Is it already December?
I cannot believe how quickly the month of November flew by! I've commented to several people that the weeks go by fast, yet it feels like I've been here a year. Everyone always agrees. I guess that's because we work so many hours each day, seven days a week, and so much happens each day. Before we know it, the weeks and months are gone and a million things have happened. It becomes a blur.
I am lucky to work with wonderful people. We almost feel like a family, and we laugh a lot. It helps make the long days go by fast, and the work more pleasant when everyone has fun together. When I think about it, I basically spend 15 hours a day with these people -- it's a good thing we all get along!
On Thanksgiving Day we broke out our Christmas decorations and went to town decorating our office. It's filled with Christmas cheer! One of my officers got really creative with construction paper and turned our storage cabinet into a fake fire place. We hope to win the office decorating contest!
This week was consumed with the plane crash that took the lives of six people -- three civilian contractors and three Army personnel from the 25th Infantry Division. The plane was contracted to carry supplies back and forth between bases here in Afghanistan. It did not arrive at it's destination on Saturday evening and a search was initiated on Sunday. The plane was flying over high, treacherous mountains and it took two days to locate it and another two days before we could get rescuers to the site, some 16,600 feet up. For our part, we worked day and night keeping media and our higher headquarters public affairs officers up to speed on what was happening. We won't know for some time what may have caused the crash -- an investigation is underway. These types of incidences always make you stop and think.
This week we also had one soldier killed in a vehicle accident, and two airmen injured in another vehicle crash. So it wasn't a good week for news.
A new public affairs colonel arrived last weekend, and will most likely become the new head of public affairs for this command. That will make me the deputy, a position I'm ready to assume. Three months in the "hot" seat is long enough, and with just over 60 days left in country, I'm ready to pass the reins to someone else. I will still oversee most of the public affairs operations, and there's more than enough work to go around, but someone else will answer to the commanding general now, and that's just fine with me.
Planning for the inauguration of President Karzai is in full gear now as well. I attended two meetings at the Palace today and walked the entire palace grounds twice with various groups. The delegations coming from the US will bring around 16 or 17 major US media with them, and several of us will be responsible for escorting them while they are on the ground. Approximately 500 guests and some 150 media are expected for the event.
Contractors and Afghan soldiers are working around the clock now to clean the grounds and prepare areas for parking and events. The grounds are still somewhat in disrepair after years of war, and a lot of work was needed to accommodate so many guests. The Palace is very old and it's fascinating to walk the grounds and examine the buildings, ramparts and towers. It's probably much like you would expect -- the outer walls look like a castle. I'll try to get a photo during my next meeting there. I haven't seen President Karzai yet, but will see him on inauguration day, along with leaders from around the world.
There will be thousands of US, European and Afghan military and police providing protection in and around Kabul. Most of the security will be provided by the new Afghan National Army. From what I've heard, the Afghan National Army is quite a success story. There are some 17,000 soldiers currently in the ANA, and within five years it should grow to about 70,000. The US has provided the training and everyone speaks very highly of the new troops. The ANA's first big mission was providing security for the Presidential election, and they did a great job.
It's cold here now, especially at night. We've had frost the last two mornings. It's still sunny each day and usually gets up into the 50s, but I don't think it got that warm today. I had not expected to be outside so long at the Palace today, and I didn't dress for the weather. So I nearly froze to death! I've heard that by this time there is usually about a foot of snow on the ground, but with the continuing drought we probably won't see much snow this year.
I am lucky to work with wonderful people. We almost feel like a family, and we laugh a lot. It helps make the long days go by fast, and the work more pleasant when everyone has fun together. When I think about it, I basically spend 15 hours a day with these people -- it's a good thing we all get along!
On Thanksgiving Day we broke out our Christmas decorations and went to town decorating our office. It's filled with Christmas cheer! One of my officers got really creative with construction paper and turned our storage cabinet into a fake fire place. We hope to win the office decorating contest!
This week was consumed with the plane crash that took the lives of six people -- three civilian contractors and three Army personnel from the 25th Infantry Division. The plane was contracted to carry supplies back and forth between bases here in Afghanistan. It did not arrive at it's destination on Saturday evening and a search was initiated on Sunday. The plane was flying over high, treacherous mountains and it took two days to locate it and another two days before we could get rescuers to the site, some 16,600 feet up. For our part, we worked day and night keeping media and our higher headquarters public affairs officers up to speed on what was happening. We won't know for some time what may have caused the crash -- an investigation is underway. These types of incidences always make you stop and think.
This week we also had one soldier killed in a vehicle accident, and two airmen injured in another vehicle crash. So it wasn't a good week for news.
A new public affairs colonel arrived last weekend, and will most likely become the new head of public affairs for this command. That will make me the deputy, a position I'm ready to assume. Three months in the "hot" seat is long enough, and with just over 60 days left in country, I'm ready to pass the reins to someone else. I will still oversee most of the public affairs operations, and there's more than enough work to go around, but someone else will answer to the commanding general now, and that's just fine with me.
Planning for the inauguration of President Karzai is in full gear now as well. I attended two meetings at the Palace today and walked the entire palace grounds twice with various groups. The delegations coming from the US will bring around 16 or 17 major US media with them, and several of us will be responsible for escorting them while they are on the ground. Approximately 500 guests and some 150 media are expected for the event.
Contractors and Afghan soldiers are working around the clock now to clean the grounds and prepare areas for parking and events. The grounds are still somewhat in disrepair after years of war, and a lot of work was needed to accommodate so many guests. The Palace is very old and it's fascinating to walk the grounds and examine the buildings, ramparts and towers. It's probably much like you would expect -- the outer walls look like a castle. I'll try to get a photo during my next meeting there. I haven't seen President Karzai yet, but will see him on inauguration day, along with leaders from around the world.
There will be thousands of US, European and Afghan military and police providing protection in and around Kabul. Most of the security will be provided by the new Afghan National Army. From what I've heard, the Afghan National Army is quite a success story. There are some 17,000 soldiers currently in the ANA, and within five years it should grow to about 70,000. The US has provided the training and everyone speaks very highly of the new troops. The ANA's first big mission was providing security for the Presidential election, and they did a great job.
It's cold here now, especially at night. We've had frost the last two mornings. It's still sunny each day and usually gets up into the 50s, but I don't think it got that warm today. I had not expected to be outside so long at the Palace today, and I didn't dress for the weather. So I nearly froze to death! I've heard that by this time there is usually about a foot of snow on the ground, but with the continuing drought we probably won't see much snow this year.
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