Starting to settle in

After being at KAF for a little over a week, I am finally getting settled in. I've learned my way around the base for the most part, my living area is acceptably clean, I've figured out which dining facility has the better breakfast (marginally), and I'm starting to get a feel for my job. If I could just figure out how to get on a better sleep schedule everything would start to fall into the place. Is there irony in the fact that I am surrounded by sand yet the sandman seems to be unable to visit?
It's been a heavy dust for all but 2 of the days that I have been here. Keeps the temperatures down (mid 90's), but makes everything else miserable.

convoy to the site

Afghan Army outpost

So on Thursday I went to a site visit to look at a potential project that I might be submitting a proposal for. The location was unlisted in the documents, which is not unusual on base, but just before the meeting time with the Contracting Officer he called us to say "bring your armor". Um....excuse me? Yup that's right.....going outside the wire.

Potential job site, base in the background

So after bulking up with my body armor and helmet, and jumping into the convoy of 4 armored vehicles, we headed out through the gate and into the one area I had been saying I would never go. Now I should say that the area directly outside the gate is secure, plenty of guns out there to do the job, and plenty of soldiers on watch. We drove along side the base most of the time but near the end drove out to a truck check in area where most of the delivery trucks are held waiting to go through inspection. Still pretty freaky, we were about a mile outside and it seemed like we were a world away, that is until the familiar sounds of helicopters and jets roared overhead. I really do love that sound! The truck check in area is guarded by the Afghan National Army, which I must say is not the most comforting situation. They just don't look like they are ready for battle the way all the our soldiers do. Old uniforms, no armor or helmets, and old AK-47 machine guns that might actually have some rust on them. Needless to say it was nice to have had the escort and about 12 American soldiers with us the whole time. One of the Contracting Officers was attempting to point out the boundary of where the project was going to be, he said "about 1/2 mile down on the left past the mine field"....they all say this stuff so casually. I froze in my boots and asked the obvious question "where exactly is that mine field?" After a long pause he said "just giving you crap sir, I'm from NY." Yes, I had my Red Sox hat on. Pain in the ass Yankee fan! He did let me look through the scope on his machine gun though to actually see the boundary, and no, there is no mine field there.....anymore.
(See video link on left for brief footage of the drive)

Reality Check-
I watched the news at dinner the other night while they had the story of the 2 members of the Navy that got attacked in Kabul, 1 killed, the other captured. Not a single person in that dining hall blinked an eye, they just seem to have come to terms with what they are here doing. While looking at another project the other day in the maintenance yard, they brought in a truck that had hit an IED the night before. Thankfully and amazingly only broken ribs to the driver. And the biggest thing that I have noticed is that when that "Rocket Attack" siren goes of in the middle of the night, those F18's are screaming over the base within seconds while ground vehicles seem to fight to get outside the gate. They just do what they do. I am amazed, because while I am walking shoulder to shoulder with them, or eating across from them, or getting harassed about being a Red Sox fan, we all seem so similar....but we so clearly are not.