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Paratrooper covers RUN

Started by Paratrooper,

1,682 posts in this topic

PokerKid

PokerKid

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Since I won't have time to post my latest OA piece won at the HA focused auction, I'll post it now.

Blitzkreig5OA.jpg

 

That is an amazing piece of original art by one of the all-time greats!!! Congratulations on an awesome pickup.

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Transplant

Transplant

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Ok ok, this is really the last one I'll be adding in this thread for at least 12 months.

Keep your head down and your fanny safe, Vaughan. Check in when you can.

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Paratrooper

Paratrooper

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I wish I could post some pictures of where I'm at, but can't send them via work computer. I'm living out of a two man room and living fairly comfortably. Can't complain, even have air-conditioning, electrical outlets and a shower/bathroom only a few feet away. Of course I don't spend much time there, but it's better than Iraq was. I work from 0800-2200 on most days, that's not including the time I conduct PT, and we have yet to have a day off. Don't think we will either, but working hard makes the days go by faster...at least that's what people keep saying.

 

Kandahar Army Airfield (KAF) is pretty damn big, miles long and congested as hell with vehicles transporting equipment on and off the Forward Operating Base (FOB), another term for KAF. Basically KAF is a logistical hub for our Area Of Operations (AOR). There are so many vehicles on the FOB that those not transporting something have to walk, this place is huge? Well, when I have to go somewhere either to a meeting or checking on current operations I have oversight on, I have to walk miles.

 

The Poo Pond is this base's above ground septic system. Basically everyone's mess above ground. This whole place smells like , literally. What's scary is that I'm getting used to it and even forget that it's there unless it's really hot and windy that day. Oh, and it makes running outside that much worse.

 

We do have some amenities that make life a little bearable here. We have a place called the boardwalk that has anything from TGI Fridays restaurant, Burger King, Baskin Robins, foreign PX (Dutch and German) and other little shops and food places. Pretty nice.

 

Well, that should do for now. The CG is making his rounds, gotta look important.

 

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Paratrooper

Paratrooper

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I'm going to use this thread to write a little about what's going on here, and to express my thanks to all the wonderful board members that have generously sent me care packages for me and my troopers. One of these days I'll be getting a day off....when I eventually do, the first on my "to do" list is to write everyone a thank you letter. But for now, this will have to do...

 

A little update as to my well being here: I'm doing fine, although a little overworked. Haven't gotten a day off yet since I got here in March...driving me a little batty. But making progress with my ongoing projects, none of which I can go into much detail. What I can go into detail on is my day to day activities:

 

0700hrs: Wake up and start the day by my iPod alarm clock (awesome to wake up to music rather than a loud beeping sound). As a back up there are 3 other alarm clocks in my room, can't be late as it's one of my boss' pet peeves.

 

0715hrs: Shave, eat a cliff bar for breakfast. I'd go to the DFAC/Mess hall for breakfast, but I'd rather sacrifice a good breakfast for just another hour of sleep! Those damn "fast movers" (jet aircraft) that take off during all hours of the night wake me up at least 4-5 times during the night. Not to mention the occasional rocket attack sirens.

 

0730hrs: Get dressed. Can't forget to wear my reflective belt, my ROE card, turnequit, weapon, etc.

 

0745hrs: Start the 1 mile walk to work. By this time of day it's already 90 degrees or so. Not bad, getting acclimated to the heat already and 90 degrees feels comfortable.

 

0800hrs: Arrive at work. Start shift change brief and find out what happened during the night. Not much usually, sometimes someone arriving on the flightline or a report of where the rocket landing if we had an attack. I wish I was on night shift! Too bad I'm the OIC and can't switch myself to those hours. And of course I can't start work without my hot cup of coffee...my soldiers already know that I'm grumpy if I don't have at least one cup before they update me on anything.

 

0900hrs: Day really starts at this time as I have my official first meeting of the day. Love meetings.... At least the meetings at this time are usually held on Adobe Breeze, but downside is that they're usually boring as all hell. Another downside to online meetings is that you can't strangle those self-important windbags that talk about nothing that anyone really cares about, I get the feeling they just like to hear themselves talk. Very annoying. Or those cautious types that talk to softly that you can't hear a damn word they say.

 

1000hrs: Take action on those projects that I've been working on, delegate jobs to subordinates. FYI I love delegating, keeps me from doing too much myself. Key to delegation though is to delegate to the right people and not too much that they themselves are over-burdened. Also, always fallow up on tasks that you assign out, or they'll ignore you and not do what you ask. I have amazing soldiers, so when I fallow up on tasks they're usually completed. Work is easy when you have competent people working for you.

 

1130-1300hrs: Give or take an hour and a half. Eat at the Asian DFAC. Amazing food! Can you believe I eat better deployed than I do at home? Due to the fact that I'm single and live alone when I'm back CONUS, I usually eat take-out and junk food. Here I'm getting well fed with a variety of different foods. I can of course choose from at least 4 different DFACs with their own flavor of menus, but I choose the Asian one simply because it's the closest. At the Asian I get rice w/ some type of minced meat, corn, bread and REAL butter, along with some delicious desserts (I like the strawberry cake). I can of course wait about half an hour in line for the stir fry, but I hate lines.

 

1330-1800hrs: Continue to work on projects or attend meetings, this lasts most of the day, and usually I'm tied to my desk. I've asked my boss if I could go "FOB hopping" (traveling all over Afghanistan to different locations in order to visit our forward units) but he always tells me "no, you're not going anywhere". Bummer, I fricken hate being tied to one location. When I was in Iraq on my first deployment I went everywhere, very exciting even though I got shot at a lot.

 

1800-1900hrs: Get some dinner. The menu pretty much stays the same for lunch and dinners at the Asian DFAC, there's so much variety that I don't get bored with what I eat. However, on Fridays at the Harvest Falcon (American DFAC) is Surf & Turff night. The line is pretty damn long, but worth waiting in. We sometimes get Crab legs, crab cakes, baked rainbow trout, shrimp, etc. Delicious! Good thing I have to walk everywhere or I'd never lose weight!

 

1900-2000hrs: Prepare for shift change and have my night crew take over. Usually around this time we get a rocket attack. We've been getting attacked a lot lately, damn Taliban for making me stay at work longer! Don't worry, their attacks on us are mostly laughable and a waste of our time.

 

2000-2030hrs: Walk back home to my RLB (Re-locatable Building). Another day done, my favorite part of the day. The Poo Pond usually smells at its worst during this time. I don't know what they do, but damn! The smell is raunchy, the sad thing is...I'm getting kinda used to it, should prepare me when I visit London or New York though.

 

2030-2100hrs: Get into my running clothes and run 3-4 miles on the road next to our building. At this time of night the temperature is around 80 degrees, not bad. Running outside just sucks when the wind is blowing pretty bad kicking up all the dirt. At this point I think my lungs are coated with this Afghan dirt and god knows what else. I could choose to go to the gym and run on a treadmill, but I hate fricken treadmills and the walk to the gym takes about 20 minutes. Adding 40 minute walking time to my running routine will cut into my movie time.

 

2100-2120hrs: Take a shower and hygiene time. Time to wash off all the dirt and sweat of the day. Thank god that we have nice showers and it's so close to where I sleep, be thankful of the little things. I just don't want to know where they get all the water for the showers, it's "Non-potable" and lots of signs that say "Don't Drink the Shower Water". In Mosul, Iraq on my first deployment the water purification team would get the shower water from the Tigress....Which is probably why I have a bad case of excema I think.

 

2120-0100hrs: Movie & TV night. Thanks to a ton of boardies I am able to watch any movie I pretty much wish to see. And TV shows! I just finished watching season 9 of Smallville thanks to a boardie! Tonight I think it might be Dexter or Supernatural with a movie. I should probably read more, I have a few books I brought with me.

 

I'm typing this on a Sunday which is my half-day. I guess I do have some time off, I only have to show up to work at 1400hrs on this day, I actually look forward to this during the entire week. I sleep into about noon on sundays, god I love sleep! How much I miss my own bed, with no poo smell or airplanes waking me up multiple times a night!

 

Well, that pretty much sums up my average days for right now.

 

Vaughn

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PedigreeMan

PedigreeMan

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The Poo Pond usually smells at its worst during this time. I don't know what they do, but damn! The smell is raunchy, the sad thing is...I'm getting kinda used to it, should prepare me when I visit London or New York though.

 

:roflmao: Too true! (On NYC, at least... I've never been to London.)

 

But seriously, thanks for everything you're doing, Vaughn. I spend my day at a desk doing frivolity and screwing around with my co-workers, so when I read an account of your day (rocket attacks!) I can't help but be humbled. You're doing something important here that means something in the grand scheme of life, and you should be commended for it. Thanks again.

 

Would you mind sharing again with ignorant bluenuts like myself who don't know where to send care packages or what's needed by you and your guys? Can't hurt, right? :)

 

Take care of yourself!

Alan

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