Reminder of a hasty retreat

The countryside is littered with the remnants of tanks, half tracks, utility vehicles, and heavy guns left by the Russian army as it made its hasty retreat from Afghanistan back in May 1988. This particular relic was found not far from base and not far from several lines of Russian made tanks that were in various forms of disrepair. (Photo by G. A. Volb)

Day 8: Memorial Day

Memorial Day means a tad bit more when you're serving overseas, especially in a danger zone. There's a kinship with those you're honoring. And there's a special type of camaraderie that develops between those in such a situation.

There's little in the way of daily entertainment; you can't travel and enjoy the local sights, clubs, cultural centers or sports events. Instead, you bide your time working, sleeping, eating and repeating the process daily.

The day or so that you have off lets you pause for just enough time to realize you "might as well be working."

My situation isn't as bad as many, as I have a gym to occupy some time. And I find myself eating more than I would back home ... because it's one of the amenities offered here.

While my diet has made a 180, I'm doing my best to ensure those extra calories end up in the right places. We'll see how that works out, but I'm guessing I'll be adding an extra 10-15 pounds.

The Village Malik

The Malik, or elder of the village, speaks with members of the civil affairs team May 24 in Khowjagher. Khan Mohamed told the team his village is in dire need of a school house, new well and medical clinic. The team is going to try and get him the well and school house by year's end. (Photo by G. A. Volb)

Khowjagher Village ruins

Mud and bricks are the primary building materials in this area. The landscape is littered with the remains of previous homes. These are in the town of Khowjagher, but only feet from these are new homes being built by the villagers. Now they're looking to add another well and school house for the children. (Photo by G. A. Volb)