Herat

In my last post, I failed to mention the reason for our trip. My boss, Col. Julian, my good friend, LT Dave Hecht, and I took a team from CNN to see development efforts in Afghanistan. We are barraged in the media with images portraying the negative side of this conflict, but there is much else on which to report. Significant progress has been made here during the eight years. As a Public Affairs Officer, I am blessed to have the opportunity to see so much of the country. Many soldiers never leave base. While traveling in Afghanistan is dangerous, I want to seize every opportunity to know the country better.

Our stop after Bagram was the ancient city of Herat in Western Afghanistan. Herat is on the famous Silk Route and one of the largest cities in the country. Since the fall of the Taliban, the international community has transformed the area, and Herat now has 24-hour running water for the first time in its history.

The Italians and Spaniards have led the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Heart. The camp where we stayed is called "Little Italy." To give you some perspective on the international efforts here, the camp is home to nearly 2,000 Italians and only eight Americans! The food was delizioso. The pizza is as good as any I've had in Rome (or at Matchbox or Sonoma on Capitol Hill).

By the way, "Esercito," written on the side of the helicopter, means "Army" in Italian.

Bagram

Our trip to Herat began with a drive to well-known Bagram Airfield, housing the largest base in Afghanistan. More than 17,000 soldiers, mainly American and Polish, are stationed there. Most flights around the country originate at Bagram.

Bagram is nestled in the middle of the beautiful Hindu Kush mountain range. On a clear day it sports perhaps the greatest view of any airport in the world. During its long history, Bagram served as the main base and air hub for the Soviets during their occupation of Afghanistan. It was also the location where former President Bush and candidate Barack Obama spoke to the troops during their visits to Afghanistan.

Since we were here as a stopover while waiting for our plane, there was time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Not only did we enjoy American fast-food favorites, but we watched a volleyball game and were able to head out to the flight line to see planes take off and land.

Travels Begin

The last 10 days have been a whirlwind filled with constant travel. Now that I can finally sit in front of a computer, I'd like to spend the next few days telling you about the reason for my trips and the experiences we've had along the way. Last week, we flew by Blackhawk helicopter to Laghman Province, east of Kabul, to attend the first graduation of the Afghan Public Protection Force, a new program designed to give local villagers responsibility for the security in their villages.

Similar to community policing in the United States, recruits are chosen by village elders to attend training offered by the Afghan National Police and then sent home to patrol their own neighborhoods in Wardak Province. While it is a brand new program, the concept is groundbreaking and we are rooting for its success.

The graduation ceremony was fantastic. Seeing the new recruits standing proud as they received their certifications was as poignant as it gets. General McKiernan, along with the Afghan Minister of Interior and the Provincial Governor of Wardak Province, addressed them. I had an opportunity to speak to several Afghan students and instructors, and all were proud of the work they are doing. It is inspirational to see this nation rebuild itself with such diligence and pride.

Heading West

I am going on a trip to Western Afghanistan for a few days and will not be able to post while away. The blog will continue next week when I return to Kabul, with lots of great pictures to share!

An Honorary Pirate

This blog post is to thank all of the great young pirates in Grade 3B at the Carlthorp School in Santa Monica, California. Jack, the son of Dr. Amy Zegart, my former graduate school professor at UCLA, and his class, led by Mrs. Tarvin, have adopted me as an honorary pirate on their class ship!

Thank you for writing me such nice notes. Even though I am a grown up and a Navy officer, I still get homesick sometimes. Afghanistan is very far away from the United States, as you have learned. Your letters have brought me so much joy! I am very touched that you are thinking about me and all of the other soldiers protecting the country.

Life is difficult here. It snows all the time, and there are bad people all around us. But we stay positive because we know that we want life to be great for all of you back home and for the good people of Afghanistan. That is why we are here. Something I have been reminded of here is how good it feels to make a difference in the lives of children and adults who suffer every day because their country has been at war for so long. Whether you decide to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, construction worker or soldier, always remember to help those in need whenever you can.

I am honored to be on your pirate ship, and I hope that one day you can sail over here and take me back to America, I will definitely come visit your class when I return to the U.S. and can visit Santa Monica. Ahoy, sailors!

Space Constraints

ISAF is probably the nicest base in Afghanistan. As a NATO command, it is international. I especially appreciate the array of menu selections. Lamb chops with mint sauce, pasta and pesto, and grilled salmon are all at ISAF. But this base was originally built for 800 people, and now there are more than 1500 permanent residents. This causes some logistical nightmares and severe crowding.

I have been here for two months, and only now have I moved into my permanent room. I no longer have Italian roommates, but I have more space and a real place to call “home.” In a future post, I will profile my new living arrangements, but for now, I want to tell you a quick story about my friend Jamey, who came to visit for a day, but is now stranded because his helicopter was cancelled.

Jamey has now been here for three days, and has had four different rooms. Now he is in a tent, probably a more permanent location—for now! Because rooms keep filling up so fast for permanent residents, transient soldiers like Jamey are forced to play a game of musical rooms.

Life on deployment is full of ups and downs, and we certainly do not have all the conveniences we are used to in the U.S. But the staff here at ISAF does its best to fix or improve challenging situations. For that we are thankful. Just a few years ago, the thought of eating hot meals and living in hard buildings in a combat zone was pure fantasy for most of us here. Now it's a daily reality. For me, serving our country is not about the money or the perks, but to help protect the national security interests of the United States.

Fun Under the Lights

We work seven days a week in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the security situation does not allow for days off. Ever-changing circumstances require constant vigilance. If the insurgents are working, then so are we. But that doesn't mean there isn't time during the day (or night) to have some fun.

Physical fitness is a "must" in the military. Recently, our command sponsored evening volleyball. ISAF has a lighted volleyball court that is usually occupied by members of the international coalition. Whether it's the Macedonians, the Italians or the Canadians, you can always find action on the volleyball court. So far, our American contingent has played only within our group, but I'm hoping we can start an international tournament this summer.

Unfortunately, I hurt my back lifting weights in the gym and was unable to play in the most recent match. Instead, I served as referee. Notice the holster and pistol in the picture above. How often do you see an armed referee? Fortunately, I did not make any controversial calls, but if I had, it was nice to know I had some protection!