When in Doubt ATTACK!
"I hired you to do a job, not your best!"
Dagny - Atlas Shrugged
As we sit on the back porch of our hooch the afternoon wind begins to pick up, blowing the ultra fine dust of Afghanistan around. Little parting gifts for each of us, driven into our ears, nose and eyes. The brutal daily heat gives way to a strong wind in the afternoon.
Use a hairdryer and sandpaper on your face and you’ll get the general feeling. I think to myself there must be some way to package this little piece of torture and sell it to spas back home in California. I’m convinced that somebody will buy it; it’s too stupid not to have someone believe it’s good for them.
The little group sitting here seems beaten into submission and the wind is the final sadistic stroke delivered unto us. It’s been several days since we were notified about our upcoming replacement by another team. Any sane person would think this is great news, finally we will go home. Right now it seems the worst news we’ve ever heard. We sit here waiting; for what we’re not sure.
As the Afghan sand peals away the top layer of skin, it happens. Metamorphosis. It happens fairly quickly. This is why Americans are dangerous; they fail to see when they should give up.
“OK, so this is what we’ve got and we need to come up with a course of action. We can quit or we can do something. I say we do something.” I state to CPT Brain and MSG Famine
“ROGER” they both answer. And we’re off to see the wizard.
My tactical career has always really been shaped by two guiding tenants. First, if you’re about to lose then change the rules and second if you’re going into a fair fight you’ve done something wrong. Now, we’re about to change the rules.
Our course of action needs to set the conditions; allowing the follow -on unit to be successful. Shift the level of advising from the Kandak level to the Company/ Platoon level maximizing the strengths and assets available. We’ll still be left without someone to mentor the Kandak Staff and Kandak Commander but we need to keep the fight up and continue to advance the ANA.
The wind and its gritty passengers now push us on. No longer is the peeling a torture but cleansing, revealing a new opportunity. If fate closes a door, then blow hole in the wall with detcord; screw waiting for the window to open.
The three of us along with our coalition partner begin brainstorming. We put together a plan that’s scalable, repeatable and sustainable. It will hinge upon more than just ETTs but the ability of the CF to assist even further in the development and execution of operations.
As the final layers peel away, we’re left with a concept we think we can work with. I can’t really elaborate on the plan as this goes into tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) which are verboten in blogs. That’s like giving the playbook to the other team.
The evening sets in and the wind begins to slow, with the dissipation of the heat. The sun sets over the mountains in Pakistan and calm rests upon the desert floor. An orange light is cast across the landscape almost pleasant, a harbinger of the next day. Maybe not a harbinger of ill events but a seizure of events. A choice to act before being acted upon.
After this we began putting the plan into action. As with anything here it’s done with little baby steps. The first steps were halting and at times mind splittingly frustrating but it’s shaping up nicely. Only when the new team arrives will we know the true result and then it will be theirs to carry on. It looks very promising though; there will be some backward steps as always. But that’s the nature of advising.
Sometimes your advising skills have to compensate for decisions of your own Army.
By the way anyone up for an “Afghan Cleansing Wind Treatment”? Look for it coming soon to a spa near you! I know somebody is going to buy this, I just know it!
I’ll keep you posted.
The Afghan Cleansing Wind Treatment should definitely be offered at all spas, especially the ones in Berkeley! Best wishes for a swift and safe trip home
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Now THAT sounds totally like a Ranger or a Force Recon attitude! Well done. Keep the faith!
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Hurrah for you! I can't say I'm surprised that you would find a way to make lemonade out of lemons (screwdrivers out of oranges?). That's giving it the old college (Army?) try. Hang in there, guys. And send us a picture of those beautiful complexions after your exotic dermabrasion.
Aleta
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Good luck with the results of your brain-storming! Never give in, despite the odds against you. In reference to the “Afghan Cleansing Wind Treatment" I believe I have the clientele for you....South Koreans! You see, my in laws are Korean and when they came to visit us (in the USA) they preferred to drink our nasty ass'd sulfur infested tap water. It kind of smells like rotten eggs (ick!). Rather than drink the good water we have delivered to our home, they want to drink the nasty crap-water saying "It smells! Must have a lot of good minerals in it! Good for your health!" I tried to explain that this wasn't necessarily the case but they would have none of it and continued drinking many gallons of that putrid water. I let them poison themselves. Stooopid Koreans! I'm sure they will gladly cleanse themselves the Afghan way.
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OOh--frikken-rah!!! Glad to hear of the change boss-man! Go forth and kick much ass!!!
Oh yeah, I'm sure some one in California will pay big bucks for that spa treatment.
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I feel for you guys, and it sounds like as always - you're doing more with less in spite of what's thrown at you...good luck.
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I guess great minds think alike.
We're getting yanked post haste, no sense having us double bunk with the new guys.
I'm working with the new team chief, Cpt Promise. He will have a full team, slotted of course.
My God, the things we could do with a teamed manned at or above full tasking, oh well.
volunteered to say behind, there is a volunteer program, volunteer to rip out early, no volunteer to stay and help. Go figure.
We're brainstroming a similar thing, working from the troop up with limited district level advising, hoping the CF will pony up a dude or two.
GOD Damn IT! we are 7 bodies, hostnational side, from being CM1.
Not some pencil whipped CM1, a real CM1. I ussually get one or two bites for recruits when we roll out.
I was told we would have been the first PMT to bring a force from cm4, straight from RTC, to CM1. We would have proved the FDD as viable.
This was big, now it is gone.
what was that whole thing about going down the rabbit hole, up was down etc.
screw it, now I want the new CPT and his team to suceed out of spite, spite for the fact of spite. Spite fr pulling my team off the 5 yard line, 1swt and goal for a first win ever and telling us...go away.
No "hey great, so close, you guys set a standard'...nope
just "get off the field, get your gear and go.
Ha, not so fast, there is still 11 days to develope some thing, forge aliances, intertwine sucees among a couple units so that many might pull in the same direction.
who know, ARSIC-E might catch wind and have us all before a firing squad, they shure as hell won't, and haven't, looked at the program here in any semblence of ongoing operational and tactical continuances.
but, whatya gonna do, it Afghanistan
Vengeance7 out.
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During WW II, there was the phrase, 'Yankee Ingenuity.' During that war, soldiers were short on all sorts of things and they devised ways to overcome what they lacked. We are still the same people...just a different generation of people. Their legacy has been passed on. There's nothing short of ingenuity amongst the lot of you. See..I had confidence all along that this situation of yours was not dead.....just needed a 'jump' start!
You are a great bunch....and you should be proud of yourselves!
JERSEY ANGEL
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I would like to purchase some of the “Afghan Cleansing Wind Treatment”. Is it guaranteed to make me look 10 years younger? JK Stay safe!
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"Red sky at night, sailor's delight" Orange is close enough!! Good Luck & may the wind be at your back! Mixing metaphors & quotes here, but you give me hope. People like you are the reason....... Shalom!
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Now that's my kind of team!!! Right on, keep kicking butt until the last possible minute!!!!!
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Thanks for the update--I hope something works out. I have a question though: did your tracer burnout post disappear because someone is doing something about it or did something else happen?
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Way to go Vampire 06!! Outfox all those sumsabeaches...
Y'all have left your mark on your AO, and I'd bet dollars to donuts that the Afghans you've worked with DO appreciate all you've done.
Stay safe!
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Very well done Vampire6. You have just demonstrated why LEADERSHIP is critical. Adapt, Improvise and Overcome.
Despite all the idiots in uniform and/or inside the Beltway. Charlie Mike.
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The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 05/20/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
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Good on ya! Keep up the pressure and come home safe!
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Gentlemen,
My hat is off to you all. Domestically, I find myself concerned for our nation. However, it gives me great hope (and pride) in America when I read your blog, BlackFive, This Ain't Hell, and other excellent blogs.
A month ago, I swore back in after a 20 year gap - this time to the National Guard. I've spent the last year discussing the implications with my wife and two 8-year-old children. They understand and support the decision. I joined knowing my unit was deploying this cycle and likely again within three years. Two weeks ago, they left without me. It was only after I was sworn that I received a letter from a senior medical officer challenging my fitness (spinal fusion, long story - fully recovered years ago, no ongoing medical issues). I am in process of challenging Separation Proceedings and am hoping for the best. It is difficult to understand this in light of the fact that my state deployed with a shortage of 200+ troops. I want to do my part, I MUST do my part.
It is frustrating to see the dedication and excellence of fine soldiers such as yourselves and hit a wall when trying to do my part in the effort. I see now that no matter what, I can certainly support in other ways such as the Angel program. Thanks for opening my eyes!
On a side note, I’m part of a missions group that has taken on a task to gather surplus PCs and retask them for use by the families of our state’s deployed soldiers. We will have them available at the armories (or wherever can be arranged) around the state so that the families can video conference with their loved ones that have deployed. It’s tough enough for families to be separated during war for extended periods and this seemed like a decent way to help bridge that gap.
I have procured the Toughbooks, but found that they are missing power supplies. Even the simplest jobs are tougher than they look on paper!
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Don't ya just love it when your own higher is listed under Enemy Forces in the OPORD?
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Leave it to the ingenuity of the American GI - you succeed in spite of (or despite)your higher ups and your government
As I prepare for my wonderful Memorial Day weekend with my niece and nephew on North Redington Beach (sans Burka thanks to guys like you
Thanks for all you are doing - you guys rock!
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It's all in the marketing. First, the secret of secrets;
"Afghanis are the hardiest people on earth."
"While living amongst the Afghan people for years, Vampire 6 learned the secret of their hardiness."
"The Master Martial Arts Instructor, Vampire 6, endeared himself to the locals and was entrusted with the secret to their hardiness, their secret to spiritual enrichment and how to grow grains in a waterless desert."
"Master Vampire will share that secret with you for 12 monthly installments of $29.95 or for a once in a lifetime opportunity at his Afghan style mud hut garage for $3,995 in a weekend of luxury and chai."
During your stay, you will enjoy cheap cigars, smoothing green chai, and the soothing effects of (a low velocity sandblaster) Afghan style exfoliation treatment, all under the careful attention of Master Vampire or his specially trained staff.
We have a winner! Let's do this!
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Hey Vamp 6! Sounds like a good alternative to botox to me!! Love YA!! God Bless you on Memorial Day. come home safe. xx Proud Navy Mom, Santa Cruz, Ca.
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Red!!! Yeah!! Berkeley would be the PERFECT place for such treatment!! It might bring them back to the 60's (oops, forgot, they are STILL there!!!).Best to you, my friend. Mary Kay/Proud Navy Mom/Santa Cruz, Ca. a.ka. "Berkeley South".xx take care.
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Good Job. One of things that is most lacking for deploying troops is good intel.. the Army is great at printing handbooks, but they just don't get the job done for people that have to interact with the locals. Keep up the good fight and you'll revamp training for new troops coming into country just like the Guard did at Ft. Irwin!!! God Bless, we look forward to seeing all of you at another Bar-B-Que soon.
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Give. Em. Hell.
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Dear Bats,
I would like to requisition the “Afghan Cleansing Wind Treatment.” It sounds perfect for my hemorrhoids.
-- Sheriff Joe Biden (currently under fire in Ohio)
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