Afghanistan Through My Eyes - prayers

I've got my travel all booked. Believe me it wasn't easy. Lots of changes...first through Dehli into Kabul, then Dubai into Camp Bastion, then back to Delhi through Kabul, but couldn't actually find any airlines that really flew into Kabul so back to Dubai up to Kabul and using a military transport into Camp Bastion! The great news is I get to meet Gabriel who has been helping me through the logistics the entire time.

A friend sent this to me and I must pass it on.

We are asking everyone to say a prayer for "Darkhorse" 3rd Battalion 5th Marines and their families. They are fighting it out in Afghanistan & they have lost 15 marines and 1 corpsman to date. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE the message spread if more could pass it on.
Justin Allen, 23,
Brett Linley, 29,
Matthew Weikert, 29,
Justus Bartett, 27,
Dave Santos, 21,
Chase Stanley, 21,
Jesse Reed, 26,
Matthew Johnson, 21,
Zachary Fisher, 24,
Brandon King, 23,
Christopher Goeke, 23,
Sheldon Tate, 27,

All are Marines that gave their lives for YOU this week!
Honor THEM by forwarding this.

Go to my blog: writesoftly.com and check out the video

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - tweets

I'm thinking I need to name each of these posts by different names. Looking at my blog it looks like a big glitch of Afghanistan Through My Eyes.

Today Adam at work gave me a 45 minute tutorial on how to use Twitter. It was really helpful and I urge all of you to follow me at marecontrare. One of my missions on this trip is to prove the 6 degrees of separation by tweeting and having people retweet the messages from soldiers.

If Navy Admiral Mike Mullen tweets, so can you!

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - orders

IT"S happened! I got my orders today!

True to the department of the Navy, the orders themselves are a little confusing. There are a lot of rules about talking to people. I have to have an escort to talk to anyone! I'm allowed to travel around within Afghanistan to other installations etc. and I can use miliatry conveyance, and I don't have to have an escort to do that...but I can't talk to anyone while traveling.

I may have to reimburse the ISAF for my billeting, rations, medical attention etc. I hope they take Mastercard.

I have to carry these orders everywhere along with my passport and my ISAF credential badge.

My friends in KW will appreciate this video.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes

I've received a few more emails. It seems I won't be flying into Kabul as I planned but directly into Camp Bastion in Helmand Province. It is the Britsh stronghold and has one of the best field hospitals in the world and it is where the Leatherneck Marine Division is which is where I will be embedded.

I'm thinking I've hit the jackpot here. In my two weeks in country I will be able to visit almost all facets of wartime life. I will have access to British, US, Afghan and captured troops. Plus I'll even get to eat at Pizza Hut.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - Jullian Assange

I've sent a message to my guardian angel Gabriel to help me get this straightnened out. I'm still hoping to be in Afghanistan on New Years Day.

I've been contemplating spending New Year's Eve in Delhi, India. That will be a first for me. It made me think, this is the life I've always wanted, to travel and be on my own, doing something for the good of mankind, giving hugs to humans.

Today I got my first offical hug of this adventure. At Shands Travel Clinic, the beautiful Rebecca gave me my final inoculations. It was only three shots, but 4 vaccines. I didn't feel a thing! She is a lovely lady and when we parted ways she asked me if she could give me a hug and told me to stay safe.

Doing something like this, going to a war zone as a civilian, makes you think about remarkable people. I hope you will watch this entire video of a remarkable person and make up your own mind...

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - geotagging

I've put my ticket on hold, but still haven't gotten the confirmation. I also don't know if I'll be flying into Kabul now that I may be embedding closer to Bagram Airfield. I hope they explain what I'll need to do and how I'm supposed to get there in more detail.

My daughter sent me this amazing email about geotagging. Apparently, all of our cell phones will show exactly where we are if we take a picture and post it to a social network unless we turn off that feature. It's in your general settings. Turn off the location services feature. Of course if you want to be tracked leave it on.

It is very important for anyone in a war zone to have this feature turned off.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes - holidays away from home

As the Christmas holiday approaches I can't help but think about all the soldiers away from their families. Holidays can be very hard and stressful.

There are all kinds of organizations that focus on our soldiers during the holidays. If you are reading this, please contact one of them and show a soldier you care.

Contact your local USO or go to www.operationgratiture.com