Week 1 at FOB Pasab

Jim jsjuczak@gisco.net 10/13/2011 11:07 AM writes to Krista:

Hi Dear;

The cell towers weren't working today, but I have sent you a bunch more texts. I have to have help loading the blog onto a military computer and might have to retype it in...data security stuff.

Great day today! Went on a mission to the ag center with the gang. Geared up, MRAP or something like that for a vehicle, three other escort vehicles, with fully armed guys..we actually went about 300 yards off the post...the preparations and mission instruction took longer than the trip. We spent an hour+ at the station. It needs a lot of TLC!

I have my meeting with the Col. this evening. Just finished dinner with Kim at the smaller mess hall. I'm still working on security paperwork...I have on-base access, but lack a security clearance...Danny Wilder is here to help out though. I also just finished the on-line lesson for computer use...2 hours of the most slowly boring obvious information about what to not do with a military/gov't computer.

The vest still weighs a ton, but I've adjusted it so it is fitting well. The helmet looks odd with the beard...Kim and David took pictures with my phone and as soon as I learn to attach them to the texts you will be getting them...I have the droid book with me!

Lots of walking, fairly good weather...actually not so different from northern NY...a bit warmer in the day, but similar evening/night temps. Maybe the warmth is due to the walking with the vest?

I had a great lesson on a .50 cal machine gun...no shooting but how it assembles and is adjusted. They don't have a place to fire it on the FOB since it is vehicle-only mounted. Another lesson on how the MRAP vehicle works...I got to start it up! Sitting and riding in it is like wearing the biggest snow suit you can imagine...there is a 5 point seat belt system that took me 5 minutes to figure out and an intra vehicular headset with microphone. David Badillo was a riot in the turret...I took a picture of him too! Love you, -J- [Watch and ride one of these vehicles on this CBS News item from FOB Pasab aired on 10/3/11:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7383339n&tag=mncol;lst;4 ]

Jim <jsjuczak@gisco.net> 10/14/2011 3:50 AM >

I'm just back from the "burn pit" which is the dump here...OMG! I was in junk/surplus heaven! We've found a ton of stuff to potentially use. We're also putting together the first rocket stove as a project test run so we can make chai tea for the LS's. Kind of a positive psyops...we will not talk about it unless they ask how it works...I used the same stunt on my middle schoolers for years!

From Jim jsjuczak@gisco.net

Date: October 16, 2011 8:37:59 AM PDT [8 pm Afg time]

Hi Guys; I'm back in our office after a busy day. With the military on a 24 hour clock things tend to be going on all of the time and you take your breaks when you can. I think today is going to be typical of the ones to come. I got up at 5:30 and was in the dining hall nearer my tent by 6am (0600) Had a nice breakfast. The dining hall nearer my tent is the smaller one; less choices, but it only seats around 150 people and there are rarely more than 50 there. The bigger dining facility is closer to the office we're working out of.

Back to my day I got my laundry together. Then we walked 50' to the MATV a four-seater fully armored (Mine resistant/ambush protected vehicle or vic...or at least that's how they pronounce it)...really five-seater because of the turret for the observer/machine gun operator. We were to the vehicle by 8am (0800) and drove about 2 miles (still in the FOB) to our rally point/briefing point. The briefing was interesting it covered all of the details of the mission and the timing and the dangers expected to be encountered. The guys I'm living with (with the exception of CPT [freshly promoted to Captain] Kim) man the vehicle. CPT Kim comes from her room to join us at the loading point near our tent.

We waited a bit of time because one of the guys was told at the last minute that he might be interested in coming with us to the Agriculture center. SGT C. is the same one that gave us access to his equipment in the motor pool for building the rocket stove. He also does a ton of other projects...it is more of a metal fabrication shop than motor pool. They build everything from bridges to swing sets and flag poles. He was asked to come to the Ag Ctr. for his input on improving the facilities...things like a new entrance gate, flag pole, railing on the outside concrete stairs...that kind of thing. My long term job there is to make suggestions as to how to divide the 50 acres into productive uses...greenhouses, orchards, vineyards, things like planters in front of the administration building. Tis only a tiny part of the things they are asking for input on. We left the Ag Center at 1130 and went to lunch after returning to the FOB...The Ag Ctr is directly adjacent to the FOB and we drive about 4 miles to get to it. We'll walk 300 yards on Tuesday from a different entrance to go there by foot. Two vehicle visits and one foot visit is what they've been doing.

We went to the big dining hall for lunch...chicken curry and rice...sorbet for dessert. From there SPC George and I went to the Motor pool and worked 4+ hours on finishing the rocket stove. It is in our tent right now! We'll test it early tomorrow. We have the junk together for building several more variations on this theme. A rocket stove uses naturally induced draft to burn wood and other stuff (yes, we'll be burning dried animal dung) about four times more efficiently than an open fire. The locals cook over open fires...bad for the lungs and wasteful of fuel in an area that doesn't have a lot of it. I want to bring the unit to the ag ctr and use it to treat the locals that work there to tea. I want one of the soldiers in my team to go about using the rocket stove like he's been using it all of his life and deliberately not emphasize its use. I figure it will attract their attention and I will give them and additional soldiers lessons on how they work.

I took a break, had a shower (only a couple of hundred yards away) and went to dinner (mexican) and am now in our office area waiting to go to a 2100 meeting (9pm) with the other civilian contractors. I was supposed to go with SPC George to the gym and do laundry this evening until I was reminded about the meeting. Maybe laundry tonight...more than likely tomorrow morning...early.

I missed out on assembling the birthing kits [see below] with the rest of the team. CPT Kim wanted to get 100 done and they didn't quite make it.

It is a continuous project...the initial goal is to do something like 5000 kits in a month or two.

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/ftdrum/Military-Matters-Operation-Spartan-Stork-127498958.html

Some things you might not know about life in Afghanistan on a US military base. It is dusty (think concrete boogers), this time of year the temperatures range from mid 50's (early morning) through the mid 80's (mid afternoon). Everything is a rat's maze of concrete "T" walls (about 14' high) and "hescos" which are boxes about 8' cubed made out of wire fencing material and lined with fabric then filled with dirt. My tent is a quonset hut design like a barrel cut in half the long way. It has beds for 12 people and right now has around 8 or 9 living in it including me. Everything is run off of 50 or 100 kW diesel generators...there is the constant noise of them in the background. Our LSA (living area) is only one main road away from the landing field for the helicopters...other noises...vehicles and vehicle back-up beeping at all hours of the day. Pumps running water in and grey water out of the areas...odd smells. Some nasty others intriguing. The porta potties are emptied into a pit. The ANA and ANP (Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police) live here too and have their own dining facilities...their food usually smells good! Then there is the smoke coming from the people that live in the little towns and farms near the FOB.

The tent is dark almost all of the time...no windows opened in it, but the guys are polite and usually quiet. No really obnoxious snorers (maybe me sometimes...but I'm not listening). I've been to the PX once to get a blanket and laundry soap...the blanket because the tent is air conditioned a bit cooler than I'm used to.

In a few days I will take a road trip overnight to the displaced people camp...it has an acronym that I haven't figured out yet. You will get the details about that when it happens.

My impressions of the people here are mixed. They goof around a bit, but for the most part put in productive 12-hour days. The work schedule isn't fixed, but has a routine. As specific jobs arise different soldiers or groups of soldiers get assigned a group of orders to do something and then they just do it.

My team works with me when they have a chance. SPC George has been my most reliable worker, but I will be working with the other 4± people to train them to teach the stuff I'm teaching.

It is a really small world. One of the head mechanics at the metal fabrication area is the brother-in-law of one of my former student teachers! (Hi Arik Langevin)

I'm guessing that I walk between 5 and 10 miles a day on roughly graveled roads. I eat well but think I might have dropped 3 or 4 pounds already! The vest I wear is a good exercise tool...I'm just glad I don't have to wear it all of the time. I have taken a few pictures and sent a couple of them to Krista..this is pretty good for me - I'm learning how to do stuff with my new phone.