Afghanistan through My Eyes - Green Bean Anyone?

On some of the bases in Afghanistan there are PizzaHuts but for the most part FOB's and COP's don't get a lot of fast food. We rely on the DEFAC for everything. It's pretty good, there is always fresh lettuce for salads, a choice of meats, chicken made over in several ways and pudding. Usually, a huge tub of vanilla pudding that I play a game with. I would always wonder at each meal, what would the tub of vanilla pudding be put next too...it never made any sense and would show up next to the salad, bin of hard boiled eggs, next to the bacon, who knew where it would appear. It was one of my only sources of entertainment. Pretty bad huh!

We also always had ice cream, curtesy of Baskin Robbins. We could make sundaes and top cake or pie with it. Some got creative and put the ice cream between two cookies...one person who shall remain nameless, but is infamous for this, tried to toast his chocolate chip cookies first...which made more than a big mess.

You know when your FOB really has made it when it gets a Green Bean coffee shop.

They serve a mean espresso chai latte.











Here are the two servers on FOB Fenty

Tonny and Lloyd

Barristas on Joyce

The best place to be to learn what is going on is at the Green Bean. Most times I would get the scoop on information and arrive at the PAO in the morning asking questions.  Everyone hangs out at the Green Bean smoking, playing pingpong or pool or watching a movie or the news on the TV inside from it's opening hours to it's closing moment's. 

I'd like to say you could close your eyes, sip your latte and imagine you were someplace else with the sun kissing your face and a cool breeze, but then a helo would land or you'd hear the unmistakeable sound of a drone taking off or the gunfire would bring you right back to the war.

Afghanistan through My Eyes - Afghans on Fenty

Fenty has lots of Afghan's on base. They are all very considerate of the military and embrace the American way of life. They run the Haji shops that sell everything from pirated DVD's for a few dollars to handcrafted fine jewelry.

Mahmoud at Mohammad's designs and crafts the best jewelry here on FOB Fenty. He wanted me to say how he wishes everyone gets peace and to thank the US Military.

Rasul works the other side of the shop selling everything else.

Here is an amazing selection of carpets. The silk carpet the proprietor is standing on is one I liked, but at $900.00 it was too much for this poor writer. Unfortunately I've misplaced his business card while unpacking.

Mujahid, Mohammad, Nadar and Sangar run the laundry. There are tricks to making your laundry come out better, like add your own detergent in your bag. But they do the best job they can with the water quality they have and if you're nice they'll do a pretty good job folding.  The turn around time is 24 hours and it's free.  Of course there's always the pen that gets left in and ruins everything...like my last load.

It's an interesting community on a FOB. 

Afghanistan through My Eyes - SMA Raymond Chandler

At Fenty we were honored to have Sergeant Major Raymond Chandler the 14th Sergeant Major of the Army come and give a town hall meeting for the soldiers. He presented his coin to soldiers of merit and also gave all the soldiers an opportunity to ask questions.

He talked about all kinds of issues from sexual harassment, to PT (physical training) standards and even brought a prototype of the new uniforms.

A soldier gets the opportunity to inspect the uniform up close and personal.

Soldiers at ease with their coins. 

The SM spoke about the imminent changes in the Army because of the downsizing. Soldiers who don't pass the standards will be out. He encouraged all the soldiers to work as if they wanted to earn a promotion if they wanted to stay in.

Lean and mean is what I'm saying. I like it.

Afghanistan through My Eyes - EOD on Joyce

Yesterday I took my last trip off FOB Fenty for the duration of my stay to FOB Joyce. The main purpose of this visit was to interview SSgt Rick Sommers from Cleveland Ohio. He is part of the EOD team of three that serves the 212 Brigade.

Here is SSgt Sommers in front of the JERRV 4X4. It's 23,000 tons with a B12 engine and can go up to 50 miles per hour.








The compartment is holding one of three robots they use to diffuse IED's.

SSgt Sommers is being assisted by Sgt Hurley Tessmann on his first deployment from Cambria, Wisconsin and SPL Corey Hoefer on his first deployment from Pembroke, MA

These guys are the epitome of brave. Besides diffusing the IED's and bombs they usually take fire. When SSgt Sommers is getting into his special suit complete with internal fan, they surround him with the vehicles because usually Taliban are waiting for them. It's not like they can sneak up quietly.

They all love their job, but sometimes the surreality of what they do in the middle of Afghanistan surprises them. Especially when they are taking fire, while detonating an IED as Afghan farmers head home with their crops tied to their back, like it's just an ordinary day in Afghanistan.

They had been working 48 hours straight when I met them.

Afghanistan through My Eyes - Everyday life on Fenty

Everyday life on FOB Fenty is almost like being on a small town base in middle America except there's nothing outside the wire...

The mail service here at FOB Fenty is great! It only takes about 1 week to get things in from the States. Unfortunately, it takes about 3 weeks for the mail from here to reach the states, but I think that's pretty fantastic because you get to write FREE where you put a stamp.

The postmaster, SPL Timothy Duncan a self proclaimed Navy Brat hails from Alameda, CA. This is his 2nd deployment. His first was in Iraq.

2nd LT Karen Wong from Queens, NY

She's Col Kim's OIC (Office In Charge) of the Joint Visitors Bureau.

Here's a photo of Capt Katie Kopp, from Dubuque, Iowa, with Maj Hank Lopez, who is a therapy dog. Yes the dog is a Major and outranks his handler. Capt Kopp has deployed twice. SPL Beth Raney is taking their photo and works in the PAO (Public Affairs Office. This is her 2nd deployment.

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Here is Chaplin Mark Perkins of Medina, TN. This is his first deployment to Afghanistan, but he's also deployed to: Iraq, Korea and Honduras. 

There is also a mosque for all the muslims who own the Haji shops that sell the local goods.