We're there!

Just before bed on the 29th we were informed that we would be flying to Afghanistan the next morning...which typically means a long day of riding buses and sitting around air terminals. The four of us went to bed, but I don’t think any of us actually slept that well. Each troop had his own thoughts, worries, and prayers. I got in bed at midnight and woke up wide awake at 0300, just so happened that Jeff and Rich both woke up within about 45 minutes of me. Our day went as follows:

ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL STANDARD TIME +8
30 APR 2010
0300 – Woke up at Camp Buehring and prepared for flight
0730 – Manifest (this is where all personnel are called out by name)
0800 – Load buses
0900 – Arrive at Ali al Salem
1100 – Ate lunch at a McDonalds…too weird!
1230 – Roll call
1500 – Final roll call and departure from Ali al Salem
1700 – Wheels up
2300 – Arrive at Bagram, Afghanistan
2330 – Part ways with CPT Campbell / SSG Richardson
2345 – Directed to our new home
1 MAY 2010
0000 – Begin cleaning / unpacking
0300 – Finish unpacking
0315 – Shower
0400 – Lights out

We arrived at Bagram Airfield just before midnight on the last day of April. Up until this point "The Team" had been told that we would be splitting up and going four separate ways. However, upon our arrival here we learned that we would not be split completely but would go in pairs. Jeff and Rich would have one more leg on their flight before finishing up in Kandahar; Daniel and I would remain here at Bagram.

Bagram is the largest military base in Afghanistan and Kandahar is either the second or third largest. After speaking with my counterparts in Kandahar is sounds as if both Regional Contracting Centers (RCC's) will stay quite busy. I'm not sure about Kandahar, but the area surrounding Bagram is actually very pretty. If it weren't for the fact that we are in Afghanistan, this place could probably be a tourist attraction of some sort...maybe a ski resort.

Daniel and I got set up in a pretty decent "B Hut," which is a plywood room that is probably 20' x 18' (or so) and holds 4 people. Our roommates are both civilian contractors who work in the same office as we do. We haven't met them yet, but one of them has a poster on his door that states..."DUE TO FREQUENT DISTURBING EMINITIONS ORIGINATING FROM THIS LOCATION, ALL PERSONS ENTERING THIS LOCATION ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO DON PROTECTIVE ASPIRATION EQUIPMENT IN THE EVENT OF AN UNANNOUNCED EMINITION. THANK YOU." Again...we haven't met him yet, but he sounds interesting already.

I will try to upload a picture of my hut or the area surrounding us as time allows, but for now I just don't have the energy to do so. We are both suffering from some serious jetlag and haven't slept more than a couple hours each night we've been here due to our proximity to the airfield. Planes, jets, and helicopters are leaving at what seems to be all hours of the night and day...as you might imagine they are very loud. After speaking with our co-workers it looks like we'll be working at least 12 hour days with a half day off on Sunday!

That's it for now, I'll post more as time and energy allow.