AF Day 109

FOB Smart at 0830 - Wednesday

I ended up with about four hours of sleep this morning before I was up again before the crack of dawn to assist with another recovery effort task related to our recent "excitement" on FOB Smart last weekend. We completed the task and ate chow early. I then showered and started a little laundry. Later I checked in at the PRT Engineers office. Finally, I am now able to get a little cleanup underway here in my office and quarters.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 108

FOB Smart at 1430 - Tuesday

At approximately 1630 on Sunday, 28 August 2011, suicide bombers, one vehicle and one vest, attacked FOB Smart. I cannot say anything else other than what has already been reported by news agencies. We dealt with the attack as we have all been trained, with great regard for safety, concern, responsibility, etc. We suffered no severe casualties. We all survived! We received significant damage and we are now working quickly to reconstruct and recover. Our team and that of our operational command have responded incredibly.

Sleep has been difficult for many, but our spirits remain unbroken. This latest challenge that we face now is the same so many have fought and died so valiantly facing. Helping others is not always a peaceful or easy task. The tasks we voluntarily face daily can often include danger and the presence or threat of death. Standing up and working toward a common cause is an amazing privilege and I am so thankful for the countless men and women who choose to serve. They serve the American people, the Afghan people, and their own families in the way so many do here at FOB Smart and elsewhere throughout Afghanistan. These same people also served the same only in Iraq and many other conflicts we have been involved. Service is an honor.

I leave to see my family in less than nine days. I am ready for R&R, especially now.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 106 - 28 August 2011 - Attack Day

FOB Smart at 1215 - Sunday

One mission pending and several meetings completed. The day is only halfway advanced and I have much more to accomplish. Today has been "quiet" so far here in Qalat, Afghanistan.

I recently learned of a high-level meeting that I am attending next week for a Major General and his related staff relating to Provincial Reconstruction quality assurance development and implementation. Good things still appear on my horizon and recent experiences here at FOB Smart with PRT Zabul have been rewarding.

The spirits of our men and women are usually high and good humor continues within our team. Sometimes the little things matter more, such as the pranks played on each other or the jokes told in good taste to cause laughter to erupt at often-odd moments. Camaraderie is strong here at FOB Smart and throughout all of PRT Zabul's detachments.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 105

FOB Smart at 2123 - Saturday

I have enjoyed this day, albeit without my family and friends back home, but I have enjoyed this day nonetheless. Tonight is the Islamic "Night of No Laws." Google it, it is very interesting.

I am going to be in the arms of my wife and son in less than 12 days. Well, 12 days plus 25 hours of flight, but since I am flying into the future, literally because of the time zone differences and being 10,000 miles away, so it will be 12 days... or something like that... I think.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 104

FOB Smart at 2145 - Friday

Night has befallen us here on the other side of the world while the sun has risen and the days of the lives I care greatly about - all of you - have started once more. I pause many times throughout my days and nights to enjoy the memories keeping my heart bound back home. I am thankful for the breath in my life and the strife I endure to mark poignantly the beauty of living. Every day and night we have is a treasure to cherish and is dramatically categorized within our minds. Each step on the journeys we take is such that we cannot imagine.

Kimberly is fishing with her father today on the Colombia River near Chinook, Washington. This is where the river empties its vast freshwater spoils into vast Pacific Ocean. It is such a wonderful place to be. I have fished the same spots they are fishing right this moment with both of them and someday the same with Kaesen. Speaking of my young son, Kaesen is spending yesterday and today with his grandmother in Montesano, Washington. I am sure he is keeping her busy and he has little friends to play with in the neighborhood and next door.

Busy days ahead as I count the days down one by one. Tomorrow will come and go and then the next and so on. Less than 13 days now.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 103

FOB Smart at 2359 - Thursday

What more can I say other than I now have less than 14 days until I am home with K&K and my family once again? Nothing, other than I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it more than I have anything in a very long time. Family is what it is all about, friends.

I had a very engaging conversation with three of my comrades tonight. Such covered the topics of military tribunals, American income tax, education, healthcare, world wars, economics, Abraham Lincoln's conspirators found guilty by a military tribunal and working hard in life to achieve that which we want and being successful in our aspirations. You know small talk amongst friends.

My day was typically satisfying. I learned that I may get to brief a Major General next week. Once of my friends from North Dakota is flying out from Washington D.C. in less than 24 hours to come work for the US Army Corps of Engineers about 100km south of where I am working. Missions were completed safely and successfully. You know what, today was good.

You know what else, now I am tired.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 102

FOB Smart at 1507 – Wednesday

Today started early, for me again, with an early mission brief covering two missions before the sun rose this morning. We completed the dismounted and mounted combat patrols to Old Qalat City and New Qalat City within a very reasonable amount of time. I had several meetings, one including the governor of Zabul Province, and had time even for breakfast and lunch. The day has gone by quickly and I have but one meeting remaining before the schedule is cleared for a day or two!

Tonight brings more of the same and tomorrow too. All is well.

In less than 15 days, I will be flying across the world to see K&K and some of my family in New Mexico. I am so excited! With all the flight times, time zone changes, and travel delays between here and there, I will have flown and travelled for 25 hours - and while I leave on the 8th from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, I also land on the 8th in the afternoon in El Paso, Texas, where K&K will be waiting for me to arrive. A short drive to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and life will suddenly change for two glorious weeks.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 101

FOB Smart at 1900 - Tuesday

Hold your horses! I had another good day and I am thankful for it, y'all. We met a contractor at the local hospital earlier for an upcoming expansion project. This should be another interesting experience for us all. Tomorrow we have more missions and meetings scheduled. I have less than 17 days until I see K&K, et al. in NM!

I have little else to share for now.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

Special Post No. 054

Jon Leyton ready for a little "shoot 'em up" at the FOB Smart firing range.

 

Jon Leyton ready for a little "shoot 'em up" at the FOB Smart firing range.



Jon Leyton rocking the M249 SAW; what a "bad to the bone" weapon.

M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW)



M4 Semi-Automatic Carbine (Standard Issue)



M9 Semi-Automatic Pistol - Beretta (Standard Issue)



SGT Farrell and SFC Russell, US Army with me at a construction site.

TSgt Morgan, USAF and "Craft" - taken 22 Aug 11

TSgt Morgan, USAF - taken 22 Aug 11

 

TSgt Morgan and "Craft" coming home from a foot patrol.



Rockin' PRT Zabul - FOB Smart SECFOR coming home from a mission.

Rockin' PRT Zabul - FOB Smart SECFOR coming home from a mission.

Rockin' PRT Zabul - FOB Smart SECFOR coming home from a mission.

Rockin' PRT Zabul - FOB Smart SECFOR coming home from a mission.

Rockin' PRT Zabul - FOB Smart SECFOR coming home from a mission.

AF Day 100

FOB Smart at 1600 - Monday

Monday, late afternoon, and I am mildly exhausted, friends. The work of a PRT is relentless, fulfilling, "exciting", interesting, and often filled with hours and hours of bliss-filled work. Today did not disappoint. It began, for me, with a 0500 mission brief, a 0600 mission - a dismounted foot patrol through Old Qalat City - , and another 0730 mounted combat patrol to New Qalat City. The projects I manage on behalf of the PRT vary, as I have said before, but not a single observation occurs without something, if only one thing, more than mildly interesting occurring or being discovered or being sought after. Call me crazy, but I truly believe that I am meant for construction consulting, construction management, and construction appreciation. All this and more have I found and learned to long for professionally. I suppose my time with ABACUS and Fulcrum prepared me for yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and all because of Chicky and Aaron way back when in Las Vegas for giving me the start in construction that was waiting for me all along.

This evening I have one additional meeting and then the "me time" begins once more. My "me time" here, again as I have mentioned many times before consists of movies, or as with yesterday - shooting military weapons on a firing range - and I believe all this "me time" is preparing me to be an ever better husband, father, son, brother, cousin, friend. I say this because I should be able to quickly fall back into being such and once again fondly yearn for spending all of my spare time with K&K. As I cannot today or tomorrow, the "me time" is my release. Do you find this confusing? Certainly not for me, as I love working and playing equally and sharing such with my family is what my life is all about after all.

Today is Day 100 in Afghanistan and nearly Day 107 since I last held K&K. I live for the days when we are together again and hope for a brighter and an even more fulfilling future than the already-amazing life I have already led. One hundred days is quite the milestone for me. Soon it will be Day 200 and then Day 300… and who knows, I may even see Days 400, 500, and beyond Day 600 in the end here in Qalat, Afghanistan. Time can only tell...

Cheers to all and cheers to me.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 099

FOB Smart at 2200 - Sunday

Wow, what a day we had today! I finished it with the firing of about 300 rounds, well maybe 150, through an M249, also known as the Squad Automatic Weapon, or SAW and it seriously rocked. What a blast it was and we fired the M249, M4, and M9 weapons at two large screen plasma televisions at our FOB firing range. Seriously cool fun, man.

The televisions came from leftovers that were nonfunctional and needed to be trashed. So we had the brilliant idea of sending them to the burn pit in absolute style. CPT Dan Leonard, US Army, provided the weapons and ammunition, our Lieutenant Colonel provided the approval, and we provided the marksmanship! I have video and photos to post soon.

I had no missions outside the wire today and worked a good, albeit long, day with quite a lot accomplished in terms of project contract admin and file maintenance. I have more missions tomorrow and beyond.

I have 18 more days until I begin my first R&R. I am so stoked to come home. I am so ready to hold my wife and son in my arms and hug them forever again!

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

Special Post No. 053

FOB Smart at 2300 - Saturday

Earlier today I wrote that I had completed my missions for the day; however, I was wrong. I had one more last minute mission outside of the FOB this afternoon. Man, it was hot out there today! Below are photos from outside of the FOB Smart north perimeter. We were observing potential sites for upgrading the Zabul provincial governor's security and also to possibly add another controlled access point along Perimeter Road in Qalat, Afghanistan.

Cheers, y'all.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

Special Post No. 052

A typical dismounted foot patrol through Old Qalat City in Qalat, Afghanistan, yields perfect opportunities for photographs. Such may capture the most amazing moments in time while others serve as a stark reminder of just how precious life is - everywhere we go and live in our lives.

 

 

 

AF Day 098

FOB Smart at 1230 - Saturday

Saturday morning has passed here in Afghanistan and all of my daily missions outside the wire are once more complete. I feel energized right now and am happy to be alive! We reviewed construction progress at the four Qalat-area projects early this morning. Another normal day is just a little more than halfway complete and the FOB is abuzz with visitors from our outlying FOBs and from Kandahar.

I am dreaming, again and as usual, of seeing Kimberly and Kaesen again in less than 19 days! I am so looking forward to New Mexico for my first R&R.

Have a terrific night's sleep and may you never be tired family and friends.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 097

FOB Smart at 2315 - Friday

Early day tomorrow. Good day today. Missions went well. The weather is cool outside right now with a breeze. The summer is still in full effect, but no worries since I love the heat! All is beautiful here in Afghanistan. I hope all is the same and more back home for y'all.

143, K&K.

Good night and good day.

Special Post No. 051

CPT Peral and LTC Rollins, US Army, at the Ministerial Offices project in New Qalat City.

LTC Rollins walking outside of the Zabul Provincial Governor's Compound



LTC Rollins walking outside of the Zabul Provincial Governor's Compound



CPT Peral and LTC Rollins, US Army, preparing for a foot patrol through Old Qalat City.



CPT Peral and LTC Rollins, US Army, preparing for a foot patrol through Old Qalat City.



CPT Peral , US Army, providing security during a foot patrol through Old Qalat City.



TSgt Matthew Kangas, USAF, rocking security during an Old Qalat City mission.



CPT Peral and LTC Rollins, US Army, returning from a foot patrol through Old Qalat City.

 

MSgt Brenda Blair, USAF, returning from a foot patrol through Old Qalat City.

 

PRT Zabul security forces safely returning from a foot patrol through Old Qalat City.

SFC Rob Russell posing with a DOWA Garden staffer on 18 Aug 11.



SFC Rob Russell, US Army, and SrA Jarod Shavrnoch, USAF posing with a DOWA Garden staffer on 18 Aug 11.