Afghan&Military Blog

May 29, 2009 9:44 am

Changing Commanders, Changing Tactics

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Well I must say I expected this to a degree. You put a Spec Ops Warrior like McChrystal in place and he is going to do what he has seen work. However I hope he does remember the words of Bouhammer, "Afghanistan is not Iraq" and he is ready to adapt and tweak the previous tactics to better fit the Afghanistan war zone. There is a lot of talk about Counterinsurgency (COIN) warfare in Afghanistan, not because of the incoming commander but because that is what is needed now.

There are talks of a COIN Center of Excellence existing in Afghanistan now, and I am hearing from sources that the Commander of 4th BCT, 25th ID (ABN) is one of the first Sr. Field Commanders who truly understands and executes COIN operations on a daily basis.

This should be an interesting next few months in Afghanistan.

 

The U.S. Defense Department is considering changing tactics and deploying specialized troops to battle the Taliban in Afghanistan, a military source said.

The changes are based on a plan used in Iraq by Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who will be the U.S. commander in Afghanistan if confirmed by the Senate, CNN reported Wednesday.

"We want cohesive units, fleet of foot, specializing in counterinsurgency warfare," the military official told CNN.

The new idea being considered calls for hundreds, maybe thousands, of troops to train and deploy as a battlefield unit specializing in counterinsurgency warfare, the official told CNN.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert Gates, concerned about public support for the war in Afghanistan, believes "it’s critically important" for U.S. and Afghan governments to make progress against the Taliban in the coming months.

Gates has said he thinks the Taliban has momentum in southern Afghanistan, Morrell said.

"People are willing to stay in the fight I believe, if they think we’re making headway," Gates recently told The Wall Street Journal. "If they think we’re stalemated and having our young men and women get killed, then patience is going to run out pretty fast."

Afghan&Military Blog

May 28, 2009 9:53 pm

US Troops Attack Enemy Camp

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KABUL - U.S. coalition troops attacked a suspected foreign fighter camp in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing at least 29 insurgents in an intense firefight, the military said, while a NATO Soldier died after a roadside bomb attack in the south.

At least six insurgents equipped with explosives blew themselves up during the clash in eastern Paktika province near the border with Pakistan, the coalition said in a statement.

One coalition member was wounded in the assault, in which troops also called in airstrikes for support.

Afghan authorities said they recovered 34 bodies, including 22 Arabs and Pakistanis, said Hamidullah Zuhak, a spokesman for Paktika’s governor. They found personal documents on the bodies of those killed, he said.

Following the battle, forces discovered weapons caches containing rocket-propelled grenade launchers, AK-47 assault rifles, suicide vests and other armaments, the military said in a statement.

Insurgents use the volatile and porous border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan as a base for operations, from which U.S. military officers say they launch attacks on Western troops.

The administration of President Barack Obama has declared eliminating militant havens in Pakistan vital to its goals of defeating al-Qaida and winning the war in Afghanistan.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 28, 2009 9:43 am

OldBlue reviews AT WAR

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My good friend, fellow NCO, fellow Afghan vet, and fellow blogger has now sat down and watched AT WAR and taken the time to write his review. I encourage you to head over to his site to read his take on this awesome movie portraying life on the ground in Afghanistan.

 

It wasn’t a single moment that took me there. It was the entirety of it. There was so much of my experience in it. Scott Kesterson and his collaborators have captured the unique experience of what was like to be there, especially as an ETT or PMT. The only thing missing was the gritty taste of the Afghan dust and the distinct smell of cooking fires in the villages.

 

billandbobsadventure.blogspot.com/2009/05/at-war-stunning.html

Afghan&Military Blog

May 27, 2009 5:13 pm

Photo of the Day

 

1st Lt. Matthew Asmus, the platoon leader for 2nd Platoon, Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, evaluates the shop of Mammute Khan, May 12, in the Sabari District of the Khost province in eastern Afghanistan.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 26, 2009 3:06 pm

From Iraq?

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Seeing the recent reports of the bad guys in Afghanistan using US supplied ammo really isn’t a surprise.  With the ANA always at the ready to sell their gear and equipment at the local bazaar, this is basically old news to the people who have served in Afghanistan. 

Every 30-60 days I would receive a new group of ANA soldiers and there would always be a couple without any equipment.  After realizing what some of these soldiers were doing, I would recommend to their commander that those individuals must still go on the missions without weapons and ammo.  To my surprise the ANA commander agreed with me and forced a couple of the soldiers who had sold their gear to go on the missions.  It didn’t take long for word to trickle back to the rear as all ANA soldiers began showing up with all of their gear and issued equipment.

 What I did find surprising was what we discovered while doing Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) after a firefight we had with the bad guys.  We had recovered four RPG launchers from the bad guy’s position and brought them back to the FOB to re-distribute to the ANA.  While cross-referencing the serial numbers the launchers had been stamped with, we were informed (from some highers database) that one of the launchers had been manufactured in Iraq in 2003 and we were to hold it until a “team” was flown in to recover it. 

Everyone was surprised that we had found an Iraqi RPG launcher on a mountaintop on the south eastern Afghan-Pakistan border in 2007.  In this section of the world, the trafficking of weapons and ammo across poorly guarded borders happens on a daily occurrence.

 

Live free or die trying!

Afghan&Military Blog

May 25, 2009 5:19 pm

A Site To Visit and Remember

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As the Memorial Day weekend draws to a close I must admit that holidays designated to honor our past and present service members weigh very heavily on me.  From a young age I always had respect for these holidays but since becoming a combat veteran, they carry even more of a significance.  Most of the readers on this blog site appreciate what our service members do but sadly the average American doesn’t.

The link below will take you to an online memorial that was set up to honor SGM Jeff McLochlin.  “Big Mac” was killed on 05 July 2006 while on a combat patrol along the mountainous border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.  He was my NCO ETT partner at FOB Tillman and a great man.  I think of him daily and hope you all can take a few minutes to visit the site that honors this fallen warrior.  Please recall that some gave all.

Live free or die trying!

 

http://jeff-mclochlin.memory-of.com/About.aspx

Afghan&Military Blog

May 25, 2009 3:24 pm

Photo of the day#2

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Afghan&Military Blog

May 25, 2009 1:00 pm

Memorial Day Photo of the day

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Afghan&Military Blog

May 25, 2009 10:14 am

Memorial Day

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Today is the day, and I hope all who read this take or took some time to remember those that have fallen. The wars this country has had to endure has reached millions, the training accidents that have happened to members of our military has reached thousands I am sure. Please take the time to think of them and their family members. I am spending time today with family, to include my son who is also a veteran of Afghanistan and my father who is a veteran of Vietnam (and other places that cannot be mentioned) and I can guarantee we will all be thinking of many who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Bouhammer Honor Roll:

PFC Thomas Thompson – Vietnam

SGT Ed Kutz – Desert Storm

SGT Ronald Randazzo – Desert Storm

SGT David Roustum – Operation Iraqi Freedom

PFC Ben Scheuster – Operation Iraqi Freedom

SGM Jeff McLochlin – Operation Enduring Freedom

MSG Bernard Deghand – Operation Enduring Freedom

SPC Nelson Rodriguez – Operation Enduring Freedom

 

Rest in Peace Warriors, we will meet on the battlefield again one day.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 25, 2009 12:16 am

Memorial Day Video

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Afghan&Military Blog

May 24, 2009 8:23 am

Photo of the day

Afghan&Military Blog

May 23, 2009 3:36 pm

Arms sent by US to Afghan forces in Taliban hands

Bouhammer Note- This is another reason why I think we should have never given the Afghan forces one single M4, M16 or M240 MG. I have talked about their inability to keep them clean, serviceable, etc. Now how about their inability to keep them?

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2009 (AFP) - Pentagon munitions have leaked from Afghan forces to Taliban militants, enabling them to fight an insurgency for years against materially superior US and Afghan forces, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

According to a Times study of ammunition markings, of 30 rifle magazines removed from the corpses of insurgents in eastern Afghanistan last month, at least 17 contained cartridges, or rounds, "identical" to ammunition the United States has provided to Afghan government forces.

Although "the scope of that diversion remains unknown," the newspaper warned that "poor discipline and outright corruption among Afghan forces may have helped insurgents stay supplied" in the wake of "only spotty" US and Afghan controls of weapons and ammunition sent to Afghanistan.

Following criticism for failing to account for thousands of rifles provided to Afghan security forces, some of which have been found in the hands of militants, the Pentagon launched a database documenting small arms supplied to Afghan units.

And the US-led Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, which is responsible for training and supplying Afghan forces, has said it has prioritized accounting for all Afghan military and police property.

"The emphasis from our perspective is on accountability of all logistics property," the transition command’s deputy chief, Brigadier General Anthony Ierardi told the newspaper.

Leakage of Pentagon-supplied armaments to insurgents is an "absolutely worst-case scenario," he said.

But no similar system of accountability is applied to ammunition, which is more difficult to trace than firearms.

Military officers told the newspaper that US forces do not examine all captured arms and munitions to determine how they fell into the hands of insurgents and whether the Afghan government was supplying — even indirectly — the Taliban.

The reasons for the gap, according to The Times, owed to "limited resources and institutional memory of issued arms, as well as an absence of collaboration between field units that collect equipment and the investigators and supervisors in Kabul who could trace it."

Afghan&Military Blog

May 23, 2009 10:18 am

Photo of the day

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Afghan&Military Blog

May 22, 2009 3:31 pm

Insurgents continue white phosphorus attacks

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BAGRAM, Afghanistan (May 19, 2009) – Today, militants continued to attack International Security Assistance Force personnel using white phosphorus munitions. In Gayan District, Paktika province, insurgents mortared an ISAF combat outpost with white phosphorus and high explosive rounds. No injuries or damage were reported.

This past week, two other cases of enemy white phosphorus use have been recorded in Regional Command-East, following the 11 May release of 38 declassified instances of insurgent white phosphorus access and misuse against personnel.

On May 16, ISAF troops in Bamiyan discovered a large cache of various ordnance, including nine 82mm white phosphorus mortar rounds. The rounds, which were photographed as evidence, were collected for destruction.

Also on May 16, an ISAF unit located a white phosphorus 107mm rocket emplaced in the vicinity of an ISAF forward operating base in Kama District, Nangahar province. The rocket, which had been aimed in the direction of the base, was later safely disarmed.

White phosphorus is appropriately employed for screening of troop movements, marking targets, illumination, as well as destruction of unoccupied bunkers, buildings and weapons systems, and the demolition of otherwise flammable materials such as ammo and petroleum products.

WP is used as a smoke-producing agent common to the arsenals of many nations, and is classified as conventional ordnance. It is not designed for use against personnel.

ISAF employs white phosphorus in accordance with theatre rules of engagement and international law.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 22, 2009 12:33 pm

Why Afghanistan Matters

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Joint Forces Command HQ in Brunssum, Netherlands is sponsoring a video contest called "Why Afghanistan Matters". The intent is to provide a "boots on the ground" perspective of the military mission in Afghanistan from the point of view of those most closely involved.

They will not edit clips for content, but will exclude contest submissions that jeopardize troop security, or show objectionable, disturbing or offensive material.

The contest is open to military personnel who are serving, or have served the mission in Afghanistan. You can follow progress by subscribing to RSS updates. or checking out our Twitter feed.

The contest will be open for submissions during June, July and August. They will post your videos once approved as a qualifying submission. From 1 to 30 September, they will allow further video rating, and winners will be selected on 1 October.

Winners determined by highest average rating. One (1) winner will receive a digital camcorder, valued at approximately $600 US; three (3) winners will receive digital camcorders valued at approximately $150 US each.

So make your video, upload it and tell NATO and the World, why Afghanistan Matters. Go to their website at contest.afghanistanmatters.com/ to learn more, see the official rules and upload your video.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 22, 2009 9:49 am

Remember When has a Name and Face

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Remember the other day when I wrote this post called Remember When? Well this story now has a name, 1LT Roslyn Schulte, and a face. Read her story and see her yourself over at the You Served Blog.

Rest in Peace Roslyn, and provide our men and women Top Cover while you are up there.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 22, 2009 8:16 am

Photo of the day

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Afghan&Military Blog

May 21, 2009 5:56 pm

05/21/09 You Served Radio

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We have a full show tonight over on You Served Radio (www.blogtalkradio.com/youserved) talking a wide range of topics. First up we will have Tim Holbert who is the organizer for National Memorial Day Parade. It will take place on Monday, May 25, 2009 at 2:00PM on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th streets NW. The parade has been going on since it was re-established in 2005 after a 70 year hiatus in our nation’s capital. It is the largest Memorial Day Celebration in America and will have more the 250,000 in attendance honoring those who have served and sacrificed. There will be marching bands, veterans units, and uniformed military personnel from around the country. The parade will also feature a special tribute to the U.S. Navy, and include Navy vet and Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine, fellow actors and veterans’ supporters Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, and music star Lee Greenwood. Also participating is Edith Shain, the nurse from the famous World War II "V-J Day in Times Square" kiss photograph. For more information, visit www.nationalmemorialdayparade.com.

Right after Tim, we will be talking with Dom who is the station owner and founder of Hooah Radio!!!, www.hooahradio.com. Dom will be on to talk about his military past, why he started Hooah Radio and how it has grown over the last four years. Hooah Radio gets millions of hits a month, is carried all over the world via the internet and is recognized by the Department of Defense. Hooah Radio is a non profit online radio station that is in the top 10% of all online radio stations based on the amount of listeners.

We will also be talking with Mike Volkin  who is the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook (www.UltimateBasicTraining.com). Michael Volkin is a U.S. Army veteran. He served in Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom as a Chemical Operations Specialist and received an Army Commendation Medal for his efforts and for the fitness programs he designed to help his fellow soldiers. He has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Science from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas and also a Real Estate Brokers Degree. The Ultimate Basic Training Series is straightforward, easy to understand and applies to every branch of the military.

 

Last but not least we will be chatting with the first and current You Served "On Loan" Blogger, Katie Dyer. Katie writes her blog at  www.myheroesathome.com/blog. This blog is part of her website and her LLC.  Heroes At Home, LLC was created to help deployed military personnel celebrate, honor and stay in touch with their heroes at home.

Katie is the Founder of Heroes At Home, LLC. She spent 10 years as a news anchor, and now writes and speaks about deployment issues full-time, in addition to managing our gift services division. Katie's other passion is animals. She volunteers in local shelters, and was a First Responder for the American Humane Association during Hurricane Katrina.

 

So be sure to stop by www.blogtalkradio.com/youserved and give us a listen tonight from 7-9PM EST or catch the archive after at the same location or download it as a podcast in iTunes.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 21, 2009 5:08 pm

Time for an apology

I think it is time for the President and the Secretary Clinton to apologize. Not to any foreign country this time, but to our military men and women. I wrote about this incident and how I feel these inflated numbers by Afghan civilians knowing that they will get a pay out led to the firing of Gen McKiernan here and here.

Emphasis below is mine, and is intended to make the reader notice and think about what is stated.

The American military on Wednesday rejected a claim by the Afghan government that a recent bombing had killed 140 civilians, but acknowledged that between 20 and 30 civilians may have been killed.

The military statement was issued a day after the new American ambassador here, Lieutenant General Karl W. Eikenberry, held a meeting with survivors of the aerial bombing on May 4 in the western province of Farah and promised that coalition forces would change their tactics to prevent civilian casualties in the future.

The military’s statement was the most exhaustive American account of the episode so far. It reflected the deep and emotional disputes surrounding civilian deaths in Afghanistan as American forces prepare to step up a war that President Barack Obama has made a top priority.

The military said it believes that between 60 and 65 Taliban extremists were killed in the fight, far more than the number of civilians. The Afghans say all of those killed were civilians.

The fight began, the military said, when Afghan soldiers and police officers went to several villages in response to reports that three Afghan government officials had been executed by the Taliban. The police, who were "outmanned and outgunned," were quickly overwhelmed and asked for backup from American forces.

In turn, coalition ground forces called in air support - F-18 fighter jets and a B-1 bomber that "provided fire, in coordination with the ground commander, on buildings and a tree grove insurgents were firing from and massing in."

As the fight unfolded, one American Navy corpsman was shot in the shoulder while attempting to rescue a wounded Afghan soldier, and they became trapped by Taliban gunfire. The fighter jets provided "close air support to suppress enemy fire from buildings nearby," the military said. Both men survived. In all, five Afghan police officers were killed.

In what it called "interim findings," the American command said a review of video from aircraft weapon sights and exchanges between air crew and a ground commander had established that Taliban fighters took refuge "in buildings that were targeted in the final strikes of the fight."

Lieutenant Commander Christine Sidenstricker, an American military spokesman, said that a joint delegation of Afghan officials and coalition forces visited the villages shortly after the bombardment and were shown three grave sites - one with four individual graves, one with 22 individual graves, and one mass grave. It was not clear how many people the mass grave contained, she said, with counts of as low as 19 and as high as 69, based on reports by villagers.

"Our investigations indicate the list includes more than civilians who were killed," Commander Sidenstricker said. The military believes the numbers include security forces killed in the battle, as well as the names of people who may be unaccounted for because they fled the village early in the Taliban’s attack, she said.

A count given by residents of the village of Gerani to The New York Times includes 20 men, 28 women, and 38 children under the age of 10. An additional four children had been included on the list but were found in the hospital. Afghans said as many as 50 more were killed in the village of Ganj Abad, but gave no breakdown by gender or age.

The Wednesday statement was based on information from the first delegation as well as a second military investigation, interviews with Afghans in the area and recorded conversations between commanders on the ground and in the air, Commander Sidenstricker said.

As the debate over victims intensified, the NATO-led force said that an airstrike on Tuesday killed eight civilians in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. A NATO statement said militants used the civilians as human shields during the airstrike.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 21, 2009 12:30 pm

Remember When..

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This posting is directed to all of those service members who have served in Afghanistan.

Remember when the Kabul to Bagram road was driven by soldiers from Kabul, Bagram, and civilian contractors all the time in soft skin vehicles (Toyotas, Ford Ranger pickups, etc.)  and they would carry troops in regular civilian buses and open 5 ton trucks?

Remember when they thought some of us (on my team) were paranoid for complaining about this?

Remember when the kindler, gentler Army folks would bitch at us for not 'driving friendly' and being so aggressive on this road because nothing ever happened on it?

Yeah those were the same folks who would repeat the mantra of "Complacency Kills!"

 

US: American service member killed in Afghanistan

KABUL (AP) — A roadside bomb killed an American service member and a nearby civilian Wednesday outside Afghanistan’s capital, the U.S. military said.

The military vehicle was traveling from Kabul toward Bagram Air Field when it hit a roadside bomb, said Navy Lt. Junior Grade Thomas Graves, a U.S. military spokesman.

The blast killed one service member who was inside the vehicle, and one nearby civilian, Graves said.

The incident happened in the early morning about 12 miles (20 kilometers) outside of Kabul, said Kabul province police spokesman Mustafa Wardak. He did not have any details on deaths or injuries.

The road on which the blast occurred is the main route to Bagram from the capital, regularly traveled by military convoys, commercial trucks and civilian vehicles.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 21, 2009 10:05 am

Photo of the day

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Afghan&Military Blog

May 20, 2009 6:30 pm

Come join Bouhammer for a Day

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Yes, I am honored to have been invited by Clayton to be a guest speaker at the Untold Stories from Iraq & Afghanistan Graphic Novel Fundraiser. I will be there on June 13th, to support Clayton and the project. Clayton is a guy who has given tirelessly in time, money and effort to pull of this project and raise a lot of money for some great troop-supporting charities. I hope you will join me there and hang out of the day. I am looking forward to finally meeting Clayton in person and I hope many of my readers.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 20, 2009 2:52 pm

Bloggers with the Hurricane Hunters

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Head over to CJ's site at www.soldiersperspective.us to read a story from one of his contributors, White Rose. She has a great story with lots of pictures of a Training flight that the Air Force Reserve's 402rd Hurricane Hunters. I was also invited to this awesome opportunity, but could not get away from work to take part. I am glad to read a great story over on ASP.

Read it at www.soldiersperspective.us/2009/05/20/bloggers-flight-with-the-hurricane-hunters/

Afghan&Military Blog

May 20, 2009 9:45 am

Is there a strategy?

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/08-May-2009/No-time-limit-for-US-strategy-in-Afghanistan

“A 94.2 billion dollar war funding bill before the House of Representatives imposes no time limit for the US strategy in Afghanistan…”

I have not commented a lot lately on the McKiernan to McChrystal switch out in Afghanistan as I have been doing some research and giving it some thought. I have never met either man and would be honored to, if I am ever given a chance. From what I have seen and heard both seem to be very excellent leaders and tacticians. If SecDef Gates felt that GEN McKiernan was not the right man for the job, then I am fine with that. Everyone brings different strengths to the table. However I find it hard to believe that he was able to determine that in less time that a soldier is typically deployed to Afghanistan. GEN McKiernan was removed after only 11 months, and not just removed, but fired in a very public way. In fact SecDef Gates even publically stated that he told Gen McKiernan that his career was over. The way that the SecDef and the President handled this was very unprofessional and disrespectful in my opinion.

There were news reports about McKiernan being an armor officer and "old school", etc. That is all BS. He was trained on the same doctrine, read the same lessons learned, and has followed the same TTPs of leadership that all the General Officers are. I don't think that Gen McKiernan, who showed he knew how to reach out and understand the local culture, was given a fair shake and I feel really bad for him.

LTG McChrystal has had an impressive career and has been credited with many significant accomplishments in the Global War on Terror. He has also been implicated in the Pat Tillman cover-up. So there is some baggage there. We are not really sure how much he knew, but just as he was the commander of the units that caught Saddam and other high value targets he was the commander of the soldiers that tried to cover up how Pat Tillman was killed. LTG McChrystal is a fine example of a Special Operations (Clandestine) operator and leader. Having him in charge in Afghanistan is probably a very good thing. It was just how he was put there that I have a problem with, and why.

I say 'why' because the SecDef and the Administration stated that they were putting him in charge to support the new strategy. But in the same breath they stated that the strategy is not yet complete and is still a work in progress. From the link above you can see that they don't even have a timeline (which is part of setting goals) for the new strategy. This so called "strategy" is appearing as vapor-ware as we say in the technology world. Which means it is talked about a lot but does not exist.

Problem solving 101 says the first step in resolving a problem is to "identify the problem". In other words you cannot develop a solution to a problem before identifying what the problem is. So how can they put in the "right man to support the strategy" when the strategy is not yet developed?

The bottom line is this, McKiernan is a good man in my opinion. So is McChrystal. McKiernan was disrespected and treated terribly in the press and by the Administration in the manner that he was replaced. McChrystal is probably a very good choice or best choice for Afghanistan depending on what the strategy is (more kinetic or more COIN). I am convinced that McKiernan was fired and replaced because of his words of caution about US forces being to blame for the high number of civilian casualties in Farah province a couple of weeks ago. He made this statement the day after the President and the Secretary of State were almost apologizing to the world about it and essentially saying that our troops were guilty. I think that split in message is what caused the surprising and almost immediate firing of GEN McKiernan, and as the SecDef stated himself "the end of his career".

What do you think? Comment and let me know.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 19, 2009 10:11 am

Picture of the Day

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U.S. Army Spc. W. Eric Mraz, 3rd Platoon, 527th Military Police Company, shows an Afghan National Police officer how to walk with a drawn weapon as part of the Special Tactics and Training course at Forward Operating Base Bostick, in Nari, Konar, Afghanistan, on March 21, 2009. The program is developing a local SWAT-style team called the Special Tactics Team for the Afghan National Police station in Nari. DoD photo by Sgt. Matthew C. Moeller, U.S. Army

Afghan&Military Blog

May 18, 2009 10:42 pm

ANA Kills 3 civilians

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Three civilians killed, one wounded by Afghan soldiers

12:18 18/05/2009 Three civilians were killed and another one wounded on Monday after troops from Afghan’s National Army (ANA) opened fire in a market in east Afghanistan, a local police chief said.>>

Other news of the day

Afghan&Military Blog

May 18, 2009 6:04 pm

Don’t Ever F*** with the Tomb

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H/T to The Sniper for this one.

 

To visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is truly a humbling and awe-inspiring event. In all the time I have spent there, I have never seen this happen or even heard of it happening until now. The people that were there probably witnessed something more rare than winning the Powerball lottery. They saw a guard break ranks to challenge and warn a tourist who "crossed the line".

It just goes to show you, don't ever, EVER F*** with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

 

Afghan&Military Blog

May 18, 2009 3:07 pm

Get great Music and help Fisher House

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Last Thursday on You Served Radio I had Tom Neely on from the band, Bridge of Sighs on the show. They donated a couple signed copies of their first studio released CD, Angry Clouds, to be auctioned off on the You Served eBay store to raise money for Fisher House.

Well the band has went one step further. They have put up a link on their website at www.bosband.com to buy the CD via the website. Starting last Thursday through July 4th, all sales of the CD via the website will have 100% of the proceeds go directly to Fisher House. They are a young band, having just released this first studio cut CD and I think it is awesome they are willing to donate so much to an awesome charity.

If you haven’t listened to the interview with Tom, check it out at www.blogtalkradio.com/youserved. He talks about their unique sound and tells some great stories from their tours at Gitmo entertaining troops. Check it out, take a listen and any spreading of the word you can do on your blog would be great. I have the CD and it is really awesome. Be sure and stop by http://www.bosband.com/buycd.cfm to check out the band and buy the CD.

Also, while you are listening to the show, keep listening to the other two guests. Rene Bardoff who is the Executive Director of the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation which is trying to raise $1.65 million dollars to support our troops by Memorial Day. They are asking every person to just donate $5.25 by Memorial Day, 5/25/09. They are doing this through their website, www.tweettoremind.org/.

Last by not least I talked with Doug Eldridge from DLE Sports Management (www.dlesports.com) about his 10-12-100 Campaign where he has made it his personal mission to run 12 marathons in 12 months to raise $100,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project.

It was an awesome show, with great Patriots as guests and is worth the two hours to listen to. Stop by www.blogtalkradio.com/youserved to listen to the archive.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 18, 2009 12:37 pm

Bouhammer featured on Opposing Views

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Bouhammer.com is featured on the website Opposing Views at http://www.opposingviews.com/topics/foreign-policy. Opposing views is a part hot-button topic news portal and part virtual discussion space for people to talk about these issues. They will be grabbing quotes from this blog every once in a while and put them up as topics for the registered users of Opposing Views to talk about.

So go check it out, as there are a lot of issues they are talking about over there. It is a good possibility that they are talking about something you care about.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 18, 2009 7:55 am

Bouhammer in the news again

I talked with Dan Bennett a few days before the conference on email, and was glad to finally meet him in person once I got to the Milblog Conference. Anyway, Dan is a really nice guy and even with all of my running around at the Conference I was able to spend a few minutes being interviewed by him.

Here is a nice story he has written up about the conference, which includes him mentioning myself and even has a picture of me in there.

 

http://frontlineclub.com/blogs/danielbennett/2009/05/the-evolution-of-military-blogging-in-the-mediasphere.html

Afghan&Military Blog

May 17, 2009 10:54 pm

Can You Look At My Wife?

During my time at FOB Tillman, we would have our medical clinic open everyday for 2 hours so that local Afghan villagers could receive medical care.  In this extremely remote FOB situated along the Afghan - Pakistan border, it was common to have some villagers walk 2-3 hours to see the medics.  We would see approximately 15-30 men and children at our clinic daily. 

The one thing I didn’t see at all were women showing up to the clinic.  Although I wasn’t surprised by the lack of adult female attendance as this was ultra-conservative Pashtun and Waziri tribal area, I knew that the women still needed medical care.  After a little coordination, a US Army Reserve female physician assistant (PA), was flown in for a few days to help out. 

Even though we had made sure to spread the word, we had very few females show to the clinic.  On the PA’s last day, a local man approached with his wife and was very concerned.  Our interpreter informed us that he was concerned that there was something wrong with his wife because she had not produced him any children yet and he wanted the female PA to fix her. 

After a brief private exam the PA called the husband back into the clinic while the rest of us waited outside.  After a few minutes the husband emerged from the clinic with a relieved expression on his face as he led his wife from the FOB.  After the clinic closed to the locals I asked the PA what she discovered that was wrong with the local’s wife.  She stated that she couldn’t find anything ”wrong” with his wife but after a few prodding questions she soon discovered that the wife was a virgin as the husband had only engaged her in anal sex.  That was when the PA had called the husband back into the clinic and gave him a crash course on sex education.  No wonder why the man left with a smile and a bit more spring in his step.

This is just another example of how uneducated the majority of this country really is.  It truly does need all the help it can get.

Live free or die trying!

Afghan&Military Blog

May 17, 2009 8:06 pm

PRT Panjshir medics improve medical sanitation

By Air Force Senior Airman Ashton Goodman Provincial Reconstruction Team Panjshir Public Affairs Office BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan

(May 13, 2009) – As soon as the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team arrived in the Panjshir Valley in November 2008, they noticed a need for a more sanitary way of disposing of contaminated needles.

"We saw that they were using cardboard boxes and buckets for [sharps] disposal. We also observed needles laying all over the ground," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. James Bailey, a PRT medic from Tyndall Air Force Base, FL.

To solve this problem, Bailey and Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alfred Greene, a medic deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., met with the Panjshir Director of Public Health (DoPH) to find some ways to safely dispose of needles.

After much brainstorming, they decided that using old ammunition cans was a fast and easy way that allowed medical facilities to transport used needles to a disposal area.

Ammunition cans are reusable and inexpensive. After they are spray-painted white with the word "SHARPS" stenciled in Dari, a clasp is placed on the lid to prevent spillage. A hole is then drilled in the top allowing needles to be safely dropped inside.

"So far, over the past few months, 20 clinics have benefited from our sharps containers, to include 17 DoPH clinics, two non-ER nongovernmental organization clinics, and five maternal child health clinics," explained Bailey.

The clinics are provided with two cans each, one for clinic use while the other is being emptied at the disposal site.

Clinic personnel have readily accepted the program and were taught proper ways to clean the cans. Also, a placard is given to the health clinics to provide information regarding what goes into the containers and how to properly dispose of the waste in the valley's only disposal pit.

"Our goal was to provide a safe way to dispose of sharps," said Bailey, "Hopefully this program will help eliminate disease and sickness spread by bio-hazardous waste. Overall, we feel it's already a success because it will ensure the safety of the medical workers and the people of Panjshir," Bailey said.

During a visit to the Peshgor Clinic in Khenj District, Air Force Tech. Sgt. James Bailey, a Panjshir PRT medic, provides pharmacist Mohammad Yagub, right, and Ghulam Maiudin, a vaccinator, with containers to properly dispose of needles and other bio-hazardous materials. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Maj. Valerie Trump)

Afghan&Military Blog

May 16, 2009 10:32 pm

Hope at FOB Tillman (Lwara)

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The link below will take you to a quick story by FOX NEWS on a young teenager that helps out on the American Forward Operating Base (FOB) Tillman.  I remember him from my time at FOB Tillman and its good to see that he is still there (and alive).  He is a great kid and he actually carries some common sense which is very uncommon in that country.  I only hope that he receives an education and is able to contribute to the future of his country.

Live free or die trying!  

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519617,00.html

Afghan&Military Blog

May 16, 2009 7:27 pm

On the radio tonight

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I am on a radio right now with CJ over at www.themicroeffect.com. It is a terrestrial and online radio program that goes all over the world. CJ and I are talking about our blogs, online radio show that we host, etc. If you can listen now, tune in, but if not check it out later and listen to the archive.

Afghan&Military Blog

May 15, 2009 3:43 pm

In case you missed the show

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If you did not get a chance to tune in and listen to last night's You Served show, you are truly missing out. I had three great guests on the show. From Tom Neely of the band Bridge of Sighs (www.bosband.com) talking about the band's trips to Gitmo to entertain the soldiers to Rene from the Bob Woodruff Foundation taking about the tweet to remind campaign (www.tweettoremind.org/) to a finale with Doug Eldridge from DLE sports management group (www.dlesports.com) telling us about his 10-12-100 campaign to raise $100,000 for the Wounded Warrior project. It was an action-packed show with a lot of patriots trying to do thing for our warriors. You can listen to it over the web or download the podcast to your computer by going to www.blogtalkradio.com/youserved.