HOME!!!

We left Afghanistan in Mid-September and flew to Manas Airbase in Kygrzistan. After a few days there, we moved on to Ft. Dix NJ where we would all beat the common sense out of ourselves.

Nine days were spent at Ft. Dix for the check the box mind numbing stupidity of the U.S. Army demobilization process. One would think that all efforts would be made to get us home ASAP. Not the case at Ft. Dix. No one would work past 1630 hours and the staff actually took the Labor Day weekend off while we were restricted to the barracks! We had to attend a briefing with a full bird Chaplain. The theme of the brief was reintegration and the Colonel asked the guys if they had anything on their mind. After an hour of unloading things that only an Infantryman can fully appreciate, the Colonel flat stated that Ft. Dix generally does not demob combat arms soldiers. And then we found out that the PDMRA leave many of us earned while serving on Operation Noble Eagle was denied. Welcome home assholes, Uncle Sam is done with ya, move out.

We finally left for home at zero stupid thirty on 2 October. When about 5 miles out from Geneseo, the Livingston County Sheriff Department escorted us to the village of Geneseo. At which point we dismounted the bus and marched through the center of town to the Armory about one mile down the road.

My son Ethan in the foreground and the boys forming up in the background.

SFC S marching his platoon with me in the background.

Ethan and I at the Armory. The reason I do what I do.

Afghan National Police Command Sergeant Major

My lasting legacy in Afghanistan is the establishment of the rank of Command Sergeant Major in the Afghan National Police. This rank will give the patrolmen a voice. I created the rank insignia which mirrors the ANA, this way everyone will know who is bringing what to the table in joint ANSF operations. The ANP CSM is the beginning of establishing professionalism in the NCO ranks. A way to combat corruption among the officer corps and the ANP overall. The man who was chosen, CSM Karim Khan is the first among CSMs that will be established throughout Afghanistan.

Ironically, the Afghans spent 10 years defeating the Soviets. Yet their uniforms and marching mirror the Soviets. We pinned the new ANP CSM on 30 August 08 at the Kabul ANP NCO Academy. He was pinned in front of 1500 ANP NCO cadets. Here is the honor guard.

Here I am with the newly pinned ANP CSM

The ANP CSM with CSTC-A, TF Phoenix, RPAC Kabul and ARSIC Kabul Sergeant Majors

ANP CSM Karim Khan after pinning

ANP CSM Karim Khan being pinned by Deputy Ministers of the Interior for Security Mangal, DM for Counter Narcotics Daud, DM for Logistics Basir.

KABUL

Here are some shots from a trip down to Camp Gibson. I needed to go down there in order to give a brief to the COIN academy on the ANP and PMTs.

The Queen's Palace at Darulaman

King's Palace at Darulaman

It is rumored that the hippies introduced watermelons to the Afghans in the 1960-70s. Well whoever did, the Afghans took their lessons seriously. Some of the biggest watermelons I have ever seen are in Kabul.

Here is a Hazara hauling wood the old, old fashion way.

A good look at the dwellings terraced into the mountains of Kabul.

J-Bad Again...

On 10 June, the usual crew flew down to J-Bad to check out another FDD graduation. All went well until the helicopter came in early. Everyone rushed to get their gear on and we ran out to the LZ. I knew as soon as we got on the bird, (a NYARNG CH-47) that something was wrong. There were other dudes strapped in back. The flight was supposed to be a dedicated bird for the Deputy Minister, whom we were travelling with. Anyway, after the crew informed me that the final destination was Bagram, not Kabul it dawned on me that we boarded a regularly scheduled ring flight. We departed the aircraft, took stock of things which was, damn we are hungry! We ate chow and I secretly hoped that our helicopter was on the way to pick us up. Luckily it did.

A picture of Naseri and I on the CH-47. Naseri is our Terp and the Deputy Ministers administrative assisant.