Don't Try This At Home!

Quick story:
At last night's MANday night gathering at Providence Church (contact me for more information on this event), John Barber, Phil Breedlove and the rest of the man-food makers whipped up a humongous batch of fried catfish, with hush puppies, french fries and cole slaw to boot.  It was so good that I had seconds...along with some kind of brownie with nuts (had 3 of them and was called out for it by Phil).
Out of guilt, I decided to go for a longer run than usual to rid myself of the calories I had consumed the night before (an idea I got from Mike Smith, who consumed equivalent of a Slim Fast diet and ran before gorging himself at the fish fry. Much better idea than mine).  Over the weekend, I bought a water bottle to carry for these very types of runs and thought that as long as I had water, I'd be fine. Right? WRONG!!!
In all my years of military training in the southeastern United States, as well as Iraq and Kuwait, I have never been diagnosed with heat exhaustion; however, today I'm pretty sure a doctor would've slapped me with that tag before it was over.  Luckily, I made it back to my point of origin without throwing up what was left of the fish fry, or passing out on the side of the road. I didn't cry when it was over.... but I want to!
So, think twice before deciding to run (what felt to me like was) a half marathon in the middle of July the morning after consuming what was easily 2,000 calories of deep fried deliciousness.
JC

DEMOB

Well, this past weekend I made it back to Ft. Dix, NJ, where we all started the mobilization process. Now, we are demobilizing (demob), which basically means we are getting any medical, administrative and logistical issues cleared up before going on leave. As the Company Commander, I've got a few other things to do, but the process is moving along rather smoothly at this point. Rather than speculate on my return to Knoxville, I'll just say that I expect to be home no later than the 19th, but any day sooner is fine with me.
For those of you who might be interested in the "next chapter of my life" that I have mentioned several times in previous posts, I'll post another update in the near future. For now, I just want to get finished with the process and then begin starting the new adventure.
Take care,
JC

Global Planting Initiative

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24, ESV).

Over the past year, through blog posts and some Facebook statuses, I referenced "starting the next chapter of my life." Although I have spent the past several months laying the foundation for that chapter, only a select group of people are aware of what it entails.
To make a long story short, much of my adult life has consisted of living out the stereotypical life of an American Christian. I've been actively involved in a church and served in a number of different capacities. Leslie and I have participated and led small group bible studies. I have read my Bible regularly and prayed on a daily basis. I've listened to Christian music and given money to several Christian organizations. Prior to this deployment, I even spent some time working for a local non-profit missions ministry.  In sum, I've been doing or trying to do all those things that are associated with Christianity in America. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with these things, but over time I began to wonder if there is more to my faith. Did Christ die for me so that I can attend a weekly worship service, hang out with other Christians, and do a few acts of service for other people? Did Jesus undergo the persecution and torture on the cross so that I could have a stable 8-5 job, live in a nice house and not have to suffer any of same things he endured for me? The more I began to actually pay attention to what God's Word said, the less I felt I was truly following Jesus.
When I actually began paying attention to the words in Scripture, I began to realize that I was still living for myself. I wanted a comfortable, easy, care-free life where I made a decent income and got to enjoy the "American Dream." I wasn't willing to sacrifice all that this world has to offer because I didn't want to deal with pain and suffering. Then I came across Christ's command in Luke 9:23-24 (which is mentioned in Matthew and Mark). If I am to be a committed follower of Christ, that means I have to take all those earthly, worldly desires and leave them behind. I have to die to all my fleshly wants and desires and exchange them for the pain and suffering of following Christ to the ends of the earth. Although suffering can mean different things, it certainly didn't mean enduring a few losing seasons of Vols football. It also didn't mean sacrificing a week at the beach so I can afford to screen in the back patio on our house. Following Christ means giving up everything you want from this world and living a life of compassion and service to those in need and spreading the good news of Jesus to unbelievers, both at home AND abroad.
Now that I have returned home from this deployment, I am starting a non-profit organization called Global Planting Initiative (GPI). The goal of GPI is help local churches fulfill the Great Commission through planting indigenous, reproducing churches among unreached people groups around the world. This pursuit is definitely a leap of faith for me and Leslie, but we are both confident that surrendering our lives to the cause of Christ is worth it. I hope that those of you reading this will please keep us in your prayers over the next several months. Moreover, if you would like to know more about GPI, please visit our website at www.globalplanting.org. I'm very excited about this new chapter and look forward to seeing how God will use the ministry to change the lives of people around the world.
Finally, if you are reading this, I challenge you to do the same thing I did. Sit down and actually read the words of Christ. Pay attention to what the Bible says about following Jesus and actually put them into practice. Doing so will change your life, just like it changed mine!
JC

Company Command

For many officers in the Army, the apex of their career is when they assume command of a company. As a Platoon Leader, we get our first taste of being in charge of Soldiers; however, as a company commander, we are in charge of a lot more Soldiers and responsible for thousands (sometimes millions) of dollars worth of equipment.
Today, I was informed that I have been selected to take command of the original company I was in when this deployment first started. The current company commander has reached the end of his career and is essentially being told by the Army that it's time to retire. So, I've been chosen to take his place. As a result, I have about 48-72 hours to packet all of my belongings and fly to another Province in another Regional Command, where I will spend the next two weeks inventorying every piece of equipment that belongs to the company and take ownership of it. I will also charge of all the personnel and be responsible for ensuring they make it back home to their friends and family.
The good news is that I'm going to link back up with all the people I was originally supposed to deploy with. The bad news is that I'm now having to take on way more responsibility than I want at this point. If you're not familiar with the term "Shamming", look it up. That was supposed to be my MO for the next year, but now I have to actually do some work and finish out this deployment as best I can.
Please pray for safe travels over the next few days and a smooth transition into my new position. I'd like to think I might do something productive while down there, but we'll have to wait and see! All you C Co guys reading this, looking forward to the reunion!!!
Take care,
JC

The Final Stretch

Well, I finally made it back to Orgun-E last Thursday and am getting settled back into my normal routine. It took 10 days to make it from Knoxville to my "home away from home", which is about 6 days longer than it should have been. Although I enjoyed more time away from work, not having much cold weather gear during a snowstorm made things a little uncomfortable.
Several of you have asked when I'll be back home for good. I wish I had a confirmed answer, but the movement back to the States is still up in the air at this point. I'm hoping to be back in the States in about 3 months and then back in Knoxville no later than mid-May. As soon as I get more information, I'll definitely pass it along. For now, just pray I make it through this final stretch in the deployment. Can't wait to begin the next chapter of my life!

R&R

Having missed Halloween (which isn't that big a deal for me), Veteran's Day (again, not that big a deal), Thanksgiving and Ellie's second birthday (yep, these are some biggies), it's no surprise that I won't be home for Christmas (pretty HUGE holiday for my family). However, I'm happy to announce that I will be leaving tomorrow to begin making my way home for R&R.
Although it's going to take roughly a week for me to touch down in K-town, I'm pretty excited about the prospect of going home and seeing family and friends. Although I have a tendency to become impatient with the "hurry up and wait" mentality of the Army, it's going to be nice to not have to work this next week and then have 15 days to just focus on being a husband, father, son, brother and friend. It stinks that I won't be home to enjoy this time of year with many of you; however, I take comfort in knowing that it won't be much longer until I'm holding my baby girl and beautiful wife!

My Baby Girl Turns 2

The song "I'd Do Anything (A Soldier's Lament)" by the John Butler Trio speaks EXACTLY to what I'm going through right now. Butler is singing from the point of view of a Soldier who's serving in Afghanistan, trying to keep himself together despite being in the throws of war and away from his most important possession, his family. There's even a verse where he says:

It's a little girl's birthday, and yes we are apart -
Ain't gonna make a big deal out of it, but it breaks my heart.

I bring this up because today is Ellie's second birthday. Right now, this day doesn't quite resonate with her the way it will when she's older. Nonetheless, it's a special day for her and I'm not there to help celebrate. I am very grateful for all the family and friends who are helping Leslie celebrate our baby girl's birthday; however, I still cannot shake the fact that I won't be not there. These are the times when it's difficult to accept the fact that I made the decision to go on this deployment. There is nothing in the world (aside from my relationship with Christ) more important than my family. I just hope and pray that this is the last time I miss any more of her special days.

I love you, EB!

JC

In The Bonds

In the Spring of my Junior Year at Maryville College, I pledged the Mu Chi chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon. Despite being in a national service Fraternity while at CNC (Alpha Phi Omega), I was in search of an organization at my new school that promoted both public service and brotherhood. I definitely got that when I pledged and became a Deke.
It's been almost 10 years since I graduated from college, and I am sorry to say that I've lost touch with many of my "brothers". However, shortly after arriving in East Paktika I found out that LT Patrick King, of the United States Navy, was more than just a co-worker and office mate. In 2005, Pat graduated from Virginia Tech, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha chapter of DKE!
These past few months have been somewhat tumultuous, but it's been much easier to bear with a fellow brother. Although we're from two different branches of military service, and frequently bash each other's chosen path, our relationship is eerily similar to those guys who I considered my family back in college. It's good to know that brotherhood can transcend stages of life.

Love Is The Road

As a kid, I probably had 10 different career ambitions. My mom likes to tell the story of when I told her I wanted to be a Cowboy when I grew up. Not a Dallas Cowboy, but an actual Cowboy. Not sure that's really an option any more; but, it didn't take long before I was on to something else, like baseball, football or (I'm embarrassed to say this now) politics.
While many of us might have a hidden ambition to do something on a grand scale, we easily get overwhelmed by the many obstacles that stand in our way. For some, it's the fear of failure, while for others it might be a lack of personal confidence. Either way, it's easy to dream about what could happen, but taking the initiative to make it happen is another matter.
Two of my very dear friends have just taken a very bold step and I'd like to tell you about it. Jason and Lena (Hood) Cox met in college at Belmont University. Both had a deep passion for music and both had dreams of launching a career in the music industry. Jason had been writing and performing songs on the Christian music scene for a number of years, and Lena released a solo EP a couple of years ago; however, they didn't feel like they were reaching their full potential.
Shortly after I returned from my tour in Iraq, Leslie and I started doing monthly double dates with the Cox's. Over many dinners and too many cups of coffee, Jason and Lena expressed a desire to start a country music duet called Ragdoll. Anyone in the industry will tell you that breaking onto the country music scene is a huge risk because it takes a lot of money, time, energy, networking, money, meetings, begging, borrowing, (did I mention money?) to record and promote an album.
After countless hours of writing and recording, Jason and Lena are proud to announce the release of their first album "Love Is The Road" on Tuesday, December 6th.
I don't want you to think that I'm writing this to help promote their work and encourage you to buy their album, which is being sold on iTunes, Amazon and other digital outlets. (Okay, that's part of the reason I'm writing this!) Rather, my main intent is to highlight their willingness to take some serious risks to pursue a lifelong passion. I admire their courage, ambition and desire to share their songs with the world. Moreover, despite going into the secular music industry, you will undoubtedly notice their undying devotion to their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
If you are in to music from the heart and soul, you won't be disappointed with their album. It's got some great upbeat songs about being a Southerner (which many of your reading this are Hillbillies!), as well as some sweet love songs that will make you long for the warm embrace of your significant other.
I hope everyone will at least take the time to visit their website www.ragdollcountry.com, or watch their first video "Rainshine" (a personal favorite of mine) on YouTube, and give them some positive words of encouragement as they begin this awesome journey. Jason and Lena, I love you guys and am so proud of this step you have taken. I look forward to many more two-steps and trifectas when I get home!

Thanksgiving...on Friday???

When you're on a deployment during the holiday season (or any holiday, for that matter) the days seem to run together, making it easy to forget that a holiday is approaching. However, when it comes to a moment of celebration, especially when a meal is part of the tradition, there are times that missions can take a backseat. However, there are also times when combat operations must take precedence. Case in point: Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated on the last Thursday of November; however, due to an important series of operations in my AO, the Command Group has decided to delay the Thanksgiving meal until Friday. This is primarily because so many people will be spread throughout the battlefield that they would miss out on the meal if it were to take place on Thursday.
So, while many of you reading this will be standing in line, waiting for your favorite store to open on Black Friday, I'll be in the DFAC, eating some turkey and dressing. The only thing missing will some football games playing in the background and some quality time with the family. Of course, if the Armed Forces Network (AFN) chooses to replay the Turkey Day games, I won't be missing any football!
Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!!

11-11-11

Well, this is the second time I've been deployed on Veterans Day. The first time, when I was in Iraq, I was only a few weeks from going home. This time, however, I'm not even half-way through my tour! Although I would love to be a little closer to ending this journey, I'm still very thankful for the opportunity to serve my country during such trying times.
On Memorial Day, I posted a message about how easy it is for people to focus thanking men and women in uniform for their service, rather than acknowledging that Memorial Day is reserved for honoring our fallen brothers and sisters. Today, on the other hand, is for celebrating all of those who have put on a uniform. I'm extremely grateful for all of you who have supported and prayed for me throughout my military career. My hope is that today will be the last time I celebrate Veterans Day as an active service member. Rather, I hope that this time next, I'm thanked for what I DID, not what I am DOING!
Happy Veterans Day!
JC

TN Army Wife

I believe I've already stated this before on my blog, but it's merits deserve further mention. THE toughest job in the military is being the spouse of a deployed service member. In my case, Leslie has a more difficult job than I will ever fathom in theater. Yes, there are moments when my life has been in danger; however, those events pale in comparison my wife's daily struggle to hold down "the fort" while I am away.
For all intents and purposes, right now Leslie is a single parent. Since I am not there to do much of what the other parent does (or should do), she bears the burden of being both the nurturer and discipliner. What is more, Ellie is at that stage in her life where she needs greater oversight and attention. Despite her bubbly personality and charm, she has her moments of being a little monster. As desperately as I want to be there to both attend to Ellie and support Leslie, I am half a world away, busy fighting my own set of little monsters.
Throughout the lead up to my deployment, I've had numerous people come up to me and thank ME for MY service. Yes, I'm doing something that a fraction of our nation's population has ever done; yet, I cannot shake the fact that my wife is making a sacrifice far greater than anything I will ever do over here. Although it's easy to look at my circumstances and say that I'm making a huge sacrifice, I ask that you please consider how much the most important person in my life is sacrificing on a daily basis.
A good friend of mine who is a singer/songwriter in Nashville wrote a song called "She Lives To Give." It's a story about a wife and mother who embodies selflessness and love. Every time I listen to it, I think about Leslie and what she means to me. She is truly a Proverbs 31 wife and I am so blessed to have her in my life. Lord knows where I'd be without her. Luckily I don't ever have to worry about that!
I would like to ask a favor. If you're reading this, please take some time to thank Leslie for HER service. It can be something as simple as a Facebook post, text message, phone call or even just a prayer for her during these trying times. She deserves praise and consideration for her actions far more than I do.
Leslie, I love you and thank God you are my soul mate. Hopefully you will accept this simple message as a token of my love and appreciation for you. You are my everything.
JC

Happy Anniversary To Me!

When it comes to remembering anniversaries, everybody has their list special dates. Just about everybody can remember their birthday (4/25), the first date of a loved one (1/9), weddings (6/26), and their children's birthdays (12/18). We mark them on our calendars, scribble reminders in planners or input them into an electronic device that we carry on our persons.
One special date that I have always remembered is the day I joined the military. While I wouldn't consider it a "special" day, nonetheless it's a date that has marked much of my life since the day I "since signed my life away."
Today is my eight year anniversary and a very, very special one. Why? Because it means that I have successfully completed my military service obligation (MSO) and am no longer required to serve in the military. Now, I know what you're thinking. This doesn't mean I can jump on the first helicopter I see and get out of Afghanistan. Rather, it means that once I am done with my service here, I can resign my commission and hang up my combat boots.
It's been a bittersweet ride over these past eight years. I've had good days and definitely a few bad ones. While I might complain about this whole process, I do not regret the commitment I made all those years ago. I am proud to say that I have served my country (and will continue to do so for several more months); however, I believe the time has come for us to part ways. There are so many other things in life that I want to do and none of them are able to accommodate continued service in the Armed Forces.
I would like to thank my family, especially my wife who's been with me the whole way. Come to think of it, I've been married to the military longer than Leslie! I'd also like to thank my friends who have supported us throughout this journey. I've lived in four states and four countries in these eight years, and I wouldn't change any of the experiences. I've made several close friends and lost a few along the way. Although my time isn't completely over, I take comfort in knowing that it will be ending soon...and boy am I going to celebrate!

Sobering Reminders

One terrible thing about being in a combat environment is that sometimes you forget you are at war. Things tend to work much like the movie Groundhog Day, where you get up everyday and do pretty much the same thing. However, sometimes there are events that bring you back to reality. Yesterday was one of those days.
I think I've mentioned them before, but the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Paktika has a team in the East and the West. I work closely with the guys in the East, as we share an office. Yesterday, on a typical road inspection patrol, two members of the team in the West were killed by an IED. Moreover, a young boy around the age of 12 was struck by a bullet that ricocheted off a berm at one of our ranges. The bullet entered one of his cheeks and got lodged at the base of his skull, breaking his neck. Luckily he still alive, but was evacuated to Bagram Air Field to receive treatment and has not seen any of his family since leaving OE. Today, I had to tell his older brother and cousin that he is in stable condition, but it will be a while before they can see him. In both cases, these people were going through their normal routines; yet they were just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Complacency is a disease that can permeate every aspect of life in theater. When you first show up here, you are keenly aware of every loud noise, whether it's incoming or outgoing artillery, or merely a door that closes to hard and rattles the walls. However, you become so used to that kind of stuff that you forget the fact that death and destruction may be lurking over the shoulder. Thinking too much about that can drive you insane, yet forgetting it can be just as deadly.

FOB Tillman

On Monday, I flew out to one of our unit's other operating bases, FOB Tillman. In case you're wondering, it was named after former NFL player and Army Ranger Pat Tillman. The FOB is situated in a valley between a couple of mountains and is a stone's throw (or rocket lob, as you'll find out) away from the Pakistani border.
The main purpose for coming out here was to help the Battle Space Owner (BSO) with figuring out how to engage a couple of smaller sub-tribes in the district who are seen as hostile.
At roughly 0300 yesterday morning, I set out with a platoon conducting a ground movement (that means we walked) to a nearby village to meet with some of the elders (called a Key Leader Engagement, or KLE). We left at night (because it's a little too dangerous to walk on the road during daylight) and arrived at our destination around 0500. However, it was still dark and nobody in the village was awake. So, we all just sat on the side of a big hill until the sun came up and people started moving about the village. Despite the cold chill running down my back, it was a beautiful sight to see the sun coming up over the ridge line. Absolutely breathtaking (or maybe that was from the walk).
After meeting with the village elders and learning about all the things they need (pretty much the only thing they talk to me about), we made our way back to base. However, since it was daylight we had to take another route, this one up and over a few ridge lines. Back in the states, I enjoy this kind of stuff. Give me some trekking poles, a little water and I'm good to go. Yet, with about 70 pounds of armor strapped to body and my M4, it was another matter. I got to stop and admire the views at the top, and nobody started shooting at us, so all in all it was a good trip (with the exception of the sprained ankle I got while stepping down into a dry riverbed).
Why am I still here, you might ask? Well, funny story. I was standing on the flight line this morning, waiting for our helicopter with about 8 other guys, when we started taking indirect fire (IDF). In other words, the enemy started shooting rockets at us. We had a couple land within about 200 meters of us, and the other 6 throughout the day haven't done any serious damage; however, because of the IDF, they cancelled all flights for 24. Hopefully we won't get shot at anymore so I can go back to OE!
One of the other guys waiting on the bird was an Army Chaplain. We were chatting up our favorite college football teams. While in the bunker, waiting for the "all clear", he looked at me and said, "You know, the shooting started happening when we were talking about UT Football." This is going to be a long season/deployment, I thought to myself.

Mandatory Fun Movie Night

One (of the many) annoying things about the Army is the notion that if people work together all day long, at the end of the day they should spend more time together socializing. Particularly in garrison, we are required to attend gatherings and "enjoy each other's company", as if we didn't just see each other the previous 12 hours of the day. On that note, the Battalion Executive Officer (XO) has made Friday evenings a mandatory movie night event for all the primary Staff Officers. Each week, one of us picks a movie for us all to watch, and this past Friday the XO chose our feature presentation: The Road.
First off, in probably any other setting I might have enjoyed this movie. I like Viggo Mortensen as an actor and thought there were a couple of good scenes; however, when forced to watch any movie, it's bound to slant your overall opinion. If you haven't seen it, the plot (or lack thereof) focuses on a father and son who try to survive the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. Throughout the movie, both main characters escape numerous brushes with death, including dual suicide. In one scene, Viggo's character and his son were hiding from potential killers in a bathroom. Rather than risk their fate with the cannibals, Viggo prepares to shoot his son in the head. Forgive me for thinking this way, but I wanted him to do it because I thought it would mean the end of the movie! What is more, you're showing this to a group of guys who each have a pistol attached to his hip, as if to provoke us to do the same in hopes of ending the misery that accompanied a mandatory movie as depressing as this one.
In sum, mandatory fun is an oxymoron. Forcing people to do something fun becomes the exact opposite, especially when you show a movie that is, at the very least, unfun. Thanks again big Army for making me do something I don't want to do and preventing me from skyping with my family back home...probably the only fun thing I could have done on a Friday night in Afghanistan!

Mineroller

In an effort to combat victim initiated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) against Coalition Forces, the military began using a method of detecting them before it was too late. The piece of equipment we use is called a mineroller. In short, it's a nifty contraption on the front of a vehicle that detonates the IED before the vehicle rolls over it, thus limiting the direct impact of the blast and the lives of countless personnel have been saved because of it. However, there are some downsides to this piece of equipment and I experienced one in particular today (don't worry, Leslie, nothing scary happened).
Because the roads in Afghanistan are terrible, and many of the vehicles we use aren't very condusive to this terrain, it's possible something on them to break every once a while. On the way back from a small village in the southern portion of our AO, our lead vehicle made a rough turn going up a hill and the mineroller broke. Luckily we were on our way back and had already swept the road for IEDs, so it did it's job! After assessing the damage, we realized that the only real solution was to just drive very slowly in hopes that it would not become worse. When fully mission capable (FMC), the mineroller will twist and turn in whatever direction the driver turns the steering wheel; but, now the assessment was that "it couldn't pass a sobriety test," according to one observer. It was twisting and turning in whatever direction it wanted.
In sum, for over 4 HOURS we drove 15 MPH and stopped periodically to fix it after going through another rough patch in the road (or lack thereof). While the layperson might consider this to be somewhat of a security concern, I can assure you that we were in no real or present danger (as evidenced by the 30 minute power nap I took in the back of the truck while we tied a towbar to the top of the mineroller in order to keep it straight). Thanks for the protection, big Army, but in doing so you took an extra 4 hours of my life that I'll never get back. Then again, I probably would've spent that time sitting in front of a computer making powerpoint slides. Nevermind!

Keep Your Eyes Open

I recently downloaded NeedToBreathe's new album "The Reckoning" (which, by the way, took me about an hour because the internet connection is so slow over here!). Anyways, there are a bunch of songs that I absolutely love listening to, but one in particular that really speaks to me. I was listening to it while working out and I almost cried and throw two fifty-pound weights threw a wall at the same time!
Keep Your Eyes Open is, in my opinion, a song written from point of view of our Creator. In this song, He is telling us that there are so many times in life that will be difficult, painful, hard and downright scary; however, we can't let those emotions paralyze us, especially if they stand between us and something in life that we desperately want to obtain or become. Regardless of struggles, if we keep our eyes open (on Him), we can achieve anything. However, if we quit or give up, then we will never fulfill what He has planned for us.
These words could never be more applicable to my life than now. The chorus says, "If you never leave home, never let go, you'll never make it to the great unknown." Honestly, that's exactly what I did when I decided to come over here. I a) left home, b) let go of everything keeping me there (friends, family, work, etc.) because I believed that upon my return, I'll hopefully go into the "great unknown". While I can't really what that is just yet, I firmly believe God has some big plans for me. Maybe not in the world's eyes, but His. All I have to do is keep my eyes open.

On A Unique Mission

For those of you who don't already know, I'm currently serving on a deployment to Afghanistan. My last deployment was in Iraq and I was doing a completely different job, so both the location and work are proving to be somewhat of a challenge.
Anyone not familiar with what a Civil Affairs Officer does could easily google the term and find a variety of different job descriptions. CA is most commonly associated with humanitarian aid and development in a combat or austere environment. Some prime examples of what we do, many of which I have often used myself, include handing out relief supplies, building wells and schools, or working with the host nation government to help strengthen its public institutions. While these are things that we do, what is hard for people to understand is WHY we do them.
The best answer, I think, for what we do is helping the Battle Space Owner (such as a Company or Battalion Commander) win the support of the local populace in order to deny the enemy a safe haven in the area. In many cases, we do this by giving civilians on the battlefield certain things they need or want; however, it is all intended to get something from them in return. Through negotiation and coercion, we can gain points of leverage on the populace that enable Coalition Forces to navigate through an area without civilian obstruction and gain a foothold in enemy occupied territory. If this seems hard to understand, don't worry, it is even harder to explain!
On this tour, I am serving as a Battalion Civil Affairs Officer (S9) and am responsible for helping root out Taliban using the needs and wants of the local populace. This doesn't necessarily mean that all we do is give them food and clothes, or build them schools and clinics. Rather, I am using these potential goods and services as leverage to turn the populace against the enemy. It's a key component in the Counterinsurgency strategy; however, many commanders do not see it that way. Often, all they want to do is kill the enemy; yet, they fail to consider what the fighting can do to the local nationals and how it affects their perception of both Coalition Forces and the enemy. If all we do is blow stuff up and kick in doors, then civilians are more likely to side with the enemy. My job is to show the locals that we are the good guys, not the Taliban.
I'm on a unique mission for two reasons. First, it's not what most people associate with war. Their initial reaction is to think of me as nothing more than a Soldier who walks the streets of Afghanistan, getting shot at or blown up. While this scenario is often the case, they don't quite understand WHY I have to do that. Second, I have to show both my Battalion leadership and peers why I am relevant to their operations. Without me, they risk alienating the locals through fear and intimidation. With me, they have the power to rally thousands of people in the fight against the Taliban.
Over the next several months, I hope to chronicle my efforts and share with you all my successes and failures. It's going to be a long and hard journey, so wish me luck!

Can I Get A Light?

One of the first things I learned about my new "home" is that you have to carry a flashlight on you almost all the time! The sun goes down here around 1815 (6:15pm local time for you civilians) and there are absolutely NO lights outside. We're talking Vin Diesel Pitch Black (a reference to a terrible movie he did back in 2000)! Luckily, before I came here I bought a survival knife with a LED light on the end of it because I can't see 6 inches in front of my face whenever I try to walk around this place. Even worse, the building I live in has no windows and we never turn the hall light on because people are sleeping all hours of the day, so I have to use it in there too! The only good thing about all this is that the enemy can't really see us when we're walking around at night; however, I'm more likely to get hurt walking into a wall or vehicle!