Journey Back to Kabul

We were up bright and early this morning because we had one last interview that had to take place before this morning’s mission to the Provincial Council meeting in town. If we weren't leaving this morning it would have been something to capture on film. The PRT civil affairs officer, from CAT Team Alpha, Sgt. Mahoney, met us right on time and we conducted the interview with the bright morning sun rising over the distant mountains. The civil affairs team conducts the "polling" of villagers during mission trips and meets with the key leaders in each village that they visit to ask about the needs of the locals. What would make their lives better? Whether it is improved roads, better crops or crop storage, improved sanitary conditions, electrification, or finding clean water sources, the PRT team members work diligently to bring these requests to fruition on behalf of the government of Afghanistan, so the people will appreciate the idea of a centralized government taking care of all of its citizens throughout the country. We finish up the interview and head off to the mess hall for a hearty breakfast before packing up our gear.

Before loading all the gear back into their designated cases and bags we walk over to the motor pool garage and ask if we can use their air hose to blow out all the dust that has accumulated and settled on, and in the bags. Other than water, dust is the worse thing for electronics, so Dave K is very concerned about all his camera equipment. Although we double wrapped the cases in large plastic garbage bags that we “stole” from the kitchen, the dust still penetrated everything when we were out driving on the desert roads.

As we returned to “Office Space” motel, I noticed Murphy the FOB mascot sitting in his favorite spot - a patch of soft sand, in the shadow of a building, out of the hot sun and away from the hard gravel rocks that make up the majority of walking areas around the base. I have become friends with Murphy because his spot is right outside the building we have been staying. Not that he needs another friend since he gets to play fetch with whomever is around at the time – and there is always a someone around, everyone feeds him and his ears get scratched by most passers by whether he wants it or not. Murphy is a lucky dog because a female army captain has officially adopted him and he will be going back to the US when she rotates out in a few weeks. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad for Murph…for his 9 months of life he has got so much attention on this base, I hope he gets at least half that when he is in America. I say my farewell to Murph and he gladly poses for a picture with me.

When I enter our small brick building into the outer office space and meeting room, there is an Afghani setting up a large mirror and chair by the door. Soon a message crackles over a radio near by - “The barber is in…the barber is in”. If I hadn’t been right next to him I would have thought it was a coded message for some base maneuver. Soon there were soldiers lining up to get what hair was on their heads cut off. Sgt. Lafond, my “bodyguard” from the very long “conop” showed up to get his trim. We greeted each other and I offered to show him the photos I took on the mission. He was ecstatic when he saw them and I offered to download them on a flash drive if he had one. That made his day! He asked if my butt had recovered from the long ride and told me soldiers who experienced those long convoy missions called it “flat butt syndrome”. The only remedy he told me was to go home to your wife or girlfriend and have her “fluff it back up”. We shared a few more laughs until it was his turn to take a seat in the barber’s chair. He tried in vain to explain to the non-English speaking Afghan that he wanted it “high and tight”. It was comical to see him gesture that he wanted zero hair around the back and sides and half as much on the top. Finally he gave up trying and said, “Oh, *%#@ it! Just cut it.”

Finally, we packed up an armored SUV and headed to the flight line to wait for our plane. We thanked DR for all the coordination and work he put in to make this such a successful trip. Our plane showed up right on time causing a cloud of dust in the distance as it landed on the nonexistent runway and rolled to a stop in front of our vehicle. I shook DR’s hand firmly, told him to be safe, to take care of himself through the rest of his tour and thanked him for his service. In his slow, easy, Texas drawl, with a twinkle in his eye and a shy smile, he said, “Now y’all don’t cut us out of the pitcher cause this place ain’t pretty.” I assured him that it was precisely because of the look of this place that this would be a highlight of the documentary along with his dedication, care and compassion for what he does. It was going to make one heck of a good story. “Well, I don’t know about all that but it is excit’n and I chose to be here,” he replied. With that, we looked each other hard in the eyes and I mounted the steps to my ride “home”.

After the co-pilot finishes refueling the plane (yes the co-pilot), he and the pilot go through their routine cockpit checks, confirm the flight plan and spin up the props to taxi speed. We roll down the bumpy, hard packed desert floor, pick up speed and soon we are banking left over the firing range of the FOB. Below us are the hulking remains of rusted soviet tanks strategically placed across the desert sand so they can be fired upon occasionally by 50 cal rounds from HUMVEE turret guns. Slowly the FOB disappears from my sight. I say goodbye to some of the most God forsaken land on planet earth. I know I will never set my eyes on this place ever again but it is seared into my mind forever. I will never forget! We slowly gain altitude over the craggy mountains and I am still amazed how this brown earth stretches in front of us all the way to the horizon.

I settle in for the flight back to Kabul. Never would I imagine that I would be looking forward to getting back to Kabul. Along with the three of us from USDA, Washington, we are accompanied by a Russian gentleman from NATO, a Canadian ISAF (International Security Assistance Force – is what the coalition force is called) reporter, two unknown Afghanis and a couple non-governmental organization (NGO) contractors. In what seemed like just fifteen minutes, the ninety minute flight was over and we were getting ready to land. We landed at the now familiar USAID airpark. The workers who greet us at the tarmac actually recognize us and greet us with knowing smiles. We will be seeing them a few more times in the next two weeks.

I am so happy to see my hooch. As I sit on the small, hard bed that I will never complain about again, I think about a private, hot shower and a visit to the laundry to wash away all the grit, grime and dust. In an hour I’ll be calling home to say hi for the first time in four days. I’m safe, I’m healthy and I have two days to rest and recover before we head out for the next adventure. Thank you Lord!!