The Danger of Safety

Weapons safety is a big deal around here. There are lots of US and coalition military and many of other people who carry firearms at all times. Of course the goal of carrying these weapons on camp is to defend ourselves if needed.
Clearing barrels are placed at the Camp entry control points. They are usually 55 gallon drums filled with sand or small pebbles. Their purpose is to provide a safe direction to point a weapon to ensure weapons are in the safe and unloaded condition prior to going on board the camp. Obviously not everyone understands the steps to make a clear and safe weapon.
There are as many sets of instructions how to safely clear a weapon as their are weapons systems, but for the most part they all have these common steps. It is generally done with a buddy, sentry or leader to supervise the procedure:

Step 1- Point Weapon into the clearing barrel.

Step 2- Ensure the safety is ON.

Step 3- Remove ammunition belt or magazine

Step 4- Open the bolt to inspect and ensure no rounds are in the chamber of the weapon


Step 5- Place weapon on FIRE and fire into the barrel to further prove the weapon is clear.

As you can see the clearing barrel in the photo has two small accessory holes. These customized extra holes are proof that some folks do the 'readers digest version' and take safety off and pull trigger. The other clearing barrel has 5 extra holes in it. Thankfully nobody has been injured so far. I am proud to say that since I have been here I am not aware of any incidents among US military personnel. Nonetheless this is a situation that demands due diligence and attention to detail.

Hornet Bane

Today was noteworthy for the stalwart performance of the vector control guy. We have been trying since our arrival at Camp Spann to get the large asian hornets out of the shipping container which we use for storage (CONEX). We move things around, put things in, or take things out of the CONEX as our mission directs. The hornets are not amused by our moving and stomping around. Luckily we were not stung. Since we cannot get any insecticide spray from our supply we have to contact KBR. Today put an end to our uninvited guests. The KBR vector control guy was very friendly as I walked him out to our infested CONEX. He sounded less than impressed when I initially discussed the problem. I guess I can understand why as he described the 6 foot cobra he caught at a nearby camp. He had a can of industrial insect poison in his hand. We opened the CONEX and he bent down to look at the nest. He quickly stood up using some forceful language and said he was going to get more 'ammo'. He came back with two more cans and a stick. Since he was a professional I decided to watch from a discreet distance and voice support. He expertly emptied the cans in the 'gunslinger' method and continued to spray with the third as he used the stick to knock out the next. It was the size of a dinner plate. I'll check back in a few days to make sure that all the guests have left our area.

In unrelated news tomorrow is the Autumnal Equinox. A sure sign that winter is approaching.

Rain; there was rain last night. As I was leaving the 'latrine' last night I felt some wet drops hit my head and arm. My first thought was to look up and see if there were any doves out to get me. Lo and behold it was not dove excretia, but actual drops of water which fall from the sky. Granted it was not a deluge, but the 2-3 minutes of sprinkling rain we had was the first I had witnessed since leaving the US in July.

Finally, while talking on the phone with Tricia last night I saw a shooting star. I did make a wish.

Eid and Range time

Today is the end of the month of Fasting- Ramadan. For the next 3 to 4 days families all over Afghanistan will be getting together to exchange presents and feast. No mentoring will be going on over this Holiday period. My team will be very busy once Eid is over, but the next three days will be our last leisurely ones for a while.

We celebrated today by going out to the Range again. This time my partner Steve took his golf clubs and balls out to get is some practice shots. He got to launch a couple of good shots while several of us were making adjustments to our weapons so they would fire precisely where we are aiming.

We zeroed, or adjusted both our regular (iron) sites and optical site or CCO. The picture shows what the CCO site looks like when it is on. The red dot is your aim point, so it is almost like a video game in some ways. The adjusments were a lengthy process for some on the range detail, but it was worth the time we invested.

After we finished our adjustments we drilled on some live fire, sweeping fire and fire on the move. It went well and I had a good confident day of shooting. We did have to monitor the Afghans in the area since some of them were getting a little close to the danger area until the Afghan Range control ran them further away. Normally after firing a day at the range you spend a lot of time picking up the spent brass cartridges. Here we were almost run off the range by some young Afghans who eagerly pounced on the brass so that it could be sold or melted down. I am dusty, hot, dehydrated and have a filthy weapon after I fired about 200 rounds, but it was a very good day nonetheless.

Turkish Delight

Today was another banner day.

I went along to witness the turnover of a new Provincial Police Headquarters compound in a nearby area.

The ride was better than most in the back of an MRAP. I got to talk Afghan politics and learn some Dari from an interpreter who was in the back as well. Once again my camera hand was not fast enough, but I saw more sights. There were of course the herds of camels, sheep and goats along with their herders. The Afghans build earthen walls around their land much in the same way the Italians build walls around their property. There were children waving and several groups playing with kites. The most impressive thing was the water.

I have been here 2.5 months and have yet to see a drop of rain. So imagine my suprise as we followed a river bed which had an actual river in it!

There was an impressive amount of agriculture. There were small fields of corn, orchards of almonds and figs(anjir in dari). Along the river and road were large fields growing watermellon (tarbooz). I can tell you that 4 medium tarbooz run about 240 afghani- which is about $4.80. The interpreter also claimed that here in the mountains they had the sweetest ones- he bought several so that his family could celebrate Eid, which is rapidly approaching.

Of course there was business to attend to as well. The new ANP compound is noteworthy for several reasons. First is that it was built by a Turkish company. The astounding part is that it was completed ahead of schedule, under budget, and with impeccable quality. I toured many of the buildings including a detailed look at the clinic, dining facility and water systems. I really wish this company had worked on our Regional Clinic, since this one is much nicer- ceiling fans in every room, central heat, tiles, sinks that work. It was a very well designed and built structure that will if maintained properly serve the ANP in this province for many years.

A great effort by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Turkish contractor. Thanks to them the Afghan National Police have a nice new 'home' in this province.

A Good Day

Yes. Today was a Good Day.

A picture of our team: Dean our interpreter, Me and Steve.

We made a trip to visit our Afghan Police counterparts in their downtown clinic today. We had a good visit with them, making progress on several issues. I have hopes that several of these projects will even be completed before my time to return home arrives. If even one of these projects is completed it would be a astounding. It would be like melting a glacier with a lighter; possible but it rarely happens. Here in Afghanistan time is not measured with watches.

I impressed myself thoroughly at being able to read the sign, which says tashnab- or bathroom. Thankfully I did not need to use it since it was locked at the time.

The ride was as serene as possible with a young PFC driving a huge MRAP. I was able to see some picturesque sights, but I wasn't fast enough with my camera for all of them. There were long lines of camel caravans. Every now and then there were children playing around houses and open lots. I observed young men taking naps on manicured grass in one roundabout along the way. There were the obligatory goat herds, sheep herds and donkey carts. In many spots along our route there were entire fields of mud and straw bricks drying in the sun. Then of course there were the markets with huge watermelons and lots of other fruits for sale. It was a nice trip and a beautiful day. I don't even think I broke a sweat today.

After getting back to our office I had another nice suprise. Construction is about to start on a huge clinic which will be located about 5 miles out in the desert. I was able after conferring with my Afghan friends to contact Headquarters and at least get the project on hold until we can determine if this is the best spot to put it. I think we will be able to get it moved so that it can even be accesible to the people it will be built to serve!

Score one for reason, sanity and a responsive Headquarters.

Like I wrote at the beginning, it was a Good Day.

Hail to the Chiefs

Naval Tradition has once again been upheld. Three fine Navy Sailors who have been working for the past several weeks to transform themselves into leaders of the Finest Navy in the world had their anchors pinned on today.

There was no ocean, nor even any water visible other than the sweat of those in attendance. Nonetheless ships bells were rung, sideboys posted, and time honored rituals were performed.

I have seen these three fine Sailors perform their duties with the ANA hospital mentoring team. The Navy did very well in promoting them to Chief Petty Officer. They are now charged with the duties of teaching and mentoring enlisted sailors, carrying out the tasks of the Navy, and teaching the junior officers they will work alongside. Hail to the Chiefs!