Since I’m on Rest & Relaxation (R&R) leave, I’ve invited a guest blogger to tell you about my Afghanistan-to-Portugal transition through Camp Arifjan, Kuwait:
so blog, much honored! very arifjan, many beige:
so sandbag:
such box:
surprise spa! wow pedicure:
very haircut:
such relax, amaze trip finish blog, very thanks
Doge (for MM)
We work with a lot of contractors here at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. They provide continuity that we just can’t get with with military folks rotating in and out, and expertise that military and government civilians like me can’t provide. One of contractors I’ve been privileged to work with these last three months is Mr. Bill:
A retired civil servant who’s been on multiple deployments to places including Saudi Arabia, China, and South Korea, Mr. Bill can tackle any environmental job in anywhere in the world. He’s performed environmental surveys at about 50 locations around Afghanistan. Here’s a brief tour of a trip he took to Jalalabad (text and photos courtesy of Mr. Bill):
My corner office, it’s a beauty, commensurate with experience of course.
Waiting for transport, hope I get a window seat.
The commute, uh oh I have to use the bathroom, I’m in trouble.
Hope I can find cheap parking.
Made it to Jalalabad, where is the subway station?
Hotel Afghanistan, room with a view please, do I get frequent flyer points here?
The shopping mall, picture says it all.
The view!
Mr. Bill knows how to find his way around the installations, and he’s been a great resource for institutional knowledge, as well as a lot of fun. He’s always got a big grin on his face and is up for whatever good times are to be had, even if it means Christmas wishes from a porta-potty (with coworker Mr. Art):
Unfortunately, we’ll be saying goodbye to Mr. Bill in a few days. His company’s contract renewal included cutting some positions, so he’ll be heading home. We’ll all miss him, and I will especially miss his bright smile, great stories, practical jokes, and professional contributions to the environmental mission here at BAF.
Take care, Mr. Bill, and Godspeed!
MM
Fugly is still the baseline condition here at Bagram Air Field, but the military and the Afghans are not the only folks bringing beauty to this little corner of the world.
Mother Nature treats us every now and then to some fine mountain views, especially after a rainstorm that takes the clouds of dust out of the air for a few hours:
Looking west from the walkway of my dorm building
Looking east from outside my dorm room toward the airfield
Here’s a view to the north up Disney Drive, the main road on the west side of the base:
It would be nice to enjoy the views without the power lines always in the way, but I’ll take power lines over gritty, choking airborne grime anytime:
A pretty twilight:
Fighting the fugly also comes in the form of lovely gifts from thoughtful friends, especially photos! You may recall my functional-but-plain dorm room from an earlier post. I’ve been able to brighten it up considerably with the contents of care packages from home:
Pictures of home, cats, friends, and family! I love them all! (Comforter and sham from Amazon.com)
My desk area shows off cards and photos and books and treats from friends and family, a drawing by a dear friend’s child, real tissues (not that government-issued sandpaper that comes from the Supply room!) from a true bestie, and love notes from strangers:
A little cluttered? Maybe, but these things bring color and beauty and thoughts of loved ones that make me smile, and they keep the fugly from swallowing me up. Thank you to all who have brought these bits of joy to my life!
MM
So it turns out my Garrison Commander, Colonel Christopher “Sam” Houston, blogs about his deployment to Afghanistan, too. It’s called America, This is Bagram and you can see his blog at http://bagramhq.blogspot.com. Check it out to get a different perspective on what it’s like here at Bagram Air Field from a senior military leader.
MM
Our Afghanistan craigslist-equivalent is nakslist. It’s usually where deployed folks looking to buy or sell televisions, phones, computers, lamps, fans, and other small appliances and miscellaneous items come to do business, but every now and then there’s an ad offering or requesting unusual services:
Fans of the site inspect such ads closely, looking for any hint of hidden meaning, double-entendre, or evidence of a prank. I don’t detect any attempts to circumvent General Order #1 here, and I’m not getting a wink-wink-just-joking vibe. This place is just weird enough that somebody might really actually be looking for an egg peeler. When you live in a world where this could be legit, it makes you stop and think.
Speaking of hard-boiled eggs…
PROTIP: Hard-boiled eggs make GREAT hand-warmers! You can’t get those chem-pack hand-warmers shipped here (hazardous cargo) and the PX is often out of stock. But, every morning on the main line at the DFAC, there’s a pan of hard-boiled eggs, in the shell, waiting hot-and-ready in a chafing dish. Grab two (make sure the shells are intact). Put one in each jacket pocket. They’re comfortable in your hands, will keep putting out heat for a couple hours, and provide a convenient, high-protein snack later in the morning, right about the time the outdoor temperature has risen enough that you don’t need hand-warmers anymore.
MM
…when you realize your difficult morning will probably not transition into an easy, pleasant afternoon:
MM
The military aren’t the only ones in Afghanistan fighting the fugly here at Bagram Air Field. Giving the military painters a run for their money are the incredible artists who create the spectacular rolling eye-candy extravaganzas called “jingle trucks”:
I don’t get to see many of these around the base, and when I do they’re usually on the move. The dust and mud here coat everything, but even with the grime these beauties are something to behold! The colors, intricacy, and richness are truly labors of love:
Some artists take a monochromatic approach, which really highlights the craftsmanship of the fretwork:
My photos don’t really capture how over-the-top magnificent these trucks can be, so I grabbed a few pictures off the internet:
photo: flickr.com
Check out all the dangling chains and doo-dads; that’s why they’re called “jingle trucks”:
photo: usnavyjeep.blogspot.com
photo: afghanforums.com
Supposedly, eyes keep away evil spirits:
photo: flickr.com
It’s hard to believe it, but these fancy vehicles are real working rigs, so they have to be searched upon entry to the base to ensure they’re not bringing dangerous cargo, contraband, or other disallowed items:
photo: longwarjournal.org
Try as I might to imagine these hauling lumber or tires or gravel, it seems like they’d be better suited to carrying ladies in fancy dresses and tiaras in a parade:
photo: kmtl.co
My office-mate Dave and I are still living with plain white walls. We need to find somebody who makes jingle trucks to come in and decorate our office!
MM
A few intrepid souls with time and talent and paint have done their best to bring some beauty to this Fugly base:
Using T-walls as their canvasses and military themes as their inspiration, these artists show us that not every vista on Bagram Air Field is cringe-worthy:
Military heraldry is common and complex, with every symbol and color a source of meaning and pride for each different unit. These meticulously-painted coats-of-arms often mark the entrances to the various camps and compounds on the installation:
This one should look familiar from when I invited you to Walk to Work With Me in a previous post:
Great artwork is not exclusive to Bagram Air Field: one of my excellent teammates from Combat Airman Skills Training is stationed at one of the outlying FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) and was photographed in front of one of their T-wall murals:
Hi, Mungo! Miss you, buddy! Stay safe!
The military folks aren’t the only ones around here fighting the fugly: in my next post you’ll see some examples of another approach to bringing beauty to this harsh environment.
MM
Scenery that made me wince at its sheer ugliness when I first arrived two months ago is now so ordinary that I don’t even notice it anymore.
I’ve slid into a funk over the last couple of weeks. The dreariness of the routine and the surroundings has been weighing on me. So, I told myself to stop tuning out and to look around, pay attention, find something to appreciate and get excited about:
Hmm. Easier said than done. Better look somewhere else:
Uhhhh…
Erm….
Ok, what about over there?
Yeaaaaahhhh. Wow.
Ok, Melissa, try looking through your art gallery glasses…
Note how the masterful draping of sniper screen conceals the fence, and yet, at the same time, reveals it! The fringe of ancient plastic on the barbed wire stands in strong juxtaposition to the assertive pops of blaze orange and the saucy red stripes on the yellow bollard. The artist’s fury and hilarity are aggressively in your face, serving to distract the casual viewer from what the contemplative observer discovers upon careful study: despair. And dust.
Oh, looky! Sunshine sparkling on concertina wire:
Pretty!
Hey, check out the awesome progress on the construction project in front of the Garrison building:
(Tilting head and squinting)
(More tilt, more squint)
Ok, this isn’t working. Face it, Bagram Air Field is one very ugly military installation. But, we’re here to win a war not a beauty contest so I guess I’d better stop hoping for my surroundings to provide inspiration and start finding ways to love the ugly — like people do with those creepy hairless cats.
Cat photo credit: petslittle.com
But I digress…
Ok, ratcheting expectations way down. Down farther. Little more… that’s it… keep going…
… and, we’ve arrived here:
See how the port-a-john siding perfectly matches the sky? Niiiiice.
MM
Care packages full of goodies and toiletries and magazines from schools and clubs and individuals are awesome, but the notes they put inside thanking us for our service are my very favorite things to get.
Little kid notes and artwork go right up on the wall in my office:
So cute, right? Adorableness is not something we see a lot of around here, so these notes always make me smile.
No, Tristian, I don’t know your dad, but every time I see a soldier or airman with the name tag “Brown” I think of you!
Notes from veterans are always very special:
Seeing these veteran notes reminds me that my ability to volunteer for this assignment is due to the sacrifices of people who came before me and fought for my country’s freedom. I’m so fortunate and so grateful.
It’s great when people leave an email address, so I can send a thank you note! I send thank you post cards if they include a mailing address.
Notes with coffee are always a big hit:
Any note of heartfelt appreciation is like getting a big hug:
The best item I’ve gotten in a care package to date: Estee Lauder bronzer! I had no idea how much I missed make-up and other girly things until I saw that little compact of magic color!
Most unexpected care package item that I didn’t know I had to have until I saw it: disposable chopsticks from a take-out diner. They’re in my desk drawer in their paper wrapper waiting for a special occasion when I can use them at the DFAC. I’m very excited to be able to eat a future meal with chopsticks! (Yes, it really is that boring here.)
Note that made me laugh the loudest:
No, Daniel, YOU’RE a real hero! You and everybody else who goes to the time, trouble, and expense of sending treats and good wishes to people you’ve never met. These love notes from home get us through the long, dark days. Thank you so very much!
MM
Tactical Underwear 