Afghanistan My Last Tour

ANA enlisted quarters

After inspecting our future office and quarters, we went looking for our platoon of soldiers who were assigned here.  We were informed their quarters were outside on the side of the building.  As we turned the corner, I noticed a plywood shack with a poncho blanket serving as a doorway.  This was the officer’s quarters along with his NCO in charge.  He came out of his small shack and greeted us and then invited us inside for a customary cup of hot chai (tea).  We sat on a dusty floor mat and waited to be served tea.  In each corner was a cot with a thin blanket on the top of it.  I noticed the NCO’s cot was obviously broken as the end piece had an unnatural dip and the metal connecting bar was protruding from under the blanket.

The Captain and I discussed some small details explaining the purpose of our visit.  The ANA officer listened intently and seemed to welcome our presence.  It didn’t take long before he inquired if we could assist him in finding better living quarters for him and his platoon of men.  He explained that the weather is changing and winter will soon arrive.  He was concerned for the safety of his men.  They are currently living inside sand-filled barriers with a tarp pulled over the top.  Not all of the soldiers have cots and are sleeping on the ground.  The FOB is trying to help them, but they have a shortage of wood and contractor is behind on other projects.  The Captain and I brainstormed and have come up with several solutions.  One of them includes building a b-hut for them.  Eventually I will find out why the Ministry of Defense or the supply system is failing them.

ANA Fuel bladders at FOB Airborne

Before we departed our ANA counterparts, we asked to see their resources.  They are responsible for 3 fuel bladders, 2 connexes of supplies and 5 vehicles.  The fuel bladders looked empty and the pump system appeared to be broken.  The ANA Lt said the shelf life on their MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) was expired too.  After closer inspection I

ANA MREs in connex

pointed out the date was only an inspection date.  I was rather surprised to see these Halal meals (kosher) were manufactured in the United States and was assigned a national stock number too.  I chided the ANA about proper storage of the MREs and requested they remove the acid batteries and petroleum products stored with the MREs.

DFAC at FOB Airborne

Now that business was finished, the Captain and I explored the FOB to see what amenities it offered.  The gym wasn’t very large but seemed to have a variety of weights, treadmills, and equipment.  Just the walk there was enough of workout for me…lol.  So our next stop was the DFAC (Dining Facility) or still commonly referred to as the chow hall.  This DFAC reminded me of old episodes of MASH except this one was updated.  The DFAC was contained in 3 tents.  We had a choice of grilled food or two entrees.

PX trailer

After lunch we visited the small trailer PX filled with hygiene items, tobacco products and energy drinks.  I wasn’t too impressed, but at least they have a PX or camp store, unlike my current FOB.  The MWR center consisted of a bank of 10 telephones situated next to each other and 20 computers for personal use.  The internet connectivity was extremely slow.  It took me 30 minutes to log-in into hotmail and another 10 minutes to send an email.  I exceeded my 30 minute time limit to do this, but fortunately nobody was waiting in line for a computer.  While I sat there, I observed the frustration of people on the telephones.  They were constantly getting cut off and having to redial to their loved ones.

Cafe at FOB Airborne

The centerpiece of the camp was the Oasis Café and Restaurant.  The bubbling fountain caught my attention along with the misspelled words in the sign (Restaurant, Weelcome, and Caffe).  I didn’t have a chance to go inside, but the outside setting appealed to me.

By now the Captain and I were ready to relax in our VIP tent.  We were feeling a bit tired from flying and walking around the encampment.  This is probably the biggest FOB I have visited since being here.  We lay down on the beds for a minute and were rudely interrupted by the powerful shock waves of the 155mm howitzers firing every couple of minutes.  Despite being on the other end of the camp, the shock waves would vibrate the tent, bed, and me.  It took me several hours to tune out the blast before dozing off.

Horseshoes in the dark

After our combat naps, we revisited the DFAC and had dinner.  Outside a group of boisterous soldiers were playing horseshoes.  They affixed two lights to illuminate the horse shoe pit.  Since there are no dartboards, pool tables or ping-pong tables, this seemed to be one of the favorite pastimes.

Filed under: Missions Tagged: | Afghan National Army, Afghanistan, ANA, Camp Airborne, Deployment, ETT, FOB, U.S. Air Force, war