Ready to come home

While I don’t leave Kuwait until 20 August, I am less than 48 hours from departing ISAF HQ and Afghanistan. As of right now, I have been here for the past:

- 283 days
- 6,802 hours
- 408,132 minutes
- 24,488,287 seconds… but whose counting???

This has been a tough year for my family but I couldn’t be more proud of how Susan and the kids handled the separation. My wife is one of the strongest, most loving women I know and everything a deployed Sailor could wish for in a Navy wife. My biggest thank you goes to her.

I also want to thank those who called, e-mailed, sent care packages, included us in your prayers and/or helped my family on the home front. There are many people who say, “I support the troops,” but few who actually put those words into action. If you did one of the above, THANK YOU. My family is eternally grateful. I also want to thank the countless people who responded to my request to send medical supplies for the local children’s hospital. We raised $5,000 in bandages, anti-biotic cream and medical tape… enough to keep them stocked for the next six months!

Serving our country here in Afghanistan has been an incredible experience and one that I will forever remember. I have had a chance to serve side by side with patriotic, loyal Americans who believe our country is on a noble mission to bring security and stability to a region that threatens world peace. Since I have been here, I have seen these Americans put on their body armor and go outside the wire day after day to carry out their orders. They do not bitch, complain, moan or whine despite the incredible danger factor. They know their job… and they do it. The average American could learn a lot from the people serving here.

My father served in the Navy during Korea and my brother is a career Air Force officer who spent his fair share of time deployed away from his family. I am proud to be among their ranks.

Below are links to three videos my team produced while I have been here at the helm of the MPPAT. I hope you will take some time to watch them and learn the true story about the fight in Afghanistan.

The IED Hunters
http://dvidshub.net/r/yxwz5f

Kabul; a city of progress
http://dvidshub.net/r/pf8nr2

We are NATO
http://dvidshub.net/r/dzcwts

Again, thank you for all your support over the last 11 months.

Dave

I gotta get out of here!

With the Kabul video done and the closed circuit television system up and running, I have nothing to do. I can either hang out here at the country club and twiddle my thumbs or go find a story and do something productive. I’ve never been one to give 50% effort so I’m now headed to Bagram Air Force Base to shoot a story on the people who clear roads of IEDs. This is the most dangerous work being done in Afghanistan and these people need… no deserve… some publicity for the job they do.

I’ll be here for a week following them outside the wire as they clear routes and train the ANA and the Polish in route clearing techniques. More on this story to come.

ISAF TV

Since my return, I have been tapped to coordinate the installation of a closed circuit television system here on base. Basically, the idea is to put televisions in high traffic areas across ISAF HQ and have a video on a continuous loop playing the products the MPPAT produces. I think it’s a good idea as the people on base never get to watch our stuff unless they log onto DVIDS, which nobody here ever does.

Three TVs are now installed in both dining facilities and the Milano Palace which is basically an entertainment hall. Will anybody stop and watch or will they mute the programming and tune out the products, I’m not sure. Only time will tell. Regardless, this system is another mark I’ve left on ISAF HQ.

Back from Helmand

I made it safely through my embed with the Marines and Operation Kanjar; the US surge into southern Helmand Province. The drive from Camp Dwyer to the fishhook of the river was a drive I’ll… or my butt… will never forget. Since we blazed a trail where no vehicles had ever gone before, we ended up hitting potholes, dips, sand dunes… and more potholes. If it weren’t for the fact I was wearing my combat helmet on my head, I probably would have been knocked unconscious several times. Vehicles ended up getting stuck in the sand and moon dust a number of times so the drive took 10 hours. This was to go a distance of roughly 112 kilometers; about the same as driving from one side of Los Angeles to the other. We arrived around 0800 and that’s when I saw the Marine Corps do something amazing. Instead of taking an hour or two to sleep or plan the day’s events, as soon as we parked they began unloading the bulldozers, cranes and forklifts and started building COP Payne. They knew their mission and got right to it. No officers had to give motivation or direction. These 18, 19, 20 year old kids were given responsibility and they responded by getting the job done.

By the end of our first day, they had built giant dirt walls all the way around the outpost. By the end of the second day, they dug the burn pit, fuel depot and a number of other critically needed facilities for base operations. I should mention setting up tents for them to sleep in was not a priority. They thought of themselves last and the mission first. We slept on cots under the stars which in itself was an incredible experience. Way out in the middle of nowhere with no city lights for a hundred miles around, the stars shined down on us like they did for people a thousand years ago.

Within 96 hours, the COP was complete.

With that story shot and in the can, I caught a ride over to a place called the Khan Nechion Castle. The castle was allegedly built by Alexander the Great more than a thousand years ago but was more recently used as the compound for the Regional Governor. That is until the Taliban kicked him out years ago and used the castle as their base for terrorizing the local population.

The night that the operation began, the Marines with LAR or Light Armored Reconnaissance swarmed towards the castle, parked outside and in Dari announced over a loud speaker to give up, come out with their hands up and no one would be hurt. No one came out so the Marines stormed in but there was no battle to mark their arrival. The Taliban fled hearing the Marines were on the way.

The following morning a young Marine was driving a bulldozer, pushing mud from the front entrance the Taliban put there as a barricade when he hit an IED. Marines in the area were all knocked on their butts from the huge blast. Pieces of the vehicle were thrown more than 200 feet in the air. The explosion was heard several miles away. Unbelievably, the Marine driving the armor plated bulldozer was unhurt. “I was thrown around inside like a pinball in a pinball machine,” he told me. When I asked him what he was going to tell Mom and Dad, he said with a smile on his face, “some things are best unsaid.”

Shortly after my arrival at the castle, we began taking harassing fire from insurgents outside Alexander the Great’s giant adobe walls. While most people would be nervous at the sound of incoming fire, the Marine’s were thrilled. They were excited to fight; to get some trigger time. Pulling the trigger meant they could put in for their Combat Action Ribbon (CAR). You’re not a real Marine unless you have that pinned on your chest.

It was just one guy 500 yards out testing the Marines. He was probably under orders to see what how the Marines would react and how long it would take them to fire back. If there is anything I learned from this day, it’s never test the United States Marine Corps as you will pay dearly.

With three stories now on tape, it was time to say goodbye to the southern Helmand Province, the 135 degree weather and the Marines. I returned to ISAF, dirty, sweaty and proud of the time I spent with these incredible Americans. I love the Navy, but if my kids ended up joining the Corps, I’d be thrilled.

Odd but true

It may sound totally ridiculous, but after a few days your body does get use to temperatures soaring above 12o- degrees. How hot it actually is here nobody knows because the only temperature gauge I’ve found tops off at 120. Trust me, I’m still sweating like crazy but it doesn’t affect me like it did when I first got here.

Tomorrow is D-Day for this operation which is now being called “River Liberty” by the U.S. I’ll be with the Combat Logistics Batallion-8 who will be pushing south where the Helmand River fishhooks to the west. It’s there they’ll build FOB Payne from the ground up in just 96 hours. They’ll also construct a bridge across the river and fortify a former Taliban stronghold into a new district governor’s office.

The convoy of vehicles we’ll be driving in won’t be taking a road to our destination. They’ll be blazing a new path right through the open desert. No vehicles have ever taken this route before. Imagine driving from Phoenix to Vegas without going on any roads. That’s what these Marines are doing. Incredible! This should be fun to watch.

A rare breed

In the days leading up to this operation, the Marines at this Forward Operating Base have plenty of preparations to make, not to mention the never ending cleaning of weapons thanks to the constantly blowing moon dust. It’s exhausting work made even more difficult by the 120 degree temperature.

When the day is done, most people would find an air conditioned tent and chill out for the night, but not the U.S. Marines. On D-Day minus 1, when the sun was starting to go down and the air had cooled off to a chilly 119 degrees, a handful of Marines put on their body armor, picked up their weapons and went for a three mile, “fun run.” After that, they formed a circle and took turns beating the crap out of each other in the moon dust, calling it hand to hand combat training.

With the sweat pouring off their bodies and their faces and uniforms coated in moon dust, for the first time ever I saw Marines smiling. They were in their element; hot, nasty and fresh from a fight. This is where Marines belong.

A walk in the moon dust

He sat on a small wooden folding chair keeping a sharp eye on a wall of blackness. His fate, just inches from the end of the platform with only a machine gun bolted to the floor and positioned between his legs; the only thing from keeping him from going over the edge. “Don’t mess with Texas,” was written on the back of his helmet in orange marker. At the opposite end of the helicopter, the flashing lights of the instruments guided the pilot and co-pilot to our destination.

Like a horse rearing up on its back legs, the aircraft took off. We were only in the air for less than two minutes when the pilot made an abrupt landing. A crewman got out and made a strange look towards the port side. He was followed by the pilot who made the same face. Then they disappeared. It wasn't very reassuring for myself and the three reporters I was escorting.
Ten minutes later, with the thud, thud, thud of the huge rotors still spinning, we were off again. No problems occured so I guess the aircraft was okay. The flight would take us over some of the most dangerous land on Earth.

We eventually landed safely at our FOB or Forward Operating Base. From here, thousands of Marines will launch their largest air and ground operation since the Vietnam War, and I’m getting a front row seat documenting the event as a combat photographer. For the magnitude of this operation, surprisingly, there aren’t many media embedded on the trip; no CNN, Fox News or New York Times. The only people with me are a reporter from National Public Radio and a photographer from the Washington Post but I hear a couple of French journalists and an ABC documentary crew are also lurking around. It’s funny to watch each of these journalists secretly cozying up to the lead Marine Public Affairs Officer; each jockeying to get with the unit that is guaranteed to see the most action. It reminds me of my parents telling me, “be careful about what you ask for. You just might get it.” But the media’s ambition to see some action is only outweighed by the Marines here who are tired of walking in the “moon dust” and are ready to fight.

That’s what the Marines call the ground here, moon dust. It’s a talcum like powder dirt three to five inches deep everywhere you step. You can’t help but kick it up as you walk across the base; everyone surrounded in their own private brown cloud just like Pig Pen from the old Charlie Brown cartoons. Between the dirt and the sweat from the 120-degree weather, is there really a point to showering?

If you use the shower, go to lunch or have the insane idea that a run in this scorching hot weather sounds like a good time, make sure you know exactly where you tent is located. There are dozens and dozens of rows of unmarked tents and they all look exactly alike. You could easily find yourself walking into someone else’s tent or even worse… or even better based on your perspective… walking into one of the all female tent. Sorry ladies. Thank you for understanding.

A front row seat to history

I’ve had to take a break from my last assignment and head outside the wire. No one was available to shoot an operation that was going down and so I volunteered. Lucky for me because this will be the largest Marine Corps helicopter assault since Vietnam. I’m embedding with some Marines and after nearly 10 months in Afghanistan, it looks like I could finally see some action.

Even though I won’t be posting this until after it’s publically known, I’m still going to keep it vague. Just keep your eyes on the news and you’ll quickly learn where I am/was.

So now what?

The MPPAT is now in the hands of Lieutenant Commander Mark Walton. It’s his baby. Like Ted Williams or Babe Ruth, I ended my career there with some stats I’m very proud of; a team that produced 140 print stories, 130 broadcast stories, 60 live television interviews and nearly 3,000 pictures posted to the web.

In my final 45 days here in Afghanistan, I’m working directly for the Chief PAO, Captain Mark Durkin to produce videos for him. The first is on Kabul; a relatively safe city which the media often like to report as being surrounded with the enemy banging at the gate. This simply is not true and my video will tell the true story not through my eyes, but the eyes of Afghans who live here. We interviewed nearly a dozen people off the streets and their perspective is very interesting and different from what you hear on TV or read in the paper.

Here is a link to the Kabul; A city of progress video. I am very proud of how this video turned out. So far it has gotten 300 hits on the DVIDS web site.

http://dvidshub.net/r/pf8nr2

Back in Kabul

It’s been a while since I wrote anything in the journal. When I got home from R&R, I didn’t want to take a single second away from playing with the family. Now that I’m back in Afghanistan, I have been so depressed to be here, I didn’t want to acknowledge my presence in words because those words would only serve as a reminder to my situation. But alas, I have returned.
Let me begin with my R&R; it was awesome. When the plane landed in the United States, my fellow Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines all burst out into applause. That was in Atlanta. On my connecting flight to Memphis, the flight attendant made an announcement for everyone to remain seated and allow the military to get off first. That was pretty cool.

My reunion with the kids was just as I expected; Kathryn and Charlie running into my arms. Susan was right behind snapping pictures. Next to the day they were born, it was the happiest moment of my life. It had been nine long months since I last held them and while the seemed a little bigger, a little more mature, they were still my babies. My wife was as beautiful as ever yet strikingly different. It took me a day or two to figure it out. Her appearance hadn’t changed; she was just a stronger person. My being away has given her a confidence and strength she didn’t have before. I am in awe of this woman and so proud to call her my wife.

We spent a couple days at home which gave me such an odd feeling. Home was so familiar but so different at the same time. I felt like the Lord of the Manor and a stranger. Sleeping in a comfortable bed, a bath, food whenever I want to eat; these are thing I just wasn’t used to having. It’s a good thing we didn’t stay at home long because I’m not sure I would have felt normal by the end of my trip. When I go home for good, it will take me a solid month to readjust.
Within 48 hours we were off to Disney World and the dream vacation Susan and I have been planning for months. To see the Magic Kingdom again after so many years was exciting but to see it for the first time through the eyes of my children was truly magical. We ran our children ragged from the early morning until the late hours of the night. We rode rides, had breakfast with Pooh, ate lunch with the Princesses, watched parades, swam in the pool, made new friends and celebrated our anniversary. It was a great vacation; hopefully the first of many to Disney World.

I am the luckiest man alive to be blessed with the family GOD has given me.

Back in the U.S.A.

I am home. It’s an odd feeling but one that I’m happy to be experiencing. So many people are here in the Atlanta airport; so many women showing so much skill and no one briefing me before I go anywhere. No fear, no worry. It’s good to be back, even if just for a few weeks.

Hello from Kuwait

It was a long night, we didn’t take off until late and now it’s only later. You’d think as soon as we landed they would get us to our tents for some shuteye, but that’s not how they do business here. Before we could go to bed, we had to turn in our body armor and be processed into the country. It wasn’t until 0330 before my head hit the pillow and I have to be at another out-processing brief at 0700. What’s the point of sleeping? I’m in a tent with a dozen other guys (top bunk, my favorite) on a mattress covered in plastic. The bed wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t 100 degrees here. My body keeps sticking to this thing. I’m not unpacking my sheets for a couple hours of sleep.

Okay, it’s now several hours later and I’m at the Kuwait Airport. The highlight of the time between the out-processing brief and here was US Navy Customs. Before we can leave, we had to dump EVERYTHING out of our bags to be searched. When I go home for good, I’ll make sure not to pack so nicely. Surprisingly, the agent let me keep my plastic pirate pistol I got Charlie for Disney World.

Tonight we’ll fly from Kuwait to Shannon, Ireland. After a short layover it’s onto Atlanta then Memphis. That’s when the 18-day clock begins to tick.

R&R Time!!!!

For the past three days, I have been here at BAF or Bagram Air Field. I am finally heading home on R&R. Being here on this base is a different world compared to ISAF HQ. They have good food, nice accommodations, things to do in the evening and it’s big enough you don’t see the same people six times a day.

I’ve been staying in a private room thanks to the good people here at the base public affairs shop. The rooms are meant for media passing through the area but they have a spare bunk so I don’t have to sleep in the transient tent. I want to publically thank them for the berthing. If I would have had to stay in the transient tent all this time, it would have been a bad thing; a very bad thing.

The past three flights have been cancelled s I’ve been stuck in limbo with more than 150 other soldiers all trying to go home on R&R. But tonight we fly so I’ve got some packing to do. Next stop, the pax terminal.

Change of command

Recently the president announced a new change at the top for the fight here in Afghanistan. You’d think this would be the talk of the camp here at ISAF Headquarters as it’s an international story which directly affects us. Oddly, there’s been little talk on the subject. People here just respect the president’s decision and are pushing forward, business as usual. Will it affect me an in any way; perhaps. Just like the president picks his cabinet, a theater commander picks the generals that work for him. I’m sure when Gen. McKiernan goes, so will some of his staff. And some of those staffers are my bosses. Regardless of the reason, they’ve fought a good fight and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve under their command. I salute them as they depart and stand ready to serve our new commander.

Very interesting

By now you have probably heard the story about US troops distributing Bibles here in Afghanistan.

I’m not writing about the alleged incident, but I do want to demonstrate the difference in reporting styles among the media. Below is the first paragraph of two stories from two different media outlets; CNN and Al Jazeera. The different approach each outlet takes to the story is very interesting.

Keep in mind the video in question was shot more than a year ago.

Al Jazeera (Qatar), 5 May
The US military has confiscated Bibles that Christian US soldiers in Afghanistan had apparently intended to give to local Muslims, a military spokesman has said. Al Jazeera broadcast footage on Monday that showed troops apparently preparing to convert Afghans to their faith. Some of the soldiers who appeared in the video have also been reprimanded, US government and military officials told Al Jazeera's James Bays.

CNN (United States), 5 May
The U.S. military is denying that troops in Afghanistan have been attempting to convert Afghans to Christianity, countering video showing a chaplain delivering a sermon about religious conversion and Bibles printed in local languages.
The video was shown recently on the Qatar-based international television news service, Al Jazeera English.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

In exactly eight days I’ll pack my bags and head home for 18 glorious days of R&R. By the time I walk through the front door, I will have been away from my family for eight very long months. In retrospect, time has actually moved along pretty fast. So why is it that the days leading up to my trip home are moving so slowwwwwww!

I guess Einstein would say its all relative. To help pass some time, I’ve researched some timely quotes on the topic of… time. Here’s a few of my favorites.

Dost thou love life? Then waste not time; for time is the stuff that life is made of.

Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again.

As if you could kill time without injuring eternity!

No time like the present.

Whatever begins, also ends.

Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.

Time flies when you’re having fun… except in Afghanistan.

Happy Mother's Day!

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. While most Americans were taking the day to thank Mom for all she has done over the past year, for me it was just an ordinary day. Not because the mother of my children is not here with me, but because I make a point to thank her every day for her efforts.

My wife is amazing! Singlehandedly, she has been holding down the fort while taking care of our two little ones. Cooking, cleaning, paying bills, disciplining, educating; she does it all and with a beautiful smile on her face.

And just when my wife thought my tour was over and help was on the way, she was the one who encouraged me to accept my general’s requested extension which will keep me here an additional four months. She did that because she knew it was in the best interest of my career and our family.

There are many words I can use to describe my wife; beautiful, loving, supportive, kind, committed, generous. I’ll just use three: My best friend!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Run for the Roses

Okay, so there weren't any roses involved, but I did do plenty of running yesterday. On Sunday, the people who run the gym put on an unusual sort of marathon. For starters, there were four different sports you could choose from; running, spinning, eliptipical or rowing. I picked running since I've been meaning to start training for October's Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC.

The ISAF Marathon lasted 12 hours long but that doesn't mean I had to run for 12 hours. Each participant was on a team of three so you would compete for an hour, have two off and then compete again for a total of 12 hours. It may sound easy... but it wasn't.

I ran for an hour straight from:
- 0600 to 0700
- 0900 to 1000
- 1200 to 1300
- 1500 to 1600

When all the miles are added up, I ran roughly 15-to-20 by the end of the marathon. Not exactly marathon distance (26-miles) but close enough for a first attempt.

After I finished running, the MPPAT headed over to Camp Eggers for the Friday night Streak and Lobster Party. I especially enjoyed the cake and ice cream. After logging as many miles as I did, I figured I earned a nice meal.

Goodbye MC1 & MC2

Yesterday, MC1 Nelson and MC2 Ramirez packed their bags and headed back to the U.S. Both of them did an outstanding job for me here in Afghanistan and have well earned their plane tickets home.

Monica spent 95% of her deployment forward deployed in RC West shooting pictures and writing stories. She was constantly on the lookout for opportunities and never once flinched at going outside the wire for a good story. Every one of her photos were of award winning calibur and her articles were always interesting. While I constantly had to hound my teams for their stories, I always new I'd be getting two to three stories a week from Monica. She isn't just reliable and talented, she's also one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. While we sometimes say half heartedly at going away parties, "I hope we cross paths again," with Monica I honestly mean it. This is a Sailor who will be a Chief someday soon and the young Sailors under her should consider themselves very luck.

Aramis is also another one of those very talented guys with a pen and a camera. When given an assignment, you don't have to worry about the final product. He took thousands of outstanding pictures here and the two ISAF Mirror magazines he put together were leaps and bounds beyond their predecessors. Granted, he needed a swift kick in the butt from time to time to write a story, but when he did it was usually gold. Socially, this is a guy who is more comfortable meeting you on the Internet then in person. He's a little on the shy side. But that's okay, everyone is different and Aramis taught me to accept our differences.

Afghanistan left its mark on these two so it was only fair they were given their chance to leave their mark on ISAF HQ. The lasting mark this team leaves behind is our studio and hidden behind a black curtain, we have begun a tradition of signing our names on the wall. Tech Sergeant Nipper was the first with MC1 Nelson and MC2 Ramirez adding their mark yesterday. MC1 Matlock is next and someday, someday way down the line, I'll get to sign it too.

MC1 Nelson and MC2 Ramirez, good luck in your Navy journey.

Navy pride takes a backseat to the Army

I love being in the United States Navy. My uniforms are dress blues, khakis or the new digital blue camies. But while I am serving here in Afghanistan, I am willing to support the Army's mission and wear the Army's uniform. But this doesn't make me a soldier. I am a Sailor in the US Navy; something I take great pride in. And I am not alone. These are the feelings of all my shipmates here in Afghanistan. WE are Sailors.

So you can imagine the pride we felt when an instruction was issued allowing all Sailors in Afghanistan to wear the "Don't Tread on Me" flag on our Army uniforms. This flag has great significance in Naval history tracing back to our earliest days. It allowed us Sailors to demonstrate a little Navy pride while donating our time in Army green. However, the Army doesn't agree.

While soldiers here are allowed to wear no less than four patches on their uniforms from current and present commands, they have now denied the Navy from wearing the flag. It may sound petty, it's just a patch you might be thinking. But this patch makes a proud statement that we are in the Navy and have step away from OUR mission to support theirs. It proudly identifies us and our history. Many of my shipmates, myself included, are not happy about this.

I'm hoping our senior leadership are looking into this issue and back us on wearing of this important form of Navy identification. WE are Sailors, not soldiers.

Another rough day

Being away from my family has been rough, but we've muddled through. Most days we just talk on the phone, see each other on the web camera and live as normal of a life as possible... for being a world apart.

But there are those certain days when not even the most high speed internet connection and the clearest web camera picture does the heart good. Yesterday was one of those days. Yesterday was my little girl's 6th birthday; the third family birthday I've missed during this deployment. I also wasn't there when my son turned three and my wife turned "XX."

I've missed Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day. I'll also miss the 4th of July and Memorial Day. Those are hard days to miss, but not nearly as hard as my kid's birthdays. Major holidays are for everyone but a birthday is someone's very own special day. I'll never get back their 3rd or 6th birthday so these days were very emotional and difficult.

My last deployment was perfectly timed so that I didn't miss any birthdays. I didn't how hard being away from the family could be. If I've gained anything from this experience, it's a huge respect for those who serve from 6-months, 12-months, 15-months away from their families.

A bedtime story for Daddy

I try to talk to my kids as much as possible. It's especially important while I'm deployed. Last night, they made me laugh so hard when I asked them each to tell me a story before going to bed. Below is a transcript of that conversation.

DADDY: Do you have a story for me honey?
DAUGHTER: Yes... Once upon a time Daddy found a magic coin.
DADDY: And what did I do with it?
DAUGHTER: You gave it to your daughter and she used it to go on a rollercoaster. Thee end!
DADDY: Honey, that's a great story. You are so sweet! Thank you.
DAUGHTER: Here brother, tell Daddy a story.
SON: Once upon a time there was Batman and Robin...
MOMMY: And what did they do to help people?
SON: They KILLED the Joker!

The moral of this entry; my daughter is extremely sweet and my little boy is all boy!

Change is in the wind

As new people roll in and old people roll out, I'm finding the MPPAT to be a fluid operation. The skills one person brings to Afghanistan aren't the same as the skills of the person getting on the next plane for the United States.

My three newest MPPAT members are more senior in rank. This will now allow me to step back from the day-to-day operation of the MPPAT and allow them to take change. At the same time, this will allow me to focus on the video production work being requested from the top.

I now have a:
- Senior Master Sergeant
- Master Sergeant
- Cheif Petty Officer

And while I now have more senior enlisted serving as the management team, I still expect the MPPAT to have a strong output. But no fear from me about that. These three guys are workers... not managers who sit on their tails. They've come to the table with ideas and effort.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the new MPPAT takes shape as the winds of change begin to shift.

A visit from "home"

Since I've been here we've been visited by dozens of VIPs. Last week, we got a visit from a US senator, which is nothing unusual. But this senator knew me.

Sen. Jon Kyl (R) of Arizona recently paid a visit to the ISAF Headquarters here in Kabul. He was here to visit Gen. McKiernan and get a firsthand update on the war effort. I've interviewed Sen. Kyl a dozen times while working in Yuma and Tucson so I was hoping to see him in hopes he's remember me. I prepositioned myself outside his meeting and when the door opened I stepped forward. I introduced myself but before I could finish, the sentor had a big smile on his face and said, "of course I remember you Dave." Perhaps he was just being nice, but I honestly believed him.

We talked for a couple minutes and I ended the conversation by asking him to call my parents when he returns to Arizona just to say he saw me and I'm doing fine. Sure enough, less than a week later, Sen. Jon Kyl called my parents. To say the very least, they were very proud.

Senator Kyl, if I ever move back to Arizona, you don't just have my vote... I'd be proud to work on your campaign! Thank you.

Easter at ISAF

This past Sunday was Easter here at ISAF. Sorry, no Easter Egg hunt in the garden for the troops. However, there was a sunrise service which allowed me to celebrate the holiest day of the year while offering me a small piece of home. The base also cooked a nice lunch for us.

Normally, Easter Sunday would have me fawning over my beautiful wife, putting on my dress blues for church and taking the kids to an Easter egg hunt. That just wasn't in the card for us this year. "Duty calls" is the theme for 2009 and so here I am in Afghanistan. But Mrs. Blank did a great job keeping everyone's spirits high.

Below are some pictures from this Sunday's service.

I guess I should be honored

We recently had a visit by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During his visit, he met with my boss Gen. Ryan. When asked what he needed to acheive successc in Afghanistan, Gen. Ryan said he needed more people like LT Dave Hecht.

While the complement is very nice and much appreciated, it appears it has resulted in me getting extended here at ISAF HQ through the August elections. Yesterday I only had 22 days left. Now it appears the clock has been pushed back to 134 days.

At least I qualify now for 18-days of leave to travel back home. Our Disney World vacation is still on!

We Are NATO

Lately, one of my big jobs here has become "video producer." Brig. Gen. Michael Ryan found out about my past life in television news and has tapped my talents to produce a number of different products.

My most recent video was an 11-minute mini documentary on the progress made in Afghanistan over the past seven years. The video is called, "We Are NATO" and was produced for NATO's 60th Anniversary summit that was recently attended by dozens of heads of state including President Obama.

I shot, wrote and edited this video on my laptop. It's amazing what you can do with today's technology. If you're interested in watching the video, click here: http://dvidshub.net/r/dzcwts.

You have to watch this!

I just came across this video. I met these people at 2AM when I flew through Bangor, Maine on my way here. These are the kind of movies our country should be producing. Nobody deserves fame more than these people. To the producers of this movie, THANK YOU!

The Way We Get By - Trailer from The Way We Get By on Vimeo.

Medal day

March 29, 2009 I was awarded the NATO Service Medal for my efforts here in Afghanistan as a part of NATO forces. In this picture General Carr is shaking my hand after pinning the medal on my uniform. He asked me what I did during my deployment to which I replied, "I ran the ISAF combat camera teams." He said he thought only the Air Force took pictures but I had to tell him that the best military photographers all come from the United States Navy!

One last trip

With my relief just a week or so away, I think my trip to Regional Command West this past week will probably be my last outside the wire. My time is getting short and there's no reason to take any unnecessary risks in my final days in Afghanistan.

The goal of the trip was to help my friends over at US Forces Afghanistan escort a CNN crew to a place called Shindan. That's where insurgents started a firefight with US forces last year that resulted in the death of dozens of wedding party guests. The insurgents purposly posted themselves ontop of the wedding party to cause mass casualties. We were going to do a story on the incident one year later.

Long story short, we got all the way to Herat when the skies opened up and rain cancelled all flights to the area. We only had a small window of opportunity and it turned out to be opportunity lost. Perhaps it was a sign the Big Guy didn't want us down there in the first place. This is one of the MOST DANGEROUS areas in Afghanistan and this trip has now been cancelled four times for various reasons.

While it turned out to be a three day wasted opportunity, I had a great time hanging out with Col. Greg Julien and LT Adam Clampett.

Leaving a mark

A couple months ago I had the chance to go to a local TV station and lecture to the news department on how the western media put stories together. Yesterday, I had a chance to talk before a group of Afghan public affairs professionals and offer my insights on how they can, "use the media to their advantage." That's the name of a seminar I've given several times to different PR groups back in the states.

This is a developing nation and everything here is becoming more modern, more advanced, more westernized. It's pretty cool to thing I played a VERY SMALL part in that change.

A big part in my lecture is buying your own camera and laptop editor and shooting your own stories. This way you can drop off a tape at TV stations instead of waiting for them to show up and cover your event. This gives you more control over your message and most stations will use your material if it's shot properly. The cost is only a few hundred bucks for the right gear. Next time, however, it would be nice if someone would remind me these people only make a few hundred bucks a year!!!!

A sad day for the Navy

Ventura County Navy Lt. killed in Afghanistan
The Associated Press

VENTURA, Calif.—A 26-year-old Navy lieutenant from Ventura County was shot to death in Afghanistan just days before he was to return home to see his wife and relatives.

Francis L. Toner was killed Friday by an Afghan insurgent dressed as a soldier at a base in northern Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said Saturday. Toner, who was in Afghanistan for five months to train Afghan soldiers, was scheduled to come home Wednesday, his aunt Linda Moosekian said.

Moosekian said Toner, known by his friends as Frankie, enjoyed working with the Afghan soldiers and even tried to teach them how to play baseball. In one of his last e-mail messages to family, Toner appeared optimistic about the situation in Afghanistan.

"There are still hundreds of recruits for both the police and army, almost on a weekly basis," he wrote. "This shows the insurgents are not having as much impact on the local communities."
Toner attended Westlake High School where he played football. He decided to attend the Merchant Marine Academy in New York after being offered the chance to play for the academy's team, his high school football coach Jim Benkert said.

"He wanted to continue to play," Benkert said. "He was really proud to be a Merchant Marine and proud to be a warrior."

Although he attended the academy and served in the Navy as a garrison engineer, Toner was assigned to a blended military unit called Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.

A fellow sailor, Navy nurse Florence B. Choe, 35, of El Cajon, was also killed in Friday's attack.

Toner requested to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

It works, it really, really works!

A couple of nights ago, President Obama told the nation on live television his strategy for winning the war in Afghanistan. When the president speaks, the media will always scurry for reaction, so it's no wonder after his address that we got a call from CNN wanting to do a live interview from ISAF HQ.

Before the new studio, it would take us a minimum of an hour just to set up for a live interview. We have to hook up the satellite, run cables, move furniture. But not anymore.

CNN's call came in at 8PM. I had the guys in the studio at 8:15PM. We were tuned into their satellite by 8:19PM General Blanchette was talking to their producer at 8:25PM and we were on the air worldwide at 8:30PM.

If I've left any mark on Afghanistan, it's the studio. I'm very proud of this.

A front row seat to history

The life of a Public Affairs Officer gives me a front row seat to watch history in the making and yesterday was one of those exciting days which makes serving here in Afghanistan bearable. I caught a ride on a Blackhawk with a dozen media to cover the graduation of the first class of the Afghan Public Protection Force. This is a brand new program so I got to see the first 250 young men swear an oath to serve the people of Afghanistan and receive a certificate of completion. They’re not police officers nor are they members of the military. This program is basically an armed neighborhood watch. If they see insurgents doing bad things, it’s their job to call in the authorities. This first class came from Wardak Province and they’ll return to Wardak Province; they won’t be deployed to other regions of the country. It was actually very exciting to see such enthusiasm and devotion to their country displayed by the graduates.

As you can see from my pictures, Gen. McKiernan was on hand and offered encouragement to the graduating class. "I applaud the courage of these men to step forward in representing the community; but they know that if they run into problems, they can call the Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army or international forces that are out there. So they're not on their own," he said.

I enjoyed hanging out with the media including Conor Powell, a freelance reporter for FOX News. I’m envious of this young guy. It was nearly 20 years ago Walter Cronkite told me if you want to be a reporter kid, buy a camera and go where the stories are, don’t bother with the local affiliates. I didn't listen and look how my career ended. But that’s what Connor did and he’s making a real name for himself. I’m envious… but I’m still trilled how my story is going.

If you're interested in seeing some of the video I shot at the graduation, click here: http://www.dvidshub.net/r/7w5v3h

From one side of the planet to the other!

For the past six months I have been planning to return to my old job in Tennessee when my mission here is complete. Let’s just say Navy life is NOT short on surprises. But the surprise I just got turns out to be a good one, a very good one.

I received a call last week asking me if I would be interested in a position as the public affairs officer for the USS George Washington based in Japan. There is no US aircraft carrier with more international press focused on it than “GW.” GW just arrived in Japan a few months ago and this is the first nuclear powered carrier to be stationed there. I consider this opportunity a massive honor and I’m blown away by the confidence my peers have placed in me. To all those involved in the detailing process, THANK YOU!

I talked it over with my wife and it didn’t take long for the Hecht family to say “YES” to this next assignment.

I will return home from Afghanistan in May as scheduled. We’ll enjoy a fun summer and then in August, we’re off to the Land of the Rising Sun. The tour aboard GW will be for two years. After that, we're hoping to return to Tennessee. My family is very excited about this big change in our lives and I hope you'll join us in our enthusiasm.

Sayonara!

Another 5K

Staying fit in a combat theater of operations is critical. You need to be strong to carry your body armor and all your equipment. Staying fit also helps you to remain alert and reduces your day-to-day stress.

Over the weekend I ran another 5K marathon with about a dozen other service members. By the time I leave Afghanistan, I will have run/biked a distance equal to the circumference of Afghanistan; 1,750 kilometers. Not being the most hard core athlete, this is an accomplishment I'm very proud of.

The list

It was six months ago yesterday that I left my family. In retrospect, time has moved pretty fast and much of the credit for that goes to my wife and children who have kept my spirits up with their care packages and long conversations on Skype. It’s the time I have left in front of me that seems to be moving at a snail's pace. To help kill some time, I spent much of this Sunday building a list of things I have not done in six months. As I am a faithful husband, I’ll leave the obvious off.

In six months I haven’t:
- Taken a shower without shower shoes
- Had a drink that contained ice
- Driven a car or (yipeee) paid for gas
- Listened to the radio
- Gone to the movies
- Slept in a room without at least one other grown man
- Eaten good food
- Done my own laundry
- Worn anything other than a uniform or workout cloths
- Gone a day without carrying a gun (luckily never had to use it)
- Seen grass or a single flower
- Gone a day without see an Afghan digging a hole on this base
- Recycled a damm thing
- Been in a “western standard” clean bathroom

The list could go on and on, but it will only make me that much more homesick. 35 day to go!!!!!!!!!!!

The most important box

I received a VERY important box in the mail yesterday for my cause to help the Indirah Gandhi Children's Hospital. This box came from my daughter's kindergarten class. While each box has brought a smile to my face, this particular box had me grinning from ear to ear all day long.

The goal of my fundraiser for the hospital hasn't been to just raise donations for the suffering and needy children of Afghanistan. I also wanted to open the eyes of parents and children back home by having them take a little time at a pharmacy looking at a shell of medical supplies and realize how incredibly blessed we are as a country. It's wonderful to know all of my daughter's peers have now experienced this lesson.

During my years in television news, I loved using the power of the media to help people in need. I must have coordinated a dozen different on air fundraisers. Now that I'm no longer in the business, it's wonderful to see I don't need a television station to make a difference.

Thank you Mrs. Addison for your donation and helping me spread the word about people in need!

Goodbye TSgt Nipper

Today, Tech Sergeant Nipper loaded her bags into a truck and headed to the airport for the long flight back home for a much deserved reunion with her son. It was bitter sweat watching Brenda leave as we became good friends over the course of this deployment. At the same time, her departure does mean that I am the next to leave, along with MC1 Nelson and MC2 Ramirez.

It will be hard not having Brenda around. Her replacement is a great guy and more than capable to fill her shoes, but it's like being the catcher who followed Johnny Bench or the guy who played Trapper John after Honeycut left M.A.S.H. It just won't be the same.

As Brenda is Air Force and I'm in the Navy, odds are we'll never work together again. But hopefully we'll stay in touch. I wish her the best and send her a huge thank you for helping me to become a better officer.

St. Patty's Day

Welcome to the world's first Saint Patrick's day party without beer. Actually, there was plenty of beer at our party, just none of the Americans were allowed to drink it.

Even without beer the ISAF Saint Paddy's day party was still a good time. They did have Irish coffee (non alcoholic) for us Yanks, lots of good food and live music provided by the Tali-Band. The Irish contingent station here at HQ also gave lessons in the Irish sport of hurling.

Every ISAF contributing nation gets one day of the year to throw a party celebrating their nationality. While the Americans celebrate the 4th of July with a barbecue, Saint Patrick's day is the day of choice for the Irish. They coordinated everything from the decorations to serving the drinks so this is probably the most authentic Saint Patrick's day party I have ever attended -even if it is in Afghanistan.

"Windsor Studio"

Yesterday, Gen. Michael Ryan was our first official interview in the new studio which has been named, "Windsor Studio" in honor of Capt. Mark Windsor who left Kabul in January.

I loved interviewing Gen. Ryan. For starters, like yours truly, he's an Alumni of Arizona State University so he must be an outstanding leader. But more importantly, he's a pitbull on this war - no BS and straight to the point. He calls the insurgents "cowards" and challenges them to "fight like men."

Below are two links to the interview we released on DVIDS. I hope you get a chance to watch.

Part 1:
http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=56517.

Part 2:
http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=56517

The New MPPAT

Before the new members of our team move to their forward deployed bases across the country, we had a moment together to pose for a picture. They are young, ambitious and ready to do their job. I really hope they know how much I appreciate their service. My replacement is inheriting a great group of dedicated and outstanding military journalists.

In case you're curious, our team is made up of three Air Force Airmen, three Navy Sailors and one Greek. I've been told we have another Airmen, Sailor and Marine on the way. I have the people, I have the studio... they only thing I need now are cameras!

Check this out

NATO has finally come through with some of our much needed equipment. Check out our highly versitile new tripods. Oh, but they're not just tripods. They can also be used as a table and chair. How cool is that! Of course it still takes three photographers to set the shot.

Welcome aboard rookies

Above are the three newest members of the team. Today our base is celebrating St. Patrick's Day and our new teammates all dress for the occasion. They are all very dedicated to the Irish saying they plan to wear their " green" uniforms for the rest of their deployment. Now that's dedication!

Spring has sprung in Afghanistan

The winter months here in Afghanistan have been pretty call. Roadside and suicide bombings have been sporadic taking lives from time to time. But with the warmer weather in recent days the insurgents have really stepped up their attacks. This has me extremely concerned for my teams scattered across the countryside. Everyone was recently here at headquarters and I had a talk with them urging them to keep their eyes open at all times.

I would really appreciate everyone's prayers for not just my photographers, but all troops serving here in Afghanistan. Below is just one of several news releases ISAF has put out in recently regarding the death of troops here in country.

NEWS RELEASE

International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan Committed to the security, reconstruction and extension of governance in Afghanistan

Four ISAF service members killed in eastern Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan

(March 15) — Two International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) service members were killed and two died of wounds after an Improvised Explosive Device attack today in eastern Afghanistan.

“On behalf of ISAF, I offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of our fallen soldiers,” said Brigadier-General Richard Blanchette, ISAF Spokesperson. “These dedicated professionals have risked their lives for a safe and stable Afghanistan.”

It is ISAF policy not to release the nationality of any casualty prior to the relevant national authority doing so.

I'm back

After a wonderful week in Qatar, I’m back at work here at ISAF HQ in Kabul. I haven’t written since my return a week ago because there were a dozen projects on my desk when I walked through the door. I’ve been super busy, but the stress is gone and I’m ready to start tearing things up again.

In my absence, three members of the team packed up and rolled out. Gone are Tech Sergeant Laura Smith, Tech Sergeant Latisha Cole and Cpl. John Rafoss. These three did an outstanding job shooting pictures, video and telling the ISAF story. At the bottom of each of their departing awards states, “Their documentation during this deployment serves as an invaluable historical record of international assistance and cooperation in support of the Afghan people and their government. Their outstanding performance of duty within a combat zone reflects great credit upon themselves, the United States military and the Department of Defense.”

Truer words could not be said to describe these three and their efforts here in Afghanistan.

And while three are now gone, three replacements have arrived. Our newest team members are Master Sergeant Chris, Tech Sergeant Cristal and MC1 Terry. Last names are being withheld for security reasons. It’s great to have some fresh enthusiasm in the office and I’m sure all three with rise to the level of their predecessors in no time.

As I said earlier, I have a dozen new projects on my desk. The two biggest include a 12-minute video on NATO’s efforts in Afghanistan over the past eight years… and outfitting our new studio. The video will take some research, but it shouldn’t be too difficult as producing videos is what I do best. But it’s the studio I’m most excited about. I wrote a month or so ago that if I could get ISAF PAO a studio before I left, I would consider the second half of my deployment as successful as the first. Well, the studio is now a reality. All that’s left to do is build a couple sets and move the DVIDS system to its new location. This studio will make life 1,000% easier for everyone who follows in our footsteps here at HQ.

All good things must come to an end

A tour through time

Today I jumped back on a tour bus for a trip to the Islamic Culture and Art Museum. The museum alone should be considered a masterpiece. The building is amazing with fountains of cool water gushing and rushing everywhere. Inside, you'll find works of art dating as far back as the 6th century. Back home, something a little more than 200 years old is considered "old." Here, you could find something that old at the local flee market.

This isn't an art museum full of dusty old boring paintings. On display were painted plates, vases, jewelry, rugs and door panels; things people actually used hundreds of years ago. I wonder what conversations these objects listened to, what events they witnessed over the centuries? If only they could talk.