Rebuilding Afghanistan

Manic Moran

Few more piccies.

NTM

Local-womanizer

Looks like a beautiful country,a pity about it being filled with relgious fanatics!

Stay safe,and keep the pics coming!

citizen_p

try to take as many pics as you can......youll be able too look back on them when you holdaying there in your 70s

and i want to see them.

Looks like a beautiful country,a pity about it being filled with relgious fanatics!

id be more worried about IEDs. and the suicide bombers ....
at least (some) terrorists in the 70s had a bit of class and rang an hour before

Morlar

Those are excellent pics - thanks for posting them. You should put them in the military photos thread too

Local-womanizer

Mousey- wrote: »

at least (some) terrorists in the 70s had a bit of class

They also had nice hair and moustaches unlike nowadays with their silly beards!

Manic Moran

Forgot this one. We have quite a busy little LZ here, much cargo and almost all troop movement is done by air. Also functions as a FARP.

This is definitely a different sort of war for me. Last time out, I sent home an email saying "Send me a rifle sight." This time, I sent one home saying "send me a USB keyboard."

NTM

citizen_p

lol..loved the "bayonet chapel"

Manic Moran

Probably shortly to be renamed Wildhorse Chapel. The unit we replaced was an infantry unit out of Illinois, radio callsign "Bayonet"

NTM

Fratton Fred

Manic, are you able to comment on the captured American soldier? Is he just trying to stay alive? His responses appear very scripted.

Manic Moran

Actually, we're not really tracking it, beyond "Stupid idiot, what was he thinking?"

A chap at this base tried the same thing a while ago, put on civvies, snuck off the base, and went downtown. He survived the experience. At least, so goes the story.

Today was our official 'Transfer of Authority' ceremony, although in practise we took over last week: The only people left from Bayonet were the Chaplain, the Command Sergeant Major, and the Battalion Commander. Governors of Illinois (Outgoing unit), Nevada (Incoming unit) and Laghman (Afghan province) were in attendance.

Almost immediately afterwards there was a KIA. HMMWV took a corner too fast and rolled over. Not from our unit, or even our AO, they were just passing through. Most everyone on the base lined up to see the remains put on the helicopter.

One of the squadron's platoons in another province got into quite a scrap, five confirmed enemy killed. Best we've done in our province so far is two enemy wounded and a PKM captured. (Same incident that our gunner got grazed)

Interesting day.

NTM

tallus

Ok slightly off topic. Wasn't sure where to post this and I didn't really want to start a new thread.
A friend in the states emailed me a link to this, and I thought it was really nice to see the respect shown to the guy after he died in Afghanistan on June 4th.
Regardless whether you agree or disagree with the war, it was really touching to see the turnout on the streets of this guys home town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9306gUTzUOc

iceage

Looking at those things I always imagined that it would be diificult to turn one over considering they're size and how wide they are.

Shame, tragic loss of life.

iceage

Hmmmmm, Manics been quiet these last few days.......you still with us mate?

citizen_p

not injuried are ya ???

Local-womanizer

iceage wrote: »

Hmmmmm, Manics been quiet these last few days.......you still with us mate?

I seen him about After hours not so long ago.I swear I was only in there looking for him......

<_<
>_>

iceage

Jeez relax man...naaaa hes probably just a bit busy with stuff.

Manic Moran

Still around, a little busy, but not much significant to report.

NTM

Manic Moran

Well, let's see. We've got a little bit of everything here, to include something for the gun bunnies. Extremely enthusiastic individuals, even though they have demonstrated an occasional inability to hit what they're supposed to. FDC transposed two numbers last week, round landed 6km from where it should have. It wasn't the only balls-up, they had one the week prior. Today, we think the rocket just didn't ignite, so we've no idea where that one landed. Not really their fault, but we'll still poke fun at them. We've got two Afghan 122mm howitzers on one of our bases as well, maybe we'll start using them instead... (They're got quite a good reputation, actually. Bizarre method of calling fire using mobile 'phones, but it's proven to work, they've used them to break enemy attacks). Also attached is a photo of a troop movement, those are the guys we relieved going home.

The other two photos are of the thermometer at 8am, (like it says), and the "Hero's walk". That's where basically everyone on the base not involved in critical operations lines the route from the mortuary to the helo pad. Body, covered in flag, is brought to the helo, his weapon carried behind it.

NTM

Manic Moran

Finally, three photos of my luxury accommodation. I've got one of six rooms in a plywood hut. It remains to be seen how it stands up to winter temperatures.

Bit more bad news. One of the platoon sergeants we brought with us lost a foot in an IED attack. He's out of Arizona, did this mission two years ago and was part of a platoon from that battalion which volunteered to come back. He was in an MRAP which ran over a bomb big enough to break the vehicle in two, and left an 8' diameter, 4' deep hole. One foot shattered beyond repair, the other multiple fractures. He's actually in excellent spirits right now: Considering the size of the bomb, he's quite pleased to still be alive. This was an entirely different part of the country to mine, however, we've got platoons scattered all over the kip.

Get another helo ride tomorrow, supposedly. Get to do a bit of sight-seeing in a Black Hawk, just generally touring the AO. Must have camera ready...

NTM

Manic Moran

Of course, you can't go to Afghanistan and not get a rug.

NTM

Hagar

iceage wrote: »

Hmmmmm, Manics been quiet these last few days.......you still with us mate?

Of course he's alright. Mods are indestructible. Except from Al DeVore that is.

citizen_p

lol verynice rug.....guessing it didnt cost much....or else the prices are high with all the "unvoluntary Tourism".


ohh and nice to see they're not afraid of mortars.... those are garden sheds... and cheap ones at that.

Fratton Fred

I hope you've got Air Con in there Manic, it looks abit "Cosy", or compact and bijou as an estate agent would call it.

Thanks for the Photos

Manic Moran

I'm starting to take some casualties from the 92 people I brought with me from Yerington.

About a week ago, one of the lads was hit by a sniper in the cheek. Straight through. He's back on duty now, limping a little, but in good spirits I'm told.

Three other lads were in an MRAP which hit an IED a couple of days ago. The TC got bruised up a bit, but will return to duty, the driver's got a compound fracture at the elbow, and the gunner (Paddy) has two broken ribs and a fractured cheekbones. The latter two are currently in Germany.

Paddy was my driver during my last Bradley gunnery. Given we had an Irish TC, and a somewhat Irish gunner (McGriff), we decided to declare it an Irish track. So, we re-designated Senor Padilla as "Paddy" and declared him an honorary Irishman. Good kid.



Most recent casualty wasn't one of mine, he came from Vegas. Was hooking up an MRAP to a tow bar, and got his thumb crushed.

NTM

Local-womanizer

Hit in the cheek and back on duty!Tough man!

Hope the rest make a full recovery.

Keep safe out there

Hagar

Read it again, he has a limp. Now what cheek would that be?

Fair play MM, great material, great photos.

Zambia

Good man Manic

cyrusdvirus

Hagar wrote: »

Read it again, he has a limp. Now what cheek would that be?

Fair play MM, great material, great photos.

snigger

Take care of yourself out there manic.

Local-womanizer

Hagar wrote: »

Read it again, he has a limp. Now what cheek would that be?

Fair play MM, great material, great photos.

I realised after I posted,but I hadent time to change it:o

After that walking would be better than sitting I suppose:p

the_syco

Manic Moran wrote: »

NTM

Cool. That first arty shot will replace the two warthogs on my desktop in work.

=-=

LoL @ the furry loch Nessy