Hellmend Afghanistan
There could be no more apt name for where I am now than Hell, for geographical reasons they have added a "mend" an created a province in Southern Afghanistan, whose only claim to fame is that produces approx half of the worlds of Opium for Heroin and also it is home for the Taliban. Given the terrain and the weather here you can understand why these people are so mad.
I am taking notes and will write a full account of this embed, but for security reasons I am limited in what I can write and account for at this time.
But I will say that I have never been this hot or uncomfortable in years, the days are just brutal the heat is above100 by the early hours of the morning and you just feel yourself drain of life as the day goes by, even now as i write in the dark it is in the 90's and the heat is replaced by th bugs attracted to the screen light and I barely have the energy to stand. The only aircon is in the medics field hospital surgery and whilst it is nice to go in, the reality is that you have to come back outside.
Our sleeping quarter are inside a hut built of Hesco barriers with a tin roof covered in sandbags which has no air, but will withstand a mortar attack, there is no hot food apart from MRE's or a new alternative which seems to be cans of catfood with labels that indicate beef. Water is taken from pallets and the sun makes it like drinking warm bath water all the bottles are covered in dust and it has been three days now since I have washed or changed clothes>
Last night as we tried to get to sleep. Dana asked me "Mal how long are you going to keep doing this?" I answered not much longer, but in a few months the discomfort of today will be forgotten, but for the moment all I relate too is that in a few hours the sun will be back up and the only thing you look forward too is it going back down.
Hell does exist, it is called Hellmend Southern Afghanistan
The next few days will be interesting.
Doing my best to keep safe Lou and Bj w will again swim with the turtles.
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4 comments:
Don't know how our Military guys take it for long periods of times over there. Even you sound like at times you are planning for better assignments at some point. Don't think we appreciate you or the military enough...sort of take you for granted. Being from the desert we know that sometimes when you go outside it is like walking into an oven and sleep is a nightmare. Hope it was soap you bought in ....that wonderful city by the bay you stopped at. Or bubble bath. Thanks to you and crew for sacrifices and for being brave enough to handle the task.
We love you guys...on the other hand it does beat a 9 to 5...doesn't it.
Just Us in the US
OMG - how frightening. I am SO looking forward to the post that says "I'm out of Afghanistan".
We have been watching Mr. Lewis and his reports on fox of the battle where you are. Your film footage is spectacular. It has reminded us of how hare our men are fighting in two wars every day and every night. We must support them more. We have to do all that we can to help. Thank you Mal and Mr. Lewis and your crew. Please please be careful as you can. You never hold back in your work. Our thoughts are with you. We too will be glad when you are out of there....but thank you for going and for doing such a spectacular job.
Yet another amazing report from you guys today on Fox! Dana looks great..for being so dirty. And we always say in unison..."Old Mal is filming that! Ain't he something?" Please be careful walking around. Looked like everywhere you stepped there was a bomb of some sort and boobie traps galore. The Rocket attack was something to see, Mr. James. Thank you so much again for showing what our guys are doing over there. If you get a chance please thank them for us. No words can express how much we love our Marines and all the rest too. Won't tell you what we think of the Taliban though...but it ain't good.
annie & neatie
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