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Published: October 15th 2010
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Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve written anything here. It’s not that I haven’t been busy, just there’s a bit of a Groundhog Day thing that occurs here and I really didn’t feel like there was anything to report on.
Maybe I’ll start with telling you about Camp Nathan Smith and the changes that have occurred there. I’ll take you back to Late March, when I first arrived in Afghanistan, there were less than 500 people living and working at CNS. Among them, a few dozen Americans peacefully living among Canadian soldiers and civilians as well as a small army of Afghans who worked at the camp.
Fast forward to August. CNS has changed hands; it is now a US camp. It has grown in size by more than 400%. The influx of American troops and assets is staggering. They set up tent cities on every available square inch of land, even going so far as to push out the walls to make room. What surprised me with this process was the lack of advance planning by the Yanks when it came to infrastructure. No effort was made to insure that the infrastructure (dining facilities (D-FACs), washrooms, showers
and laundry) was in place to support the massive increase in population. Nor did the Americans bring their own internet or phone system for their soldiers to communicate back home with.
Our little Shangri-la in the middle of the war had been overrun with the green uniforms of the United States Army. I guess I was just surprised that the most powerful army in the world had so little regard for its own soldiers. It took some time for the infrastructure to appear, and in the meantime we were faced with long line-ups for just about everything as well as food shortages and 6 day laundry turn around. At present, the Americans have built a new D-FAC and replaced the old Canadian one too. They have also put in new laundry facilities. They have not supplied their people with internet/phone service which means that US troops, desperate to call home, are sneaking in constantly and using Canadian facilities designed for a few hundred, not thousands. I can’t help but feel sorry for US military personnel, they are underpaid and overworked and treated poorly by their superiors on the ground.
Watching all this I have also come to the
conclusion that our men and women in the Canadian Forces are quite likely the most professional army out here. Sure, we don’t have the latest vehicles and equipment, but pound for pound, I would bet on our people any day.
The locals working on camp also felt the pinch. They suddenly found themselves with an American employer. On the 2nd day after the transition, about 10 local kitchen workers quit as a result of being poorly treated by the bosses. Very telling…
On September 14, along with my Superintendant, I travelled to KAF to greet 20 newly arriving Canadian Police officers. They arrived on the 15th with the same look of bewilderment that I remember having back in March.
That first night at KAF was rough, 3 separate rocket attacks sounded in the wee hours. Rocket attack alarms are a fairly regular occurrence at KAF. Rarely do the rockets even hit within the perimeter of the base, but the early detection system will sound the alarm every time, giving about 8 seconds notice before the rocket strikes… somewhere. The procedure is quite simple. Hit the deck! Then head for bunkers…
The following morning, I received
word that one of the new arrivals did not want to continue on with the mission. Undoubtedly, other issues had existed prior to the sleepless night, but I can’t help but think that the sirens going off all night didn’t help much. I learned that if someone wants to leave mission, you don’t talk them out of it. It is a harsh environment we must live in and the separation from loved ones is more than some people can take.
On the 16th, we were scheduled to fly the 19 remaining members on a pair of Blackhawk helicopters to CNS. It was an early departure and we arrived at the helipad as the sun was rising over the mountains that surround KAF. There we learned that the flight had been delayed, by 4 hours. This gave us a chance to grab some breakfast and bake in the hot sun for a while.
The Blackhawk pilot must have been feeling playful or something. As we flew we just barely avoided the peaks of mountains while following their contour. A 4 ticket ride at the fair to be sure!
Within the following days, another member of the new rotation
would express a desire to head home. I’m sure these departures were tough on those who had spent the previous months training together and forming a tight knit group, but I approached it with little feeling, I still think that if you have enough doubt to want to go home, you should go before you get trapped in a situation that can get very difficult.
The remaining 18 were put through their paces over the 4 days that followed, weapons needed to be zeroed, procedures learned and orientations given. Once that was done, some stayed at CNS, others scattered to FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) or off to Kabul to undertake their new jobs.
One of them was in for a treat, he was getting my job. It’s not until I had to teach it to someone that I realized how much it entailed and how much relied on me in order to happen. The poor guy seemed overwhelmed at first. After 2 weeks of training, he was on his way though.
I was on my way as well… on my way to KAF. Now that I had become redundant at CNS, I was going to take over
the position of Canadian Police Advisor to TFK. Task Force Kandahar is the Canadian Headquarters for the whole kit and caboodle. It is very corporate and involves me interacting with a bunch of people who would be much too important to talk to me if we were back in Canada. Actually, they are quite nice, as in all federal agencies; there are many francophones in the command echelon of the military, so I am using my languages to win hearts and minds. In addition to being the link at KAF for our CIVPOL members, I attend regular meetings to further advance the projects that CIVPOL undertakes and that rely so heavily on military cooperation. It doesn't sound like much but somehow my days are filled.
I am also planning the exit strategy for my own rotation, as we are due back in Canada on December 20th in addition to being tasked with writting what is being dubbed a "Legacy Report" outlining the contribution of the Canadian Policing mission in Kandahar since its inception. I should have that typed out by tomorrow... Sigh.
Although KAF offers more amenities than did CNS, it is still an airbase, and as such
is a very busy and noisy place. Jet fighters, helicopters and transport planes are constantly on the move. The days are still pretty hot, hitting high 30s or low 40s at their peak. Still no rain since April.
I am now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, just 2 months left. It’s been tough, even tougher for Erin who was left back home to deal alone with the challenges that everyday life offers. She’s done great and I am appreciative for her sacrifices that have allowed me to be a part of this mission that is bigger than any individual. They say that these types of missions change people. Not sure you can do much to change a guy pushing 40.
But it has changed my perspective on the world we live in. More than ever I am convinced that everyday people around the planet are exactly the same. They may look different, eat different food and wear strange clothing, but the basics are the same. When a policeman from the Canadian Prairies can sit on the ground in Kandahar and share a laugh with an Afghan cop, I know this to be true.
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Randy Prokopanko
non-member comment
Only 2 months?
Great to hear from you and again a wonderful blog to keep us informed. Can't wait to sit down with you in S'toon and all the rest of the stories that didn't make these blogs. I'll book a week! Looking forward to seeing you again and have a safe trip home. Pushing 40?!! You kids are so funny...