The Mobility Project

So, my life has turned into a little bit of, well, a lot of groundhog days with no end in site except for what I hope will turn into vacation sometime in the next 2-3 months. I've decided to take the focus off me and clue you into something more than, but not quite, Afghanistan. My cousin, Jenny, is the VP of the organization "The Mobility Project." It's a Christian organization that essentially works for what it says, at the mercy of funds outside of itself. They are based out of Louisville, KY. Sorry about that loss to KY by the way. hee hee. Moving on........Their next mission is here to Afghanistan in October. How ironic, that we would be in the same country at the same time so far away from home. Funny, eh. Well we haven't seen each other in about 15-20 years so for us to meet over here would be a nifty reunion. So, be praying that I can get out of here for a few days in October to get up to see her. Also, for those of you looking for a tax break, you may concider visiting www.mobilityproject.org for learning more about what they do and possibly donating to their cause. I'll link it down on the right. Feel free to give to a worthy cause as you are led.
Peace

LT Doc Groundhog Marsh

Toshiba Alert

Guess what? I'm down. Hurt. Cut down at the knees. Yep, no computer. Forget the IEDs. Forget the Taliban. I can live with those two. Heck, I can even work with the Canadians if I have too. Without a computer, though, that's just too much! Let me clue you in. Toshiba evidently has some issue with the BIOS system password making a random password that requires sending your computer to Toshiba when the random password occurs. It may never happen but if it does you must send your computer in to them. There is, however, a patch on the Toshiba website that you can download that will prevent it from occurring. So, if you own a Toshiba, I highly recommend you go to the website, plug your model number in and find out if there are any critical updates for your Toshiba. This is not a Windows issue. So, do it or else you'll have to send your computer from friggin Afghanistan to the US to get fixed! Well, not necessarily you, but you get my drift. So, I'm at the mercy of my fellow Dyncorp and Army buddies for their left overs until my beloved family gets the extra laptop over here. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!! hint, hint.
Not much else occurring. We did some more over watch at the below place again. Our boys were back begging outside the wire, but it was girl day and we left them to their begging and threw stuff to the cute little girls walking by. Some boy tried to take a pack of crayons from one of the girls......didn't go over too well with me......I pulled my 9mm out and backed him down rapidly. The girl was appreciative and the American doc saved the day. You know, hearts and minds...hearts and minds.

Shake Your Make Money Maker or Just Pick Up a Puppy

We actually went and did some training with the ANA and ANP not too long ago and while we were there gathered up a fan club of 3 mutt type puppies. To lay the framework here, it's Ramadon, the season in which Muslims fast (nothing past the lips) after 0400 until 1900 depending on when the sun sets. Well, we're not supposed to drink or eat in front them out of respect blah, blah, blah. Well, these pups came whimpering up to us and of course, we whipped it all out of our trucks for these dogs. Bottled water, peanut butter crackers, beef jerky etc right in front of the ANP and ANA. I'm sure they couldn't believe we'd bring all that out for dogs! Anyway, we lavished them while we were there and almost took a couple back to camp but the mother came looking for them. So, we fed her a little too. So, Sekula's soft heart was captured and the "money maker" shots were born. It's up to him now to see how far he can take them. He's had the pics on his myspace for about 6 hours and had multiple comments from random bleeding hearts.
The other picture: Sekula and I were pulling top cover over a berm protecting a check point. We always love to play with the kids on the other side and today we handed out some of the toys you all have generously have sent us. The recorders and paddle balls were favorites, even with the ANP!!
By the way, we had people asking us for water and food all day long. Seems that Ramadan fasting is like liquor for Baptist. Only bad if others see it.
Oh ya, we learned a valuable lesson. Don't throw bouncy balls to children in crowded streets of third world countries. Children tend to run for them and maybe get their feet run over........maybe. I'm not saying it happened.......but it could. So, don't do it.

Random Intertainment

Hey,
Found a pic from one of our checkpoints. Not quite as exciting as a kid playing with a 9MM but hey, beggars can't be choosers. Sekula and I hanging out a couple hundred feet above Helmand River.

WOW

Don't have much to report. Let me speak in secret squirrel language. Bad people want to hurt us. We are tracking bad people as close as possible. Most of us must stay inside until bad people hurt themselves.......boom! OK, anyone still need a translator? Hope not, don't want three letter agencies coming after me. All is well otherwise. Keep praying for them to get bored and boom themselves so we can get out of the rat cage. We debated putting signs on the Humvees saying "bet you can't hit me" but that didn't fly too well with the command. So, we sit.

So, until then enjoy the above photo. Nice kid learning to respect weapons.

Lighten Up

To counteract the intensity of my mood lately, I'll show you a picture of one of my new t-shirts. Not Army Regulation but sticking to my typical non uniformity type nature, I bought it. The next fire fight or argument I get in with Taliban or an Afghan, I'm going to rip off my outer jacket and point to it. Look! I'm here to make it better!

September 11

It's an interesting perspective from this side of the world concerning the "War on Terror." There's this constant barrage of mindless, fear inspiring news from American CNN and other news networks as well as Sky News, a British counterpart to the Fox, CNN et al, concerning our place in the war and meaningless polls pronouncing the public's position on it. As I raised a special flag over my Humvee today, all I could think about wer the Tower's falling to the ground, the thousands of people that died in them and the sacrifices of the troops and families that have fought to keep the war abroad instead of at home. I have this deep seeded desire to see this war fought and finished correctly without the chasm that partisan politicians sell their souls for. This is not a political commentary, I'm dissatisfied with both parties severely, especially when they use this date and tragedy to better position themselves for a venomous political posture.
Bottom line is that some of us serve to kill, some serve to save (both in my particular situation) but all of us serve, as did the veterans that have gone before us for nearly 300 years, to prevent our children from being in this god forsaken position in the future. There are bad people that cannot be rehabed in this world. Some people need judgment sooner than others and that's our job. So, ask a soldier, marine, sailor or airman what they think. It's probably more accurate to ask the guys in the field, despite their branch. Turn off CNN and Fox and support your local paper that hasn't bought into the machine. I've seen a lot of local articles that really share the views of the soldiers over here in Afghanistan without the hype and sensationalism of the "big boys" that would love nothing more than for you to babble their half truths to your friends and further boost their program ratings and advertisement dollars.
You guys figure out who depleted my day yet. Yep, politicians and the big news channels that hype the crap they speak. I've probably watched 10 hours of television in the last 6 months and it's been the best thing for my mind as well as my body (lowers blood pressure). Today, I check out a little news to see what's happening for 9/11 and I get Hillary Clinton and George Bush and blah blah blah from both sides of the fence thanks to the giant "non-biased" media.
You may ask yourself, what does one do then. Hmm, some internet blogging perhaps, maybe some journaling, fitness, local hobbies like looking for Taliban through your scope, avoiding IEDs while "hunting" and maybe, just maybe, lots of reading about nothing to do with current events.
Glad I got that off my chest. Do I sound like I'm rambling? Must have been the TV influence today!
Back to what matters. Today is a day of remembrance, a day that should arouse the painful memories of 6 years ago. Peal the scab away and remember. Remember the blood that has shed by all Americans and coalition forces that have been returning the favor to the Taliban.
So, above is my track (Humvee) on 9/11. We fly flags in a war zone every day to let them know whose roaming around in their house. What do you fly in front of your house before you leave for work?
And......... lastly, this is why I'm here.
WHEW! Glad that's over with. You probably are too!