Rejuvenated

If you followed my blog on my last deployment, you'll remember well that I somewhat bemoaned the fact that I didn't get a chance to really do the job I was trained for. Definitely not the case this time. I actually get to play forward observer. Its a great feeling. I'm excited once again to wake up and see what I have to do for my job.

This time around, the blog is gonna be pretty scarce on details and I'll try to share more experiences and feelings. Starting off with that, I can say that I'm in central Afghanistan. I'm living on a FOB with the basic amenities. A nice chow hall, a good gym, and internet access. The only thing I am waiting on in my Xbox and TV (hint hint Dad :) ) and the other care packages that are packed and ready to go (Thanx Tiffany). We are sharing the FOB with some other soldiers and they have been great hosts so far. They've helped me procure some items that I don't have and in return I am trying to help them get some stuff and I'm teaching some call for fire to them. Its nice to have people come up to you and say "hey, we're lacking in this skill and since you are the subject matter expert, can you help us out?"

I've been trying to follow the news lately and a few things caught my eye. I'm may be turning into my Dad here but some of the comments and actions coming out of Washington on the war are frustrating. Sen. Carl Levin says he doesn't support sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in what is being called a "surge" which was similar to the one in Iraq. He says we need a surge of Afghan forces. He is correct on that front, I will give him that. He is horribly wrong on the other account. Afghanistan is not like Iraq. There aren't the number of major population centers like there are in Iraq. This is about as rural of a country as it gets. There is one major highway running through the country. One. Thats it. 60,000 troops don't have the resources to get into all the communities and help train the forces. In some areas of the country, the only way equipment can get to soldiers is via air because A. the roads are either not capable of handling it or they have too many IEDs B. there are no roads. Even air is tricky proposition because there are too many flights to make and the weather can be crappy.

What frustrates me the most is a lot of these politicians are criticizing the war when they haven't been in the military or even been deployed. I'm not sure if Sen. Levin has ever been to Afghanistan and seen what it is like. I'm guessing that a lot of the talking points are being put together by aides who have read reports and just want to get the Senator relevant in the public light. The one thing that pisses everyone off in the military from the highest general to the lowest grunt, is having someone tell us how to do our job without actually having been in our shoes. If we say we need more troops and equipment to get the job done, there better be little hesitation. Everyone proclaims that we need to win the war on terror, but when the military offers suggestions on how to do, it seems like it is being second guessed. Let us do our job and stop interfering.

Also, if I made a smartass comment to my commander while he was giving a speech, I would have so much pain and discomfort inflicted on me that I would want to crawl in a hole and die. You may not like the man, but respect the position. Keep that in mind the next time the President makes a speech.

Finally, I applaud Rep. Duncan Hunter for proposing that Medal of Honor recepients make up a panel to review and recommend whether a servicemember be awarded the MOH. An excellent idea because, again, it gives people who have been in combat a say in how a soldier is recognized for gallantry.

Oh, my unit is NOT one of the 82nd units to be extended.....yet. We'll see.

94, out.