Afghanistan My Last Tour

Yakdand HA Mission

Today’s Mission:  Escort humanitarian assistance (HA) to a staging area and then the next morning deliver it to the awaiting villages in the Yakdand Mountains.  This time we weren’t taking any unnecessary chances and enlisted some additional firepower from the ANA.  The ANA lead the convoy up through the mountains and valleys to our first staging area.  As the convoy thundered up the mountains it created blinding clouds of dust.  At times visibility was limited to a foot and you had to trust your senses that the HMMVW’s tires remained on the road.  Otherwise certain death would follow if you slipped off the edge.  We finally arrived at the staging area which was a remote Combat Outpost (COP).

My teammates and I constructed some shelter by fastening tarps to the HMMVWs.  It would provide us shade during the day and protection from rain at night.  After our shelters were assembled we ate our preferred choice of MRE for lunch and dinner.

LT finds favorite MRE

The LT was filled with excitement when he discovered a package of Menu #21, Chicken Tetrazzini because it contained his favorite cheese spread with bacon.

MSgt Duarte and Emily chewing on boots

“Emily” the camp puppy decided to join us and was selective in eating the morsels accidentally dropped by my teammates.  She is still in the chewing stage and liked to gnaw on combat boots too.
The French force arrived and will join us tomorrow as we head north to the village.  Prior to the sun setting, we engaged in a friendly game of combat volleyball.

Volleyball with the French and ANA

I played with the ANA soldiers to face down a more muscular French team.  Surprisingly my team edged the French in a close tie-breaker.  Afterward our teams posed for a group photograph.

Teammates and French forces

It was like a scene from the epic series “Tour of Duty” with the helicopters buzzing the COP and high over head we could hear the F-16 Falcons maintaining air superiority.  We felt pretty safe with CAS swarming the mountain ranges.  Anyhow, the sun set pretty early and most of my teammates were in their fold-out cots preparing to go to sleep.  No shower facilities were present, so we used baby wipes for bathing and bottled water to brush our teeth.  As we chatted among ourselves, our conversation was interrupted by a dull thud in the distance.  The enemy was being defiant and launched a 107 mm rocket toward our position.  An orange phosphorus flare was launched and illuminated the area.  In the far distance we observed red tracer rounds.  Our coalition forces were actively engaging the enemy.  Before the night was over, we would have 2 more rocket launches ending at 0323 hrs.  I’m convinced they do this to be annoying because they don’t have the range to reach the COP without fear of annihilation.  It was apparent the enemy was somewhere in those hills.

*****

The flutter of the generators lulled me to sleep only to wake back up 2 hrs later.

Shelter for the night

We had to tear down our shelters, pack our equipment, check the vehicles, weapons, eat a quick bite etc. and prepare to push northward to the villages.  We had no coffee, so I settled for a blueberry Pop Tart and some chunks of beef jerky for breakfast.  Not really a breakfast of champions, but it would suffice.  Additional forces arrived to help protect the convoy and like a thundering train we departed the COP leaving behind a large plume of dust.  The roads were very windy and at times I thought the 7-ton ANA trucks were going to roll over.  We reached the next staging area and were greeted by a large French force armed to the teeth

French forces

.  In the distant background you could still hear the coalition forces engaged with the enemy.  The ANA general arrived via helicopter and a large force of ANA and ANP would escort him to the villages for the shura (village meeting).
The roads leading up to the villages were treacherous and bumpy.  We would cross over some small stream beds and then we found the road leading through the stream bed.  I managed to hold my camera still for a shot of muddy trail as we traveled through.  Our convoy drove through the middle of several small villages and you couldn’t help to notice the large poppy fields.

Poppy fields in Yakdand mountains

Some farmers have opted to grow wheat, while their neighbor is cultivating poppy.   The poppy fields stretched as far as my eyes could see.  The challenge for the Afghan government is to convince the farmers to plant an alternative crop to support their livelihood.
Atop the mountain, several villages of mud and stone huts could be seen in the distance.  A shura was called and all of the village tribal elders, men and children would form a circle around the ANA general to discuss the future direction their villages would take.  Notice no women are seen or permitted at the shura or outside the village houses.  Before entering the shura, the ANP would physically search each person for weapons or contraband.

Dropping off humanitarian aid at Yakdand

Meanwhile my team positioned the HA trucks so sacks of flour, beans, tea, soccer balls, and blankets could be off loaded.    Now the villagers will have to make a choice.  These decisions are not made over night and only time will tell in which path they choose to follow.
My teammates along with the ANA trucks left the shura location early for the long journey back to camp.  We decided to skip lunch and munch on snacks so we wouldn’t get caught in traffic on the J-Bad pass.  Several other convoys were ahead of us and we slowly lumbered back to camp.  The food at the DFAC never tasted so good and the hot shower I took prior to eating was heavenly.  Another successful mission at “winning the hearts and minds of the people”….. one village at a time.