Hospital visit scheduled

It’s official… A date has been set to delivery your donations to the Indira Ghandi Children’s Hospital… so please, get them in the mail as soon as possible. For security reasons, I cannot give you an exact date, but if your donations arrive by mid next month, they’ll make the trip. If they’re late, don’t worry. I plan to make a second and FINAL run in April.

Me and my new pal

On Saturday, the Vice-President elect came to ISAF HQ to get a security breifing from Gen. David McKiernan, COMISAF. After that briefing, he took a few minutes to talk with the troops. In this picture, my new pal Joe and I talked for a brief moment about our service here in Afghanistan.

Joe took a swing at the Karzi Administration when he told us, "thank you for your service. It's tough here. It's tough serving in a country where the government you're protecting isn't protecting you." He was obviously reacting to the recent death of five Americans soldiers here.

He may be a democrat, but I like him holding the Afghans president's feet to the fire!

A rough week for ISAF

It's been a rough week for the United States here in Afghanistan. Over the past couple of days, five US service members have been killed in action here. Their deaths should be remembered in the hearts and minds of every American safe on the home front.

In addition, this week we also lost a Canadian, an Australian and a couple of British soldiers. All here appreciate these countries, their contributions and the sacrifice their people have made.

NEWS RELEASE

International Security Assistance Force – Afghanistan

Five ISAF soldiers killed in southern Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (January 9) — Five ISAF soldiers were killed today in southern Afghanistan. “We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the soldiers who died while working to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan,” said Brigadier General Richard Blanchette, ISAF Spokesperson. “We have lost five valuable members of our team and these losses will be felt across ISAF.”

Hospital Update

Take a look at the stack of donations I've received so far. Thank you everyone. These boxes are packed with medical supplies and stuffed animals for the children at the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital here in Kabul.

While I'm thrilled with what I've gotten so far, without sound ungrateful, my e-mail went out to more than 100 people. If everyone sends a box, together we can solve their supply problems for months, not days.

Send you donations to:

Dave Hecht / US NSE (PAO) / HQ ISAF / APO AE 09356

A day at KMTC

I spent the day at KMTC, the Kabul Military Training Center. I was there to escort a British television crew and monitor ISAF's number two man, Major General Jim Dutton being interviewed.

This base is home to hundreds and hundreds of Afghan National Army soldiers going through training. These guys are hard chargers. They run, don't walk. They seem full of hope and excitment. This is a busy place as the goal is to double the size of the Afghan Army within the next three years.

These soldiers will most likely find themselves in combat... but it's a better life than anything else a young man could find here in this very poor country. Clothes, food and money... they even teach them to read and write. So how much does an Afghan soldier make? A whopping $125... per MONTH!

It's a dangerous job

Just before I sent my guys out to their permanent locations in the west and south, I wrote how I feared for their safety. Some people may have thought I was being overly dramatic. Well, don’t tell that to my Marine who has been working in Helmand documenting the British on an operation. John just got back a couple days ago and told us the story of how the buddy he made on the trip was killed right next to him on Christmas Eve. It happened during a firefight when they were on a rooftop setting up equipment. John bent over to pick something up and when he turned around, the soldier was laying there motionless; shot through the neck. Before he went on this mission, John was a cocky young Marine ready to kill. Today he tells me he’d be happy if he never hears a gunshot again as long as he lives. I’m now redeploying him to the quieter RC North for the remainder of his tour.

Snow!

A couple of weeks ago I noted the arrival of the chilly weather and the rain. Now the first official snowfall has occurred. Yesterday, we got at least two inches of powder. Can you guess which one of us loves the snow, and which one of us hates it?

Thanks Scott!

Scott Sloan is an old friend of mine from when I used to live in Toledo, Ohio. He now is on the radio is Cincinnati, Ohio on 700 WLW, "The Big One." Scott and his wife Michelle have been very generous in sending box after box full of medical supplies to me here in Afghanistan. I want to thank them for their support. Scott has also told his thousands of listeners about my cause posting my "Christmas Wish" letter on his web site. That has sparked even more donations from across the country.

Scott and Michelle, and all you have heard about my cause... thank you and I hope you have a very blessed 2009.

The ball is rolling

A couple weeks ago I wrote that all I wanted for Christmas was medical supplies for the local pediatric hospital here in Kabul. They're really hurting for just the basics and I requested your support.

I'm happy to say that so far, six boxes have arrived here at ISAF HQ. Ironically, not a single box came from anyone on the original e-mail list. It's all from total stangers who many of you contacted. Thank you for passing the message to your friends and families. I'm also getting plenty of e-mails from people I've never met.

Below are a few excerpts from those e-mails.

Dave,

I heard you on 700 WLW the other evening and was appalled at what is going on in this hospital. I wrote down the items from your blog that are needed. I will be going back to college in a week and meeting with a group I am involved in that does community service. I think this would be a great project for us to do. Merry Christmas.

- Liz

Hi Dave,

I heard you last night on 700, pretty interesting stuff. I have a lot of business contacts over here, and want to see if we can help with the kids. Our rugby team also raises money for charities so that is another avenue we could generate some funds. Are their specific types of medical items you need? Thanks again for your service, we appreciate it.

- Mark

Dear Mr. Hecht,

My name is Terri, I am the sister of a woman who goes to church with your wife. We are also military stationed at Nellis AFB in Nevada. Your story touched my heart and I took my son with me today and we bought gauze, neosporin, tape and my son insisted on the band aids. I mailed it priority so you should get it within 6 days. Thank you for caring about people you don't know.

- Terri

Please continue to support this cause. Help pass the word and feel free to give out my e-mail and mailing address. Now that the ball is rolling... let's keep it rolling.

My address is:

Dave Hecht

US NSE (PAO)

HQ ISAF

APO AE 09356

GREAT STORY... you'll never see in the news!

Injured Afghan Civilian Returns Home a Hero after fighting off Taliban Intruders
BYLINE: U.S. Air Force TSgt Laura K. Smith

HERAT, Afghanistan—An injured Afghan civilian returned to his home in Baghdis province after two weeks of treatment in the Spanish medical facility at Camp Arena, Dec. 24.

The 25-year-old Afghan, referred to as Mohammad to protect him from retaliation, was shot in the leg during an attack on his village by Taliban insurgents who were looking to steal supplies of food and clothing. On Dec. 10, six armed insurgents entered the village that morning, but did not accomplish their mission.

“The Taliban came to my home looking for supplies. We didn’t want to give them our food,” said Mohammad. “They were trying to steal our assets, but we refused to give anything to them.”
Mohammad and other members of the village put up a fight, a fight the insurgents did not expect. They used stones and other weapons to defend their families from the terrorists.

“We captured them and took their weapons,” said Mohammad. “We shot one of the Taliban in the shoulder and we hit the others with stones and made them unconscious. Finally other Taliban came and took them away, probably to be treated across the border.”

During the fight, Mohammad was shot in the knee. His father took him to a nearby ISAF Forward Operating Base for treatment. “I did not have any another option to care for my son,” said Mohammad’s father. “We took him to the base, and then they flew him to Herat for further treatment.”

Mohammad was treated at the FOB by American and Italian medical teams then evacuated by a Spanish unit to Camp Arena. They found a 7cm gap in a major artery that was impossible to suture, and a severe break of the distal end of the femur. After immobilizing the leg and giving him blood transfusions overnight, the medical team made the decision to amputate.

“After we found that the foot was not viable, we performed a second operation for amputation of the lower leg above the knee,” stated Getzov. “We tried all the measures to save the leg, but it was not possible.”

Mohammad recovered in the Camp Arena hospital until he was flown home on a Spanish Air Force Super Puma Helicopter on Dec. 24.