Article 6 visit in Afghanistan

Today we had an Article 6 visit.  An Article 6 visit is basically when the General of the JAG Corps (or someone he delegates, usually also a General) comes and inspects different JAG offices.  I must say, I rather enjoy the Art. 6 visit while in Afghanistan.  Instead of sitting in my office all day long, I was out of it for most of the day.  This made for the day going by pretty quickly.  Anything that breaks up the monotony is good in my book.

Other than that, nothing really new has been going on.  I got detailed to another court-martial, and the Article 32 hearing is scheduled for the 15th, so I need to start preparing for that.  I have also been pretty busy with a lot of different senior leaders who can't seem to stay out of trouble.

I am now under 2 months, and I am really hoping that these last 2 months fly...

Here is a picture of me with TJAG (The Judge Advocate General) and some other random ones I have taken over the past month.

Me and TJAG (AKA the Big Boss)

Sun setting over the airfield

These things rattle my office multiple times a day

Blackhawks going out

These planes like to park right outside my office and tease me

Sun setting outside the wire

Afghanistan is good for something.

Before I left for Afghanistan, I set a few goals for myself to accomplish while I was here.  I figured if I had to be stuck on the other side of the world away from my all of my family, then I should at least make my time here worthwhile and better myself.

The biggest goal I set was that I wanted to lose 30 pounds, which quickly became almost 40 pounds after the holidays.  It's amazing how much crap one will shovel into their mouth when they know they are about to go to Afghanistan and there won't be good food to eat for almost a year.  I'm happy to say that I have lost 40 pounds and surpassed the goal I set coming in.

I didn't really set a goal with regards to running, cause I have always had a love/hate relationship with running.  Actually, it is probably better classified as just a hate relationship.  But once I came back from R&R, I reached a plateu in the weight loss and knew that I needed to switch things up to push through it.  So I started running.  When I started running, I was slow.  Because of my back problems I hadn't really run in a long time, so I was running about an 11-12 minute mile.  Over time, I have been able to take almost 5 minutes off my mile.  I actually just ran my fastest 2 mile, which came in at 15:11.  So had I set a goal for running, I know I would have passed because it would have been way slower.  I never would have imagined, or thought that it was possible, that I would be able to accomplish what I have with my running.

The other goal I set for myself was to become fluent in Spanish again.  Well, 1 out of 2 isn't bad...

So Close, yet so far away...

I know I keep saying it over and over, but I really am sorry that my blogging has stopped being regular.  The truth is, there is absolutely nothing to write about.  I can only write about the food, smells, and sub-par living conditions so many times before it becomes boring.  If it wasn't already boring to begin with.

I had a chance to travel last week and I was actually looking forward to it, as I figured it would be something to break up the monotony, but then I didn't end up going.  It turned out it wasn't required that I go, so even though I could have still went, I wasn't going to go travelling about Afghanistan just because I was bored.  It must have been the little mother and mother in law on my shoulder whispering in my ear to stay my butt at KAF.

I have a little over 2 months left here in Afghanistan and it can't go by quick enough.  I signed up for a 1/2 marathon in March, so I'm officially in training. 

I will try to turn over a new leaf and get back to blogging more regularly during these last 2 months, but I really can't promise anything...

I need to leave Afghanistan...

I have already screamed like a little girl who sees a mouse twice this morning, and it is only 1030.  The first time I screamed it was because I actually did see a mouse.  Not only did I see a mouse, but it scurried out from under the desk I was sitting at.  That scared the crap out of me.  We have been having a little bit of mouse problem lately.  The rest of the BDE left and moved to a new building on the other side of the airfield, and the legal office is still in the old building.  We are the only people left in this big vacant building, and a lot of trash was left behind in the old offices.  So the mice are literally coming out of the woodwork.  It really isn't good for my heart.  I don't mind mice, I even had gerbils when I was a kid.  But something about the idea of an Afghan mouse and all the diseases it probably carries, freaks me completely out!

The other scream was from a controlled detonation.  I knew it was coming, as they always announce they are about to blow something up so everyone doesn't think that it is another attack.  But I blame the mouse for the scream.  I was already on edge because of that little critter, so when that went off it also scared the crap out of me.

I think that I have given my paralegal 2 heart attacks this morning from the screams.  I can hear the mouse on the other side of my wall in CPT Coy's office.  I have to resist the urge to grab the M-16 and start shooting....

Running for Mom in Afghanistan...

This morning 25th CAB put on a Pink Ribbon 5k run.  Breast Cancer is my charity of choice.  For those that don't know, my Mom is a 3 time survivor of Breast Cancer.  The only reason I am here today is that she is such a fighter.  The first time she got breast cancer she was pregnant with me, and all the doctors told her that if she wanted to live that she should abort me.  My Mom is not the kind of person to let odds like that hold her back.  Over 31 years later, she has beaten cancer 3 different times.

I have been sick this past week, and the thought of running outside in all the dust when I am trying to get over a sinus infection didn't sound all that great of idea.  But, I couldn't miss the Pink Ribbon run, so I ran and pushed through it.  I kept telling myself that if my mother can beat cancer 3 times, then I can get through this run.

There was even a breast cancer survivor who was celebrating her 2 year anniversary of beating cancer today.  She was pretty inspirational as well. 

Here are some pics from the run.



Waiting for the run to start.

 



After the run.

 


I made him take another one, this time standing up so we didn't look like giants....




Back of the shirt



Fitz leaving Afghanistan...

Yesterday was Fitz's last day in Afghanistan.  We got word on Sunday that she would be leaving on Monday.  Higher ups pretty much told our BDE that we had to send home a certain number of people and Fitz was one of the lucky ones.  Unfortunately for her, she only had less than 24 hours to pack up all her stuff.  Although, I'm pretty sure I could be ready to go in 10 minutes if someone offered me a seat on the plane.  Sadly, I wasn't offered a seat...

Since it was her last night, we took her out to dinner to celebrate her leaving.  She was actually sad to leave and wanted to stick out the rest of the deployment with us.  I told her to get on the plane and don't look back, and definitely don't feel bad about leaving this place. 


Trying to take one last group photo, but not everyone made it into the frame




That's better, not sure what Eric is doing...




Fitz and Blackall




Fitz and Kalfman



BBQ'ing in Afghanistan...

Yesterday we had another BDE BBQ.  This one was different as the Legal shop was tasked with putting the thing together.  Somebody thought it would be a good use of 3 lawyer's and 3 paralegal's time to coordinate and put on a BBQ.  I won't comment any further on that.

The BBQ was to celebrate the BDE HQ moving into their new building.  The irony that Legal was tasked to put this together, when we have not moved to the new building, is not lost on Legal.  It all turned out well.  In fact many commented on that it was the best BBQ yet.  Hopefully that doesn't mean that we will be tasked again. 


Self Pic on top of the new TOC




Lots of people standing around talking about what they are going to do




Fitz's first time BBQing




SFC Blackall supervising SPC Fitz




BBQ Monkey Mascot




CPT Coy cooking up some steaks




They thought if they touched tongs then there BBQ powers would grow




Trying my hand at the BBQ



I make really good chicken

Let's go fly a kite in Afghanistan....

Let me just start off by saying that I know I suck at updating this blog lately.  I'm sorry.  And if it is any consolation, I feel guilty about it.  Things have kinda been crappy around here lately.  Morale is pretty low, and I think we are all just trying to get through these last few months.  2013 can't come soon enough.

A while back, somebody sent me a kite in one of the many care packages that I have received.  I don't remember who sent it, sorry.  When it came, nobody wanted to play with it, but I didn't want to throw it away.  So, I just put on it on the shelf.  CPT Coy found it on the shelf yesterday and decided he would take it out for a spin.  So we took a little trip outside to fly a kite.  It was fun for about 2 minutes, then CPT Coy got the kite string caught in some sort of tumbleweed and broke the string trying to get it untangled.  Then we just decided to fly it with a really short string, which was actually way easier.  Then the fun wore completely off, and we were done flying the kite.  But it was a good 10 minutes of entertainment, which is hard to come by around here.  So thanks for the 10 minutes of fun, whoever sent the kite!

Other than that, I don't have much else to say, as it really is just "groundhog day" around here everyday.  I do have lots of pictures though, so enjoy...




CPT Coy enjoying a little smoke break.  He is really excited that he is in Afghanistan.



Keeping the guys company while they smoke their cigars.  It got me out of my office.

Fighter jet taking off during the smoke break.  These things are crazy loud!



Trying to figure out how to fly the kite




It's not going very well



Maybe running will help

Eric climbed on top of the bunker to try and get it going

It's way up there now...

The answer to the proverbial question of how many lawyers does it take to fly a kite is apparently 2



He got it all tangled




It was too tangled, and the string ended up snapping...




Trying my hand at flying the short stringed kite




This is harder than it looks




I'm a good kite flyer




Maybe not...



I almost tripped.



Fitz trying her hand at the kite



My first 5K in Afghanistan...

This morning I ran my first official 5K race.  This was also the first time that I have run outside while in Afghanistan.  All in all, it wasn't as bad I expected.  I hear a lot of people complain about running outside because of the dust.  Luckily, the run this morning wasn't too bad. 

Tomorrow, I have another race that I signed up for.  It is a 5 miler.  A little more ambitious, but I know I can do it.

After the race

Wings Legal showing a little Aloha Spirit...

Promotion in Afghanistan

SGT Kalfman got promoted to Staff Sergeant today.  It's a big promotion for him, and we are all very proud and happy for him.  I have known SSG Kalfman since he was a PFC, so it was nice to see him pin on E-6.  He has a come a long way!

Sorry for slacking on the blog lately, but not too many exciting things happen around here, and I have really run out of things to talk about.  Trying to stay focused and not miss home too much.  I know we are in the home stretch, but days are starting to feel like eternities around here.

Here are some pictures from his promotion ceremony.

Before the ceremony

An awardee and 2 promotees

Still an E-5

SFC Blackall saying nice things about him

Getting his new rank

Finally getting a coin from the BDE CDR

Thanking people