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
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
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