Well I am back to Bagram safe and sound. Sorry it took me a few days to post but I have been settling in and playing a ton of playstation 2 to be completely honest. I am just about half way and boy it feel good. Our trip to Kabul was pretty successful as I did get to interview GEN McNeil. I will post the pictures and interview once it becomes available. I am now moving into radio as they do not want me to be gone as I missed the sports show last week but we had a good one last evening. The trip really made me think about a ton. These kids are so poor and even in our own military I have it great. If you get a chance pick up the latest issue of Rolling Stone and read the article about the Marlboro Marine from Kentucky who is dealing with post traumatic stress syndrome! I got into it with a Lieutenant colonel while I was down in Kabul about the war and tour lengths on soldiers. He came at me out of no where as I was talking to a fellow navy sailor who was similar to my rank. This guy started going off about how we should be here longer than 6 months and all. I shot right back that the toll it is taking on our families, mainly the soldiers families is crazy. So then he responds about how so many soldiers reenlist while downrange because they want to be a part of a team. I responded that if you reward these soldiers with 20K tax free bonuses of course they are going to reenlist downrange. Many of them have car payments and families to support not to mention being from small towns where it may take them a year to make 20k if they got out of the Army and went back. There is no doubt there has been a fiscal draft. I see it almost daily. The bottom line is this country and its people do need our help. I got into a very interesting conversation with some Pakistani soldiers about world politics and boy did they have ne laughing. They do not like India, had very little to say good about China, and are obviously not big fans of Israel. They went a little further in one ware that my Dad likes to blame but I will not go there. Let’s just say I learned about a new twist on the Kennedy assignation! Anyway a bunch of international soldiers died recently. I get the emails from ISAF which is where I was. There were a ton of troops from like 20 different countries there in Kabul. It’s funny because everyone except Air Force can drink down there! Of course the Brits do their share and everyone busts on the Macedonians as they eat a ton and drink too much. They probably do not get the same offerings in their home country as they do there at ISAF so good for them. Well the pictures of me interviewing a Marine LTC who was really cool. I also am doing a story on a Vietnam vet serving here and a Vietnam refugee who is now in the air force also as a Lt Col. I will add more pictures of me and the general hopefully tonight of not tomorrow. I will post again tomorrow as more comes to mind about my trip. Also if anything wants any afghan stuff let me know. The newscasts are stories I did on my last trip. I should be anchoring very soon and will post those newscasts as well. Next week on Friday I will be spending a little wad at the bazaar here on base. They have a ton of neat stuff but in the end I really need nothing else in this world but maybe you do! Ok got to run have a great day.
2 comments:
Hey Rob I was holding my breath for the last 2 to 3 days waiting to hear from you....so glad you are back at the base. Mom and Bob keep telling me Kubal has been in the news and some unrest now in certain area's, well I can breath again for a while, thank the Lord above for your safe arrvial back to base.
You really did have a interesting trip, met different people from many different walks of life, this is really great. Sounds as if the interview went well with the General. Looking forward to more of that trip later.
Make sure you get me something from Afghanistan and ship it out to me, I love collecting all the things you get from all your travels. Make sure you get a ride on the camel, I want a picture of that please.
My little thought for the day : We long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is our chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.
Robbie I Love You and miss you bunches - mom
Hi Rob,
I kept checking for your return. I'm so happy that you made it back safely. With all the news about Kabul, I was just as worried as your Mom.
I'm looking forward to that interview with Gen. McNeil also.
I was talking with my son about you this afternoon. I had previously mentioned that he was also in the Air Force. He said by comparison to the other branches of the service, the Air Force treats their military men and women way better. I hope that continues to be true for you as well.
The Vietnam War was my era. I lost several childhood and high school friends in that war.
I bought one of the MIA bracelets that they sold at that time. They had an MIA soldier's name on them and the money for them went to help fund the search for them. At least that was my understanding. Many years after the war was over I was happy to find that "my soldier" finally made it home safely. He had been a POW. He lived in Bethlehem, PA an with some help from the Chamber of Commerce there, I was able to speak to him once telling him about the bracelet and how I prayed for his safe return. To this day I still have that bracelet. That was years ago. So your stories of the Vietnam Vets will certainly interest me.
I'll stop this book now and wish you a good evening.
Sincerely,
Sher
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