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While I was at the milblog conference I was told by a fellow miblogger that even though my blog was recommended to her, she barely read it. The reason was because when she did while I was in Afghanistan, she said I was way too serious and she thought I was a tight-a$$. Of course this comment cracked me up, becuase being an uptight very serious person is hardly what I am. Needless to say, once she met me and we partied for the weekend, that mis-perception was quickly erased.
In honor of her and in order to erase that image that anyone else may have, here is a joke that I think fits well with my way of thinking.
Think about it:
Everyone concentrates on the problems we're having in this country lately -- illegal immigration, hurricane recovery, alligators attacking people in Florida ....
.... not me -- I concentrate on solutions for the problems -- it's a win-win situation.
* Dig a moat the length of the Mexican border. * Send the dirt to New Orleans to raise the level of the levees. * Put the Florida alligators in the moat along the Mexican border.
Any other problems you would like for me to solve today? Yes!
“If we don’t do anything over the winter the enemy will more and more try to seek safe haven in Afghanistan rather than going back to Pakistan,†Schloesser said.
I swear that at least since 2006, the leadership in Afghanistan has been reluctant to publicly admit that we are at war there. If you have been reading this blog, then you know how many times I have called on BG Votel to recount his statements he made at the start of 2008. I took his comments as a slap in the face when he said that this year would not be that bad and that violence was not that bad anymore in Afghanistan. MG Schloesser appears to be a true warrior and not someone looking to be a politcian. It is very clear in this article that he knows and admits that the US and coaltion forces in Afghanistan are still fighting a true and violent war. He is not acting like all we do is pass out candy and free radios. He is there to fight a war and eradicate an enemy.
God Speed MG Schloesser and his warriors. Take the fight to the enemy.
Actually this is a great sign of the future. Local Afghans standing up for themselves to rid their village of foreign occupiers, called the Taliban. This is the kind of grass-roots effort that needs to be made in order to turn Afghanistan around and make it a secure place. I am always saying that if Karzai and the people of Afghanistan don’t want innocent people being killed in their country, then they need to step up and do their part not to allow the enemy occupiers in.This story really put a big smile on my face.
Ok, so this is not really military related but it happened while I was at the milblog conference. I will also be writing about another incident that night dealing with some other people we saw while sitting at the bar. Until that time, take a few moments and read this very funny story.
Petraeus said Afghanistan, which he visited recently, holds vast challenges that were not found in Iraq, which is rich in natural resources, has a tradition of central government and a considerable infrastructure.
Last night while hosting the You Served Blog Talk Radio show I talked about General Petraeus taking over Centcom and how the steps he took to turn around Iraq and make it the success it has become may not work in Afghanistan. Jokingly during the show I mentioned that I doubt he was listening to the show, but if he was I hope that he and I could talk. Well maybe he was listening. Maybe the General cares about what the Bouhammer has to say? I don’t know. All I do know is I just read this article and thought to myself “SNAP, he gets it, he sees it, and I think he knows what he is getting into”.
First I would like to thank all who called in, my son, and anyone who was listening. In case you did not get a chance to listen, you can listen to it here.
Even though my main guest never showed up, I had a great time talking to my son Jon who is home on leave from Afghanistan, CJ who normally hosts the show, and Marcus who also blogs on soldiersperspective.us. I learned a lot with this show. Since it was my first time ever doing this I had a few small glitches with the starting of music and some dead air but I think I recovered quickly. I also got past the butterflies after about a half hour into it. Another thing I learned is to always have backup guests or materials ready just in case. I had made a few notes of things to talk about in the first half hour, but I used those up pretty quick. Thanks to Marcus and my adapt and overcome skills as a soldier, which allowed me to fill the rest of the time.
If you listened live, thank you very much again. If you didn’t and still want to, please click above.
Task Force 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division
HELMAND PROVINCE, Forward Operating Base Sangin, Afghanistan - At a patrol base near the Sangin District Center here, a group of Marines joined a “shura,” or meeting, held by local village leaders, Sept. 3.
By participating in the shura, which is similar to a town hall meeting, the Marines can determine what the villagers’ need and identify the best ways to improve quality of life for local residents.
Since deploying here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Task Force 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, has focused its efforts on bringing peace and prosperity to the Afghan people. Organizing and working with local Afghans on various civil military operations projects is one of many tools used by civil affairs Marines to strengthen relations with local residents.
“The people think highly of the Afghan National Army; they want to support the government, and they want the Taliban out,” said Maj. Mark DeVito, team leader, 3rd Civil Affairs Group, TF 2/7, and San Diego, Calif., native. “As a community, they need to determine what affects the most people. They sometimes have a hard time working on the prioritization for the projects they want completed. Their biggest concerns are improvements to irrigation and the renovation of several mosques.”
While the primary focus of the shura was to meet with Afghan leaders and adult males in the community, civil affairs Marines are also engaging young adult men in separate shuras. CAG Marines have found that trying to influence the young men is important because they feel they are more likely to be negatively influenced by the Taliban.
“We had around 20 young adults show up for the first teenage shura. One of the biggest things they all wanted was jobs. They were all willing to work,” said Cpl. Eric E. Cuevas, a civil affairs NCO (noncommissioned officer) and Corona, Calif., native.
“When we asked them what they needed to benefit their community, they responded by saying a mosque. No matter how we tried to get around it, they kept saying they wanted more mosques,” Cpl. Cuevas explained. “They also said they needed a water pump, because they haven’t had power for almost a month.  We asked what other things they wanted, and they said they wanted a school.”
Helping the Afghans rebuild their schools is one of the Marines’ top initiatives, as education is very important to the local people. The parents all seem to understand the importance of education, and they want their children to go to school. Likewise, the teens and younger children have also expressed a desire to return to school.
“The teens all said they wanted a school. They said they haven’t been going to school since the Taliban destroyed their school,” Cpl. Cuevas said. “Out of the 20 kids that showed up for the teenage shura, only one was attending school.”
Another tool the CAG Marines have at their disposal is the Civil Affairs Transition Training Team, which teaches civil affairs practices to the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and Afghan Nation Civil Order Police which are all invited to accompany the CAG team during its patrols – a concept that proved effective in Iraq.
“We need to teach and mentor civil affairs operations to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF),” said Staff Sgt. Kelly R. Hughes, the CAG team chief and Carlsbad, Calif., native. “If we can teach them how we conduct business, they can monitor the projects, gather information from the villagers, and handle humanitarian aid. It’s just a process of teaching them the right way to do it.”
“It’s working out here,” Hughes continued. “We’ve got our ANP officers with us. They’re going through the same motions as we are. Everything we do, they’re doing along with us – patrol briefs, debriefs and humanitarian aid. We just hope that it catches on. They’re starting to pick it up pretty well.”
The CAG team gets plenty of opportunities to host shuras and train ANSF in civil affairs operations, as they are constantly meeting with local residents and checking on projects.
While shuras and other engagements with the local populace have resulted in a more meaningful relationship, the Marines have embarked on a host of other civil affairs projects aimed at educating the people, teaching and equipping doctors, and building roads to provide jobs and aid commerce. Showing its commitment to helping the Afghan people, TF 2/7 has conducted countless operations that are centered on creating a stronger foundation for Afghanistan’s future.
“The biggest thing is that we hit the ground constantly,” said Sgt. Brian A. Blumenthal, a civil affairs NCO and Corona, Calif., native. “We’re seeing a lot of success. It’s slow, but we can definitely see it. These people are trying to survive, because there is a heavy Taliban influence in the area. But, because we’re constantly going out, we’re getting the ‘fence sitters’ to turn to our side.”
*Photos and captions below*
Major Mark DeVito, team leader, 3rd Civil Affairs Group, TF 2/7, and San Diego, Calif., native, along with his British Army counterparts talks to a local Afghan man near Patrol Base Nabi, during a patrol, Sept. 2. By constantly patrolling “outside the wire” and regularly engaging the local populace, CAG Marines can determine the needs of the Afghan people and identify the best ways to improve quality of life for local residents. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Steve Cushman)
Major Mark DeVito, team leader, 3rd Civil Affairs Group, TF 2/7, and San Diego, Calif., native, talks to local village leaders at Patrol Base Nabi during a shura held Sept. 3. Meeting with the local leaders gives the Marines a chance to find out what they can do to help build up the community and improve the quality of life for the Afghan people. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Steve Cushman)
Corporals Eric E. Cuevas (back corner) and Jeff B. Varsovia, both civil affairs NCOs, communicate with local teens with the help of an interpreter and a member of the Afghan National Civil Order Police. The Marines who are assigned to 3rd Civil Affairs Group, TF 2/7, held a teenage shura to learn how they can improve quality of life for the Afghan community. Approximately 20 teens showed up to participate in the shura.  Cuevas is a Corona, Calif., native, and Varsovia is from Trabuco Canyon, Calif. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Steve Cushman)
Staff Sgt. Kelly R. Hughes, team chief, 3rd CAG, and Carlsbad, Calif., native, gives monetary compensation after listening to a local man’s claim of property damage following military activity near his home.  Providing compensation to local Afghans has helped the CAG Marines strengthen relations with local Afghans. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Chad J. Pulliam)
Sergeant Brian A. Blumenthal, a civil affairs NCO and Corona, Calif., native, listens to a local man’s claim of property damage following military activity near his home. Providing compensation to local Afghans has helped the CAG Marines strengthen relations with local Afghans. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Chad J. Pulliam)
Staff Sgt. Kelly R. Hughes, team chief, 3rd CAG, and Carlsbad, Calif., native, shakes hands with a local Afghan man at Forward Operating Base Sangin, located in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. Meeting with local leaders gives the Marines an opportunity to learn how they can help improve conditions within the Afghan community. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Chad J. Pulliam)
