care packages.

I've been putting off posting this for months, but it appears I'd better address it before packages begin arriving for Christmas that may not get used. Jess and I have had many many people say, "just tell me what Lee needs, and I'll send it." I've put this off for 2 reasons. One, I don't NEED anything. Two, I kinda feel like a free loader providing a list, especially since some items are not cheap. In case you need proof that I don't really NEED anything right now as far as snacks. see the pic below of a bookshelf in our office...However, I will admit that it is care packages that made this possible.

Okay, we're doing okay on candy, as you can tell. For those that regularly send packages, maybe wait a few weeks on candy. I guess there are some food/snack items that are highly pilfered and/or get used in hurry. I'll list some of them at the end of this email.

One thing that was unexpected after arriving here is the laundry service...They are SLOW (up to a week turn-around), they tend to lose items (mainly socks, some T-shirts), they are rough on clothes (I no longer have white socks, they have all turned gray), and my brand new MULTICAM uniforms are faded like they are 2-3 years old. Since you can't help with MULTICAMs, I suppose extra socks and T-shirts would be helpful, but be forewarned, the type we wear is not the most affordable.

This is a picture of the socks I've been wearing. I stopped wearing the issued cotton socks, and changed to moisture wicking socks because I wear my boots on average about 16-18 hours a day. They are UNDER ARMOR brand, and are called "Heatgear Boot." Size is LARGE and tan in color, as it is an approved color for wear with the uniform, and tends to keep feet the coolest.

The T-shirts are UNDER ARMOUR brand as well, size medium. They are available here and here. They are called "tactical T-shirts." I wear the non-heatgear, loose version.

Other items...

Coffee. We drink lots of coffee in our office. Dunkin donuts, Starbucks, Folgers whatever. (ground) We have a coffee maker. Full sized circle shaped filters will be used, not the cone shaped.

Candles. Our rooms are dark and they smell not so great. Candles help with both of these problems.

Beef Jerky never lasts long. A lot of us are into PAELO Kits, as they are convenient and healthy.

If you want to send stuff to guys out at the outposts who are in the real fight, address it to me, let me know that you want it forwarded, and I'll make sure it gets to them.

That goes for Afghan kids as well. If you want to send stuff for the guys to handout (cheap dollar store type sports stuff is good), or a soccer ball or whatever, send it and I'll get it to the kids. I do request that you don't send clothes...tossing a soccer ball at a kid is much easier than trying to size them with clothes while on the tactical move. Pens are real good too. The kids love ink pens.

palm beach post

I thought it might be good to pass along an image gallery that I stumbled across the other day. After all, this blog is the reflection of only one Soldier...a Soldier who happens to have a very convenient assignment on a Brigade level staff. I think the images are a very good representation of everything that is going on here, and helps put things into a bigger, more complete perspective.

afghanistan...God's plan for you may vary

Before I post anything here, I have to say...I think the poster above is pretty darn funny, even though I am going to use it to remind myself of something important. This poster has circulated around military circles for a couple years now, and anyone who has spent any time in Iraq or Afghanistan knows just how true the poster is. There are two distinct groups here, those who do the dirty work 'outside the wire', and those who support them.

The picture on the right depicts my last deployment, while the picture on the left is closer to me this time around, although I don't care too much for coffee shops here on Bagram.

It's difficult enough to leave home for a year. Missing holidays, weddings and watching your kids grow into little people in pictures is not easy. But I must say, during the past few weeks it's been almost equally difficult to resign myself to the fact that I am a member of the Brigade Staff, and my association with the poster above is fixed on the left side.

I think maybe more than anything, I was almost beginning to feel guilty about this. I know well what the guys outside the wire are going though with the daily grind of patrols, and I empathize with them to the point that I want to be back with them.

While feeling sorry for myself about this the other day I remembered a blog post I wrote 3 months ago at Camp Shelby, I went back and read it, and it has brought some of this back into perspective. I wrote..."I believe I have been placed in a unique position from which I have the ability to affect others for the good of Christ."

The perspective I regained is that I can't have it both ways. I can't resign myself to my belief that I am here for a reason, and then feel sorry for myself about how God intends for me to fulfill those duties. Either I subject myself to the belief that I left home as part of a bigger plan and fully submit to God's will, or I don't. Darn that's hard to do. Your prayers that I maintain this perspective are appreciated.

33.3%

4 months down....8 months to go.

last thing for tonight....

random things real quick here....

Thank you for all the care packages lately! Much Appreciated!

Thank you for the 35th birthday greetings from everyone! (I turned 35 on Nov 24th) Apologies for not yet having the time to write everyone back on email.

Jessica advised that many people are asking what I want/need for care packages. I'll put a list together soon, but I can tell you that I am not in NEED of anything right now. That said, I know packages will be sent anyways, so I'll get a list put together and posted here soon.

A huge thanks to the guys from "Droptine Lodge" for the Christmas gift they purchased for Grant. I was floored when Rass emailed me the pic. I'll post the pic on here soon, as well as write to you guys soon. Very generous of you all. (Please, don't anyone tell Grant, they bought him a beginner ATV)

Take care and God bless to all...I'll try to keep the posts more consistent.

thanksgiving part 3

For our evening meal, LTC Keeley (my boss's boss) had an Afghan meal catered in from off base. "Joe" (pictured at left, a US citizen and resident of Maine) one of our interpreters did the driving, and delivered with Goat kabobs, potatoes, rice and bread. The meal was excellent, and much better than the local food I had last time I was here...hoping I don't get sick tonight!

"lizzie"

Following dinner, our office was visited by "Lizzie," a combat stress relief dog. It was nice to sit there and pet a dog for awhile...any bit of normalcy is welcomed. Enjoy the pic, it is one of the very few I can show from our office due to mass of classified data hanging everywhere.

thanksgiving part 2

Following the parade, we headed to the chowhall for Thanksgiving dinner...Ambassador Eikenberry and some others made the rounds and visited with Soldiers, it was definitely not a typical day.

The Brigade plans section....

The Chowhall was fully decorated.

Lines were longer than usual for Army food..

They paid the locals to do many of the decorations...some were interesting.

More decorations.

Again, interesting.

This one kinda had our table shaking out heads. It says..."Thank you for your Thanksgiving Offering...Because of your gift, the World is............." Someone decided that the last part of this should be painted over. We couldn't quite make it out, but later we were able to see that one of the words that was painted over was "Christ." Political correctness is everywhere, and War is certainly not immune. The irony is that everyone here puts in very long days in support of GIRoA (Government Islamic Republic of Afghanistan), and yet we apparently can't mention our own God after a local recognized him for us. A local that is very likely a Muslim. I'll shut up now, I think you get my point.

"Today's menu...JUICY!"

thanksgiving part 1

Today, we celebrated Thanksgiving 10 1/2 hours ahead of Iowa time. We started off our day as normal in the office, then took to the rook of our building to take in the Bagram Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you're quick to see this post, you might catch some of this before it airs on national T.V. later this morning....

ATV Float

Another ATV float...Grant will love these!

EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Float...complete with a penguin manning the machine gun.

Ms. Claus in the back of the truck, with Santa in a bomb disposal suit.

I think there were only 7 floats....so you may already be seeing repeats.

The parade route was set up like a Winterset parade...where they make 2 turns to make the parade last longer.

Ms. Claus again.

EOD unit doing a parade dance.

Most of the gang that I work with...CPT Dorsey from Oklahoma, MAJ Fergsuon, MAJ Edwards (my boss), CSM Short (our senior enlisted), and SFC Wrage.

the french.

For the better part of American history, we have enjoyed much comedy relief at the expense of the French. Unfortunately for these French Soldiers, the new berets (headgear) they recently began wearing here on Bagram will not change my perceptions anytime soon...Vive la France!

Not sure how well you can see these, but their berets are quite large and unformed.

Yes, I was doing my best to hide when I took these...I didn't have the guts to ask them to pose for a photo. Maybe I'll get the courage later on...wait, not that I'm afraid of the French...never mind.