Arrival to Afghanistan

My whirlwind trip got me to Afghanistan quickly and safely. It is common to be stuck at one of the holding stations along the way from several days to a week. It is also common to run into situations where there are more people passing through than there are bunks to sleep in. I dealt with neither, traveling in a small group among the last of 1ID to enter the country.

On FOB Lightning, I stay in a nice room. I have a large desk, shelves, makeshift closet, bed with mattress, and a double window with glass, though it is boarded from the outside. I plan on using the window to hang up photographs.

I work with the Afghan army in a building referred to as the TAC. In the TAC, the Afghans are tracking what is taking place in there are of responsibility, similar to how the US runs its own operations. I am there with several other coalition soldiers to help share information about the Afghan battle space. I am not specifically training the Afghans, but I am building relationships with them and watching them take ownership of the fight.