FOB Smart at 2030 (8:30 p.m.)
Friday night in Qalat, Afghanistan, is so completely different that in any other town I have ever lived. Here on FOB Smart we have some people watching movies in the MWR tent, playing cards here and there, or watching movies in their rooms. We had steak and shrimp for dinner tonight; I had the shrimp. There are plenty of folks here from all walks of life to have conversations with and enjoy their stories. Tonight's interesting conversation was with a former soldier in the US Army who is now working here as a security agent. His stories were very interesting.
The last few days have been different for me in that I have really begun immersing myself in the construction projects assigned to me and helping out with project scrubbing. Scrubbing involves going through project files, both soft and hard formats, and ensuring that all the files are in order and ready for turnover to the next PRT rotation. I came at a perfect time in that I started with one PRT team and will endure here long enough to see several more teams' rotations. So because my current PRT team is rotating out soon, I also get to experience the scrubbing process, which in my case makes me more aware of intricate details and processes of each project that I am working on or assisting others with during my tour.
Speaking of my tour, I have discussed the possibility again with Kimberly that I, if she and Kaesen agree, may opt to stay here in-place for two years rather than one. This will provide the PRT with enhanced continuity, which is beneficial to the overall success of all PRT missions, and would allow for additional time here to acquire desirable higher-level construction management, albeit contingency, experience. It is meaningful, to me, to be here, even for a year, and I cannot imagine not having taken the chance to volunteer for this tour. I acknowledge this even in light of the inherent risks to life, the nature of the PRT mission, and the very painful separation from my loved ones.
I ramble on...
143, K&K.
Good night and good day.
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