My mortar section on the 'Baghlan Campaign'

Gun Trucks staging for clearing operation

Behind the wheel of the M977 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck

The cargo I was carrying on the M977 HEMTT

Happy Memorial Day!

Greetings everyone, I hope you are all out and about enjoying the 'unofficial' start of summer that this weekend commonly marks. I know that the Oceanport Fair is in full swing backed by a large showing of the Police, Fire and First Aid personnel. I don't want to think about how many years it has been since I was able to attend one of those. A nice piece of pound cake and vanilla ice cream would definately hit the spot right now. Summer here is definately starting to beat down on us. Daily temperatures are now hovering around the triple digits and the wind acts more like a sand blaster than a cooling fan. If you want to make a quick buck, invest in whatever company provides us with bottled water, I personally go through at least 10 a day. The oppressive heat slows work outside to a crawl. I am trying to convince the powers at be to allow me to switch to a reverse cycle where I work at night and sleep during the day. I imagine my productivity would increase with the decrease in the mercury level.

May has been a busy month for us here. I don't know if I mentioned it in an update email but I've always refered to us as the outsiders on this deployment. We are augmentees to the augmentees of those in charge. As such, you can imagine we are at the bottom of the hill and totem pole. As of June 1st we will have teams in all 4 of the Regional Commands of Afghanistan. We started with 4 in RC-North and 2 in RC-West. We live day to day waiting for the phone to ring or and email to arrive delivering the next frago (Fragmentary Order). This means that all of our teams have to pack up all over their stuff, from guns and trucks to refrigerators and mattresses and move. You can imagine the nightmare involved in all that. While we at the AOB are trying to resource the logistic requirements we are also busy doing camp beautification. We've been 'graced' with the presence of some real power players in Afghanistan. Just they other day I was privileged to meet Gen. McCrystal, commander of pretty much everyone in Afghanistan. Needless to say there are some stressed out people running around.

I managed to get away from the day to day here in Mazar-E Sharif by spending a week in Bagram (BAF). I had some business to conduct there and also provided some much needed labor to our supply guy who worked there single handedly supporting us. We built resupply pallets and acquired some needed equipment for the teams. While there the enemy launched a pretty significant attack on the base. Considering it is one of the key installations in theater, it was a pretty bold move on their part. I woke up a little after 0300 to a loud explosion followed by smaller secondary explosions not to far away. Gunfire erupted soon after. I reported to the BDOC (Base Defense Operations Center) and offered a hand. Since I was a transient and not a resident of the camp I had to sit this one out. I won't go into the details of the attack, but it sent 7 coalition service members to the hospital.

As I prepare for my next large operation, or combat camping, I ask that you all take a minute out of your weekend BBQ to think of the service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice. A quote I saw recently is particularly appropriate for this weekend, "A veteran is someone who at some point wrote a check to the US Government for the amount of: up to and including my life." From Bunker Hill and Gettysbury on to the Chosin Reservior and Ia Drang Valley and recently in Afghanistan, the Philippines and Iraq, we as Americans enjoy certain privileges because of those cashed checks. Please raise a glass, remove a hat or observe a moment of silence for them. At the same time, pray for those who are currently away from their friends and family serving abroad. Thank you.

- Chris