First of all, in spite of what many think, not everyone has a rough deployment in terms of quarters and the general quality of life available. A FOB is a Forward Operating Base, and a COP is a Combat Outpost. There are also numerous airbases (right now I'm at Kandahar Airfield (KAF)), outposts, strong points, and patrol bases throughout the country. The military uses these terms to distinguish between various sizes of bases and the level of amenities available to soldiers stationed there.
KAF is one of the two largest bases in the country, with somewhere around 30,000 people living and working on the base. They is by no means all Americans, or even just soldiers. There are many contractors that work here, many from the United States, a lot from third party nations such as Pakistan, and local nationals as well. In general, there are few differences between the amenities available at a traditional base and here at KAF. Granted, living conditions are more spartan, but I am typing this entry on my laptop using reliable wireless, and I have a choice of eight dining facilities, or going to buy food at KFC or TGI Fridays. There are stores for jewelry and rugs and numerous other things for soldiers to spend their money on, in addition to the Post Exchange. I can go to one of several gyms to work out, or the base is certainly large enough to run on. This is the heart of POGville (Person Other than Grunt) and is markedly different from the more austere conditions farther away from major airfields.
Rather than going into great detail about the other levels, I will briefly sum them and then move onto describing my personal living conditions at FOB Azizullah. A FOB is the next step down: it has all of the same amenities as a larger base, but not the variety. There is a post office, PX, gym, and DFAC. At least they are supposed to be extant on bases designated FOBs. COPs have less than above, but generally living conditions are okay, with regular hot showers and access to a gym and internet being some of the highlights. Everything below a COP is typically less than good: no showers, limited internet, makeshift gym, very little hot food.
I live on FOB Azizullah, but it doesn't really have all of the amenities I just described. It is supposed to have them, but they haven't yet been built. Or started. So what we have is a kitchen that cooks standard Army chow, but they do it in the most expedient way possible, and so the result is sometimes less than satisfying. Our gym, if you can call it that, has very little equipment, and is almost not worth the effort. Our internet access is good only in one location: the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation tent. Everywhere else you are lucky if it works. We have a laundry room, but you have to be careful or else someone will steal/lose your clothing if you aren't prompt enough changing it from washer to dryer. And the shower situation is pretty pathetic: there are six shower stalls for about three hundred men, and the last I heard there was only one shower head still working. There are plenty of other showers on base, but they were all built by and for the civilian contractors, and are off limits to soldiers. Oh well, at least I can get a shower every once in a while, for one of our companies they don't have showers at all and have to rotate back to Azizullah to refit.
In spite of how many of you might be feeling what you think is justified outrage at our living conditions, they could be much worse. It certainly doesn't help that we build up bases so quickly that it is difficult to match the amenities to the number of troops stationed in one location. But rest assured by the fact that I have a heated, dry tent to call home is good enough for me. I can read, watch movies on my laptop, play video games or just sleep in relative comfort and peace and quiet (except for when the artillery fires, as my tent is less than one hundred meters from the nearest gun).
I think tomorrow I will talk some about my impressions of the local leadership and our partners in the Afghan National Security Forces.
KAF is one of the two largest bases in the country, with somewhere around 30,000 people living and working on the base. They is by no means all Americans, or even just soldiers. There are many contractors that work here, many from the United States, a lot from third party nations such as Pakistan, and local nationals as well. In general, there are few differences between the amenities available at a traditional base and here at KAF. Granted, living conditions are more spartan, but I am typing this entry on my laptop using reliable wireless, and I have a choice of eight dining facilities, or going to buy food at KFC or TGI Fridays. There are stores for jewelry and rugs and numerous other things for soldiers to spend their money on, in addition to the Post Exchange. I can go to one of several gyms to work out, or the base is certainly large enough to run on. This is the heart of POGville (Person Other than Grunt) and is markedly different from the more austere conditions farther away from major airfields.
Rather than going into great detail about the other levels, I will briefly sum them and then move onto describing my personal living conditions at FOB Azizullah. A FOB is the next step down: it has all of the same amenities as a larger base, but not the variety. There is a post office, PX, gym, and DFAC. At least they are supposed to be extant on bases designated FOBs. COPs have less than above, but generally living conditions are okay, with regular hot showers and access to a gym and internet being some of the highlights. Everything below a COP is typically less than good: no showers, limited internet, makeshift gym, very little hot food.
I live on FOB Azizullah, but it doesn't really have all of the amenities I just described. It is supposed to have them, but they haven't yet been built. Or started. So what we have is a kitchen that cooks standard Army chow, but they do it in the most expedient way possible, and so the result is sometimes less than satisfying. Our gym, if you can call it that, has very little equipment, and is almost not worth the effort. Our internet access is good only in one location: the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation tent. Everywhere else you are lucky if it works. We have a laundry room, but you have to be careful or else someone will steal/lose your clothing if you aren't prompt enough changing it from washer to dryer. And the shower situation is pretty pathetic: there are six shower stalls for about three hundred men, and the last I heard there was only one shower head still working. There are plenty of other showers on base, but they were all built by and for the civilian contractors, and are off limits to soldiers. Oh well, at least I can get a shower every once in a while, for one of our companies they don't have showers at all and have to rotate back to Azizullah to refit.
In spite of how many of you might be feeling what you think is justified outrage at our living conditions, they could be much worse. It certainly doesn't help that we build up bases so quickly that it is difficult to match the amenities to the number of troops stationed in one location. But rest assured by the fact that I have a heated, dry tent to call home is good enough for me. I can read, watch movies on my laptop, play video games or just sleep in relative comfort and peace and quiet (except for when the artillery fires, as my tent is less than one hundred meters from the nearest gun).
I think tomorrow I will talk some about my impressions of the local leadership and our partners in the Afghan National Security Forces.
Thank you, Michael, for the intel, my son arrived there last month.
ReplyDeleteHis brother had three tours and retired last year. It's tough on an old Dad, but prayers and my home-made caramel popcorn will keep coming his way.
Rest assured, we have asked God to put his angels on half-rations to make sure He gives you guys everything you need to be safe and get the job done.
God bless you all - George Markos
Hi Michael! Thank you for this entry. My boy just left for here last week- and I had no idea what it would be like there, and now I have an idea. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael. You're blog has helped me. Also I now understand how the general population isn't psychologically able to have a strong sense of empathy with soldiers who have seen this type of violence and depravity. I'm trying to understand humanities motivation to war. You and the people in that town and all of you are in my thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDelete