The Comforts of Home

I always tell people that FOB Wright is the best kept secret in Afghanistan.  Compared to other Forward Operating Bases, or large airfields for that matter, Wright is plush.  We have good food, good berthing and we are small so everyone know everyone unlike some of the other bases that have thousands of people.  Plus, being tucked into the base of the mountains, the scenery is breathtaking.  We are so close to the hills and mountains that lately the sun goes behind the peaks around three in the afternoon.  

So, when the job requires traveling to other bases, the standard of living goes down considerably.  Last week I had to go to Kabul for a conference.  I flew in a Blackhawk helicopter from Jalalabad toKabul with the Commanding Officer of PRT Nangarhar.  It was a revealing trip as we flew over eastern Afghanistan.  For most of the trip from Jalalabad to Kabul it was like flying over the moon...no life, no vegetation, just brown and uninhabitated.  Once in Kabul we were led to a transit tent where we would be staying, quite a downgrade from my accomodations at Wright. The tent was cold and dank with about twelve bunkbeds.  As we arrived there was a British officer who was just leaving.  He recommended we use the restroom that was further away, because, the one that was right outside the tent was pretty nasty.  He blamed it on the Lithuanians who evidently have yet to grasp the concept of sitting on a toilet, and would rather stand on the toilet seat and squat down to do their business (this is the same issue we have with the Afghans unfortunately). When I say restroom, it is actually a couple of Conex boxes with toilets, sinks and showers installed.  Usually the showers don't work well or put out cold water only and you usually walk out feeling dirtier than when you went in.  I had a close call when I took a shower and my micro-fiber towel (which is similar to a shamwow but is thin enough to put in a backpack) fell off the hook and traveled downward towards the slimy, dirty standing water on the floor.  Using the soccer skills of bygone days, I stuck my foot out just before it hit the floor, saving me from a very uncomfortable situation.  One of my fellow PRT COs was not so lucky and he ended up having to towel himself off with the only dry corner of his soaked towel.  

The other problem that comes with leaving Kunar is getting back in a timely manner.  Because most travel is via helicopters and C130s the ability to get a flight is a combination of luck and timing.  The morning after the conference ended, we were scheduled to jump on a Blackhawk and fly back to Jalalabad.  From there I would have to find a ride back to Kunar.  When we jumped on the helo we settled in for what should have been a quick 30-40 minute flight to Jalalabad.  Instead we ended up flying to a FOB I had never heard of in the middle of nowhere.  After taking some more passengers, we headed out to....some other base where we picked up some French officers.  Off we went to some FOB on the top of a mountain where we dropped off some of our fellow passengers.  Finally we completed our tour of Afghanistan.  After two and a half hours of flying we landed safely in…Bagram.  Not where we wanted to go.  So we spent the night there and caught a flight back to Jalalabad the next day.  After a few hours there I hopped on a helo bound for FOB Wright.  A welcome sight it was, including my own room, the clean restroom, good food and the wonderful people that make up the team.  There’s no place like home.