking about the culinary road trip the members of our team have taken throughout this past year- all without leaving the comforts of FOB Salerno. Cigars, from different outlets across the country (although the majority came from Stogies at Copper Creek in Jamestown, CA) have also come in. While there is no way I could ever drink all of this coffee or smoke all of these cigars alone, the packages have done wonders for my social life as well ;-)

As my strategic reserves started to fill to capacity with coffee beans and tobacco leaves, I decided it was probably best to flip the switch on the shipments of stogies and coffee. Instead, included with my "halt shipping" instructions I included a list of needs for a local family here in the Khowst Province. The family had tragically been the victims of a firefight in the local area, with four children all having severe injuries as they came in to the FOB Salerno Hospital. From blankets to childrens jackets, over 20 packages came in just in time for the Christmas holiday. Much to my dismay, after confirming with the family that they would be coming into the hospital for future therapy visits, they were never seen again. Fear not though, as you might imagine there are plenty of other needy folks around the Khowst Province. After several months of determining a worthy recipient, the goods were delivered to a local girls school and I'm told that the reaction was that of extreme gratitude.

The Middleman

While I have to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed partaking in a fine cigar or imbibing in a tasty cup of coffee; it wasn't until I started passing some of the goods I'd received out to friends here on the FOB that I learned the truth behind the statement "to give is better than to receive". Actually, I think I had the best of both worlds in this sense, as I was able to enjoy both the joy of receiving the package in the mail and also the joy of passing the goods out to their needy recipients.

As the 3-19th ADT is one of the only groups currently deployed from the Indiana National Guard, the generosity of Hoosiers has been truly overwhelming. This was especially noticeable around Christmas time, as the packages literally came in quicker than we could pass them out. The most popular items we've recieved would have to be girl scout cookies and popcorn, with shipments of those two numbering in the 500's!

Teddy Bears for the Troops

Another group that I've grown quite close to through this deployment is that of "Teddy Bears for the Troops", started by a young girl named Faith in Lafayette, Indiana. Ironically, Faith and I actually met back in 2008 when I paid her a visit in Lafayette to present her with Lt. Governor Skillman's Hoosier Rising Star award. It's funny how things work out, immediately after hearing that I was going to be a part of a deploying unit, the packages started to flow in from Faith and her group. I believe Faith has now sent over five large boxes, filled with her signature stuffed animal and a note from a student, for us to pass out across FOB Salerno. As you can see in the photos, a few have even made their way into the hands of locals. While many of our men won't admit that they still sleep with their teddy bears, I'll gladly concede that the personalized bear Faith sent over sleeps within an arms reach each and every night.

A Deserving Home

The most recent "joy of giving" sensation I've had the opportunity to experience came just this past weekend. I've mentioned my Ugandan friends in past blogs, a group of devoted men that are some of the friendliest fellows you've ever met. The Ugandans are here on FOB Salerno as contractors, working as escorts for any local Afghan national who does not have clearance to walk the FOB on their own. I first met this wonderful group of men through church, as they grace the congregation with their gift of song each and every Saturday evening during our 5:30PM mass.

During a conversation with one of the Ugandan men, he inquired about the possibility of me finding him a used laptop computer. I told him that would be very difficult given our current location, but in the meantime he should save his money and that I would keep my eyes open. As fate would have it, less than a week after this conversation with my friend Thomas "The Bell Ringer" (his duties at mass), I was contacted by a friend back in Portland, Indiana who was looking for a place to send four used laptop computers. As you might imagine, I was just a bit excited by this proposition and immediately responded that I had just the place for her computers.

It appears that the John Jay Center in Portland was looking to upgrade their computer systems, fortunately for my friends here they were thoughtful enough to seek a new home for their old computers rather than scrap them as so many of us might have done. After a few days of coordination with the folks back in Indiana, four laptops made the two week journey over here to Afghanistan.

As I brought the men in to our office to present them with their new computers, they didn't have the slightest idea as to why they had been summoned to the ADT compound. In their typical innocence, even after sitting down at each of the computers we had laid out for them, they still didn't assume that the computers were theirs for the taking. As we informed them that the computers had been sent from Indiana all the way over here for them, instant shouts of joy ensued. The picture below shows their reaction much better than any words could describe...

Genuine Gratitude - the group of Ugandan men's reaction upon hearing that the computers were theirs to keep

A Monkey? In Afghanistan??

2011-06-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Inquisitive school children of the Mandozai District look on as composting tools are distributed to farmers

I can't help but laugh when receiving the ever so popular question- "What's a typical day like over there?" Bless the countless hearts who have been so inquisitive to learn the work that many are doing here, but the fact of the matter is the word "typical" doesn't actually exist in this part of the world.

Perhaps a better question might ask- "What does a random day over there look like?" Random is a word that can fit into nearly every description of life here in Afghanistan, for good reason. The very mention of the word "typical" might confuse the mind to assume some sort of stability is also present. While stability is an end-state that many are striving for, I would not go so far as to say that it exists at this point in time.

Wednesday started off as a typical mission, we rolled out of Forward Operating Base Salerno in our million-dollar MRAP vehicles and set the GPS computers for the Mandozai District Center. The training of choice for the Mandozai farmers this week was composting; where they learn the benefits of recycling their waste products and even get to take home a few new tools from the training seminar.

As we arrived the district center, I overheard a few of the security forces guys in front of me talking about a monkey. Low and behold, as I approached the front gate of the compound I was amazed to find a monkey on a leash. Heaven only knows where this Afghan Uniformed Police officer found his new pet, but from the looks of the photo- it doesn't appear that dogs need fear losing their title of "man's best friend" to monkeys here in Afghanistan any time in the near future...

Take a look at those incisors!

After regaining our composure, the few of us involved in the actual training portion of the mission made our way into the district center. As we arrived, we were greeted by Wali Bad Shah, the Agricultural Extension Agent for the Mandozai District. Wali is one of the better agents we have in the province, a very intelligent man. Actually, I'd be willing to put his grammar up against a few of our team members.

In planning for a training seminar, the goal is to minimize any US involvement. Standard procedures call for notifying the extension agent a few days in advance, then allowing him to coordinate the meeting location and attendees. On the day of the training, members of the 3-19th ADT meet the extension agent and his farmers at the agreed upon time and location and all parties are happy...typically

Due to a slight error in coordinating Wednesday's mission, we had a bit of time to kill before the training started as we awaited the arrival of ten more participants. As I was taking a few photographs of the attendees, I noticed a young boy carefully studying my every move.

One icebreaker I've found quite successful thus far has been showing the subject of my photos the actual image I have just captured. It's hard to imagine, but more often than not this is the first time that some have ever seen a photograph of themselves- much less instantly on an LCD screen.

Zingham and I

After showing this young, timid boy his photo; I invited him to come to the back of the room while we passed the time. Declining with a smile, he obviously felt much more comfortable in his current location amongst his fellow tribesmen. After a bit of coaxing from our charming interpreter Ajmal, my new friend Zingham finally obliged to come to the back of the classroom.

Using my best Pashtun (it's good for a few laughs), I asked his name and age, which village he was from, his father's name, etc... the usual introductory phrases. Zingham was a 9 yr old boy, from the Mandozai District, who lives on a wheat farm. As we continued our conversation, I inquired why he wasn't in school. I was shocked to hear that he was skipping for the day in an effort to take home the free tools attached to our training, but can't say that I question his logic.

The discussion between Zingham and I went on for about ten minutes. About half way into it, others in the class started to take notice that the youngest attendee was getting all of the attention. The longer we spoke, the more people came to listen in, and the more shy young Zingham became. Ajmal- our always humorous interpreter, decided to lighten the mood a bit during a lull in the conversation. After several minutes of the others all speaking Pashtun, a roar of laughter erupted and poor Zingham's face turned as red as a fire engine. Apparently after learning that I had five sisters and Zingham had four brothers, Ajmal encouraged Zingham that it might make sense for he and I to work out a trade!

Within a few minutes, the ten additional farmers we had been waiting on arrived and the training began. Wali Bad Shah did a wonderful job lecturing to the 25+ farmers in attendance, covering all the benefits of compost that he had been instructed upon just a few months ago during the training we held for all agricultural extension agents at Shaikh Zayed University.

Surprisingly enough, students in the Mandozai District of Afghanistan are no different than students in Manchester, Indiana- the portion of class that draws the most interest is always the hands-on section. The granite faces of many of the elders in attendance usually creep into a grin when the time for tool distribution begins. This smile is for good reason- they each take home a set of five different garden tools immediately following the training seminar.

The tool distribution portion is also the segment that draws the largest crowds from outside of the classroom. On any given day, 35-40 men are usually lingering around the district center in hopes of finding work or conducting other business. Couple this with the release of several hundred school children, and a mob can quickly result if the hand-out is not conducted in an orderly fashion. It never fails, just as we begin to pass out the tools, the school children miraculously begin to appear from behind every tree and building in sight.

The crowds in Mandozai were very well behaved though on Wednesday. Unfortunately, it was the Afghan Uniformed Police who were causing the problems. This isn't the first time we've had an issue with the local police trying to take home a few of the items intended for farmers, but it was definitely the most aggressive group of officers we've ever encountered.

As I said earlier, our intention during these missions is to stand back in the shadows and allow the agricultural extension agent to conduct his training and also distribute the related take-home supplies. After watching three attempts by Wali Bad Shah to thwart off the soliciting police officers, we had no choice but to move in and assist the unarmed extension agent in ridding himself of the pesky officers loaded down with AK-47's. Ultimately, four members of the ADT set up a perimeter around the distribution area in an effort to ensure that Wali Bad Shah could distribute the tools to their intended and deserving recipients- the farmers who attended the training seminar.

From L-R: Mandozai Ag Ext Agent Wali Bad Shah, SSG Steve Gilland,
Afghan Police Major Budokhan

When the distribution ended, there were four remaining sets of tools that were now the property of the Mandozai District. Wali Bad Shah asked if we would be willing to escort him back to the district center, in an effort to avoid another confrontation with those were supposedly in place to "serve and protect". After placing the remaining tool sets in the safety of the extension agents office, we offered to drop into the local police chief's office to discuss the recent alarming behavior of the officers on duty.

Staff Sergeant Steve Gilland, a police officer in a rural Ohio town when not wearing his military uniform, conducted the majority of our conversation with the local police chief- Major Budokhan. The look on the police chief's face said it all, no interpreter needed, he was deeply disappointed in the actions of his officers. Within minutes of our arrival into his office, the chief called for one of his aides to bring in the perpetrating officer.

By this time, I have to admit that my heart rate was beginning to escalate. The same man who was loaded down with two AK-47's and a pistol was now heading into the office to answer to his boss and those of us who brought his actions to the attention of the chief. Fortunately, before the officer entered the room he had already been stripped of all his weapons. After a few choice words from the Chief (the interpreter chose not to translate) the guilty party snapped to attention, removed his bandoleer filled with ammunition, and was escorted out of the chief's office.

The Chief later informed us that this man would be fired from his position as an Afghan Uniformed Police officer and also placed in jail until he was ready to apologize to Wali Bad Shah for his earlier improper coercive actions. In an effort to foster improved future relations, Major Budokhan offered us a cup of chai. As tempting as his offer was, we respectfully declined in an effort to minimize the amount of time the 30 other members of our team were sweltering outside in the 102 degree heat as they secured the perimeter of the district center.

This was yet another great example of the unique capabilities that Agribusiness Development Teams, fielded by National Guardsmen with a broad range of civilian expertise, bring to the fight here in Afghanistan. After mentioning his background in civilian law enforcement to Major Budokhan, Steve Gilland gained instant credibility and respect from the police chief.

Call it an unexpected mentoring opportunity or anything else you'd like, I'm just going to call it another random day (with a monkey) here in the Khowst Province of Afghanistan...

Zingham got his tools afterall...

Phase III Complete

2011-06-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

Just a few students came out to catch a glimpse of Abdul Jabaar Naeemi, Governor of Khowst Province

As promised, it is high time to provide another update on the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project. The Governor was bumped last week due to the tragic loss of a friend and great counsel to our ADT, but alas- we shan't keep the Governor waiting any longer...

Colonel Chis Toner and Governor Naeemi discuss the Future Farmers of
Afghanistan project during a briefing at Shaikh Zayed University

The program as originally designed calls for four distinct phases. Phase III, the mentorship phase, has recently come to a close here in the Khowst Province. During this phase, professors from Shaikh Zayed University left the comforts of campus life and headed out to work with the masses among our six pilot high schools.

The mentorship phase was also the portion where agricultural extension agents from each district in the province visited the schools to train their local farmers on the new equipment. Think of it as a take your parents (or local farmer) to school day. As curiosity in the community began to grow, neighbors were very interested to get inside of the fenced-in areas to see for themselves just what exactly those pesky Americans had been working with their youth on.

We first learned several weeks ago that Governor Naeemi was interested in receiving a first-hand account of the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project. Details were extremely vague at that point, but we did know he wanted to get out amongst the people to receive his update rather than have those involved come to him. As the Governor's visit came closer, we learned that he would also be accompanied by the Brigade Commander, Colonel Chris Toner.

One of the most important aspects of the FFA project to Governor Naeemi is the collaboration among different "line directors" within his government. Think of a line director as a cabinet member in terms of the American government model. The formation of this project required agreement between three different men, in a culture that is quite territorial- that can be a feat within itself. Highlighting the line directors collaboration, Governor Naeemi requested to visit Shaikh Zayed University to learn more about the project and even have the chance to speak directly with members of the Faculty of Agriculture who were deeply involved in the mentoring phase.

Both Governor Naeemi and Colonel Toner were extremely pleased with what they learned during their trip to campus. Colonel Toner actually has some credibility to speak about the past in this area as he was previously here as a Battalion Commander during 2006-2007. Toner was very impressed with the progress being made, stating "What our ADTs and this university have done with this forward-looking partnership has been phenomenal, and provides real hope for the agricultural future of the people in this area."

Dried goods from one of the solar dehydrators

As the summer heat is now in full-swing, it is not uncommon for the five-day forecast to read above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the entire five days. After some creative re-engineering, the resilient groundskeepers at several of the schools have found some very innovative ways to keep their greenhouses ventilated.

Virtually all of the schools are now taking their produce to market- a giant step forward for the project. With these profits re-invested within the farm, the ever-popular question of sustainability is addressed. Not only are the students receiving instruction on the obvious agriculture-related topics here, but a significant opportunity for these students to learn the intricacies of small-business finance has also presented itself.

For the last several months that the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project has been around, the Dean of Agriculture from Shaikh Zayed University has produced a weekly report for our team to summarize both his faculty's work as well as provide photographic evidence of training taking place. Below are a few excerpts from the latest report, this was actually the final report of the mentorship phase so the numbers shouldn't grow too much higher as the entire project comes to a finish.

117 - # of Teachers trained by Shaikh Zayed University

567 - # of high school students trained - total (438 males / 129 females)

6 - # of high schools selling agriculture products in local markets (6 of 6)

13 - # of Agriculture Extension Agents trained by Shaikh Zayed University

42 - # of local farmers trained at school sites by Agriculture Extension Agents

3 - # of Line Director signatories to project

Ready for Market

The culminating event in the mentorship phase consisted of an examination at each of the six schools. Participating students were evaluated on the practical use of a greenhouse, procedures for utilizing a drip irrigation system, the rearing of chickens, and even the preparation of compost.

An astounding 90% of the students tested agreed that the training they received was "practical and worthwhile". Those of you reading this with an education background might pick-up on an extremely positive theme with results such as these- the students are excited and see value in their studies.

While time here on the ground is starting to count down for the members of the 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team, the "rookie" season of the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project will also come to a close. With engaged students and even an interested populace, those from the 4-19th ADT should have great relationships and a sturdy foundation in place to go on and do even greater things for the people of Khowst Province.

Final Exam Time- Children from Gharghash High School taking their end of course examination under a shade tree

Thank You, John

2011-06-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

John in his always playful spirit, while assessing plants in the Terezayi District Center on February 19th, 2011.

This week's update was orginally planned to outline another update on the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project. Recently, the Governor of Khowst Province- Abdul Jamar Naeemi, visited Shaikh Zayed University to , but after receiving an email last night from a good friend's widow- the Governor's update will have to wait...

This past February in my Rolling Out the Red Carpet post, I mentioned a gentleman named John Harrington who came to work with our team through his work with the Afghan Water Agriculture and Technology Transfer (AWATT) program.

Just as I was preparing to head out of the office yesterday, my Outlook new email notifier popped up. The message was sent from a woman's address that my brain did not recognize, but the subject line featured a familiar name that struck a chord in my heart. Holding my breath, I left-clicked on the email box fearing the worst...

I'm not certain exactly how long it took to read the few sentences contained in that email, but I will say that it felt like time stood still as my entire body started to absorb the news I feared most.

Tragically, while riding his bicycle home from work on Monday afternoon, John Harrington was killed in an accident. In the email, sent from his wife whom I've never met, she explains "He was biking home from work and was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was hit by a car. "

One of the Guys

John first visited our team in late January, just several days after I departed FOB Salerno for my short trip back to the States. During his time here with the 3-19th ADT, John literally wrote the book on our forestry initiatives. As no organic member of our team had any background in forestry, John's wealth of knowledge was welcomed with gracious arms.

As I returned in mid-February, I have to say I was shocked by the extremely kind words so many members of our team used to describe John. I guess you could say that I was guilty of judging a book by it's cover when I first saw John's picture (wearing a flannel shirt, propped up against a giant tree with one hand on his dog) attached to his bio and curriculum vitae. Civilians working in development often get a bad reputation (many deserve it) but John was quite the exception.

While working in Afghanistan with the AWATT program, John was officially based out of Kabul. Always the adventurer, he loved to marvel us with stories of he and other friends escaping the confines of their government compounds to sneak out on "freedom-runs" around the city.

John made a second trip to FOB Salerno on February 16th; it was during this visit that I was finally able to meet the man so many had raved about. Within minutes, I immediately understood why so many were attracted to his outgoing, magnetic personality. In many cases, "PhD" would better stand for "Pile it Higher and Deeper", but this could not be father than the truth for John.

Under John's guidance that third week of February, we received our first shipment of trees. If I recall correctly; 4,000 trees in total made the journey onto the 3-19th ADT's demonstration farm from their original nursery in Jalabad.

Captain Randy Cuyler, the annoited "Tree-Man" for our team, had a chance to really get to know John as they worked hand-in-hand to outline our programs. Randy and his wife had actually been planning a trip to visit with John in his northern New Mexico home this fall.

I guess you could kind of compare the process of "getting to know" somebody here on FOB Salerno to speed dating. With considerably few other distractions, you really can get to know a person quite well in just a few short days. Before we'd even finished lunch on John's first day here, he and I had already established our common bond- running.

The Johnny Appleseed of Khowst Province

John was what many might refer to as a freak of nature, an ultra-marathoner. Within days of returning back to the States this spring, John participated in the Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon. Of the countless stories he told, one in particular comes to mind when I think of his extraordinary endurance. Supposedly, while undergoing a stress test during a routine doctor's physical, John was instructed to climb aboard a treadmill. John claimed he had told his doctor of his dedicated cardio routine, but apparently nobody had ever seen the treadmill maxed out on both speed and elevation- twenty minutes into the test, with such little increase in heart rate. By the time John finished the test (his doctor pulled the plug), seven cardiologists had gathered in the testing room to sneak a peak at this phenomenon.

Several months after John's departure from Afghanistan, he continued to keep in touch with members of our team. John was actually in the process of assisting one of our interpreters, Nick, gain acceptance into graduate school at New Mexico State University- where John served as Superintendent of the Mora Research Center for the school's forestry department.

After learning that another team from Indiana would be replacing us this coming fall, John volunteered his services to meet them at Camp Atterbury in an effort to prepare them for Afghan reforestation. John truly enjoyed helping others, free of charge, for the good of the cause. Doc Harrington had a gift for sharing his talents with others, and he found a way to make his instruction interesting- the mark of a true educator.

John genuinely cared about the safety of each and every soldier here in Afghanistan. Each time we'd correspond, he'd sign off with a "please take care of yourself and the others, I am counting on you." He'd do the same in emails with other team members as well, each time he wrote our safety was his number one concern.

In my most recent email exchange with John, I inquired about his willingness to be a part of a running team in the "Bourbon Chase Trail Run". After learning the details of this 200 mile, overnight adventure through the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, John was more than willing to fill one of the twelve required runners positions.

While John obviously won't be filling one of those twelve positions, rest assured that a team will still be assembled in his honor. It is through John that I've learned the greatest takeaway from distance running- the people you surround yourself with. John constantly encouraged younger runners to "slow down and enjoy their surroundings" and on many occasions was known to ruin his own pace in an effort to ensure a new runner might finish a race for the first time.

John discussing local forestry issues with the Terezayi
Ag Extension Agent Haji Mohammed on Feb 19th.

It seems quite paradoxical that after running through the streets of Kabul, training in the outskirts of Mazar-e-Sharif without the first trace of security, and finally traversing the hills of Khowst Province here with the ADT; John would ultimately be called home while doing what he loved- biking through the tranquil mountains of northern New Mexico.

John will be dearly missed by so many across the world, his work has literally spanned several continents. Future generations of Afghan people will reap the benefits of his work for decades to come, as will countless students and an equally impressive number of runners.

We on the 3-19th ADT would just like to thank John's family for sharing him with us over the last several months, it has been an honor to work with such a true gentleman. The world is truly a better place because of the work that John Harrington accomplished during his short 49 years here. Up until this point, we have been extremely blessed with a safe mission. I never would have imagined that our first loss of a teammate would occur back in the States.

In many cultures it is appropriate to plant a tree in memoriam for the deceased. What do you do for a man who has built forests?

John doing what he did best- educating. Here we are looking at the barren hills of the Terezayi District.

A Weekend to Remember

2011-06-02T04:18:00.000-07:00

Randy, Andy, and I enjoying the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500.

"America is great because she is good, and if America ever

ceases to be good, she will cease to be great."

Alexis de Tocqueville iconically coined the above quotation in his 1835 literary classic Democracy in America. This quote has long been one of my favorites; as you're forced to truly think outside the box to fully grasp its entire meaning.

As millions across the United States celebrated Memorial Day this past weekend, we here in Afghanistan checked off another holiday away from friends and family on our calendars. Patriotic holidays such as Memorial, Independence, and Veterans Days always cast an interesting feeling among service members. Rather than a picnic with family or a lake-outing with friends, Monday brought business as usual here on FOB Salerno.

Not all Americans were relaxing over this past weekend though. Through my NBC Nightly News podcasts, I've been able to keep up with the horrendous storms that have swept across so much of the United States.

Between last month's disastrous storms across the Southeast and last week's tragic tornado in Joplin, it seems that portions of the United States might now more closely resemble parts of Afghanistan. As I watched in sorrow for the many families who lost homes and business owners who watched their very livelihoods literally swept away, I noticed one distinct difference.

Within minutes of the storm's passing, countless volunteers immediately began lining up to assist in clean-up efforts. Just days after the storm, an orchestra of community groups had already formed in an effort to pull together and collectively overcome the crushing blow they had been dealt.

Unfortunately, this same "volunteer" mentality is all but non-existent when you take a look around the country I currently find myself in. In most tribal cultures, it is not uncommon to literally lay down your life for a family member or close neighbor. Notice I said "close neighbor"; if you think basketball rivalries are intense across county lines back in Indiana, take a look at the tribal feuds that have existed since the days of Alexander the Great in this region of the world.

I honestly can't say where Americans get their great sense of "giving back" to their communities or others in need. Perhaps our volunteer spirit stems from our strong national pride and faith-based communites as Tocqueville describes?

"Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power."

Sounds like a valid explanation to me...

Greatest Spectacle in Racing

The Indianapolis 500, held each year over Memorial Day weekend, is without a doubt one of my favorite Hoosier traditions. Talk about legendary, this year happened to be the 100th anniversary of the first race ever held at the Brickyard.

While there was no way that the 60+ Hoosiers here on FOB Salerno were going to have a chance to attend this year's race, we at least got a chance to participate in one of the many action-packed events leading up to race day. The great folks at Panther Racing provided us an opportunity to connect live, via a satellite up-link, to students from the Hoosier ChalleNGe Youth Academy and race car driver JR Hildebrand during Armed Forces Day at the track.

Rather than going into detail about the event, I'll defer to Reggie Hayes, Sports Columnist for the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. Reggie was kind enough to do a follow-up interview with a few of us, as he thought this would be a great story to tell his readers over the Memorial Day weekend.

The editors at the New-Sentinel must have felt the same excitement for the article as Reggie, as the following article was featured on the front page of Saturday's paper-

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110528/NEWS/105280327/0/FRONTPAGE

Live from FOB Salerno

Garrett soldier misses Indy 500 to serve country

Due to Afghanistan deployment, Andy Bowman will have to skip big race for first time in 25 years

A column by Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel

Garrett native Andy Bowman hasn't missed an Indianapolis 500 for 25 years.

This year, he has a slight conflict: He's in Afghanistan.

Bowman is a sergeant first class with the Indiana National Guard's 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team, stationed in Khowst province. Along with another area native, 1st Lt. Bart Lomont, from New Haven, Bowman was able to talk via satellite with JR Hildebrand, driver of the National Guard-sponsored Panther Racing car.

Asked what he missed most about home, Bowman said an ice-cold glass of milk.

“JR, I'd love to join you for that glass of milk,” Bowman told the driver, alluding to the traditional drink for the winner.

“There was a dare thrown out there for me to say that,” Bowman said in a phone interview with The News-Sentinel. “I had to do it. I look forward to meeting him in person one day. I think he's going to win it.”

Bowman pointed out that Panther Racing has finished second in the last three Indy 500s, with drivers Vitor Meira in 2008 and Dan Wheldon in 2009 and 2010.

The 100th anniversary running of the Indy 500 begins at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Bowman and Lomont hope to watch this year's Indy 500 via satellite, even if it's on tape delay. While both men live in Indianapolis now, they have long-standing connections to the Fort Wayne area. Lomont's parents still farm here.

Linking up with Panther Racing – and the National Guard connection – allows them to have a taste of home while on their one-year assignment. Bowman said he first attended the Indy 500 in the 1970s and says A.J. Foyt was his favorite driver.

“It's a family tradition,” Bowman said. “I have a lot of love for the Indy 500, that's my favorite race. I've been to a lot of other ones, but this is the one we look forward to the most. My brothers and I go, and the last several years, my wife (Jamie) has gone with me, too.”

Bowman caught a little heat from his wife for choosing milk as the thing he missed most from home, but he plans to make up for that when he goes on a short leave in about a week. His unit's assignment lasts until around mid-August.

Part of the reason Bowman loves the 500 is because of the honor for service that permeates the Memorial Day weekend event. Bowman, 51, has been in the guard for 29 years, but this is his first overseas deployment. He plans to retire soon.

“One of the things growing up and going to the racetrack that struck me was the patriotic spirit they have at the race,” Bowman said. “It's one of the most well-put-together displays of patriotism and respect for the holiday that there is. It's breathtaking.”

Lomont, 28, who graduated from Heritage High School, praised Panther Racing for scheduling the satellite link, which also included a question-and-answer period with cadets from the Hoosier Youth ChalleNGe Academy. The event took place on Armed Forces Day.

“Panther Racing has always been a huge supporter of the military, and they made it all possible,” Lomont said.

The 3-19th ADT is comprised of soldiers and airmen from the National Guard. The unit is helping Afghans to improve their agricultural production as the country deals with the aftermath of war.

This column is the commentary of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The News-Sentinel. Email Reggie Hayes at rhayes@news-sentinel.com and see past columns at hayes.news-sentinel.com

I was delighted to hear, once again, of another small world experience that occured this past weekend. While my parents were attending a cousin's wedding on Saturday back in Ft. Wayne, they were introduced to Reggie Hayes- the author of the above column.

The actual race didn't begin until 8:30PM Sunday evening here in Afghanistan, but you can bet a few of us (the usual suspects) were tuned-in well in advance to witness the pre-race festivities. Between Florence Henderson, Jim Nabors, and the hair-raising B-2 bomber flyover; the centennial celebration was a very fitting tribute to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Ultimately, those of you who watched the race know that JR Hildebrand did not get to have that glass of milk after all. Coming into the final turn with the lead, JR had an unfortunate encounter with the wall and finished in second place. Still not a bad finish, especially for a rookie. Perhaps he just wanted to save that glass of milk until Andy Bowman can be there in person...

Remembering Heroes of Long Ago

At the recommendation of my good friend Innocent, I chose to spend the final hours of my Memorial Day by watching a movie. Anyone who knows me well might laugh at this thought, as it appears some of the Amish back home in Grabill keep better tabs on Hollywood's hits. That being said, I never could have guessed how appropriate today's movie of choice would turn out to be.

The Messenger, the story of Joan of Arc, challenged me to stop and think about the true meaning of "Memorial Day". Joan of Arc, like millions of others throughout history, died so that others might live- while fighting for a cause she believed in. I do have to say that chills ran down my spine as the movie ended, with the closing text summarizing the final scene- "Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake on May 30, 1431". Today just happened to be the 580th anniversary of that brave martyr's death.

It's funny how things work out, I can't help but think that it was more than coincidence that urged me to watch The Messenger today. As Memorial Day of 2011 came to a close here in Afghanistan, it was a great feeling to know that we've only got one more major holiday (July 4th) between now and our much anticipated re-deployment.

Fortunately, for members of the 3-19th ADT, we'll be celebrating Labor Day back among you all- in the land free and the home of the brave, the United States of America. It is people like you that Tocqueville references when he explains America's greatness is a result of it's good people.

God bless you all and thanks again for your unwavering support!

Jim Nabors sounded better than ever, even in black and white. Back Home Again in Indiana had a whole new meaning this year...

An Update on the Future Farmers of Afghanistan

2011-05-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

1LT Jesse Hardy, the 3-19th ADT Platoon Leader, engages in a friendly soccer volley with Gharghash High students.

Roughly eight weeks ago, a stable of horses here in Khowst Province was led to the nearest watering hole in an effort to teach them how to drink. During a recent visit to that watering hole, members of the 3-19th ADT were delighted to find that not only were the horses hydrating plentifully- they were also bottling some of the nutrient rich liquid in an effort to share it amongst other steeds who might not ever get the opportunity to travel to the source.

If you've read this blog in the past, you're well aware of our Future Farmers of Afghanistan project. The initiative, designed to aid in leadership development among Afghan youth, is proceeding better than many of us could have ever envisioned.

Gharghash High School Principal Ajap Pan provides an update to Major
Jeremy Gulley. Pan was extremely pleased to learn that Gulley was also
a high school principal.

The six high schools chosen by the Director of Education to serve as pilot sites across the province are all currently in the mentorship phase of the program. During this portion, agricultural faculty from Shaikh Zayed University along with the local agricultural extension agent, spend four hours per week at each of the six schools.

Our most recent quality assurance visit, a May 21st trip to Gharghash High School, was by far the most inspiring check-in to date. With only a few hours notice, the school's principal- Ajap Pan, agreed to meet us during the rotation period surrounding lunch, where the morning students begin their journey home and the afternoon pupils arrive hungry for knowledge.

As we first arrived the school, Major Jeremy Gulley- an Education Officer on the team and Principal of Huntington North High School back in the civilian world, greeted the Gharghash High School Principal. Before our interpreter could even finish his translation, the smile across the Afghan Principal's face exuded his delight in knowing that he was conversing with a fellow educator. This is another great example of why Agribusiness Development Teams are such an anomaly amongst military units. How often do you see a high school principal leaving his suit and tie at the dry cleaner for a year, only to throw on his camouflage fatigues?

A popular past time for children across the country of Afghanistan includes asking service members for pens. "Qalam? Qalam?" is a frequent request of most every child you meet while out amongst the population. Just as their counterparts in the United States, behavior levels among students vary quite drastically as you travel the province. As some young men will literally steal the pens out of your pocket, it is critical to keep anything of value out of sight from these kleptomaniacs.

"Rewarding Reservation"

These young boys can also quickly suffer from herd mentality, as it seems any common sense or manners that their mother taught them go right out the window when they congregate among classmates (sounds like soldiers). As the principals were chatting during our recent visit to the school, the students quickly began to swarm around each and every camouflaged soldier, in an effort to score a couple of qalams or trade for a new watch. One young man at Gharghash refrained from asking me for a thing though, in fact he was so quiet I honestly thought he might have been mute. Just as the principal was shooing the students (who by now could better be described as a mob), I secretly handed the quiet young man my pen. The smile across his face was electrifying as I motioned to keep it quite, just our little secret. For the rest of our visit, this young man walked around with a smile as wide as the Nile, with the piece of mind that he had received his qalam without even having to ask for one...

After speaking with the principal in the courtyard, our group moved into the agricultural portion of the school grounds. In an effort to cut down on pedestrian thru-traffic and vandalism, each of the agricultural kits are fenced off into a private area.

Reminders of Home

Upon entering the green house, the most welcoming site was that of a few lone stalks of corn. While these weren't strategically planted, I do think the Gharghash gardeners knew this would be a quick way to get onto a group of Hoosiers' good sides. Among the other crops we were delighted to see growing in bounty included "lady-finger" okra, spinach, and cauliflower.

One issue that schools have noted within the original design of the greenhouse is the lack of ventilation. After the initial construction of the project kits, the schools took full ownership of the sites and were free to do as they saw necessary to ensure a functioning agricultural environment.

One of the first things Gharghash leaders did was arrange for ventilation screens to be cut into each end of the greenhouse. This kind of improvisation is encouraged as a part of the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project, as a sort of field-expedient problem solving. This is also inspiring to think of in terms of the sustainability of these agricultural kits. When the United States is long gone from Afghanistan, young men and women who are confident in their skills will have the mental capacity and experience to act on an issue, whenever and wherever those issues will inevitably arise.

A Proud Principal

After our sultry (102 degrees outside made for 120+ inside) visit to the greenhouse, the next order of business called for a stop at the solar dehydrator device. Gauging by the amount of sweat rolling off our bodies, I think the greenhouse could have easily been labeled a solar dehydrator as well.As we approached the dehydrator, the excitement and pride in Principal Ajap Pan's voice was unmistakable. Opening the latch that secures the exterior flap to the base of the device, Pan revealed to us a textbook example of dried fruits and vegetables. Several screens filled with apples, tomatoes, and apricots lined the shelves of the dehydrator; just as Pan and others were taught eight short weeks ago during their training course at Shaikh Zayed University.

Preparing for Prayer

Before we departed the school grounds, Major Gulley congratulated his fellow Principal once again for a job well-done, so far. He stressed to Ajap Pan the importance of always having the agricultural area prepared for visitors. As the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project continues to attract attention all the way up both civilian and military chains of command, many high-profile visitors have inquired about the program and expressed interest in paying a visit to one of the six pilot schools. There is a very good chance that the Governor of Khowst Province, Abdul Jabaar Naeemi, will be touring one of these sites in the very near future as well.

Another issue we discussed with Principal Pan that was dear to my heart was the sale of goods grown inside the greenhouse or from the solar dehydrator. I was ecstatic to learn that eggs layed in the poultry coop had already been sold at a local bazaar, with the profits reinvested into the upkeep of the farm. The sale of products produced on the farm will not only give students a wonderful experience in marketing, but also ensure that the farm is around for decades to come.

To see that the horse we led to water drank voluntarily, was a very rewarding experience. We're all very well aware that only the Afghan people can ultimately decide what the future of their country looks like. We on the 3-19th ADT will have the satisfaction of knowing, in our short year on the ground here in Khowst, that we planted the seed for invaluable youth development and leadership programs.

The future is wide open and based on a plethora of variables, but if other provincial schools are able to model the initiative those at Gharghash High School have taken; rest assured that the Future Farmers of Afghanistan will continue to play a major role in the development of this country's next generation of leaders.

Colleagues in Education - two high school principals, from schools that are separated by 7,500 miles and several
zeros in their budgets; part ways after a May 21st visit to Gharghash High School in Khowst Province.

A Birthday Abroad

2011-05-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

A Motley Crue - teammates and neighbors gathered to ring in my 28th year

Ask any student group on a college campus "what is the most effective way to organize a group of people?" and nine times out of ten; your answer will include a combination of the following words: free and beer/pizza.

I'm proud to report that same theory of motivation proves true here in Afghanistan, among soldiers and contractors alike. Tweak the theory a bit to sub a cigar for the pizza portion, while adding a *non-alcoholic in front of the beer portion, and you've got yourself a case worthy of a doctorate level thesis.

This past Friday, May the 20th marked my 28th year here on this great earth. With the joys of technology, I was able to start my day off with a few phone calls to friends and family. After hearing my dear mother's signature tune of "Happy Birthday", it was official- I could finally open the packages that had been painstakingly awaiting someone to rip the customs label right off and tear into the goods...

After sifting through packages filled with several pounds of coffee and a couple dozen cigars, I opened a thin package sent from my sister Michelle. I'd been intrigued by the package since it's arrival on Tuesday afternoon, as the packing list simply stated "book". As I opened the package, the vivid colors on the cover you see here immediately caught my eye. Mrs. Corson, the 3rd and 4th grade teacher at St. Louis Academy, recently charged her students with the task of compiling all they have learned over this year of studying Indiana state history into a book that they could publish and cherish for eternity. My sweet niece Maggie was kind enough to dedicate her first attempt as an author- "ABC's of Indiana" to none other than her old Uncle Bart. While I'm extremely grateful to all for the many thoughtful packages sent, I have to say that this book was without a doubt the most heartfelt. She's quite a creative young lady I might add. From the first page's mention of B is for Butler, all the way to the final page's clever relation of the letter X to one of Indiana's thousands of railroad crossing symbols, I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit to see a few more literary works in Ms. Maggie's future. Kudos to the entire class at St. Louis Academy studying Indiana state history, keep up the great work!

Shabazz and I

After the duty day ended here on FOB Salerno, I decided to test out the beer and stogie phenomenon. We started to inform those in the neighborhood that we'd be gathering on the picnic table behind our barracks with free booze and cigars. Low and behold, the masses will flock to free booze and a good smoke!

While any blend of non-alcoholic beer is most definitely an acquired taste, St. Pauli Girl NA was the beverage of choice for Friday evening's get together. I have to say that the St. Pauli's made for a perfect compliment to the mild Nub Connecticut blend of cigars that we all were firing up.

SFC Andy Bowman, another good 'ol boy on the team from Northeast Indiana, especially enjoyed the evening. This was a great chance for all of us to enjoy a bit of time together, off of the clock, just hanging out as a team. In addition to Shabazz (Bowman's Pashtun name), several of our international friends came out to partake in our Happy Hour. Both Innocent (one of the Ugandan men I've gotten to know quite well) and Ajmala (our Pashtun interpreter and cultural advisor) stopped by for a bit to add a little flavor to the crew.

A special thanks to all who helped organize Friday evening's get-together, you know who you are. Also, I wanted to especially thank all 216 of you who were kind enough to post birthday greetings on my Facebook wall. Yes- my mother counted...only a mother's love is strong enough to meticulously creep through that many pages of Facebook profile!

27 was a great year, filled with countless blessings and decades worth of memories. At this pace, I'm excited to see what the future holds. As I think about all the adventures my 28th year is sure to entail, I can't help but think of a card I received from the Schroeder/Schleben families. While I'm not certain that my dreams would line up very similar with those of the gentlemen featured, I do have to say that I highly admire his forthrightness. The card cover features the gem of a man you see below, while the inside bears a motto I just might borrow for year 28: "Live Your Dreams."

A Portrait at 60?

The Fourth Estate

2011-05-15T05:29:00.000-07:00

The flags of NATO-ISAF member countries outside of the Joint Operations Center at Bagram Air Base

Throughout recorded history, the role of documenting military activities has taken on many faces. Historians and journalists alike are frequently credited with cutting their teeth in austere locations, long before they land coveted positions such as evening news anchor or national correspondent (see Walter Cronkite in WWII & Vietnam).

As Americans, we enjoy a protection under the First Amendment in our Bill of Rights, the "freedom of speech". Unfortunately, a very small percentage of the world's population shares this liberty, thus creating an even higher demand across the globe for somebody to tell their story.

Photographing the Photographer
Maura O'Connor from atop the provincial observation point

One of my additional duty assignments during this deployment has been that of "Public Affairs Officer". I have really grown quite fond of these duties, as rare as that may sound for a position in which I was voluntold. While the vast majority of news releases coming from FOB Salerno are conceived from the Brigade Public Affairs Office, a handful have come from out of the 3-19th ADT Public Affairs Office, and an even fewer amount of those were deemed newsworthy- eventually making their way to global audiences.

Recently, development focused units across the Eastern portion of Afghanistan had the honor of hosting an embedded reporter, a young lady by the name of Maura O'Connor. Ms. O'Connor (as we referred to her in briefings- I've learned that the Army has to place a title on EVERYTHING) is a research fellow with the Phillips Foundation, focusing on development projects and studying the impact of foreign aid dollars on countries in conflict. After a little over a week with us here on FOB Salerno, she accompanied the Provincial Reconstruction Team out on several missions before heading up to the Paktika Province where she spent several weeks with the ADT and PRT teams in that region.

Maura learned a new term during her time around FOB Salerno- that of Hoosier Hospitality. Team members really enjoyed hearing Maura's stories from her travels, it seemed she had seen more of Afghanistan in her three weeks on ground than any of us had witnessed in nearly eight months. When we first learned that a journalist was going to be staying with the team for a few weeks, the timing could not have been worse. I'm sure the Rolling Stone jokes began to grow a bit old, but all in all I think she had a wonderful experience here with the Reapers of the 3-19th ADT. I know we're all eagerly anticipating the publication of her research; as she is closing out her Afghan travels at the end of the month, a release should be coming in the next few weeks.

It's a Small World, After All...

Once a quarter, the ISAF Public Affairs Office hosts an "Afghan Media Conference". I had the opportunity to attend my first of these conferences this past week, and have to say it was quite an enlightening experience. Upwards of 40 Afghan journalists filled the Jirga Center at Bagram Air Base, with the majority hailing from Kabul.

During the conference, these mainly mid-to-late 20's Afghan men had the opportunity to interact with American journalists and military public affairs officials. Conor Powell, a Fox News correspondent from Kabul, shared some very blunt and practical advice to the audience- the need to dress appropriately and pack accordingly. Connor spoke of a recent mission he accompanied ISAF troops on, in which an Afghan journalist also joined- clad in a suit and dress shoes. As he was speaking, Connor stood up from behind the table he sat and gave a visual reference to all about what might be deemed practical attire while accompanying troops. His khaki/olive drab garb was loose fitting and breathable, with the ability to easily layer on more items during the evening hours as the temperature can easily fluctuate up to 30 degrees between night and day.

Nearly 40 Afghan journalists attended the media conference held at Bagram

As the emcee prepared the attendees for a breakout session, he asked that all participants first take a few minutes to go around the room and introduce themselves. As my turn approached, I worked up the fortitude to introduce myself in Pashtu, after all I'd been practicing a bit with our interpreters and had formed a solid conversational foundation back at Indiana University last summer. "Salaam Aleykum, zma num Bridman Lomont; zay de Indiana Agribusiness Development Team de Khowst Province." As I finished, I wasn't sure if I had just made up my own version of Pashglish or not, but by the applause I think the crowd got the gist of what I was trying to say.

In addition to the group of Afghan reporters and American service members, several public affairs representatives from the French Army were also in attendance. France is a major ally in the coalition fight, fielding an entire Brigade sized effort known as Task Force La Fayette.

The conference came to a close around 3PM. This was designed to give those traveling back to Kabul an opportunity to travel during daylight, but also give others some time to network if they so desired. I immediately made my way over to the French, in an effort to inquire if any of them were by chance from the Besancon area. (Besancon, France is where all of my Lomont ancestors hail from; my father and I just visited the area in July of 2010.) None of the French soldiers present at the conference were in fact from Besancon, but they did offer to place me in touch with three of their superiors who just so happened to be based in Besancon when back in garrison. I made plans to follow-up with my new French friends before dinner, at the Joint Operations Center, the hub of all operations in the Regional Command- East area of responsibility.

Just as I was preparing to partake in a few of the tasty pastries that I'd been eyeing on the reception table (it has been a few months since I've had fresh bread), an unmistakably Pashtun man stopped me to inquire where I had taken my Pashtu language courses. He commended my accent especially and commented that before he turned around to see who was speaking, he honestly thought that it was a native Pashtun. The conversation that would then ensue has literally been one of the smallest world experiences I've ever been a part of-

Massoud, the brother of my friend and former
instructor Zalmai, after our chance meeting.

Massoud- "Excuse me sir, where did you learn to speak Pashtun?"

Me- "Indiana University"

Massoud- "Really?!?! My brother is teaching there!"

Me- Get out of here! What's his name? (By now, I could already notice the family resemblance)

Massoud- "Zalmai"

On a bright, sunny afternoon- in the middle of Bagram Air Base; Massoud and I had just shattered the Six Degrees of Separation rule. I've referenced in past blogs my witty, intelligent Pashtu instructor Zalmai. He and I hit it off extremely well during our brief two weeks on campus last summer. Zalmai is a masters student in the Geology Department at Indiana University, but works on contract with the State Department to provide training to military and government officials in preparation to assignments where they will be speaking Pashtu.

As I think about the number of variables necessary for Massoud and I to meet, I can't help but laugh. What are the chances? Massoud just happened to be accompanying the Public Affairs Officer from his post, FOB Shank, to the same conference that day. If I had not mustered up the courage to attempt my best rendtion of Pashglish, Massoud never would have singled me out to inquire about where I had taken my language courses.

Hotel California

From the Jirga Center we began walking back towards our home for the evening- the Hotel California, which serves as housing for all media personnel passing through Bagram. Don't let the name fool you though; as I struggle to see any resemblance between the three wooden shanties that sit in the middle of Bagram and that of an actual hotel. Regardless, it's a roof over your head and heat/air conditioning that is much appreciated with the extreme temperature fluctuations existing at this elevation.

Each room at the inn bears a friendly greeting: Welcome to the Media Support Center's "Hotel California", which is followed by font so small that it is nearly illegible- serving as a disclaimer to inform guests that if they find their room is a mess, it is because "the last occupant, your journalism colleague, left the room in the current condition".

After unpacking my bags and settling into my room, I decided to make a quick stop-in to the Joint Operations Center in an attempt to link-up with my French comrades-in-arms. The JOC, as it is referred to in the military's world of acronyms, was quite an impressive area in itself. The flags of all partner countries in the International Security Assistance Force proudly line the courtyard of the center, with breathtaking views of the Hindu-Kush mountain range framing a picturesque backdrop to the north.

In typical European fashion, the three Frenchmen I was eagerly awaiting introduction to were out on a smoke break. As I approached them out near the smoker's gazebo, I could see them carefully studying my name tag. Fortunately all of the men, the equivalent of two Majors and a Lt. Colonel, spoke nearly fluent English. We discussed a variety of things before I was finally able to explain to them that my ancestors emigrated to Indiana from the Besancon, France area.

None of the men were actually born in the Franche-Comte region, but all three currently reside in Besancon as they are based there as soldiers within the French Army. I mentioned my trip to the area last summer with my father, and they were quite impressed that we had taken the time to visit the "land of our fathers."

The highlight of our conversation came as I inquired to the French soldiers about their shielding from General Order #1, the order outlawing any alcohol consumption by US Forces while in Afghanistan. It was as if I had cued them up, immediately as I inquired they all simultaneously retrieved their pocket knives to show me that each French soldier "was always prepared." While being prepared is a relative term, I like the way the French think. A corkscrew butting off the end of a pocket knife consisted of their version of preparedness...

After exchanging business cards and promising to send them the photo we took together, we parted ways. As I was walking away, Monsieur Chauval stopped me to ensure I had heard the French National Caveat-
"Lieutenant" he shouted, "you do know that a French soldier cannot fight without a fair compliment of wine and fresh bread, right?"

With additional responsibility, comes additional opportunity
Up until this trip to Bagram, frankly- I have despised the place. Between the media conference, the rooms at the Hotel California, my chance encounter with Massoud, and finally the brief introduction to the French soldiers; I have to admit that the place I once described as a "hell-hole" has begun to grow on me. As I traveled through Bagram in the process of returning home for my mid-tour in February, I swore that "the next time I stepped foot in this god-forsaken place would be on my way out of the country for good."

Thankfully, I was able to travel through Bagram this past week as a part of my additional duty as Public Affairs Officer. I have to borrow a line from Dr. Seuss as I think about such opportunities- "oh, the places you'll go and the people you'll meet." (Thanks Trace)

Chalk another one up to the archives; a few new friends have been made and yet an additional great story to tell for decades to come has developed. As I told the Frenchmen- "if I miss you in Bagram, I'll see you in Besancon..."

The Four Frenchmen
From left to right: Major Rene Ducrocq, 1Lt Bart Lomont, Major Didier Rostollan, and Lt. Colonel Philippe Chouval

Down Time

2011-05-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

"In war, morale is to all other factors as four is to one."

- Napoleon Bonaparte

Over the course of the last seven months, members of the 3-19th ADT have had a smorgasboard of what the military calls morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) events available to the unit. It may seem mind-boggling to hear that activities such as salsa dance lessons, "open-mic" night, and countless sporting tournaments occur around FOB Salerno on nearly a nightly basis.

Fitness minded events seem a bit easier to comprehend, but the number of other activities aimed at keeping soldiers occupied during their free time is quite impressive. These few events I've mentioned all occur here on a forward operating base; I wouldn't even begin to attempt to list the number of activities taking place on a much larger base such as Bagram.

The number of people that use tobacco in the military still seems quite paradoxical to me. Here we are in a workforce that values fitness and preparedness, yet arguably has some of the highest rates of smokers per capita. Before anyone sounds the hypocrisy alarm, I'll gladly admit to indulging in a few stogies from time to time... The Rocket City Cigar Club, the officially sanctioned cigar smokers group for FOB Salerno, meets on a weekly basis- providing soldiers yet another outlet to pass the time.

A few of us taking a welcomed break from the monotonous "chow-hall"
at Aziz's, the one and only restaurant on the FOB.

Close your eyes for a minute and picture your favorite military themed movie...odds are that the majority of the scenes in that movie have to do with either soldiers playing cards or soldiers smoking and joking around with each other, perhaps even both. The reality today is that some things never change. While the card games have for the most part been traded-in for networked, XBox challenges amongst the men; the basic principle of spending nearly every hour of every day together as a team builds extremely strong bonds over the course of a deployment. The camaraderie that we as troops enjoy forms relationships that many of us will maintain for the rest of our lives.

The 'Stache

Every year, Air Force members across the globe participate in a decades old tradition known simply as Mustache March. For the sake of my family, friends, and anyone else who might need to take me seriously, I've opted out of this tradition in years past. As I flipped the calendar to March this past Spring, I decided to let the 'stache grow free...

No, this was not taken in the 1970's...but rather circa March 2011

As you can see from the above pic, I wasn't the only one around the FOB with a caterpillar resting above my upper lip. I will say that after several weeks of chapped lips (I think I had been sub-consciously checking with my tongue to ensure the 'stache was still in place), I grew somewhat accustomed to my furry little friend by the end of the month.

With the turning of the calendar page to April, also came the shaving of the 'stache. Within days of once again sporting a clean-shaven face, I was amazed at the number of people who commented "thank god you finally shaved that thing off." Perhaps it wasn't for me, but I do have to say it provided a lot of great laughs and some good natured ribbing. Needless to say I'm in no rush to see March of 2012...

All good things must come to an end...

Reminders of Home

With the running of the Indianapolis 500, the month of May shines a bright spotlight on the City of Indianapolis each year. Another race occurs earlier in the month that also draws quite a bit of attention to the Circle City each year, that being the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. At the same time this monumental foot race is taking place in Indianapolis, the world's most famous horse race is taking place less than 100 miles south at another world-renowned track called Churchill Downs. Each year as May approaches, I find myself torn as I weigh the costs/benefits of running the mini versus that of making the short drive down to Louisville to experience my first Race for the Roses. Up until this point, I've always justified my choosing of the mini-marathon as a wise decision while I was still young and healthy enough to accomplish such a run.

With Specialist David Silva after joining him in his first
half-marathon, our own satellite version of the Indy Mini.

I guess you could say one of the benefits of serving in Afghanistan is that you really don't have to make a whole lot of tough decisions regarding your social calendar. As I looked ahead at the month of May 2011, I knew I wouldn't be attending either of the events that have caused me to question my decision making capabilities in the past. Factor in that the derby/mini weekend also falls on Mother's Day weekend, and you've got yourself a star-studded weekend.

In the latter part of this past week, my running partner (David) and I had a short conversation about the possibility of running our own version of the Indy Mini. He had never run more than eight miles in his life before this attempt, but where better to at least give it a shot? After all, perhaps the threat of incoming rockets or poisonous snakes along the route would provide an extra shot of adrenaline. After praying to myself that he'd cancel, at 7PM Saturday evening he wrote to tell me that he'd be willing to give it a shot. Now it was time to prepare for our own version of the Indy Mini- the Salerno Satellite.

Race day was warm, over 80 degrees by 7AM with the high levels of humidity we've now grown accustomed to. With limited paved roads and even fewer water stations/restrooms, a few more logistical issues presented themselves than what one might encounter in downtown Indianapolis. After two hours and five minutes, we finished our own version of the mini. Although we were 7,500 miles away from those finishing in Indianapolis, the satisfaction of completing such an endeavor is the same the world around.

Just as I had finished stretching, an email came in that I had been tagged in a new Facebook photo. As I clicked on the photo, a giant smile came across my face as I realized that I had finally accomplished something I had been trying to master for years- both running the mini and attending the Kentucky Derby. You see, while I was here running the Salerno Satellite, a group of ladies especially dear to my heart (my mother and three oldest sisters) had decided to experience that Race for the Roses that I previously mentioned.

Great friends were able to meet up with dear family, a deadly combo...

A group of close friends also happened to be on the grounds at Churchill Downs on Saturday, so as luck would have it the six of them were able to rendezvous amidst the crowd of 300,000. This is the photo I saw when clicking on the link in my email, with a simple caption of- "This one's for you, Bart!".

When I had first heard that the two groups were both going to be in the same general area, I sent a simple request to my buddies: if they were to by chance encounter my mother, please give her a hug and a Happy Mother's Day from Afghanistan. As you might imagine, the hug was a big hit when finally delivered. I was humbled by my great friends once again when in response to my thanking them I received a text stating- "Any time man, we were just arguing over who got to do it, an absolute privilege..."

These chance encounters, small victories from thousands of miles away, are what help deployed service members great through each day. A year away from loved ones, surrounded by the horrors of combat, can truly take a toll on many young men and women. Between increased communication capabilities such as Skype, email, and text messaging; the extraordinary distance separating us from our loved ones doesn't seem all that far.

Several members of the 3-19th ADT were among the two billion tuning in to the Royal Wedding

A Chapter Closed

2011-05-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Captain Randy Cuyler, Major Gulley, and I enjoy a cigar to commemorate the news of the day

I'll be the first to admit that biology was never my strong suit during my Purdue years. But, as luck would have it, at least six credits in the despicable subject area were mandatory for any students coming out of the College of Agriculture. There were the countless lectures, the recitation periods where it was more interesting to watch paint chips fall from the dilapidated walls of Lilly Hall, and last but not least the weekly laboratory classes that always seemed to fall at the most inopportune times.

Ironically enough, of all the courses I squeaked through during my proud six years on campus, it is a Biology 111 lab lesson that still to this day commands my most vivid recollection of life at Purdue. It wasn't because of any thwarted disaster in my mixing of chemicals (that's another story), or even the gorgeous Chi Omega that sat two rows in front of me, but rather because of an event that occurred 800 miles away in New York City.

Merely uttering the words Pearl Harbor, Kennedy, and Apollo instantly takes millions of Americans back to the exact place they were during the time of these world-changing events. September 11th, 2001 provided those of us born after 1970 with a new trigger word of our own: 9/11. Each time I hear those words, I instantly return to that dreaded 7:30AM Tuesday morning Biology laboratory.

Looking back on that day, nearly a decade later, I'm still amazed at how much those few hours of carnage changed my life. In September of 2001, I was a freshman with every intention of putting in my four years of college and simply returning to life on the farm. After witnessing what I had seen on 9/11, the call to serve soon grew too strong to resist. Following my sophomore year at Purdue, I chose to take a year off and enlist in the Air National Guard.

Now, in the interest of time, please sit shotgun in my Delorean and follow me nine and a half years into the future to May 2, 2011. For those of you who feel the need to quantify, we just traveled 3,520 days...

Only 197 miles separate Khowst and Abbottabad

As the threat level in the Khowst Province has been steadily increasing in recent weeks, commanders at the 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team issued the order to staff our Tactical Operations Center with a duty officer and systems monitor 24/7 until further notice. Not necessarily music to anyone's ears, but oh well- it wasn't as if any of us had a hot date this past weekend.

My shift happened to fall from midnight to 4AM Monday morning, Murphy's law strikes again. After Skyping and trying my darndest to get ahold of my niece Libby to bid congratulations on her First Communion, I made my way down to the office armed with an arsenal of reading material certain to keep even the strongest of narcoleptics awake. As the early morning hours crawled by, I was actually quite fortunate to not be back in the barracks, trying to sleep through the barrage of cannon fire resonating throughout the area. A few minutes past 4AM, I made my way back to the barracks and made a beeline for my pillow. Just as I had slipped into a picturesque REM stage of sleep, the lights of the bay were turned on and shouts of "Bin Laden's dead" rang throughout our sleeping quarters. As I was still quite groggy, I'm not certain the magnitude of the message really hit at that point. It wasn't until several hours later, upon reading the flood of emails and Facebook posts that had come in from friends across the globe; that I really grasped what an extraordinary event had just occurred.

Global Response
One of the first emails I opened that morning stated - Just thought you should know that fireworks are going off in Texas right now upon the news of Bin Laden's death. Another from dear friends in Chicago read simply praying for your safety. Several other thoughtful and congratulatory messages were waiting for me as I awoke, and all were very much appreciated. One of my favorite emails of the day, from a family friend in France, read- Bravo for the special forces for Ben Laden elimination. After scouring through emails, I decided to feed the beast and started to browse through a few news outlet websites. All of the reports were very vague still at this point, aside from confirming the kill; specifics were quite scarce.

As I read through an article in the Wall Street Journal, I noticed a lump starting to develop in my throat.

“This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The U.S. has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will
be done.”

Those words, spoken by our 43rd President- George W. Bush, were enough to push me over the edge. Between the emails, Facebook posts, and text messages from friends; an overwhelming sense of patriotism had just overtaken me as I read the thoughts of a man who dedicated his entire presidency to ensuring another tragedy such as 9/11 would never again occur. If you've read Decision Points, you're well aware of the tremendous amount of time and resources the former leader of the free world put into eliminating Osama Bin Laden. Tears of joy started to stream down my cheeks as I read his words and tried to grasp how much this news must have meant to him; to know that his successor saw the issue critical enough to continue the pursuit.

Partisan Nonsense

After finally removing myself from the intravenous of information that is my laptop, I journeyed back to the office in an effort to gauge the morale levels amongst team members. To say the mood was blissful would be a drastic understatement, the men were as giddy as I've ever seen. Of course timing is everything, so the twenty boxes full of highly desired goodies (DVD's, Starbucks, Axe bodywash) that the kind folks at Jay County High School sent Major Jeremy Gulley didn't dampen anybody's spirits either.

I think the Ugandans might have even been more excited
than many Americans here on FOB Salerno. My good friend
Innocent Mwakatabu joined the festivities as well.

I hesitate to compare parts of this deployment to scenes in Band of Brothers, but on several occasions Monday I couldn't help but wonder if our feelings of elation might have been similar to that those of our predecessors experienced when learning of Hitler's suicide and the pending German surrender. In both cases, there was cause for great celebration but also cause for concern and the dire need to avoid complacency. In WWII, the men knew there was still a battle on the Pacific front; today we know all too well that there are still many bad actors in the world who would love for the defenders of freedom to sit their shields down- even if just a few minutes.

The scenes on television throughout the day were truly inspiring, reminiscent to the displays of patriotism seen last in the days following 9/11/01. The scenes of revelers in Washington DC, where it seems in recent times they have even started requiring Republicans and Democrats to live in separate neighborhoods, really solidified this day's significance in history to me. Eugene Johnson summed up the need to give politics a break for the day in this quote from the Washington Post's PostPartisan blog-

"This really is one of those moments when there are no red states or blue states, just United States; no MoveOn progressives or Tea Party conservatives, just Americans. Triumphalism and unapologetic patriotism are in order. We got him."

There has already been much criticism of the President for his handling of the situation, conspiracy theories regarding the burial at sea, and even criticism for shooting an unarmed man. Today when I read that none other than the peace-promoting Dalai Lama came dangerously close to "supporting" the decision to take Bin Laden out, I was quite comforted that even he would find it a justifiable measure.

War on Terror

As a few of us gathered Monday evening to enjoy a cigar and commemorate the occasion, the conversation of "being where this all started" came up. It was mind-boggling to ponder the fact that we were sitting in Eastern Afghanistan, the very region where Osama Bin Laden morbidly enjoyed the events of September 11th, 2001.

As Bin Laden had now been eliminated, it was very interesting to think that he was the man responsible for all of us currently finding ourselves in Afghanistan. Several of the men gathered that evening have wives and multiple children at home, getting by with "life without Dad" as he is busy defending their freedoms. But what is the cost of that freedom? NATO countries (the United States more so than others) have paid heavily in blood (2444 Coalition casualties since 2001) and also actual dollars (over $400 billion US).

Each time I travel and go through TSA screening at the airport, I can't think of how pleasant traveling was before Bin Laden (BBL). How many other facets of your life have changed in the last decade because of that wretched man? Ask any pilot you know and warning- you might encounter some choice words. The different security measures required to even enter a flight training program create an enormous barrier to entry to many.

By eliminating Bin Laden, nearly ten years later, we have shown our perseverance and desire to return to BBL times. During the raid, countless laptop computers and hard drives filled with data were collected. Though only time will tell the actual value of the data to intelligence communities, one could only assume that the lead shriner of the Al Qaeda circus was controlling most of the rings. Because of the resolve shown by the American people, through two separate presidential administrations, the future dividends paid out could help us return to some sort of normalcy.

So yes, with the death of Osama Bin Laden a chapter in the War on Terror has closed; but the real question freedom-loving individuals around the globe have to ask themselves is: when will this book end?

Funny to think that only 12 days earlier Admiral Mullen (center of image, standing with tie and no jacket) was
here on FOB Salerno, learning about life on the farm - Photo released by the White House

The Holiest of Weeks

2011-04-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Father Joe washes the feet of soldiers who volunteered to take part in Holy Thursday's mass

Spending any holiday away from home causes one to reflect upon all they take for granted back in life as we know it in the States. This past Easter was no exception as several events took place that will undoubtedly remain vivid memories locked in my mind for decades to come.

In past posts, I've mentioned our catholic community here on FOB Salerno, the Queen of Peace Catholic Church. The priest here presiding over the entire brigade's area of operations is Father Joseph Hannon. Father Joe is quite a remarkable man, you can read more about him here in a recent story that the military featured him in. At 68 years old, I have to say his energy level is quite inspiring; which I'm guessing is closely correlated with his religious workout routine.

Several weeks ago Father Joe announced to us that his one year tour here was coming to an end and that he had received orders to head back to the States. Originally the Army (in it's infinite wisdom) told Lt. Colonel Hannon to prepare to make his way back to his post at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas on April 20th. Knowing that his replacement was likely at least a month away from deploying, leaving those of us here without a priest over Easter, Father Joe volunteered to extend his tour and ultimately convinced the budget hawks back in Washington that this extension was a "worthwhile, necessary expenditure".

Preparing the eucharist for adoration in the side chapel

Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday as it is known by some, was the official start of our Holy Week activities here on FOB Salerno. Choir members and those involved in the lay ministry had been busy earlier in the week preparing for all of the additional mass parts that the Easter Triduum entails; but for the majority of folks around town Thursday evening is when the action got started.

With the traditional washing of the feet and even a procession to a side chapel to store the Eucharist for adoration, you had to remind yourself often that you were in Afghanistan. Of course the arsenal of M-4 machine guns lining the aisles and 9mm handguns on the hip of each parishioner also served as a great reminder of our locale as well.

Up until this point, I've made a conscious effort to keep the overall mood of this blog a positive one. While death and destruction are a function of where we currently reside, I don't really see the need to dwell on these unfortunate side effects of combat. If you'd like to read more about those issues, read the news...

April 22, 2011 will be a day that those of us on the 3-19th ADT never forget. The fact that it was also Good Friday only compounds the magnitude of what so many around FOB Salerno saw and witnessed on this fateful day.

Captain Joshua McClimans
5-12-1980 to 4-22-2011

For years now, FOB Salerno has carried the nickname Rocket City, a well-deserved title with the number of incoming rockets and artillery shells that find their way onto the base we call home. As the FOB sits in the Khowst Bowl, the surrounding mountains provide a breathtaking panoramic landscape; but also make ideal positions for enemy fighters to launch rockets from an elevated position right down into the base, sitting conveniently in the heart of the bowl. There are of course many defensive tactics employed to thwart these rockets, but unfortunately a few still manage to make their way onto the FOB.

On Good Friday, the day billions around the world commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Lord called one of his own home from FOB Salerno. Captain Joshua McClimans, an emergency room nurse here at the Salerno Combat Support Hospital, lost his life as a result of indirect fire during an attack by insurgents.

I still hesitate to post such grim news, in an effort to avoid unnecessary worry from so many of you devout supporters. However, as I think about the fundamental purpose I started writing in the first place- that of serving as a historical record to document my year here, I would be remiss in my duties if I failed to mention this gentlemen who made the ultimate sacrifice. The fact that he was an emergency room nurse, sent here to help others in the first place, only makes such a loss that much harder to swallow.

Candidates preparing to state their baptismal vows

Throughout the course of the last six months, Father Joe has been counseling three dedicated soldiers on the Right of Catholic Initiation for Adults. The program was designed in an effort to allow these three men the opportunity to join the Roman Catholic Church, with the culminating event held in conjunction with the Easter Vigil. As the Easter Vigil began, we all gathered around a small bonfire (although the FOB has a zero tolerance policy on flames after dark, I don't think anyone was going to stop Father Joe as he was on a mission) outside of the chapel where Father lit the Easter candle and then led a candle-light procession into the chapel. Captain Annette Podolak graced all with a breathtaking rendition of The Exsultet to begin the service, which was then followed by a traditional Easter Vigil mass. The three candidates began their entry into the church with the stating of their baptismal vows in front of the entire congregation. Anointing of all three men with the oils of confirmation took place immediately following the baptismal vows, and last but not least the trio was finally able to make their first communion with the rest of the parishioners.

Easter Sunday brought another great crowd to mass, but it was the after-party that was really special. In a well-disguised, covert operation, several of us were able to lure Father Joe back to the 3-19th ADT compound where he thought he was just going to enjoy lunch in the rose garden. Upon arriving on the grounds, Father was delighted to see a few other parishioners already present with a large "thank-you" banner and even a few Easter treats. Having known that Father Joe was a native Hoosier, born in East Chicago, Indiana; we coordinated to have a State of Indiana flag flown over FOB Salerno on Easter Sunday in his name. Just after noon, our group moved over to the flag pole where his flag was flying and several of us made an official presentation of the colors to Father. In addition to his flag, Father Joe was delighted to hear that he had also received a letter from Lt. Governor Becky Skillman; thanking him for providing such a critical service to Hoosiers, Americans, and those around the globe.

Presenting Father Joe with his State of Indiana flag and his letter of gratitude from
Lt. Governor Becky Skillman

Yet once again, another week has passed and an additional set of memories has been archived. Some of these memories will last a lifetime, while others will be stored until the mind re-organizes them in an effort to prioritize, ultimately tossing out the non-essential details.

While the Lord called one of his sons home on Good Friday, he also welcomed three new ones into his church over Easter. It happens ever so often, a grieving family is soothed by the birth of a new child. While all of these emotions can seem to push you to a tipping point, rest assured that all is under control. As I try to envision what memories I'll be able to recall in decades to come, there is little doubt that this past week will take up an extremely disproportionate chunk of space on my mental hard drive.

Please keep the McClimans family in your prayers, as well as the families of all the troops that have given their lives over the last ten years of war here in Afghanistan- all in an effort to better the way of life for others. Rest assured that your continued prayers and support can be felt clear over here, 7,500 miles away.

Father donning his Easter lei with members of the Ugandan choir, Captain Annette Podolak, and I

The Chairman's Visit

2011-04-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

Admiral Mullen was especially interested in the lessons learned over the course of three consecutive ADT's, all from Indiana.

You could say that Holy Week of 2011 passed by in a whirlwind, but perhaps a cyclone would be more appropriate here given recent events. Regardless, I continue to marvel at how fast the time is passing by.

Each week that passes means that we are one week closer to seeing our beloved families, but also one week closer to closing out our strategic projects while also beginning transition initiatives that will help bring our replacements up to speed with life in the Khowst Province.

FOB Salerno tornado- April 18, 2011

Although I've spent the vast majority of my formative years in the great state of Indiana, I can honestly say that I've never witnessed a tornado with my own eyes. Through my travels with the Lt. Governor, I've had the opportunity to see the tragic and devastating aftermath such storms bring; but amazingly enough I still can't say that a live twister has ever been in my sights. In preparation for a mission such as this to Afghanistan, service members are briefed on virtually every topic under the sun. From mountain climate cold weather survival tips to desert condition dehydration prevention, it seems the good folks back home in Washington have thought of everything. But hold that thought; Monday, April 18th of 2011 brought a spectacle that few ever thought was possible at this elevation. Even the locals were shocked to see that a funnel cloud was forming in the west, headed straight towards us as we sat like sitting ducks in the middle of the Khowst Bowl. As the storm neared the FOB, the loudspeakers that are typically used to notify us of incoming rockets or an incoming casualty were now essentially just giant weather radios. I guess one hidden benefit of hardened structures, normally intended to withstand the impact an incoming rocket round, is also a quite comforting level of storm preparedness. As the vortex started expanding, the massive amounts of dust in the area quickly began to spiral up into the epicenter. With the funnel cloud also came hail, fortunately these pellets only measured about a 1/4 inch in diameter and if you've seen any of the photos I've posted of the surrounding area- there aren't a whole lot of vehicles on the roads that would worry about hail damage. Fortunately, for all in the surrounding area and especially here on the FOB, Tornado Sal was short-lived and failed to grow much larger than the spaghetti strand you see in the photo above.

Just as we here at the 3-19th began to think that Monday's tornado would prove impossible to top, Tuesday brought some excitement of it's own. For several days, emails detailing an up-coming USO tour had been circling around email servers here on FOB Salerno. Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will soon be retiring so as a little retirement gift to himself- he decided to make a farewell tour. The tour would feature NFL Hall of Famer and (most importantly) former Purdue QB Bob Griese, his son Brian who is involved with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a Cuban supermodel/actress named Mayra Veronica.

After learning that a fellow Boiler alumnus was going to be on the FOB, I thought it'd be nearly criminal for me not to offer my services as an escort to the delegation for the day. After several days of trying to connect with the event coordinator, I later learned that many others around the base had also volunteered their services. (I can only assume that most were interested in meeting the supermodel...)

Admiral Mullen tours the 3-19th ADT Farm with the team members.

A visit by any higher level military officer is often very well concealed. Today's visit was no different, the only official business I saw prior to the Admiral's visit was that he would be having lunch with a small number of soldiers.

Three of our younger, shining stars on the security portion of our team were selected by their platoon leader to attend the lunch. Aside from our several members involvement during the lunch, the ADT didn't have any specific responsibilities during the Chairman's visit.

Upon hearing that Griese would be present to sign autographs; I coordinated with Specialist Jared Sweet, a Purdue student who is currently on military leave from classes back in West Lafayette, to head over to the recreation area where the USO tour was scheduled to appear. As we arrived the area, we were greeted by the gentleman in charge of the event coordination. Apparently he felt bad for not returning my calls or emails in the days prior, so in an apologetic effort he offered to take us in to meet Griese and the others privately as they finished up their lunch. As soon as the staff whispered into Bob's ear that there were a few Boilermakers here to see him, he hopped right out of his chair and made a beeline to where Jared and I were standing. Bob's first question pertained to trying to figure out how a couple of Purdue grads ended up working here in Afghanistan. He was delighted to hear about the ADT concept though and found our work very practical after learning how dependent the Afghan economy was on the agricultural industry. After a few more minutes of describing our backgrounds to Bob, the topic turned towards Purdue.

As for Purdue's recent dilemma regarding the Purdue Pete mascot, Griese was excited to report that the old Purdue Pete would remain the mascot. The three of us were all also in agreement that retaining Matt Painter as basketball coach was also a wise decision, as he's well worth the money.

Before parting ways, I presented Bob with one of our State of Indiana unit patches in addition to a camouflaged nametape that reads "Purdue" (ironically enough one of our team member's names is Staff Sergeant Alexander Purdue), before having him sign my camouflaged Purdue hat.

Specialist Jared Sweet and I striking a pose with Bob Griese. Sweet is
a Purdue Law & Society student who is currently on military leave.

I'm not certain how Bob was invited on the CJCS's visit in the first place, but think it's awfully interesting that both Admiral Mullen and Bob Griese were each every part of 65 years old. Not that 65 is ancient by any means, but I'm not certain that I'd be real anxious tromping around in a combat zone.

Following our visit with Griese, I grabbed a bit of lunch for myself and started back to the office. Upon my return, I was greeted by our Operations Officer who was kind enough to inform me that the Admiral's plane had broken down and therefore he would be headed over for a visit on the farm- in ten minutes. As you might imagine, there were several dozen helping hands pitching in during an expedited farm cleanup session, but all in all we were pretty well prepared.

As the Chairman arrived (he came by foot, but following him was the typical motorcade of up armored SUV's), our Commander- Colonel Colbert greeted him and welcomed him to the ADT compound. Major Robbins (the high school Superintendent) was the point man for the visit to detail our Ag Education project, while I had the honor of showing him around several different areas of our farm.

I think the fact that the Admiral was an extremely intelligent gentleman probably goes without saying, but I will say that I was quite impressed at the many questions he asked to further detail our projects. It seemed he was most interested in our "lessons learned", as we strolled through the farm and explained our many initiatives.

The large photo at the beginning of this post shows he and I looking at a sample of wheat that I uprooted for him. The wheat here on our farm is dwarfed by wheat you see across the countryside, by at least a solid foot. He was very interested to learn that the Afghan's have been flood irrigating their crops for centuries, therefore the seed has mutated over time to adapt to local conditions. He also was quite interested in our solar dehydrators, a great initiative we're pushing especially in the women's empowerment field.

As the Chairman said his goodbyes and departed the ADT compound; with countless special agents toting automatic weapons and SUV's stringing behind him, I couldn't help but marvel in what had just happened. The highest ranking military officer in the United States, President Obama and Secretary Gates' senior military advisor, had just spent the better part of a half an hour touring around our farm. The last time I had seen Admiral Mullen, he was discussing operations in Libya while a guest on Meet the Press. Just a few weeks later, he was walking through the fields of FOB Salerno, cautiously watching his every step in an effort not to land in one of the many mud puddles that our recent rains have left us with.

You just never know what a day around the FOB might bring, but I'd have to imagine this was a rare visit. Yet another memory I'll take home and cherish from this "Afghan Adventure"...

As always, the solar dehydrators proved of interest to the Chairman.

For the Children

2011-04-14T18:14:00.000-07:00

Children from the Sadiq Rohee High School escort members of the 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team back to their vehicles after a recent visit to the school. Sadiq Rohee High School was one of six schools chosen by the Khowst Province Director of Education as a pilot school for the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project.

Just over a month ago, in my Teach a Man to Fish update, the basic groundwork was laid for our team's legacy project- the Future Farmers of Afghanistan. Since that time, members of the 3-19th ADT have cris-crossed the Afghan countryside in an effort to ensure a key component of this project, agricultural education kits, have been properly installed at the six pilot high schools selected by the Khowst Province Director of Education.

The front side of Sadiq Rohee High School

Five of the six schools included in the program have been visited by ADT members and received approval at this point. While there have been a few minor construction discrepancies throughout the inspections, overall the contractor has exceeded expectations on product delivery in what was a relatively short period of time by Afghan standards. The kits; consisting of a composting pit, greenhouse, chicken coop, and a solar dehydrator, have grown into quite popular attractions at each of their respective schools. At the time that each school was visited, instruction had not yet begun specific to the agriculture kits. To be completely honest, the look on most student's faces as they examined the newly installed devices for the first time was that of inquisitive innocence.

The school children were extremely grateful for the new
training opportunities provided to them

During a recent visit to Sadiq Rohee High School, a school in the Mandozai District of Afghanistan with an enrollment exceeding 4,000 students, ADT members had the opportunity to discuss the newly installed kits with both administrators and the actual teachers who would be utilizing the training devices. As classroom space and teacher time is extremely limited, the school day by American standards is cut in half. With the younger students attending in the early morning hours, afternoons are filled with upper classmen. These schools could best be compared to a K-12 school back in the States. While a full day approach would obviously be favored, it is simply just not feasible with the shear number students enrolled.

While discussing different components of the ag ed kits with educators, the greenhouse is usually the topic of most conversations. The different economic opportunities a greenhouse provides a community, with season extending production capabilities draws immediate interest. Solar dehydrators, a relatively new concept with essentially no operating costs, also provide an avenue for economic activity within a village.

A common concern, virtually across the board within our six schools, is a lack of water access in the immediate area surrounding the agricultural education kits. If I had a dollar for every time an Afghan engaged me in a conversation regarding a well, I'd retire an extremely wealthy man upon completion of my year here.

Over the years, many efforts have been made my Coalition Forces and Non-Governmental Organizations to address these water concerns. In the time we've spent on the ground here thus far, water is by no means a limiting factor to agricultural production in Khowst Province- however the management of water resources could definitely improve.

The project manager responsible for the FFA project, Rahim Hadi,
discusses options for vegetable planting in the newly installed greenhouse
at Sadiq Rohee High School with the school's principal, Mohammad Nasir.

By far, the most memorable and rewarding portion of this trip- the portion that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life, has been the people we have met along the way. I'm amazed, while also proud to report that we're over 2/3 of the way complete with our year here. With less than four months left, we've still got a lot of work to do before we're ready to hand over the reins to our fellow Hoosiers on the 4-19th ADT.

While working in a war-torn country, it is quite simple to find yourself bogged down in the daily grind. Many of the usual suspects you're forced to deal with would make Chicago politics look like a textbook version of democracy. Hand sanitizer has quickly become one of the most coveted additions to any daypack I carry along on mission, it's as if you can feel the corruption oozing off the hands of some of these men. Just as I find myself reaching a breaking point with this older crowd- I'm quickly reminded that there is a younger generation, the Future Farmers of Afghanistan, who are depending on work by teams such as ours to give them a glimmer of hope for a brighter tomorrow; in a country that has seen a very dark past few decades.

This poor sap wanted a photo with your's truly...think
he must have liked the moustache?

From the Agricultural Extension Agents to the District Sub-Governors, to our interpreters and comrades-in-arms comprising the Afghan National Army; the efforts so many are making to better their country has been truly inspiring. If the country of

Afghanistan

will soon be ready to stand on it's own- after a transition from the current ISAF-NATO presence diminishes, a nation full of men and women determined to prevail in the battle of good versus evil will be necessary.

Even after several months exposure at random locations around the Khowst Province, the solar dehydrator
systems continue to draw the most inquisitive looks from the locals.

Change is in the Air

2011-03-24T03:50:00.000-07:00

Winter wheat in the Khowst bowl is flourishing as the recent March warmup interacts with January and February rains

Perhaps it's the fact that I've managed to escape the past three Indiana winters, or better yet- the reality that the Khowst Province sits at an elevation of 6,000ft. Regardless, I can't say that I've ever seen such a rapid transition in temperatures.

Throughout the month of March, the mercury has been on the rise here around FOB Salerno. While I would hardly classify the conditions we experienced from December-early March as "winterlike", the rate at which we've seen temperatures increase has been quite dramatic. In the course of just several days, three at most, perspiration levels skyrocketed as the mid-to-low 50 degree temperatures we've all grown accustomed to suddenly shot up into the mid-80's.

This increase in temperature, coupled with scattered rain showers over the past month and half, has resulted in a drastic change of the landscape here in Khowst. A recent mission to a location utilized as a provincial observation center provided a great vantage point of this greening.

Weather is not the only thing changing around here, it seems change is in the air. In my short 27 years on this earth, I struggle to recall a moment in history when so much was going on across the globe. From the horrid chain of events in Japan, unrest across the string of Arab nations, and even the chaos ensuing in Statehouses across the midwest; Fox News and CNN have had plenty to cover in the past month or so.

Soldiers from the Afghan National Army continue to accompany our convoys
on nearly every mission, hopefully taking home some valuable lessons learned.

A quick scan of the news coming out of Afghanistan is likely to bring up two key topics, the first of these being "civilian casualties" and the second "transition". While the first is a tragic and unfortunately all too common side effect of war, the second inspires that there might be light at the end of this tunnel that United States servicemembers have been traveling for the better part of a decade.

Commanders and public affairs professionals throughout the Afghan theatre have recently been instructed on the principles and conditions guiding a future transition. The key takeaway from these multi-paged documents is that any transition will be "conditions based" rather than implementation based on any timelines. However, many experts or even critics predict a dramatic reduction in troop levels well in advance of the 2012 election.

What does the future of Afghanistan look like? Well, that's a several billion dollar question... From a security standpoint, Afghan National Security Forces or ANSF (think a combination of US law enforcement and military components) would be capable of defending their own country. Currently, at least one ANSF vehicle accompanies every US and NATO convoy that leaves an installation. While US forces are conducting their standard operations here, a mentorship opportunity is simultaneously taking place.

Specialist Cadel Crowl and I surveying the landscape from atop the provincial observation point, the Khowst OCCP. Cadel is originally from Angola, Indiana and is currently studying Agricultural Education at Purdue University. Ironically enough, he and I also found that we have some distant relatives back in NE Indiana.

Another term that is repeatedly used in most transition conversations is "governance". Perhaps this is a term we take for granted back in the States; unfortunately most people in Afghanistan have never had the luxury of seeing this word in action. Ideally, as a transition occurs, district and provincial governments across Afghanistan will have the wherewithal to stand upon their own two feet. A transition is not an abrupt withdrawal, but rather a meticulous "thinning-out".

For Agribusiness Development Teams, the future holds many possibilities. Depending on who you ask, the composition of teams such as Indiana's 3-19th could look dramatically different in coming years. The group slated to replace us later this summer will most likely be the last of a Dept of Defense lead effort. Land grant universities such as Purdue will likely take the lead on many of these development minded teams. Other US government agencies such as the United States Dept. of Agriculture as well as the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will also continue to play a major role, especially in their continued mentorship responsibilities of Afghan agricultural officials such as the Minister of Agriculture.

Realistically speaking, the United States will have a significant presence in Afghanistan for decades to come. I'm careful to speak of a nation-state in terms of finances, but what type of return on investment would Americans receive if a transition didn't include some type of dividend for them after a decade of investing?

Major installations such as Bagram and Kandahar are strategic strongholds in this part of the world and will continue to be critical locations in future anti-terrorism efforts, long after Operation Enduring Freedom. In the next decade, these bases will soon be spoken of in the likes of countless other United States military installations throughout the world. I doubt soldiers fighting in WWII ever imagined that US servicemembers would still be serving today in places such as Germany and Japan, 70 years after the fact.

The one major player, globally speaking, that is yet to show their hand is China. In June of last year, Pentagon officials announced the discovery of nearly $1 trillion dollars worth of mineral deposits across the country of Afghanistan. As China's growing middle class continues to demand more and more natural resources, I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit to see an increased Chinese presence in the northern provinces of Afghanistan. After all, they do share a sliver of a border.

As we've seen across the globe, the one constant in a world of turmoil is change. Only time will tell what the future of Afghanistan will look like after what we all hope is a peaceful transition. Until then, those of us on the 3-19th ADT will continue to do the work we were called upon to complete.

Members of the 3-19th ADT gather to celebrate the birth of a daughter for one of our interpreters. Ajmal (on the tractor seat) is a 23 yr old Khowst native who is currently waiting on his Special Immigrant Visa, this was he and his wife's first child.

Teach A Man to Fish

2011-03-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

Local children rush to collect treats from members of the 3-19th Agribusiness Development Team
during a recent visit to Shaikh Zayed University.

“If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people”

– Chinese Proverbs

Now that we on the 3-19th ADT are through with preparing our friends here in the Khowst Province of Afghanistan for the next decade, it’s time we shift our focus a bit to the long term vision. Of course I wouldn’t say that all the major issues of the next decade have been addressed, but it is safe to say that we as a team are shifting our strategy to more of an education-based approach. As we've been providing villagers with traditional products such as chickens and trees, the time has now come to promote other opportunities in agriculture in an effort to transition from simple subsistence farming.

Those who have studied vocations or human psychology can attest that individuals have a natural tendency to gravitate towards their strengths. Apparently this theory proves relevant for members of the 3-19th ADT as well. With two high school administrators and several other school teachers spread out amongst the team, it should come as no surprise that our instinctive areas of focus would center around education.

This past summer, while touring the farm of former Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jim Moseley, a vision came into the mind of one of our team members. During Moseley’s time at USDA, and later as Don Rumsfeld’s point man on Afghan agriculture, he noticed a serious void in the lack of youth development programs currently available to the children of Afghanistan. Throughout his years in Washington, Moseley made a remarkable 13 trips to Afghanistan, each time noticing this total lack of any type of development programs for the leaders of tomorrow- a critical component of any campaign to break a corruption cycle.

The youth of Afghanistan are extremely inquisitive. In this photo a young
girl looks onto the grounds of Shaikh Zayed University as the agricultural
seminar Future Farmers of Afghanistan is underway.

Within days of our visit to the Moseley Farm, Major Jeremy Gulley (3-19th ADT Education Officer) had already put his thoughts on paper. His vision, Future Farmers of Afghanistan, would require much coordination and buy-in from our partners within the Khowst Provinicial Government. But after all, doesn't anything worthwhile require a bit of blood, sweat, and tears?

Fortunately for Gulley, our predecessors here the 2-19th ADT, had a great working relationship already in place with Shaikh Zayed University by the time we set foot on ground. The main issue at hand would now be coordination among the Director of Education and the Director of Agriculture, both "line director" positions within the Khowst Provincial Government.

After several meetings with each of these individuals, with both parties showing extreme enthusiasm, Future Farmers of Afghanistan was slowly becoming more of a reality. By the time the coordination and "concurrence" phases were complete, signatures from over a dozen officials were required to start the process moving forward.

During this same period, FFA advisors from high schools across the state of Indiana began sending agricultural lesson plans over to Afghanistan for review by the 3-19th ADT education team. After review and some slight tweaks, including the obvious necessity of translation, these plans were compiled and handed over to the Dean of Agriculture at Shaikh Zayed University.

Shaikh Zayed University's Faculty of Agriculture hosted a
recent training seminar titled Future Farmers of Afghanistan

Shaikh Zayed University was a natural center for this project, just as a college campus functions back in the States, SZU radiates an atmosphere that encourages critical thinking. A demonstration farm existed on the campus of SZU, but was in need of some minor repairs before any official training could be held within the confines. This would be Phase I of the project, the touch-up repairs around the farm of SZU.

Phase II is really the foundation of the entire project, during this phase (which just finished on Monday) 120 teachers from six different high schools come to the University for a two-day intensive training seminar. In addition to the high school educators, Agricultural Extension Agents from each of the province's 13 districts attend the training as well. During their time on campus, these teachers and extension agents were instructed on a variety of different agricultural topics ranging from composting to solar dehydration.

While the teachers and agents were away at the university, the third phase was taking place at six pilot high schools throughout the districts. Six agricultural kits consisting of a full-size greenhouse, composting pit, solar dehydrator, and other classroom materials have been delivered to these schools. All the materials (locally contracted) have been placed at the schools and the projects are currently under construction.

The Tani District Ag Extension Agent conducts a forestry
lesson for the villagers of his district.

Distribution of the materials is a good start, but worthless without some type of check on learning associated with the products. Coalition Forces have been donating goods to the local populace here for the better part of the last decade, with little follow-up after the fact.

Phase IV of the Future Farmers of Afghanistan project calls on Shaikh Zayed instructors for a mentorship role within the local high schools. For four hours per week, SZU professors will work with the recently instructed high school educators as they deliver training to their students.

The end-state of this pilot program will ideally give students a chance to act on the entrepreneurial spirit we hope these agribusiness lessons will inspire. Think of a humid August day, nothing says summer vacation like a lemon shake-up at the local county 4-H fair. With an end of program agricultural showcase, students will have an opportunity to market their fresh fruits and vegetables in an effort to fund future programs.

Future Farmers of Afghanistan is funded through a mechanism we call the Commander's Emergency Response Program (CERP). To best describe CERP, I’ll borrow text from our guidance on targeting areas of instability as laid out in the official manual-

Goal: Support Sustainable Socio-Economic Development

Consistent with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS), ISAF and its international partners address the drivers of instability in key population areas by supporting Afghan efforts to provide equitable access to basic services. ISAF uses available funds such as the Commander's Emergency Response Program (CERP) to support civilian socio-economic programs that help develop stable, legitimate, and accountable governance and stimulate Afghan private sector development.

Future Farmers of Afghanistan is a textbook example of how funds can be distributed in a responsible fashion, to a worthy cause. While spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to attract the attention of so many across the nation, programs like this hands-on, project based training seminar will continue to rise to the top of funding priorities throughout the Afghan theater.

High school educators in the recent Future Farmers of Afghanistan seminar receive
instruction on a barrel composter; part of an agricultural education kit that
will soon be installed in their schools.

As deadlines for troop withdrawals loom in the forefront of many minds, non-combat operations such as ADT's will continue to provide a unique capability to commanders across the country. While a push for more civilians and less "boots on the ground" is a popular debate, a delicate balance of the two will prove to be of critical importance for future military campaigns in the Afghan theater.

With a relatively low cost ratio for the number of people served, education-based projects will undoubtedly prove their value; most likely with compound interest. Let’s just hope that the atmosphere here in decades to come will allow an educated people to market their trees and perhaps even sow a bit of rice for those outside of their immediate families…

All Smiles...
A young farmer from the Tani District departs the district center after receiving a forestry block of instruction.

Rolling Out the Red Carpet

2011-02-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

Terezayi District Sub-Governor Amir Bhad Shah was literally waiting out in the middle of the road as our convoy arrived, a dangerous position for a Governor to place himself in.

It doesn't take an advanced degree in mathematics, statistics, or even organizational management to understand the value of teamwork to any organization. If you were to ask Purdue University Men's Basketball coach Matt Painter what the deciding factor in the Boiler's recent upset of Ohio State was, I'm quite confident he'd agree it was a team effort. I'm also quite excited to see that team effort deliver another victory in this evening's matchup against Indiana...

If you were to tell me three months ago that I'd soon be delivering 400 tree saplings to a village, twice a week; I'd probably look at you as if you had a third eyeball growing in the center of your forehead. Of all my coursework during college, my botany or horticulture professors were not the first I requested letters of recommendation from. For that matter, no member of our entire 60+ person team has any significant experience in the forestry industry. After conducting several visits and needs assessments throughout the province, it was evident that we were going to have to involve ourselves in the forestry business.

Enter our friends from the Afghan Water Agriculture and Technology Transfer (AWATT) project- in a previous post (Operation Check Dam) I detail an encounter with Dr. John Groninger. John has since returned to campus life in Southern Illinois, but through continued contact with John I was introduced to another John. Dr. John Harrington is another forestry professor, also with AWATT, who hails from the great state of New Mexico and appropriately enough specializes in arid climates. After several weeks of coordination over email, John was finally able to escape the hustle and bustle of Kabul and sneak down to spend a few days with us at FOB Salerno. With the help of the experts at AWATT and the ability to tackle an initiative as a team, the 3-19th ADT might just become the Bad News Bears of the forestry industry.

A look at the makeshift nursery set up on the 3-19th ADT's demonstration farm on FOB Salerno. The forestry initiative is a team project, usually requiring 5-7 team members to complete a mission set.

While we had the luxury of hosting an in-house forester, we decided it would be best to put his skills to use in a district that could really use some help. Nearly six weeks ago, members of the 3-19th ADT first traveled to the Terezayi District in an effort to assess the needs of the villagers. During this meeting, the number one need presented was once again tree saplings. Immediately following this meeting, the district ag extension agent was kind enough to show us around the district center. The first room we stopped in was a barren, concrete room with literally nothing inside of it besides a broken chair, some moldy flatbread, and a coiled up hose- all crammed into one corner. Haji Mohammad, the ag extension agent, assured me this mess could be cleaned up in no time and that his district would be prepared to conduct a training seminar on a moment's notice.

Far from an atmosphere that "encourages learning"...

It'd be safe to say that I was more than a little hesitant to set off to a district such as Terezayi on our one mission with Dr. Harrington, but I'm happy to report Haji Mohammad is a man of his word. Not only did he have the room cleaned since our last visit, he also had it filled with chairs and even a desk for instruction. (Note the machine gun spray of bullet holes all across the back wall of the picture below, this continued around the entire perimeter of the room- unfortunately these holes were still in tact, a grave reminder of the tragedy that even this very room has hosted through the years.) Most importantly, every chair in the room (20 of them) was filled with a young Afghan farmer, each eager for instruction.

20 Terezayi farmers patiently await their block of forestry instruction.

Following a brief introduction of all those in the room by the Terezayi District Sub-Governor, the ag extension agent began to give the lesson on forestry he had prepared. After about 30 minutes of instruction, Haji Mohammad offered Dr. Harrington an opportunity to address the farmers. John was very cordial in his remarks, paying close attention to ensure he only reinforced points already covered by Haji Mohammad in an effort to boost credibility of the district ag extension agent.

Haji Mohammad was responsible for issuing each attendee their bag full of 20 tree saplings.

In an effort to appear as nothing more than the enablers, we in camouflage did our best to stay out of sight as it came time for dissemination of the sapling bags. Each bag consisted of 20 trees, thus tallying up as quite a valuable bundle for the men to carry home. Haji Mohammad conducted the official issuing of the trees to each attendee of the training session, while the others waited patiently for their turn to collect.

Well I'm no Paul Harvey, but what more could you ask for during a radio debut?

The east wing of the Terezayi District Center is home to Khowst Radio. Because of it's relative inexpensiveness, radio is the number one source of news and information for the people of the Khowst Province. While touring the radio station, I was shocked to find a few cots and beds lining the walls of the station. Apparently the DJ's sleep in the studio on most evenings. After ensuring the tree delivery had gone smoothly, I couldn't resist jumping on the airwaves in an effort to try out some of my Pashto. Robin Williams would have been proud at the clarity in my "Good morning Afghanistan!"

Villagers look inquisitively into the Terezayi District Center as forestry training attendees are issued their take-home bags.

As we prepared to leave the Terezayi District, the sight outside the gate was yet another solemn reminder of the many individuals we weren't able to provide training to during our visit. While Haji Mohammad had been issuing the bags filled with tree saplings, dozens of villagers lined the constantina wire outside the District Center, just trying to catch a peak of what their fellow tribesmen were carrying home.

While it often seems we face an uphill battle here in the work we are trying to accomplish, together as a team (AWATT folks included) we are making some marked progress. Members of the 3-19th ADT will continue to work together, one district and 20 trees at a time, to provide the people of the Khowst Province with a sustainable way of life for generations to come.

And now you know -- the rest of the story....

A Hungry People

2011-02-19T10:02:00.000-08:00

Villagers from the Shamal District jockey for position to be
among the first issued a set of chickens to take home from their training.

One lesson my father instilled upon me during my formative years is the necessity of a good plan. To this day, I can still hear him stressing “a wise captain always charts his course before setting sail.” The 3-19th ADT commander, Colonel Walt Colbert, must come from the same school of thought as my father as it seems we have done our fair share of charting since we hit ground here last September.

After four months of meeting with local leaders to assess needs of their respective villagers, we on the 3-19th ADT have finally set sail with a few projects of our own. The first mission designed to validate a training class held by a district ag extension agent took place in mid-January, just as I was departing for my leave back in the states. Upon my arrival back in country last week, I was pleased to return to an elaborate plan designed to visit all thirteen districts in an effort to provide specialized training to each.

The "K-G Pass" (Khost to Gardez) Highway dissects the
central bazaar.

My first mission (since returning from R&R) off of FOB Salerno sent me to visit the Shamal District, quite an appropriate mission for me to get back into the swing of things as Shamal was also the last district I visited before leaving the country in mid-January.

During our last visit to Shamal, we were able to conduct a meeting with the District Governor to hear firsthand what some of the needs of his people might be. In addition to our meeting held in the safety of the District Center Compound, we were also able to walk through their local market or as the locals refer to it- the bazaar.

Apparently it had been quite some time since the locals had last seen Coalition Forces walk the streets of the main bazaar.

Between our meeting with the district officials and physical discussions with shopkeepers while walking through the local bazaar, two agricultural goods commonly came up as necessities: chickens and trees. “Trees” is quite a generic term, but for now let’s just assume forestry products in general. On a macro scale, the country of Afghanistan is going through a massive reforestation project. With trees planted numbering in the millions, an effort to reforest while also throttle back dangerous erosion levels is currently underway. Closer to home, the Shamal District is just kilometers away from Pakistan where lumber is far and away the most valuable commodity.

After a few weeks of internal discussions amongst our Ag team back in the confines of FOB Salerno, several project areas were chosen to focus our efforts on. The three main projects we determined would make the greatest impact- at least in the short-term; were composting, forestry, and poultry training. A new round of district visits would now need to be scheduled, this time (finally in the villagers eyes) we'd have a tangible good to deliver to the people.

The first order of business, before the products could be delivered to the people, would be training our trainers. Each of the province's13 district ag extension agents agreed to attend a one-day seminar, a continuing education type of instruction block, at Camp Parsa. During this day of hands-on practical instruction with members of our ag team, each agent had unlimited access to each of our project officers.

Shamal District Ag Extension Agent Mir Wais conducts a forestry training seminar
while Captain Randy Cuyler and I observe.

Depending on how a district governor or ag extension agent prioritized their needs, a flock of chickens or a bundle of trees- coupled with a training session, would soon be headed to the farmers of their respective districts. For Shamal, as stated earlier during our needs assessment, the highest priority fell in the area of forestry while poultry training was also mentioned as an area of importance.

In preparation for a training session with the people of the Shamal District, our interpreters placed a call to the Khost Province Director of Extensions in an effort to reach the Shamal District Ag Extension Agent- Mir Wais. As you might expect, Mir gladly accepted our request for him to schedule a training event in the coming days. Sadly enough, you don't really have to plan all that far in advance to secure a strong turnout. Unfortunately there is not a whole lot else going on, very little to compete with when it comes to timing or scheduling issues.

Captain Randy Cuyler assists villagers of the Shamal District with the
bundling of their trees.

As the primary goal involved in a training seminar is showing the capacity of the Afghan Government, our goal as Coalition Forces was to stay out of the way as much as possible. Mir Wais conducted the training while only two of us (body armor and helmets off) did our best to blend in with the other students while observing his block of instruction. Utilizing training materials provided to him during our recent workshop, Mir provided instruction on tree care and planting to nearly a dozen farmers from the Shamal District.

In this video, you can see some of the training first hand. I did my best to capture a bit of the lesson on candid camera. By resting my iPhone on top of my chai glass, I was able to nonchalantly record a bit of the training without the disruption of a larger camcorder.

Immediately following the classroom training portion, Mir led the group of hungry farmers out into the commons area of the District Center. Upon arriving to the compound, members of our team had pre-positioned plastic bags loaded with 20 trees each to ease in the hand-out process. After a few last minute instructions, Mir began to conduct the great tree giveaway of 2011. I'm not certain I've ever seen grown men so eager to take ownership of a material good, the looks on their faces said it all.

Last but not least, the men (proudly lugging around their newly acquired entry into the timber industry) began to line up behind the trailer that even an untrained nose could easily have sniffed out contained our chickens. The agreed upon take-home package for those who completed the block of instruction was 20 trees and 2 chickens. Having grown up on a farm, and also being the low-ranking member present from the Ag team, I volunteered my services as chicken wrangler. The elation I described in the last paragraph (on the men's faces after receiving their trees) was now the 2nd happiest I'd seen a grown man, I honestly think a few of them might have been drooling by the time I handed each of them their two birds.

Even after growing up on a farm, I never dreampt I'd have to go to Afghanistan to have the opportunity to wrangle a group of chickens...

KFC may now actually mean Khowst Fried Chicken in this part of the world, but regardless the farmers of the Shamal District now have a few more chickens roaming their pastures and possibly even a few trees lined up to mark their property lines. Regardless of what these farmers do with the goods they take home from a training session, our goal of utilizing the Afghan government to conduct training was a smashing success. Mir Wais is now a credible agent of the people's government here in the Shamal District and the farmers know they can come to him with agricultural issues. Only time will tell how much the farmers choose to utilize Mir's knowledge base, but one thing is for certain- they had better not be serving chicken at the District Center the next time we pay a visit...

107 Hours

2011-02-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

Within 30 minutes of my arrival home Dad poured a
celebratory toast for all in attendance, fortunately for the kids he had
some sparkling cider on hand.

International airline flights and travel in general are often seen in a negative light due to the many delays associated with such a journey. From weather to aircraft maintenance issues, inevitably something is bound to place your journey into a holding pattern. Through the years I've been on multiple flights to Europe, Central America, and even China. I'll never look at an international expedition the same after setting out on this past journey, it was quite an adventure- but it was all worth it...

On January 14^th, I departed FOB Salerno on a C-130 bound for New Haven, Indiana. Unfortunately, this journey would take me through four countries, three continents, and over 110 hours to complete. I won’t elaborate on specific locations, mainly due to security concerns (also to spare you the boredom), but trust me- it was a long trip.

Rather than detail in full my entire 15 days on the ground back in the land of Old Glory; I think I’ll cheat a bit and let a few photos I took tell the story for themselves. I will mention that my only regret was not being able to see my dear sister Brigette, her two sons Dakota and Lincoln (Godchild #3), and her fine husband Wade. They are inundated with other issues related to Wade’s own Afghan deployment later this year, so another trip to Indiana only two short weeks after their Christmas visit wasn’t really feasible.

It’s amazing how much you can fit into 15 days, especially when you calculate a “blizzard” into the mix. I can’t thank all of my wonderful friends and family (especially you Mom & Dad) enough for all they did to literally make those two short weeks some of the best in my life.

I guess you could say I was fortunate on the way home, as it only took me 104 hours. This trip provided yet another one of my life’s “firsts”, an engine loss on our C-130, during flight back onto Salerno. After a switch of aircraft back at Bagram, I honestly thought the crew chief was joking when he announced this aircraft too had blown an engine (at least this time we were on the ground) during startup tests. As they say, the third time is the charm and just before midnight on February 7^th, I was back on the FOB. If you average my travel times, you’ll arrive at 107 hours- regardless of length,once again it was all worth it…

A late 5th birthday date with my nephew Luke (Godchild #2) involved a trip to the store for a new Nintendo game but most importantly gave him a chance to show off his new pakol.The snowstorms provided bonus time to hang out with all of my nieces and nephews as they were home on snow cancellations.

Another birthday date with my niece Lillie (Godchild #1) to celebrate her 13th birthday landed me in a pedicure chair. Word of caution to my fellow Uncles and Godfathers out there- lay out a few ground rules before allowing your teenage niece a day on the town to do anything she would like...

My first weekend on the ground consisted of great friends, wonderful music, and a bit 'o bourbon down in Music City. Nashville might never be the same after twenty of us joined together to send our great friend Nick off in true fashion for his bachelor party.

If I had to complain about one thing (besides people) I really miss while serving in Afghanistan, it'd undoubtedly have to be a good meal with even better people. Fortunately I was able to get my fill of seafood down in Key West for a few days with the family, not a bad place to spend time in late January.

Crickette Simone (Godchild #4), my sister Anne's daughter, was the only child along on the trip to Key West. As you can see in the picture, she fit right in to the laid-back culture of Keys' living. We even got to have a small 1st birthday party for her during our time together.

In addition to Truman's Little White House, another tourist must-see is Earnest Hemingway home. Breathtaking gardens surround the home where Hemingway wrote many of his most famous novels in the mid-1930's. Might I suggest a pit-stop before touring, only three blocks away- Blue Heaven is an eclectic breakfast joint with outdoor seating and live music all day. I'd recommend the lobster benedict, rest assured I'll be savoring that scrumptious taste for at least the next six months.

I mentioned Nick's bachelor party in Nashville, but I should also mention this wedding was the chief reason for the timing of my visit home. Both Nick and his new bride Holly are great friends of mine from Purdue. I knew this would be a wedding to remember, but after Nick asked me to be his best man; there wasn't a chance I would miss it.

Many would argue that one of the Best Man's most important roles is that of securing the rings prior to their blessing and installation upon the hand. Fortunately my tuxedo pants had structurally sound pockets and there were no incidents of missing jewelry. Nick and Holly have yet to see this photo, but I thought they'd enjoy my special touch ;-)

No, this isn't a scanned in image from the cover of Vogue. The bride and groom both looked stunning and were blessed with a beautiful day. A January wedding in Indiana can be quite a gamble, but I'd say the big man upstairs gave his approval of this marriage with his granting of a sunny, 50 degree day.

The 50 degrees and sun in Southwest Indiana quickly turned to snow and ice by the time I cris-crossed the entire state back to the farm in Northeast Indiana for my final few days at home. One of the many benefits of life on the farm is having your own snow removal system.

I hope that most reading this will remember the name Pat Tillman. For those of you who don't, Pat was the NFL player who left professional football to enlist in the Army. Unfortunately Pat was killed in action while in Afghanistan during 2004, but the busiest USO in the country now bears his name. In the final stretch of my trip home, I happened to be stuck at Bagram Air Force Base for several days. I can't think of a more fitting place to have been on Superbowl Sunday...

An Attack on Democracy

2011-01-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

Democracy in Afghanistan- Governor Naeemi conducts a Provincial Development Council meeting
with members of his cabinet in addition to many District Sub-Governors

This past Sunday morning was a little different from the very beginning. While Sunday is normally my day to "sleep in" (which now qualifies as sleeping until about 7:30AM), today I set the alarm for 5AM in an effort to wake up for the Indianapolis Colts playoff match-up against the New York Jets. The Armed Forces Network would be covering the game, which started at 5:30AM local time, so a few of us loyal fans decided we would wake up a little early and head down to the office to watch the game together.

As the alarm on my iPhone sounded at 5AM, I began my typical morning routine of fumbling around for my phone in an effort to silence the alarm. After quieting the alarm, I then activated the wireless network within my phone in an effort to fetch my incoming mail. After a typical night's sleep, it's not uncommon to have 6-8 emails awaiting me as I awake on an average morning. With the 9.5 hour time change, this has grown to be one of my favorite parts of the day as I typically start my morning with many wonderful reminders of home. This morning I was shocked to see 16 emails come in. As I anxiously awaited all the messages to finish downloading into my inbox, I quickly noticed that a significant portion of my new mail was from the same sender: "Breaking News from the Washington Post". What I then began to read about the tragedy in Tucson quickly activated the feelings of grief and even anger that I'm sure many of you felt as well.

I really was in disbelief that something like this could take place on US soil. Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, now an Arizona resident, echoed my thoughts as she told the New York Times: "It sounds like something that might happen in some place like Afghanistan. It shouldn't happen in Tucson." Even in a place such as Afghanistan, where violence runs rampant and bombings become a daily norm, an attack on democracy in this scale is quite chilling.

Isah, our interpreter, poses in front of the
beautiful gardens contained within the Governor's Compound

Another reason this horrific event hit so close to home was the realization of how easily an event like this could become copy-catted. Just this past week I had the opportunity to attend my first ever Provincial Development Council here in the Khowst Province. Governor Naeemi, the Governor of the Khost Province, uses this randomly scheduled meeting as a chance to address his cabinet members as well as the District Sub-Governors that are able to attend. I mentioned that the meeting is randomly scheduled, in the interest of security the event is only announced 2-3 days in advance and then begins a mad dash to make travel arrangements to attend the meeting which is held at the Governor's Compound in downtown Khowst City. Each of the 13 District Sub-Governors is also then forced to scramble together a plan to attend as well. While attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, it is essential for securing funding back in your home district. Every major project within the province is voted on during this meeting, so you might imagine those that aren't able to attend are often not at the top of the priority list.

What a contrast, the Governor of Khowst has to secretively schedule a meeting with his top advisers while an American member of Congress is able to meet with constituents in the parking lot of a grocery store. Can you imagine the certain melee that would ensue if Governor Naeemi tried to host an open forum with the public? As Americans, we expect access to our elected officials and for the most part we are granted such an opportunity. The heinous act committed this past weekend in Arizona exploited the very freedoms that American servicemembers are fighting for overseas. Our right to bear arms and also accessibility to our public servants took a great blow, but rest assured it wasn't a knockout punch.

In the coming weeks, the 24 hour news cycle will point fingers in every direction. Perhaps it was the lax gun laws in Arizona? What about Sarah Palin's controversial slogan of "Don't Retreat - RELOAD"? Personally, I don't think any of these brilliant newscasters will ever look deep enough into the true causes of this catastrophe. As further details emerge, do you think anyone will begin to look into life inside the Loughner family? From the few reports I've had a chance to sit down and review, it doesn't take a psychology degree to notice this young man had some tell-tale signs of mental instability that if properly addressed- might have prevented a disaster.

Looking at the current government structure on the district-level in Afghanistan, it seems hard to conceptualize a multi-party system ever existing. Many government positions actually remain unfilled within the Governor's cabinet and especially within district-level or municipal governments. The main concern in filling these positions is undoubtedly safety. Just a little over a month ago, a District Sub-Governor was killed by a suicide bomber in the neighboring Paktiya Province. Because of a desensitized populace, this assassination only carried the headlines for a few days before finally being written off as a cost of democracy.

As we continue to pray for the victims of this heinous crime, let us also hope that with tragedy comes unity within our Congress. While I don't personally feel this crime was politically motivated, I do feel it is a great wakeup call to those serving in public office. Let's remember the great principles and strong foundation that has made the United States of America the greatest democracy this world has ever known; while also honoring the countless number of Patriots who have died fighting for this cause- most recently the six victims in Tucson.

In front of the Governor's Compound...

Communications in Combat

2011-01-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

SSG Azure provides one of the most important duties
to members of the 3-19th ADT: daily mail call.

I’ll begin today’s post by first wishing all a joyous 2011. While you don’t really have “time off” per se in Afghanistan, the operations tempo of most military missions seems to at least slow a bit over the holidays. Our team, while typically not reactive in nature, is able to schedule our own missions several weeks in advance. This allowed us to take time on Christmas Day as well as New Year’s Day to communicate with our families. While I’ve failed to update this blog during our slowed mission pace, I think it’d be safe to say my other forms of outgoing communications were actually kicked into high gear over the past few weeks.

With all of the different forms of modern electronics available today, I’m still convinced that nothing beats an old-fashioned, hand-written letter straight from the heart. Of course a hand-written letter involves a significant investment of time as well, especially when you factor in an average two-week shipping time frame for mail coming into

Afghanistan

A few days ago I had an opportunity to perform a couple of “firsts”. You might remember my mentioning a few months ago that in addition to my role in agricultural marketing; I was also assigned additional duties such as public affairs and most interesting the position of Unit Postal Officer. Apparently the Army requires that an officer have the title of UPO, but the day-to-day operations are carried out by other team members trained in proper mail handling procedures. As none of the other trained staff were available this past week, I thought I’d try my luck as the mailman.

The first hurdle I would have to overcome on this operation to fetch the mail would be trying my luck at driving the “Bumblebee”. This bright yellow SUV is actually leased to our team and is registered in Dubai. Apparently vehicles from Dubai are factory built for mailmen- all driver controls are on the right hand side of the vehicle. Word to the wise if you ever find yourself driving such a vehicle: the turn signal is on the right-hand side as well, pedestrians waiting to cross the intersection you are attempting to signal a turn at really don’t appreciate a drive-by dowsing of windshield wiper fluid!

Unloading a few packages from the Bumblebee

After successfully navigating my way the entire half-mile across the FOB to the US Postal Service compound, I was about to witness first-hand the amazing support all of us troops here receive from our wonderful friends and family back on the home front. As I pulled up to the trailer containing our mail, the ADT mailbox was literally overflowing (as usual) and some boxes had to be specially marked to be picked up in an alternate location. 20 minutes and a stiff back later, I was on my way back to our ADT Headquarters with 36 letters and 17 packages thoroughly testing the limits of the Bumblebee’s suspension.

In addition to physical mail, the different mediums of communications available here are literally mind-boggling. In the course of a few days, I think it would be safe to say I was able to connect with different friends and family by way of no less than five unique modes of communication including a traditional phone call via the Defense Switchboard Network, a text message through the TextFree app for iPhone, video or audio conversations through Skype (iPhone and computer), Facebook, and of course traditional email. Two other methods that I don’t personally use, but are very prevalent among our team members include a Roshan (local service) cellular phone and through Microsoft’s Xbox gaming system. I’m particularly intrigued by the xbox communication capabilities, what a wonderful way to connect with a young son or daughter. One of our team members in his early 40's had never played an xbox before; but chose to buy one immediately after hearing he could play head-to-head against his son back in Indiana while having a chance to simultaneously chat with him on a headset.

As I mentioned previously, the amount of mail coming in to our team is truly a logistical marvel. Even on Christmas Day, we were able to collect letters and packages sent from family and friends. Among the seven packages and four different Christmas cards I received on Christmas, one card stood out in particular and really inspired me to write this very communications-themed blog post. That card came from my dear grandmother, Rita Pierman, who was kind enough to type out a very thoughtful note and mail it all the way from Ottawa, Ohio. At 87 years old, she continues to inspire our family and never seems to slow down. While she doesn't use a computer, she is darn handy on a typewriter and is able to keep up to date with this blog through the help of my kind Aunt Kathy who prints off updates and delivers them to grandmother on a regular basis.

You'll see in the note I've included (at the end of this post) from grandmother her mention of Skyping over Thanksgiving. For someone who has lived through all of the United States' wars and conflicts over the last eight decades, I'm sure she never dreampt she would one day be able to see a grandson serving in Afghanistan.

While showing off my new artifact (the typewritten note) around the office, I began to ask some of my other team members if they could remember the last time they were the recipient of an actual typewritten note. None could remember, but it did spark another very interesting conversation- Chief Sam Rance is the rangeland manager on our team and he too was able to Skype with his grandmother over the holidays. This Skype conversation was particularly memorable for Chief and his grandmother Donna because it had been 66 years since she last communicated with a loved one in harm's way.

In the winter of 1944 a historic battle we now know as the Battle of the Bulge took place. Over 75,000 Americans were killed, maimed, or captured during this battle and one of the captured was a young man from Yeoman, Indiana named Leland Julian. Technical Sgt. Julian was a combat engineer who was dating a young girl back in Indiana named Donna. As you read so often with members of the Greatest Generation, Donna and Leland's love for each other was strong enough to overcome the six month delay in postage and resulted in their marriage shortly after Leland returned home from his POW status.

After describing the communications challenges his grandparents faced during WWII, Chief Rance began to enlighten me on his time in Somalia in 1993. During the entire six months the Chief spent with his Ranger battalion in Mogadishu, he was authorized one phone call home to the USA from a tactical satellite field phone mounted inside a HUMVEE vehicle. Mail wasn't much better in 1993, but this was mainly due to security issues and the necessity of keeping their location classified. Chief currently Skypes with his wife and children back in Indiana on a twice daily basis; I'd say he's earned that privilege...

Two days prior to this past Christmas, Skype's global servers crashed for a few hours and judging by the morale levels around the FOB you honestly would have thought that we had lost the war. In all seriousness, the "crash" was the topic of nearly every breakfast table conversation in the dining facility that day. What would we do if the server wasn't available over Christmas? Fortunately for those of us so dependent; the Skype servers were operational within a few hours and all were able to "see" their families over the holidays.

In all the advances we see in modern warfare today, I would argue confidently that communications has undoubtedly had the largest impact. As many advanced systems have done their part to reduce the fog of war, simple programs that allow troops to connect with their loved-ones back home provide a morale booster that even the finest cigar complimented by the best bottle of near beer couldn't hold a candle to.

Next breakthrough.....teleports?

Christmas 2010 typewritten letter from my Grandmother

Merry Christmas from Afghanistan!

2010-12-24T23:33:00.000-08:00

A Colts Christmas!

I'll keep today's update short and to the point- Thanks! Without all of your strong support, spending the holidays away from home would be unimaginable. Rather than updating the blog over the past few days, I've been assembling a sort of "Year in Review" Christmas letter.

2010 Christmas Letter

SPC Cashion, our in-house elf and I

A few of our interpretor/cultural advisors and I during our
team Christmas party

For those of you who don't really know me all that well, I think this letter should give you a little better glimpse into my life. As you'll see, I've been blessed with the best family and friends a man could ask for.

Merry Christmas from FOB Salerno, Afghanistan! Pictures to follow from the dining hall as it is decorated quite festive once again...

My office looked more like a war zone by the time I was done opening all of the packages.

My second cup of tea...

2010-12-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

A US Army MATV augments the Afghan National Police while providing
perimeter security around the Tani District Center

Those of you who have read Greg Mortensen’s Three Cups of Tea are most likely aware of the origins of the book’s title. Mortensen’s creative titling of the book refers to an ancient Balti proverb: "The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family...

I would argue this same proverb proves relevant here in the Pashtunwali culture as well. Earlier this week I had the opportunity to call upon the Tani District Sub-Governor (DSG), our second meeting of sorts. (This was actually my first mission in country, profiled in my Nov 7th post: It was all worth it...) During our first meeting, which took place roughly six weeks ago, the DSG sent me home with a “District Development Plan” for the Tani District. This was essentially a 5 year, comprehensive strategic plan for the district. The vast majority of the projects mentioned in this plan dealt with schools, roads, and other infrastructure projects. I had a feeling this would be the case as the bulk of our first discussion consisted of these topics as well, all quite a bit outside the realm of agriculture.

LTC Kulich accepts a serving
dish from the "Wizard of Tani"

One addition to our meeting today was the inclusion of our Executive Officer, Lt. Colonel Kulich. After hearing during our debrief following our initial trip to Tani that the DSG spoke some broken German, LTC Kulich decided he would like to join in on our next meeting. As we learned several weeks ago at Shaikh Zayed University with Major Gulley’s gift of cookies, tasty treats are warmly welcomed as a friendly gift to start a meeting. Appropriately enough, LTC Kulich happens to be married to a German woman and she had recently sent over a shipment of delightful leibniz butterkeks. Cookies once again proved their diplomatic wonders, this time even warranting a gift in return. It's amazing what a little taste of home can do.

Much to the surprise of us coalition troops present, our second cup of chai with Mr. Dhalil Khan would also be accompanied by a meal. This was a great indicator that the District of Tani was eager to work hand-in-hand with our team to better the lives of their people.

As you might imagine, fine-dining is quite hard to come by in most parts of the Khost Province. The soul fact that five whole chickens were slaughtered in preparation for our lunch speaks marvels about Dhalil Khan’s hospitality towards coalition forces. The chicken was also accompanied by a wonderful concoction of long grained rice, raisins, and other vegetables they call pulao here in Pashto. Rather than using a plate, we were each issued our own individual serving of naan to place the rice and beans on top of. Each piece of bread distributed was about 10 inches in diameter, closely resembling a pizza crust. This proved rather practical and made for easy clean-up!

One cultural aspect that still proves a bit harder to digest is the absence of a single piece of silverware anywhere on the table. You really have to trust that the others you are dining with have thoroughly cleansed their hands prior to the meal. Also, you might imagine the logistical considerations required to place rice and raisins into your mouth make this quite a complex operation.

The wizard explaining the agricultural value of
check dams in the area, again...

The DSG had asked that we have somewhat of a working lunch and we were more than happy to honor this request. Following our lunch he immediately placed a map (the same map he referenced during our November meeting, with the same locations highlighted) on the surface that had just previously served as our dining table. No matter how much I stressed to the DSG that we weren’t in the business of building check dams, he continually returned back to the conversation and reaffirmed the need of more in his district. Fortunately, there was a representative from the Provincial Reconstruction Team present at our meeting as well. Apparently this wasn’t the first time they had heard about the need for check dams either as they stressed to the DSG the need for him to fill out the paperwork required for such projects. Mr. Khan then claimed there was too much bureaucracy involved in getting a simple project approved and once again I was reminded of the many similarities to government back in the USA.

As we wrapped things up, it appears a project involving sustainable forestry would be the most beneficial for the people of Tani. I promised the DSG I would contact my friend John Groninger (who was now back on campus at Southern Illinois University) to check on the possibility of involving the Tani District in the Afghan Water, and Agriculture Technology Transfer (AWATT) program that he worked with. Within the AWATT program another possibility of a “Foster-mum” initiative could also be a viable option. In this program, local village women care for a sapling for a set amount of time before turning it back over for planting.

DSG Dhalil Khan is a very light hearted man who speaks fairly decent English. I would say he spoke English during 60% of this past meeting, only relying on interpreters during especially technical discussion involving tree types or soil science, etc…Another cultural hurdle present in many of these meetings we conduct is the expectation of some tangible good at the conclusion of each meeting. The DSG was adamant that our next visit provide something he can deliver his people, even noting his generosity in feeding us a meal. “I even feed you; next time if you come without something for me to give my people I put you in jail!” he quipped.

Ironically enough the only jail in Tani is the bathroom he refers to as “jail” a few doors down from his office. After using this restroom and noticing the lack of any indoor plumbing, I’m in no rush for my third cup of tea- that is until we can work out something to deliver the people of Tani.

My first official "state dinner" consisting of naan, pulao, beans, and chicken.
(From L-R: Interpreter Isah, myself, Interpreter Kazi, Tani DSG Dhalil Khan, PRT rep, and a civil affairs team member)

The Village on the Hill

2010-12-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter departs FOB Salerno

As in any country, over time a few cities or municipalities will inevitably rise to the top and shine amongst their peers. A variety of factors may contribute to this trait amongst so many societies- perhaps it is the result of good governance? What about natural resources? Access to markets and a solid infrastructure surely don’t hurt when looking at places to relocate as well.

Sometimes these magnetic hubs are plagued by blighted neighbors. In a society this basic, it’s quite easy to witness a culture of “have and have-nots” as basically any material good you see in the villages is a result of humanitarian assistance. Unfortunately, while this aid might have been sent with the best of intentions, it can easily and all too often be utilized to further empower a corrupt official.

Jaji could very well be described as one of the shining stars of Afghan districts. Most recently, Jaji was coined with the coveted “District of Peace” label, distinguishing the district from the other twelve districts in the Khost Province. (Afghanistan has 34 Provinces total, each province is further broken down into districts, then villages, and finally even into tribes in some cases.) Jaji Meidan is neighbored by two of the most dangerous or in military terms (kinetic) districts in the entire Khost Province. Because of this security threat, a ground convoy to Jaji is rarely an option as you would surely encounter numerous homemade explosives along the way.

The primary mode of transportation to most districts in the northern region of the Khost Province is by Blackhawk helicopter. These helicopters are the logistical lifeline of countless smaller “combat out-posts” or “fire bases” scattered throughout the mountainous eastern border region of Afghanistan. The commanders of these combat out-posts are what we call the “battle-space owners” of an area.

US Forces take cover as the they exit the Blackhawk helicopter. The Jaji
Meidan District Governor and Police Chief are also present.

In keeping with the joint operations and “all-hands on deck” theme, the battle-space owner of the Jaji Meidan District decided he would like to conduct a meeting with the District Governor. This would require the combat operations folks, the Human Terrain Team (cultural experts), the Provincial Reconstruction Team, and the Agribusiness Development Teams all to send representation.

Any loyal reader of this blog can probably already guess where this is going, but I’m actually happy to report that after a delay of only three hours, I was on-board a Blackhawk and headed for Jaji Meidan (I’ll take three hours over my last wait of 28 days anyday). I was also accompanied by three other members of our ADT, who would be augmenting security for some of the other meeting participants around the Jaji District Center.

After a few strategic pick-ups along the way, we were preparing to touch down in Jaji. Our landing zone was reportedly a rice paddy, but as we arrived it looked more to be a freshly planted wheat field. As the field sat on a hillside and each plot of wheat was articulately terraced for erosion control, our pilot did a phenomenal job of sitting us down just fine. Immediately upon exit I noticed all of my other passengers were now hitting the ground in the prone position to provide cover for the choppers as they exited the area. You might imagine what a storm of dust and debris a Blackhawk can make as it takes off from a loosely tilled spot of barren earth.

Governor Eunis and I from atop the District Center

As Governor Eunis welcomed us all into his district center, it was obvious that he was a very intelligent man and capable leader. The primary goal of our meeting was to discuss the arbicai project in the district, similar to a county sherriff’s reserve or auxiliary program. Jaji Meidan first found itself in the national spotlight as the district residents successfully defended themselves from the Taliban earlier this decade. The will of these townspeople has been strong enough to thwart any attempts at infiltration by numerous insurgent groups over the years.

After the combat ops and also the PRT folks had discussed a few projects, I discussed a few agricultural issues with Governor Eunis. Unfortunately, the district’s agricultural extension agent was traveling to the capital during my visit, so we couldn’t get too in-depth in our discussions.

Following our meetings, it was time to head back to our terraced landing zone. As we were awaiting our transport to arrive, the village children began to notice us lingering around the field. Slowly but surely, they one by one started moving cautiously towards our group. I’ve mentioned earlier the dangers of giving hand-outs, especially while in a giant vehicle that could potentially run over the children. The beautiful part of today’s mission was that I was traveling by air. If they were foolish enough to be around during a Blackhawk landing, they deserved whatever trinkets they could solicit!

Civil Affairs team members discuss a proposed project with
district engineers as Governor Eunis watches over.

Before heading out, I stocked my lower pocket with little giveaways in hope that I might have a chance to interact with some of the youth of the village. While I lay in the prone position with my rifle ready to defend against anyone who might try to alter our anticipated ride out of there, a small boy around the age of eight started towards me. I placed a deck of cards, a keychain, and a pen out about three feet in front of me as a sort of bait for him. You can imagine the courage it took for this little guy to slowly inch closer towards a line of armed men, but never underestimate the curiosity of a young boy. Whatever the cost, you can bet that he was going to get whatever I had laid out there in front of me. As we played a bit of peek-a-boo behind the terraced walls of the field, he eventually made his way up to our position and was delighted to find the goodies I had positioned for him.

My peek-a-boo partner finally showed his face for a deck of cards

In the meantime, another group of children was beginning to gather around one of our interpreters. One of the other troops had given these young children an instructional book to learn English, so the interpreter started reading to the children. What then took place will forever remain one of the great images of my time here, nearly 15 young boys started an English class right there in the middle of the field. Of course after about three minutes of repeating word for word, the novelty of a new language wore off and the boys were ready to move on to something new.

A makeshift classroom, but what a memory...

By this time I was out of trinkets in what had previously been my fully stocked pocket. The only thing I had left was my iPhone…let the swarm begin. I first began showing them pictures of my family and other images that were saved on the memory. Next we moved to iPhone video recording, and as you might imagine they really enjoyed that as well. As they all fought to “touch” this seemingly magical device, I was careful to always keep one of my hands on it as well. While I consider myself a decent runner, I wasn’t about to challenge one of these kids half my age to a footrace over a terraced wheat field, especially in 60 lbs of body armor! After recording a few videos for the kids, I decided to play them a few songs to gauge their taste in music. From Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison” to “Beat it” by Michael Jackson, the boys were soon laughing hysterically as I did my best impersonation of each.

All good things must come to an end, and so must my karaoke days in the hills of the Jaji Meidan district. Shortly into “Barbara Ann” by the Beach Boys, the communications sergeant yelled that the birds were three minutes out. As quick as the interpreters shouted for the children to clear the area, they were gone in a flash. Within seconds a few attack helicopters started circling overhead to provide cover and before you knew it the familiar sound of a Blackhawk’s rotor blades beating into the wind came from around the hillside.

Looking back on our time in Jaji, I can’t help but think of the popular adage “the lord helps those who help themselves”. In a society that was beaten down into total governmental dependence by communism only 30 years ago, it’s definitely a welcomed sight to see people actually taking pride in their village and exerting some initiative. For the first time in my two months here, I saw a group of people who were willing to do whatever it takes to defend themselves. Because of this optimism amongst the people and their ability to defend themselves, governmental programs and dollars will continue to flow towards the people of Jaji Meidan.

Our ride home...we weren't in a big rush, but it's always a welcomed sound.