6 Months Down

Sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been extremely busy, just returning from R&R, moved from one COP to another...

Counted down the days to R&R, couldn't wait to get out of COP Herrera. Not that the COP was bad, just didn't want to be in-country any more.

Started having really bad dreams about war, being shot at or surprised by enemies and not having my weapon. Kinda crazy. Didn't really expect that to happen. Something about sitting quietly reading a book or playing a game and being surprised by an explosion nearby and having to don all your equipment and head to a bunker (or aid-station, in my case)

Anyway... I've been on over 100 missions (probably closer to 140) while at COP Herrera; didn't really keep count tho I've started to here in Zormat. I was the medic for two squads so while one squad went out, the other stayed behind... every mission HAS to have a medic.

R&R was amazing! I couldn't wait to get home. The system the Army uses for flying soldiers out leaves much to be desired. There's so much to do and so much waiting around, the process is awful. But when you get home it's all worth it. My wife and kids treated my like a king and I was so happy to be home. I was a little jumpy at home. Kept hearing loud noises and that would freak me out. You get used to it downrange and you grab your rifle and gear but at home, my family is there, and they don't have a rifle and gear. Garbage trucks, nearby ranges, car doors slamming... all freaked me out.

Christmas came and went. Many of the soldiers got really grouchy or severely depressed. Especially the single ones. I tried to make the most of it but it was a really difficult and emotional day. Thanks to Skype, I was able to see my family in Germany open their gifts. Now I look forward to new year.

Which brings me to my resolution. Not really a resolution, but more a determination. I lost a total of more than 20 pounds while at COP Herrera without really trying. Managed to gain 7 back while I was on leave. So, my "determination" is to, this time, not just loose, but to tone. Which, for me, means hitting the gym, some weights and constant workout routine. Now that I've got internet, I've chosen the workouts I want to do, thanks to MenHealth.com, and will begin these workouts after the new year.

Mostly, I'm doing this for myself. I want to feel good about myself. But also I'm doing it for my lovely lady back home, who treated me so good, and is working incredibly hard raising 4 children by herself (3 of which aren't even her own biologically). I often think her job is WAY harder than mine and her stresses are WAY more than mine. Regardless of which is true, she deserves to have a man that looks amazing without a shirt. You'd be amazed at what small thing like that means to someone. Sooooooooo. I'll let you know how that goes.

Anyway. Putting my nose back to the grind stone and thanks again to the internet, I'm able to keep my skills sharp so when/if someone gets hurt, they'll get top-notch treatment.

1 month down

Well it's been a month since I've been in-country. So how can I quantify the first 30 days? So far, I've traveled to 3 different countries, moved 4 times, was sick the first seven days, been blown up once, shot at twice (1 RPG, and several rockets), lost about 8 pounds, missed 1 child's birthday, 2 holidays, and have gone on about 20 combat missions outside the wire.

In spite of all this I'm doing well. The only good thing about this deployment is that time keeps moving.

I'm not quite in a routine yet but I expect that to come.

My family is en route to the states as I write this. Last I checked they were in McGuire AFB waiting on their flight to their next destination. 2 fun filled weeks in sunny California.

Nothing really to report other than everyone is in moderately good health, absent or extreme bowel movements aside.

Wish I could be visiting in the states with my family but... duty calls.

Counting down to R&R

update

A few days ago I witnessed a man shot in the neck, another shot, fatally, in the head, and another died from unknown wounds. These were not US or NATO forces, thank god. However, one of our soldiers from this outpost succumbed to his injuries during the same firefight, and two others were injured. They ambushed a convoy while it was rolling through a very dangerous area. The MRAP (mine resistant ambush protected) caught fire and was ultimately destroyed. It was a smoldering shell of a vehicle.

Aside from that... life isn't so bad here in Afghanistan. Others in my unit have it worse. Some have it better. The biggest bummer has been missing Father's Day, Fourth of July, and in a few days, my daughter's 16th birthday. Kind of a big deal, but I'm going to miss every one's birthday and every holiday within the next 11 months.

Keeping track of days has been pretty difficult. It's really hard to tell which day it is unless you have a watch or a calendar. Then there's our internet connection. It's sometimes spotty, sometimes blacked out (meaning we can't use it at all) and there are others who stand in line to use it so having meaningful conversations can sometimes be difficult.

My biggest supporter has been my wife. She's been really great. I can't imagine doing this without her. Getting packages is like Christmas. Even though it sometimes takes months for mail to get to this extremely remote location.

Things are just getting ramped up here in Afghanistan as "fighting season" is about to begin. This is where they come out of the holes they've been living in through the winter months and take pot shots at us, ambush us, hide in the bushes and try to blow us up then run and hide. An extremely cowardly enemy. Probably because they know if they went toe to toe with us they'd have a better chance of surviving as an ice cube in hell.

Happy Fourth

Dinner at our humble DFAC was amazing... ribs, rib eye, ham, fish, and pretty much all the fixings... Our DFAC rocks!

Later on in the evening we let off some illumination mortars into the night sky. I took video from inside the mortar pit. You can find the video (when I'm able to post it) on my YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/thedocsilva .

Baumholder, last year, didn't even have fireworks so this beats the heck out of it. Only thing missing... my family.

First Contact

Today our convoy engaged in its first fire fight. We took RPG and small arms fire. After we returning fire I was able to dismount and we cleared a field up to the base of the mountain where we believed the RPG originated.

When I first heard the blast, I heard small arms fire and my first thought was "that's real." We're not training any more. Those aren't blanks and pyro. At first I wasn't going to dismount and I felt some relief but also disappointment. A minute later my squad leader came to get me and without hesitation I grabbed my rifle.

We weren't able to kill anyone but we did manage to detain a Taliban who may have been involved and discovered a small weapons cache. So overall it was a good engagement.

3rd mission outside the wire and I've already earned my Combat Action Badge. Still waiting for my Combat Medic Badge but I don't like the thought of getting it at the expense of one of my soldiers. Maybe it won't be this way.

These people are cowards. They pop out of a hole, try to kill us, then run and hide. They don't care about innocent civilians, even children. As long as one US or NATO troop is killed, they'll get paid or achieve their objective. There is nothing more cowardly than launching missiles where and while you sleep under the cover of darkness. Except for, perhaps, using innocent children to stand on top of an IED as a marker so when our convoy rolls by they can detonate it from a distance and... the child.

Thank god none of our soldiers were injured. Let's hope things stay this way.

Pleasantly surprised

I've been at my final destination for just over 24 hours now. Spent the day drinking from a water hose. That's pretty much what the process has felt like. OPSEC is obviously a huge concern so what you'll probably see is blogging on past events rather than current or future events. This is to protect my unit and this area.

The facilities we have here are quite nice. I'm not sleeping in a tent, we have showers and running water, hot food, phone and internet and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. This country is very very pretty.

I can't say what my mission is or what I'll be doing but I look forward to the whole experience.

Thanks to everyone for supporting me back home. Experiencing a little separation anxiety but I hear that's normal.

...

By now you've heard about the rocket attacks on Bagram.

I had just arrived earlier that morning and was trying to sleep when at 2am I heard the 3rd of the 4 rockets hit. I took my earplugs out and the 4th hit much closer to where I was. I heard the ricochet and then the gravel spray.

My heart goes out to the family of the soldiers who lost their lives and the those who where injured in this cowardly attack.

I may not be able to post new blogs very often. Communications may be extremely limited or non-existent. So if you don't hear from me in awhile, that's probably why.

Bagram

I'm safe, only have like one minute. Love you back home. Keeping my head up.

Final post before wheels up

I thought I was nervous before and now that I'm less than 12 hours from leaving the family behind I've got more jitters than ever. Scared. Nervous. Excited. Anxious. Yeah, I'm all those right now.

Training is over. Now it's time to put all the skills from basic, AIT, and the last 3 years I've spent training here to use. My feeling is if I can provide the medical treatment to help bring one soldier who, god forbid, is injured in combat home to his or her family then the sacrifice me and my family have made, months spent in the field, god-awful early formations, and every thing else I've endured so far will have been worth it.

A big thanks to all my family, my wife, my kids, and everyone back in the states who have loved me, supported me, and offered their prayers. Please continue to pray for not only me, but everyone in my unit and the families they will leave behind.

This is possibly my final post before leaving Germany. Next post should be in Afghanistan. So, until next time... more proud than ever to be an American Soldier.

Free speech

Just wanted to give a little bit of information on this blog. Hopefully it will answer some questions and put some minds at ease.

I am a US Army Soldier. I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic and bear true faith and allegiance to the same. Having said that. I hope this blog to be a form of communication for my friends and family in Germany and in the States. If you want to find gore, keep moving, if you want to find political view points on the war, keep moving, if you want to find sensitive or classified information regarding my unit, the army, or other military branches, keep moving (try watching CNN or Fox News).

Although I do not have the right to free speech (not fully), I will continue to fight for it. Having said that... I hope you'll follow me on what I hope will be an interesting journey.