Greetings everyone,
It is nearly May 1st in my time zone and I am only just getting out April's email update. I can't believe my fourth month with boots on the ground is coming to a close. What a difference a month makes. Starting this month I had a killer beard, mad scientist hair and was walking around in comfortable clothes every day of the week. I end this month in accordance with Army regulation 670-1. For those unfamiliar with the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia regulation let me expand. I am now clean shaven, with a military haircut and wear my complete Army Combat Uniform everyday. Please don't take this as complaining, it is just a completely new thing for a Special Forces guy who is accustomed to the forementioned behavior. It's amazing what happens when a new general takes command.
I rang in April on my first multi-day operation which I joyfully call Combat Camping. If I were operational on an ODA then it would be different. As a B-teamer it is really similar to the camping you would find at a large concert or festival. This camping trip was for the operation I dubbed "Battle of Baghlan, Part 1" It was a large scale clearing operation organized and planned by the Afghan National Army (ANA) with help from the Afghan National Police (ANP) with supervision/mentoring/assistance from mulitple International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) countries. I hate to admit it but the coalition didn't really win round 1. The ANA outran there headlights and over stretched themselves. They accomplished all their tactical objectives but at the end of the day lacked the logistics to hold what they cleared and pulled back after the fourth day. As the AOB we really were the nexus of communication and battle tracking for the whole operation. Other nations were unable to communicate between their command unit and their field/manuever units. If communication was done it was often over cell phone. Never expected that one did you? I sure didn't. We stepped in and help paint a better picture of the battlefield and log communications.
After the withdrawl from Baghlan Part 1 the B-team returned to our home station for refit and to get back into the daily grind. I have been busy facilitating the arrival of 10th Mountain Division surge forces into Regional Command-North (RC-N). They come to my range by the truckload to re-confirm their weapon zero before shipping out to their respective firebases. It is eye opening to watch the influx of surge forces and how it drastically changes the area of operations (AO). Before we were the largest American military force in the region, now there are battalions of conventional forces flooding in. The airfield we live next to is constantly buzzing. Imagine living next to the runway of LaGuardia Int'l airport in a plywood shack and turn it up a few decibles. On rare occassions you can hear the birds chirping which arrived with the change of the seasons.
As expected, the ANA and ANP regrouped, replanned and launched Battle of Baghlan part 2 which we most certainly would be a part of. However, I decided to change the name to the Baghlan Campaign as battles are usually short duration conflicts within the confines of a larger war. Since this ran for multiple weeks, we decided on a campaign title. The Kandahari belt of Baghlan province of Afghanistan is of some importance to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Aghanistan (GIROA). I've learned that the rice produced in this region is of the highest quality and therefore the most lucrative, easily grossing tens of millions of dollars in US currency. Obviously the GIROA wants the area safe and secure for the benefit of its people, but control of that cash crop certainly helps the GDP. This time the ANA was prepared logistically and strategically to complete the plan. Backed by a small army of ISAF partners (Germany, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, and USSF) the 2 week operation kicked off with little excitement as forces moved to their staging locations. Some of the exciting parts of the operation were captured in minor news headlines by international media but I doubt it appeared stateside. Towards the end I was attached to an ODA and got to set out onto the field of battle of this 'campaign.' It looked almost medieval. On the plateau overlooking the insurgent strong hold you could see little tent outposts with colorful flags flying on all the hill tops and strategic ground. Much as though the large army had laid siege to the village below.
In the end, the ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces - ANA & ANP) took some licks but succeeded in clearning the entire area and had the manpower required to hold it for the foreseeable future. ISAF was not without casualties.
In the end, having been on the HQ side and operational side of the 'campaign' I learned several valuable lessons. First, logistics is not something to be taken lightly. Food, water, fuel, power are all absolutely vital to todays war effort. Carry what you can and also have a plan to replenish your stores as they begin to run low. Second, weather has a profound impact on operations. It is stressed over and over in leadership classes but not appreciated until you see it. The battle, at least on our side, literally had rain days/delays. Third, reporting from the field is of vital importance. Fourth, if everyone hasn't showered in over a week you don't notice the smell. Fifth, a hammock strung up between tactical vehicles is far more comfortable than a cot, even if a bit more awkward. Sixth, knot tying and a general sense of outdoor skills should be standard training for all service members. The list could go on, but I think I've taken enough of your time.
While I was out combat camping, they changed our mailing address again. It should now look something like this:
Christopher Petrillo
IC Marmal
FB Mes (AOB-1310)
APO-AE 09368
I guess with the increased US presence they now have a direct route for mail to come here instead of being rerouted a dozen times. If you would be so kind as to include your email address in whatever mail you send I would greatly appreciate it. It is incredibly difficult to get mail sent out from here so email is my best way of thanking your for your generosity and to keep tabs on the mail.
I apologize for the long update this time. I tried to keep it short, but so much happened on the combat camping trips. I don't even want to think about all that I left out in between. I will send pictures shortly to better illustrate what I've described above. Once again, thank you for your time, prayers, well wishes, thoughts and packages. It is truely appreciated and nice to know that at least somewhere on the homefront someone is thinking about the deployed service members. Mail means more than most will ever know. Thank you.
- Chris