I'm Special

Mama always said I was autistic uh I mean artistic. I am slightly sick and was bored. We are making grand plans now. I think we could still pull off the Europe trip. And get the tax break. Still too early to tell but anyway. Here are some patches I had made. Sometimes an idea will pop into the dark parts of my mind and I have to do it. They are not always winners but sometimes they are good. In my humble opinion. See what you think.

Screen saver on my computer to read by

South Carolina flag on a hat

Big Red the flag of The Citadel on another hat

Just a patch that popped into my head, not as pleased as I thought I would be with it

Patch made for hats for the Inlaws

Patch I had made for my uniform

Week before Christmas

Twas the week before Christmas, and all through Afghanistan, the bombs were falling, the Taliban were all shaking, quivering in their beds, knowing that death would rain down on their heads. Ma in her burka and me in my crap, I had just settled down to my IED map. When out in the yard there arose such a explosion, I had to ask Ala what the hell it was. The infidels had found me and were out for blood. I had tried and failed to kill them now they had my ass. Merry Christmas

Not a pleasant Christmas poem I know, as we prepare for the festivities of the holiday season, know that others plot the demise of our cultures and lives. There is no living with these people, no peace on earth for those who are not willing to fight for it. Give peace a chance is becoming a chant again. We gave peace a chance and have prayed for it all these years. It has brought us Lebanon, Bosnia, Somalia, Iran, deaths and kidnaps. Yeah peace has worked so well. Peace, to some is our destruction. I will not give these people a chance to destroy all that I love. I will fight, and give what I need to defeat them. I am no longer a soldier, but my family is a family of soldiers. In the last 200 years we have had members in service for most of it. When the call has been made we answer it. We have and will shed blood for our beliefs, right or wrong, only history has the luxury to decide for sure. We have had members of the family in uniform for every war we have had. We have not always fought but we have been there to help. We can trace back to the Revolutionary War on the Southern battle lines as Johnny Reb. We had members in France in WWI and relatives beating back the Blitzkrieg in Europe. My Father was in Uniform for all of the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War. Me and my sister served during the Cold War. I was in uniform for Gulf War and trained to fight the Cold War against Russia. I will not pretend that all America has done in our history is righteous and good. America has blood on its hands for so many things, it can be sickening to think about. But, our transgressions are not as onerous as those who came before, or been against us. If as they say this war was over oil then we could have chosen easier, closer targets than these.

This place can get to you after a while, as the unit I’m with prepares to go home all the talk is of what they will do when they get home. Most run along the lines of drunken debauchery, and pornographic dreams, I can’t blame them. As I have those same fantasies and weaknesses. Don't call or visit for a few days after my return. I have the last packages ready to send home. They will be well after CHristmas. I got a box from the lovely wife and daughter Saturday, and another from my sister in-law and mother in-law today. and have serious pangs to be at home in front of hearth and fire, with my loved ones around. I was told today that I will be moving B-Huts soon as they prepare to leave. I will move in with the other civilians to keep us all together. I will miss these guys, you can’t live this long with someone and not have some connection. Although not everyone in this hut talks to each other. Also I found out that my replacement will be here in Mid February, which means I could be home by the first part of March. That’s about 6 weeks before my magic date, so the question is how much is it worth to be home. Right now that is priceless, plus I have two months to get serious about my studies.

Bad picture of gazebo decorated for the season

Snow man and tree decorated by the Martha Steward of Afghanistan

Inside the gazebo

Tree of light in center of gazebo

Santa sent to Avn Bde by school in the states.

Hats I had made for the in-laws, they have a polka band.

I'm back

Hello again, I sorry I have not updated in a while. But as you can guess life has been one exciting adventure after another. From my meeting with Osama, and secret missions into the mountains I 've had very little time. Well that’s what I’d like to think anyway. Truth is I have had a sever bout of lack of energy. Or as they say around here my give a damn is broken. Since our last little chat by the glow of your screen, I’ve been to Kabul, Khowst, and middle of no where. We had to bring back the black box from Kabul. We some how bummed a ride to Kabul while having lunch. Some guys were up picking up Suburbans and I talked my way into a ride. Which allowed us a night at ISAF HQ. Better food and two beers. Got to love working with NATO. The British took us to the Air port. From there we tried to fly it back to here. We first had to as the Americans, who said that was the Brit’s job. The Brit’s said they only handled people, ask the German’s. The German’s said all coordination is through the Turk’s, who made us drag the box over to them. They then said okay take it back to the Americans who said good give ti to the Brit’s, who then said ok leave it by the baggage and we’ll take care of it. Got to love working with NATO. So we rolled it back to the terminal and waited. Once on the C130 it was a 15 minute flight back here. Unload go find a truck. While having coffee at the USO before we got the truck Pop Eye showed up in honor of the grand reopening of the restaurant. The trip to Khowst lucked out as a one day trip in at dawn out at sun set. Other that those two trips nothing special. Things will pick up soon and more work I guess. Right now they have hired my replacement and she will be here in January or February. That means I might be home early. No official because they said something about a large amount of overlap. If I can make it to end of March that would be great. Had a scare the other night one of my room mates passed out around midnight, He wanted me to wake him at midnight because he works nights and did not want to mess up his sleep schedule on his day off. Woke him and he wanted to go outside for a smoke. Once outside he said I don’t feel well. Sat down said I feel light headed and did a header into the gravel. I got him up and back to his room, went to get his glasses. Came back he said I’m bleeding, got the flashlight and checked scraps on his face and blood behind his ear. Looked at the ear and he had some how tore the top part of his ear from his head. I could see the cartilage and the skin inside. Took him to the Emergency room, and they stitched him up after lots of tests. At one point he had a bp of 55 / 22. Great, turns out he was dehydrated and had not eaten for 18 hours other than some snacks. They gave him the last two days off. I have to wake him soon. I spent parts of yesterday and today Christmas shopping. It is hard to find 10 Burkas in different colors, plus the fashions of them are hard to keep track of. I found It hard to find the right piece of gravel for the right person. We had a snow storm for 3 days, well a mixture of rain snow and wet snow. Made life that much better here. It has turned cold and that’s fun to. In two or so months we have had a 100 degree swing in temperature.

Well more later.

Click image for larger picture.

The Navy guys just keep getting older.

All the poop sucker trucks have names this one is the Contessa Linda. My SIL will be so proud

Mecca Burger in Kabul

My co worker with an angry cat in Kabul

We loaded the black box on a armored Toyota it flatten out the springs.

Malaria Eddie re-enlisting

Snow on the B Hut

Large snowman between the B-Huts

The Brown mountains are now white.