What I want for Christmas

I have received dozens of e-mails from family and friends asking me what I want for Christmas. To be honest, I don't need anything. I have everything I could need here and anything you send me I'll just have to carry home. I already have four sea bags full of Army issued equipment and I don't need anymore stuff! And while I don't need anything, there is something I would like for everyone to send me.

Christmas is a time of giving, an important lesson Fisher-Price, Apple, GAP and Tiffany's have confused over the years. I'm talking about real, unconditional from the soul giving. The type of giving to help someone less fortunite just because it's the right thing to do. This is a lesson each and everyone of our children needs to be reminded of during this holiday season. How?

Please explain to your child that children in an Afghanistan hospital really need their help. The hospital is so poor, doctors have to REUSE bandages and dressings and since they can afford bed nets in the burn unit, flies contaminate the children's injuries. Anti-biotic cream is also in short supply.

Let your child take the lead and send me a care package that I can deliver to the Indira Ghandi Children's Hospital here in Kabul. Again, bandages, dressing, bed nets and anti-biotic cream would be great. That's what I want for Christmas.

Please don't ignore this request expecting the next guy to step forward. If you're getting this e-mail, than this is a request from me to you.

My address is:
Dave Hecht
US NSE (PAO)
HQ ISAF
APO AE 09356

Please feel free to pass this along to anyone you know who might want to help this cause. I have no problem getting boxes from complete strangers.

Thnk you everyone. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Kabul

The holiday spirit is in full swing on the ISAF HQ compound. Above are some pictures I shot of the decorations people have put up. Susan sent me Christmas lights and I’ve used them to decorate my bunk. Very festive! I also took time to meet some of Santa's elves and thank them for their hard work up North. As you can see from the picture of the flyer, there will be a candle light service on Christmas Eve. I’m really looking forward to that. Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

The weather

Since I arrived in early October, the weather has been fairly mild. Afternoon highs in the mid 60's with overnight lows in the upper 30's. But with Christmas a week away, things are starting to change. Rain has rolled into Kabul and snow is not far off on the horizon. The afternoon high has now dropped into the mid 40's with overnight lows well below freezing.

In your local paper, if you see a sharp drop in Afghanistan related stories, thank the weather. The Taliban don't like to fight in the cold.

As I write this, I'm standing watch in the command center. Normally this place is a beehive of ativity, but now that the weather has turned chilly, there's not a lot going on. Sure the Taliban are still out there, today firing two RPGs at a high school and annoying our convoys with small arms fire, but no major operations seem to be taking place. Not at least at the level of this summer.

I hate winter, but if it saves our troop's lives over here, I guess it's not all bad.

Below is a link to the Weather.com - Kabul: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxdetail/AFXX0003?dayNum=1&from=36hr_topnav_business

Visitors and more visitors

Working here at ISAF HQ, I get a front row seat for politicians wanting a little face time with commanding officer and the troops. Last week, Arizona Senator John McCain was here for a "grip and grin"and today it was Senator Jon Kerry's turn. Last week, President Bush flew over our headquarters on his way from the Presidential Palace to Bagram Air Force Base. If you look real hard through the haze, you can see his helicopter. He maintained a high enough altitude so that he was clearly out of range for any thrown shoes.

A "taste" of home

On the base in Kandahar they have a Burger King, Subway and Pizza Hut. This was my first fast food in three months. It's amazing what a Whopper can do for your morale! I would have gladly paid $50 for this rare treat.

Latest & Greatest

Here are the links to last week's:

ISAF Update:
Tuesday:
http://www.dvidshub.net/vjump.php?vid=51140
Thursday:
http://www.dvidshub.net/vjump.php?vid=50871

Ask ISAF: http://www.dvidshub.net/vjump.php?vid=51143

*The general's interview has been viewed by more than 200 media outlets around the world via the DVIDS website!!!!!!!!

A family update

For months I have been telling you all about my travels and life in theater. What I have not mentioned as much as I should is mywonderful family back home. A progress report is long overdue.

As my wife considers naming her and/or the kids a FORCE PROTECTION violation, I will keep things vague.

In short, I couldn't be more proud of my wife, [blank]. Her spirits are high and she's doing an outstanding job back in [blank] keeping the kids involved in their numerous activities. We talk at least once a day, see each other on Skype every couple of days and e-mail short "love notes" notes in between. Granted these note from [blank] consist of "you're spending too much money" or "get my picture off that damn blog," but I feel the love. [Blank], I love and miss you.

My daughter [blank] is nothing short of amazing. When I left in September she couldn't read a single word. Now my big kindergartner is reading me books over the web cam. She has a great teacher, Mrs. [blank] and her Mommy is always taking time to work with her on homework. [Blank] tells me she cries from time to time saying, "I miss my Daddy," but [blank] is a strong little girl and will get through this.

And then there's my little boy, [blank]. Since I've been gone,[blank] has really done a great job potty training [blank]. He only wears diapers at bedtime, and those are always dry in the morning. [Blank] is in preschool and is very social, making lots of friends. True, [blank] is a little rough with his big sister, but what baby brother isn't? He'll grow out of it. [Blank] also gets a little moody from time to time but my wife [blank] does a wonderful job of keeping him in touch with his feeling. [Blank] will talk to me on thephone and tell me, "I'm mad at you Daddy that you're not here, but I still love you very much."

While many people have thanked me for my service, it's my family that should recieve just as much, if not more praise. They've sacrificed so much. I really think when I get my end our tour award, my wife and kids should be standing right at my side to receive a medal of their own!

A tough day in RC South

The British flag here in RC South is at half-mast today. Yesterday, the Brits lost four soldiers in two separate incidents. Three were killed by an IED and the fourth was killed by a "suicide bomber," although I don't think the bomber knew what he was doing. The bomber was a 13-year old kid pushing a wheel barrel full of newspapers. Odds are the Taliban hid the bomb under the newspapers and told the kid to deliver them to the British soldiers, remote activating it when they were in the kill zone.

As a result of this rough day, the British Prime Minister is flying here as I type. We're working to get Ramirez to the area to cover the visit.

This story just demonstrates that it's not just the United States that's losing people here. We've lost roughly 550 Americans in this theater over the past seven years. The Brits have lost the second most with somewhere around 130.

For all those who have fought and died here, the above quote from Gen.MacArthur is very appropriate.

Headed South

From 11-14 DEC, I'm in RC South.

I'm hear because I need to make sure MC2 Ramirez, who will be joining Cprl Rafoss, actually gets put into a room. Since Rafoss arrived nearly three weeks ago, he has been living in a transient tent. This is a large open bay tent that's shared by roughly 100 other guys. You sleep on cots and there's no way to secure your belongings. It's meant to be a 1-3 day temporary situation, not a permanent fix which has been Rafoss' lot in life since he first arrived. On my first day here, I got Ramirez into a room so this is not impossible. Rafoss can bunk with Ramirez when he comes back from the operation he's covering out in the field.

The other reason I'm down here is to play politics. The RC South PAO doesn't like the standard operating procedure (SOP) we have in place for my guys when releasing stories, pictures and video. Col. Kolker wants to add several layers of people in RC South to read, edit and approve the stories before they're sent to me... where in turn I read, edit and approve it before sending it to the headquarters... who read, edit and finally release it. If we allowed this, it would take three weeks to get a single story released through all those filters. I'm here to tell him his opinion matters, but only HIS opinion. In the military more than any other career field I have ever worked, there's a lot of teritorialism. We talked this issue out last night and I think we have come to an understanding. If I'm ever nominated for Secretary of State, I now have enough experience to put on my resume.

Last night was also a fun night for watching fireworks. Opps, that was a rocket attack. Around 0200 came the announcement over the loud speakers, "Take cover, take Cover, incoming attack. Take cover, take cover." Never a dull moment in Kandahar.