Afghanistan My Last Tour

Our doctors along with several Afghan NGO doctors set up their supplies in a crude and rustic concrete building divided by several rooms.  The outlying villages were informed of our presence.  The biggest problem these villagers face is lack of medicine.  They are unable to purchase or have access to antibiotics, aspirin, topical creams or salves.  So you can imagine the response we had when it was advertised we had free medicine.

Prior to entering the cordon or facility, the ANA would conduct body searches for weapons or explosives.  Then the men, women, and children were segregated.  Most of the villagers arrived by foot after walking several miles.  Some came in overloaded trucks, on donkeys, and one man transported his mother in a wheelbarrow.

I was particularly drawn to the children.  The majority of them complained of headaches.  Logically this made sense due to the harsh environment and possible dehydration.  Later I learned this was a ruse so they would be prescribed medication which they would give to their parents.  While the children waited, we handed out pens to them.  Based on their reaction, you would have thought we gave them a piece of gold.  The children would mob us for pens.  I personally handed out 3 boxes of pens.  The ANA soldiers would restore order when the children would get out of hand and chase them away from us.

It breaks my heart to see the children and the conditions they survive under.  Despite wearing plastic sandals, the skin on their feet is dry, cracked, and many have fungal infections.  They wear drab color clothing with holes in them, although the little girls donned bright colors.  Yet despite their austere environment, they happily played just like any other kid in America.  They would smile and their eyes still reflected hope.

The docs examined over 300 patients.  Many patients had chronic pain for 3-10 years.  Can you imagine having pain this long?  Unfortunately they could only treat minor wounds, ailments, and problems.  This mission was just another olive branch in the counterinsurgency platform to convince the villagers that ANA and coalition forces care about them and their help is needed to eradicate the Taliban.

After the the last patient was treated, we returned to the COP (Combat Outpost) in preparation for a memorial service.  The COP members are from the same Georgia Army Guard unit and they were unable to attend the service at my camp.  So another memorial service was held for MAJ Rocco Barnes, MAJ Kevin M. Jenrette, SSG John C. Beale, and SPC Jeffrey W. Jordan.  MAJ Barnes was killed in a vehicle roll-over only a few miles from this outpost.  In honor of his sacrifice, this COP’s name has been officially changed to COP Rocco.

No hot meals tonight, so we settled for another MRE.  The clouds were growing dark and flashes of lightning could be seen in the distance.  As a measure of prevention, we attached tarps to the neighboring MRAP.  Despite the holes in the tarp and opened sides, it would provide us shelter.  At 0430 hours the distinct sound of a screeching rocket was overhead and rudely awoke me.  The enemy decided to give us an early wake-up call.  A half later I resumed my sleep only to feel the constant dripping of rain on my forehead.  I covered my head with my sleeping bag and woke up an hour later in a puddle of water trapped by my cot.  This convinced me it was time to get up and eat a blueberry Pop Tart for breakfast.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | Afghanistan, Deployment, humanitarian mission, MAJ Rocco M. Barnes, Maj. Kevin M. Jenrette, SPC Jeffrey W. Jordan, SSG John C. Beale, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, war