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  • Hi from AFG

    Hello lads,

    Well after a long and painful journey, I am now safely at FOB Ghazni. Had a short (too short really) stop at Shannon while they refueld the bird. Pax lounge was crap, tea served in plastic cups, no scones and the worst part, the bloody shop had no Yorkie bars. WTF!!!!!

    Anyhow, after languishing in Kuwait, a shitehole that makes Limerick look like the Ritz, made it to Bagram and the next day husteld out to GHZ. I'm on the Advance Party (ADVON), main body will be along in a few days depending on the whims of the USAF.

    The FOB is OK, smallish as these places go, about 2500 stationed here, mostly a Polish Brigade and various US units. Somewhat austere, no PX (NAFFI) Pizza Hut or any of that crap. There is a gym, a medicore mess hall and the usual acoutrement of local national shops. Most of what they sell is knock off DVD's, Oakleys, watches (Rolex for $100 anyone?) and leather good and badly made "antique" knives and daggers.

    As AFG goes, things are "warm" here, lot of pressure on Terry Taliban from the action in Helmund and the coalition has moved another Infantry Bn into this province, so it's going to be an interesting trip. In the few days I've been here we've been rocketed twice and had an IED hit another patrol, the gunner lost a finger in the blast but was otherwise OK. Unfortunately the Poles also lost a Soldier that day in a seperate IED incident.

    I know I've been off the net for a bit, the last few months of the train up were long and exhausting, after a 17 hour day, I used what little energy I had to call the wife & kids and sleep, so hence the lack of posting. I have the 'net at my desk, along with two other systems, so I'm fairly wired right now and will do a better job of keeping you lads up to date.

    Attached are a few pics to get things going, on the ramp and the view form the back of the heli. ARNG Scout, when I make it back to BAF, I'll look you up.

    Cheers,

    A
    Attached Files

  • #2
    Best of luck out there.

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    • #3
      excellent.
      "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

      "No, they're trying to fly the tank"

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      • #4
        Thanks for the update irishrgr.

        A friend of mine just arrived in country this week too. Good luck!
        "The Question is not: how far you will take this? The Question is do you possess the constitution to go as far as is needed?"

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        • #5
          You want Yorkies? PM me your AOR and I'll send you the best damn care package you've ever gotten in your life.
          Meh.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by irishrgr View Post
            The FOB is OK, smallish as these places go, about 2500 stationed here, mostly a Polish Brigade and various US units. Somewhat austere, no PX (NAFFI) Pizza Hut or any of that crap. There is a gym, a medicore mess hall
            Sounds bigger & better than most Irish Barracks

            Have a good, safe trip
            CRIME SCENE INSTIGATOR

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            • #7
              Keep safe... and don't be afraid to ask..some things we can do...taytos were always the thing in the past!
              Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

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              • #8
                give em hell mate;

                whilst tayto or www.brennansbatchbrtead.org is fine

                www.cun t t t is better

                stay safe and come abck to throw breaks
                Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                Are full of passionate intensity.

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                • #9
                  Take care irishrgr. If I swing by your AO, I'll let you know !!
                  "On the plains of hesitation, bleach the bones of countless millions, who on the very dawn of victory, laid down to rest, and in resting died.

                  Never give up!!"

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                  • #10
                    Great post Ranger stay safe.

                    "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."


                    Marcus Aurelius Roman Emperor (161 to 180 A.D.)

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                    • #11
                      Thanks for the support lads, I was supposed to LU with ARNGScout but time was against me, hopefully we'll sort that out. We're expecting some backlash from the assination of the Provincial Deputy Governor, who was whacked a few days ago but an SVBIED the politics here (Afghan that is) is like the Soprano's on steroids.

                      We work with the EOD lads and lasses, amazing coolness about a dangerous job. The TB have gotten devious about this, adding all sorts of booby traps, daisy chaining devices and so on. They are beginning to use more home made explosives, they are running out of mil spec stuff, a combination of simply running down supplies, Coalition targeting of supply routes, pressure (somewhat) from Pakistan. So now we are finding home made explosives labs......scary things, it looks like a meth lab....apparently they score a few own goals with this, sort of a self licking icecream really.

                      Cheers,

                      A

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                      • #12
                        Good Luck, Irishrgr,

                        You can thank Stanley McCrystal for there being no Pizza Hut- and even worse, he got rid of TGI Fridays as well.

                        Only piece of advice I can give you is that old Kerry advice to any Kerryman joining the US Army or Marines:

                        The Golden Rule:

                        Always make sure that you serve in a unit where your Commanding General has a name that begins with O rather than ends with O. (No offence to our italian cousins!).

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                        • #13
                          good luck Gnr - stay safe!

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                          • #14
                            Good luck mate, learn fast, stay safe as you can.

                            If you come across any of the Brit Apache pilots, send them regards from the Irish Air Corps. We keep in regular contact but it'll give them a blast to get it by remote!

                            Keep us posted and watch the old postings from the personal info / local int POV while you are out there. You should see what our E and E guys can get from innocent postings, and they ain't even int!

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                            • #15
                              Have a safe trip, Irishrgr
                              "Well, stone me! We've had cocaine, bribery and Arsenal scoring two goals at home. But just when you thought there were truly no surprises left in football, Vinnie Jones turns out to be an international player!" (Jimmy Greaves)!"

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