Afghanistan - TOA

Today was the final Transition of Authority Ceremony, here at FOB Fenty in Jalalabad. The last of the 101st leave to go back to the US today. It has been the deadliest deployment for the 101st since Vietnam.

This is the TOA at FOB Joyce.

As I sat in the clamshell tent listening to speeches I couldn't help but hear the gunfire outside wondering if I'd have to run for a bunker. Being the kind of person I am, always looking for the way out of a bad situation, I settled on the large covered trash can instead.

After the ceremony there was the first 'hero send off' for a fallen soldier of the 25ths deployment. It couldn't have been a more poignant day for the 3BCT 25th Division.

The war has become real for a whole new battalion.