An MPPAT update

Three months ago when I arrived, my first goal was to deploy teams to three different regional commands. If news happened, we were there to cover it. Moving a team to RC South and West proved to be very easy with the guys producing outstanding work in these theatres since late November. But the German’s in RC North put up a fight and resisted support from my team. Why? I still have no clue.

But that resistance came to an end this weekend when Cpl. Rafoss finally received permission to move to Mazar-e Sharif. He’s already turned two very good stories from there and is quickly changing the opinion the German’s have regarding our benefit to their mission. TSgt Cole will be joining him in the north in a couple of day.

So with our teams firmly in place, I can now focus on the goals I have set for the second half of this tour. The MPPAT still has no video or still photography equipment. The gear the teams are using is their own. When they leave, so goes our gear. NATO has to open its wallet and provide us with equipment. We also need a professional studio… a place to conduct live interviews, ISAF Update, Ask ISAF. And finally, we have DVIDS here at the HQ and one in Kandahar. These are critical for getting video out to the world as soon as it happens. But we also need DVIDS in RC North and West.

If I can just achieve one of these, I will consider my last three months in Afghanistan as successful as my first three.