Special Post No. 073

Photographs often provide a glimpse into the world around us and these are no different. The places and faces I see when I travel or where am I am deployed move me. The photographs below were taken on 16 - 17 January 2012.

AF Day 247

FOB Smart at 1900 - Monday

Tired describes me at this point. We worked in our yard all day today moving and reorganizing. I am a little red in the face, too much sun, and a lot sore in the muscles, pitching in with manual labor is a good thing. Nothing incredible occurred today, but we accomplished much. I really do enjoy working outside at times and today was one of those opportunities to gather a larger group of us and our Afghan partners and get it done!

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

Special Post No. 072

Even more of the random photographs taken in or around Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, that I enjoy sharing. I love the beauty found everywhere I walk each day. Sometimes it can be found in the generality of life, the mundane of the day, the eye-popping colors in an opposing background, the beautiful faces or places we encounter, or just in the fun of working here in Afghanistan. These below were all taken on 15 January 2012.

AF Day 246

FOB Smart at 1830 - Sunday

It snowed for a few minutes earlier, mostly flurries again, but the clouds blew out today and the temperatures dropped steadily all day long. Last night the rains began again and by 0200 this morning the thunder was loud enough to wake the entirety of the FOB. So much so that we all thought another IED had been detonated. Thankfully, however, it was merely the skies unrelentingly pouring open upon the Qalat valley. The ground was rain-soaked all day, which made, and it still is, for very muddy conditions.

I am looking forward to another wonderful week ahead.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

Special Post No. 071

Below are more of the random photographs taken in or around Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, that I enjoy sharing. I love the beauty found everywhere I walk each day. Sometimes it can be found in the generality of life, the mundane of the day, the eye-popping colors in an opposing background, the beautiful faces or places we encounter, or just in the fun of working here in Afghanistan.



Here is me smiling at you! Taken on 14 Jan 2012



AF Day 245

FOB Smart at 1800 - Saturday

Everything is fine, everything is good, and I am doing A-OK! Outside of this, my day was normal and nearly uneventful with almost no excitement. I completed two missions outside the wire with a few "friends" and watched work in progress on the FOB. I'd have to say it was yet another outstanding day here at FOB Smart. I am alive and I am thankful for such.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 244

FOB Smart at 1800 – Friday

The weekend starts here. Before the start, however, the week behind me ended today with a feeling again of accomplishment. I observed progress on little today, but what I did see was promising. I say this because with everything slowed to a water trickling pace, the work going on around us ensures safety and protection – and this is always a very good thing here. Fridays are holy days here, so we did not see much of our contractors working here or there. Ahead is more of the same, but at least it is Friday evening. For most of you Friday night here means that it is Friday morning back home, so enjoy your day!

While my US Army Corps of Engineers counterparts in Kandahar and Bagram and areas in between work Sunday through Thursday and half a day on Saturdays, we at the PRT work seven days a week. I am glad for this, as work breaks up the monotony that we can experience from time to time – or more often as it were. Working so much can take a toll on the body, even if the work at hand involves only periodic physical exertion (long foot patrols), as sleeping periods can be limited for any number of reasons, not the least of which relating to missions or work inside of our FOB. Others in our midst work physically harder than others, including most of our wonderful and dedicated soldiers and airmen who provide mission security day in and day out. Sleep can also be disturbed by the schedules we keep, usually intentionally, and often involving staying connected back home (12 hours time difference in many cases), watching sports broadcasts (again the 12-hour time difference), or movies (I do this a lot). Many of you realize that construction management is a mostly mental affair and such requires plenty of energy and will to press on at a seven-day-a-week breakneck pace.

After much thought and consideration, I have concluded that I need much more thought and consideration in all things relating to my professional and personal lives. Yet while this sounds much like a person wrought with indecision, I can say that I do terribly miss home, wherever my home is or will be down the road, and I miss the life and amenities that are so easily taken for granted back home. Being here in this place can help to realize just how very easy we have it in the States. Everyday opportunities and decisions seem almost dreamlike here. As an example, what if I wanted to get in my truck, drive to the convenience store, then to the mall, then to my favorite restaurant or bar, then a movie, or maybe even a walk in the park? All of these random yet enjoyable opportunities are not only out of reach here, but nonexistent. If they are nonexistent for us here in this magical land, then for our Afghan partners and their families, they are unthinkable or unheard of, and yet even they have opportunities in their daily lives, they have freedoms, and yes, they have their own normalcy. I am not complaining mind you, but I do miss home. Home is wonderful, is it not? Once home, once in my restarted life, then the mystery of what, when, how, why, and where can more easily fall into place.

It was overcast most of today and the light rains began early this afternoon. The temperatures have climbed a little, so snow is not happening for now. Looking out across the nearby fields, with mountains in full view, I am always struck by how familiar the environment is here to me. I have said many times how much I am constantly reminded of Arizona here – well, except in Arizona English and Spanish is spoken, there is no war going on, and I can walk beyond the perimeters of the areas I occupy at any time I choose.

A little more of me:

Pray for the many thousands of men and women serving you and your country tonight and today all over the world without pause. Let your eager love include loving these brave many in whom we trust our very lives and way of life.

I count the days until I see you smile again. Your energy is amazing. You say the most beautiful things to me. Holding your hand makes me feel alive and loved. Hearing your voice makes my heart ache and leap. Your footsteps are indelible upon my heart, my soul, and my purpose. Your hugs make me feel like I am walking on sunshine. Your happiness makes me whole. Your love makes me who I am today. I love you, son. Good night and good day.

A mirror is like trust, once you behold its beauty and reflective qualities that can engender the greatest in us, one can never look at it the same again... and looking at trust as though it were a mirror becomes easier every single day thereafter. Life is about opportunities for excellence. We achieve nothing without automatic trust. It is others in life who will suffer their fate of mistrust, not you.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 243

FOB Smart at 2000 - Thursday

What a day today has been and it is only 2000. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself here on and off the FOB. We left earlier to look at one of my projects outside the wire. There we encountered the typical and routine characters, as well as some new faces. Nothing too exciting, but this day came and went quickly. I love it when this is the case. Tomorrow I have more of the same - and I am looking forward to each and every similar day thereafter. Each day past is another day closer to returning to the loving arms of my son and my family and friends at large.

I so look forward to returning to the land of the free, the home of the brave, and having an opportunity to travel around a bit this summer with my son. We will be happy to hang our hats in Devils Lake, Seattle, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Cruces, Dallas, Natchitoches, and all the wonderful places in between. Kaesen wants to go camping - so do I. we also want to find a lake with a rope to swing over and into. I am so ready for an extended vacation with him - like an R&R, only much, much longer!

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 242

FOB Smart at 2130 - Wednesday

We are past the hump of the week and on the downward slope from here on out! I started and am ending my day quietly here in my room/office. We watched another movie tonight - go figure. Tomorrow we have a few meetings, a few reports to finish, and a few projects to update. This week is turning out to be a good one, but they always are and they always do it would seem.

My team is nearing the completion of their rotation. They are all eager to finish strong and return to their various lives, homes, dreams, etc. Being a civilian and having the opportunity to work with multiple teams allows for many different perspectives and process changes. I love change, so this is right up my alley. However I will say that it has been exception working with this group, just as it was with the previous team and I am certain the next team. I always say how much I appreciate the professionalism of these young men and women.

Soon my time here will be finished too and I look forward to the day where I wake up with my son and face each brand new day with him. Until then my mission continues here in sunny, albeit cold for now, Afghanistan.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 241

FOB Smart at 1900 - Tuesday

What a wonderful life we live, no matter where in the world we find ourselves. It is such an amazing thing - life! We worked hard here today at FOB Smart and enjoyed another refreshing winter day with cold temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Work on our several ongoing projects not currently affected by a local ban on concrete construction is progressing rather well and expectedly. While the speed of life has slowed here dramatically, we still find ourselves quite busy and engaged, which is much appreciated.

Kaesen is likely not waking up for another hour, Danny and I plan to watch another movie, which we do nearly nightly, and I received another care package, albeit one that I sent to myself from Phoenix a little more than a week ago, and all is well here tonight.

Who can know what tomorrow will hold for us, but I do know that whatever it may be, it will be wonderful!

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 240

FOB Smart at 2100 - Monday

Today I enjoyed two outside-the-wire missions, a mounted combat patrol and a dismounted foot patrol, into Qalat to see my various construction projects. We encountered nothing alarming or irregular, although we certainly passed more than a few herds of sheep or goats and plenty of smiling faces from children everywhere we traveled. As we had already issued stop work notices for cold weather (no concrete pouring here after freezing temperatures begin), several were merely follow up visits and others were progress updates. Two of my projects are nearing completion and are almost ready for punch lists. I am always so very impressed with my Army and Air Force comrades who protect me while out and about.

What can I say more than all is right - right now? Here and abroad, near and far, I have no complaints. Kaesen was so sweet when I spoke with him this morning. His momma hooked up his new Smart Cycle game to play at home - he loves it and the games are educational. I also Skyped him last night - I love this more and more, especially since he is such an excellent communicator with me - most of the time.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 239

FOB Smart at 1800 - Sunday

Sundays, as I have said many times before, are the end of the week for Americans and the beginning of the week for Afghans, well the second day of their six-day weeks anyway. FOB Smart Americans are no different and we all worked busily away with our tasks and plans today. Mine of course included construction oversight on our local projects, a few of these, several of that, and a host of those from there along the way of my day.

All is quiet and all is well tonight. It is freezing outside - literally and figuratively. We are all happy for the weather though and look forward to winter rains or snowfall.

I will Skype with my son later tonight when he wakes up in Washington.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 238

FOB Smart at 1730 - Saturday

Another day up and down. Another Sunday around the corner to kick off yet another week of Afghan cultural sharing and working. This day began, for me, rather early again as my own internal rhythm is somewhere between that of Arizona and that of Afghanistan.

I look forward to calling my son on Skype this evening and maybe watching a movie here in my room with friends thereafter. All is quiet here and I am very comfortable.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 237

FOB Smart at 2245 - Friday

We have reached another late Friday night and all is well here at our forward operating base. The winter weather was again noticeably colder today. We worked with our contractors today and see progress daily in spite of the freezing temperatures. Before you know it spring will be upon us again and with it a fresh wave of busy construction sites resuming work in earnest. Until then, however, we will ride out the storms coming, including flooding rains and intermittent snowfall.

It warms my soul to interact with our local Afghan security forces, our contractors, day workers, and counterparts and to feel their appreciation for me and for our team. Exchanging pleasantries is a regular occurrence and takes no time or effort, especially when genuine. Here it is nothing but the most sincere and genuine.

Tomorrow is another day and another in our long series of daily opportunities for excellence in our endeavors. I look forward to them and those recurring beyond.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 236

FOB Smart at 2130 - Thursday

We woke up on FOB Smart this morning to snow falling in the skies over Qalat, Afghanistan, and although it was merely flurries here over the base, it was snowing nevertheless! I even found myself whistling Christmas tunes while I walked around the FOB this morning and afternoon, which I usually never do after New Year's Day, but since this is my first snow of my deployment - I thought it worthy of my loudest whistling possible!

The days are very cold here now. The people all around are dressed very warmly and sensibly, especially us military and military-civilians in our issued gear. I love these fleece jackets we wear nowadays compared to the old basic training-issued standard winter jacket in the woodland camouflage pattern of yesteryear. It seemed strange at first a month or more ago when the weather really started turning more into winter, but even the cold seems normal for here to me now, just like the blazing heat did seven months ago.

I have not recovered entirely from my jet lag, my brilliant journey to the States, and plan to hibernate again tonight for as long as possible. Kaesen called me earlier - it was wonderful to hear his loving chatter. The older he becomes the more he offers the sweet, "I love you, Daddy," without prompting. Man, it feels so good to hear these words - now more than ever. I also spoke with Momma earlier today and filled her in on all of my current goings-on since we were unable to connect in person - due to freakish west Texas snowfall over Christmas.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 235

FOB Smart at 1600 - Wednesday

I flew from Kandahar Airfield early this morning to arrive at FOB Smart around 1000. Returning was wonderful, especially in that I could finally make my way to my bed here at FOB Smart and catch up on some much-needed rest after four days of travel beginning at 0600 in Phoenix, Arizona, on 1 January. Seeing my friends here warmed my spirits.

Since my arrival I spent a few minutes chatting with coworkers, comrades, and even one of my local national contractors regarding ongoing work he is performing for one of my FOB projects. As tired as I was, and am right now, it was nice to get back into the groove of my life here in Afghanistan. Getting one's groove back can be difficult or it can be easy depending on the circumstances. With all of these professionals around me here, it is too easy. All of our projects, mine included, have slowed or even stopped. I have a few that will press through the winter, which is definitely here now!

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 234 - III

Kandahar Airfield - US Army Corps of Engineers compound at 1800 - Tuesday

I finally made it back to Kandahar Airfield (KAF) here in southern Afghanistan. I am super tired and I am currently waiting on my helicopter flight details to get me back to my final destination tomorrow.

I miss my son!

143, Kaesen.

Good night ad good day.

AF Day 234 - II

AF Day 233 – II

The Gulf of Oman at 1030 – Tuesday

I am airborne as I write this blog entry and was briefly enjoying the view out over the Persian Gulf/Gulf of Oman, not far from where Iran has recently made headlines for threatening to blockade the strait and prevent oil transportation from occurring. I say briefly because there are now clouds obscuring a great deal of the horizon beneath the plane. We are just east of the United Arab Emirates peninsula flying south and nearing our turn east to circumnavigate Iran and, I presume, fly north into Pakistan and ultimately into Afghanistan from the south. We are flying a route today that will stop us at Camp Bastion and Camp Dwyer in Afghanistan before reaching our final destination of Kandahar Airfield with AeroTech Aviation, doing business as Eastern SkyJets.

Aboard the aircraft this morning are many Turkish Nationals, civilians, being transported into Afghanistan to perform, I presume again, contract work in a variety of fields, including construction management and construction skilled labor. Most of the Third Country Nationals, or TCNs, are here from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc., although there is mostly Turks onboard this flight. I find it extremely amazing the diverse group of ethnic, religious, and geographical representation among the civilians working in Afghanistan. Nearly all of the fighting forces in Afghanistan, whether International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) – the good guys or the Taliban fighters and other similar insurgents – the bad guys, are foreigners and the same holds true for support workers in the fields of construction, aviation, etc.

Afghanistan is slowly being rebuilt into a nation capable of competing regionally, and someday globally we should all hope, with agriculture and eventually, if the Afghan's neighbors have their way, with potentially profitable precious resource exports. Today the extent of viable business, from my own limited perspective, is internal market deliveries of agricultural produce. Rebuilding a war-torn nation takes time, precious time, and it seems that Afghanistan is on the right track. History will be the ultimate judge as to whether or not these good people embrace the best benefits of the current globalization efforts underway (massive infrastructure projects, including civil, governance, security, etc.) in their wonderful country. I have blogged many times about how incredible I find it to work alongside the Afghan people in Zabul Province and rebuild, or build for the first time in many cases, their infrastructure after nearly 2,000 years of near-continuous tribal, regional, religious, or ethnic warfare. I do not add global warfare as we are here defending the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan not invading or attempting to subvert or conquer as with their erstwhile archenemy of the 1980s (think north of Afghanistan) and their current would-be biblically religious attackers (the Taliban).

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is a diverse city-state and, along with having the tallest building in the world and the most expensive manmade islands ever constructed, is a vacation destination from all points around the globe. One may initially think of anywhere in the Middle East as a scary place for the common tourist, but it seems Dubai has made itself wealthy from amassing wealth beyond oil-related business and tourism has taken hold to ensure a stable economy long after their oil reserves dwindle away. I have not done much sightseeing in Dubai, but what I have seen is reminiscent of any major metropolitan city situated on water and in a warm climate. Skyscrapers are everywhere; I presume again that they are mostly luxury hotels and condominiums, as well as mansions as far as the eye can see when flying into or out of Dubai International Airport. One very interesting observation, my own of course and I presume all Arab countries are similar, is that their passport control services all appear to conducted by members of the royal family. They wear ultra-conservative and traditional royal family garb, complete with the sandals, robes, and headwear typical for Arab royal families.

I should say that my opinions are merely just opinions, as well as all of my presumptions. I do not ever speak on behalf of any entity, government, or anyone in this blog and I do not claim to be an expert in Middle East culture, socioeconomics, governance, etc. I merely like to write about my thoughts, observations, and experiences from this yearlong journey on which to be on I am so very fortunate.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 234

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at 0400 - Tuesday

Well, it is very early in the morning here and I am a tired boy at this point. Our flight, originally scheduled to land in Dubai early, landed about 40 minutes late due to excessive air traffic. Our luggage took awhile to be unloaded and transferred to baggage claim. I also learned that I can in fact stay in the departure terminal, but since I had a checked bag again, I still had to exit. This last piece also precludes me from entering the departure terminal until three hours before the flight. So, lesson learned, possibly a second time, travel as light and possible and do not leave the terminal secured area in Dubai unless you are staying in a hotel. Seriously though, this is just standard and routine stuff, life is a whole lot worse and more complicated for everyone else - and I am certainly not complaining, just relaying.

I realized earlier that I will get a bed to sleep in tonight, albeit for a shorter time than I'd like, but a real bed, with sheets and a blanket too! The bunk room at the USACE Compound on Kandahar Airfield (KAF) is often a little crowded, but you'd never know it if you had been traveling for nearly 36 - 48 hours and were tired to the core. Anything resembling sleep at this point sounds luxurious.

One of my buddies, Jason Stuart, from Devils Lake, North Dakota, and also with the US Army Corps of Engineers, is trying to meet me at KAF this afternoon. If successful, we'll head to the "Boardwalk," which is KAF's little slice of Western Civilization and has a few restaurants and a lot of shopping. It will be swell to catch up with my old mate from the cold, cold north here in the winter of Afghanistan, and ironic now that I think of it in this way.

I checked in with Washington and learned that my son is taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon. I guess he is still plain worn out. His momma said he mentioned missing and loving his daddy a few times, which of course feels both good and sad - but sad in a good way.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 233 – II

Eastern Europe (somewhere over Romania) at 2000 – Monday

It is now feeling like Middle Eastern time for me in that I am four flying hours away from Dubai and cannot think of anything more than what it will be like to be with my son again down the road. With that said I am certainly preparing for the reality of my return to FOB Smart and the good work we all perform there for the people of Afghanistan and Zabul Province. Familiar routines work miracles on those times when we need miracles, or feel as though we need them! It is all the more gratifying that the work I have ahead is in a place that truly appreciates construction and construction management. What could be more instantly gratifying than developing civil and/or vertical construction solutions, or implementing them anyway, that change the lives of those whom are the recipients of such progress?

Prospects are funny in that they can come in swarms or can be distant for long periods of time. Even when they are buzzing in and around our circles of influence they can seem unattainable or unreasonable upon close examination. Inversely, they can appear all the more wonderful at second glance. What I am really saying is that life is so beautifully irregular and regular altogether at once. For me, right this moment, I am referring to the abundance of professional opportunities that make looking down the not-too-distant road a little easier for me, which in turns makes looking for the personal gains naturally more exciting.

Tired does not begin to describe the fatigue one can feel when flying 10,000+ miles at once. Then factoring in vehicle or other means of travel and not sleeping or sleeping very well, or at least comfortably, well, you can see where this is leading. If it sounds like I am complaining, trust me, I am not – at all. I am so thankful for the opportunity to go home when I have in September and December of 2011.

Tomorrow morning I will fly from Dubai to Kandahar and then have another 12+ hours before my next flight north to my Afghanistan home of FOB Smart. During my time at Kandahar Airfield I look forward to again catching up with friends deployed there or near there over lunch or dinner, or possibly breakfast.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 233

Frankfurt, Germany, at 1200 - Monday

Day Two of 2012 is shaping up to be another tiring travel day for me as I make my way back to the Middle East. I was unable to sleep on this particular flight from the United States to Germany, some due to the anxiety of leaving my son and still more due to the experience of jumping ahead in time through the miracle of flight. It is lunchtime here in Frankfurt and 0300 where my son is sleeping right now in Washington. It always seems crazy to me, how time travel works.

I leave here in a few more hours and should arrive in the United Arab Emirates at midnight Dubai time. I was not planning on getting a hotel, but it certainly seems very appealing right now! At the least another hot shower at the Terminal 1 hotel spa!

The weather here is familiar in that I used to live about 75 miles away from here in Bitburg, Germany, over 20 years ago. I had forgotten the winters were cold, wet (rainy and snowy), and it is good to be here, if only very briefly.

I miss my son already and cannot wait to see him again this summer!

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.

AF Day 232 – New Year’s Day

Canada – Hudson Bay – North Atlantic Ocean at 1823 – Sunday

It is New Year’s Day and I am flying at 659 mph at an altitude of 37,000 feet. My emotions are high as I have left my son, Kaesen, once again in the tender and loving arms of his mother. Kaesen and I both cried as I walked away from them at the airport in Seattle, Washington, only hours ago. My time with his is, and always has been, precious. Even more so today, watching his delight and amazement on the flights we flew together from Phoenix to Salt Lake City to Seattle, I was mesmerized by him and his fascinations, his sweet beliefs, and his unprompted “I love you” several times to me.

This New Year holds much promise and hope for me, for my life, for my son’s life ahead, and I am thankful today. I suppose it would be very easy for me to be bitter, to be angry, and to be so many things not normally a part of me or my life. I am trying with all of my might to focus only on the positive of my life today and beyond.

I’d like to share something once and for all here in my blog. Forgive me, those of you whom would prefer or presume that I should refrain. Four months ago my life changed forever, dramatically and instantly, and today I wish only the best of dreams, the best of love, and the most of happiness possible for my wife of nearly fifteen years. It is my sincerest desire and my greatest hope that for the rest of our lives we can walk with our son and hold high the values of right, the values of fairness, the values of love for humanity and all people, and I wish tonight for everything to be peaceful forever. I will not attack or degrade, but I will say that it was very shocking and unrelentingly painful to experience a familiar betrayal earlier this year. I will also say that whatever happens in our future lives apart, Kimberly and I will always share the same loving and caring feelings of our son.

Today, for me, is already tomorrow. I land in Frankfurt, Germany, in about six hours. Tomorrow I will continue to Dubai and then finally again to Kandahar. The next day I will return to FOB Smart and resume my life of a deployed US Army civilian. I look forward to the routine I have grown accustomed to in the last seven months and to the passionate work I enjoy. Many people throughout the world experience far worse than I on any given day to my last four months and so I return with intent to make a difference, as I feel that I already have in such a short amount of time. It is through good works, through being an honest, caring, and compassionate man that I release myself from the pain of life, from the wrongs of the past, and from the detractors who would prefer to worry about their own misfortunes. Serving in Afghanistan is an honor, a privilege, and a dream experience for certain.

I wish you all well on this first day of the year of hopes, dreams, and making plain the harsh reality of living in today’s world. Be well, be free, and be happy in all that you do.

143, Kaesen.

Good night and good day.