Over the mountains and far away
14th Nov
Travelling in this country really sucks some days, and today was certainly up there in the top 10. Rising and packing before sun-up, I was breakfasted early and ready for the move back in to Spina. The plan was for Charlie Company to provide security while the Civil Affairs and ETTs handled the Humanitarian Assistance distribution. We would be joined by the 1/503rd Scouts, who had spent the last several days in the mountains, in an over-watch position. The poor buggers had been inserted by helicopter, and had spent the days and nights freezing their asses off, while ostensibly protecting the operation from rocket or mortar attack from the ridgelines. They had had to hump down the mountain and looked pretty exhausted when they walked into Spina.
By this time the HA drop was well under way. Once again the event had started off fairly civilised but unfortunately had descended into a melee, with ANA chasing and threatening to beat people with their guns and belts. What was heartening to see was a group of girls coming forward to take their share of the spoils, the first time I have seen this happen I Afghanistan.
Once the drop was finished we should have been on our way, but first we had to wait for Attack Company to arrive and replace March or Die. They were coming over the same pass we had yesterday, so while the brilliant planners back at whatever base was coordinating this mission had allocated a couple of hours for the movement, in reality it took a lot longer, as they faced the same obstacles we had. This lack of understanding of the situation on the ground by the senior leaders is an ongoing source of frustration amongst the troops. They see it as a failing in their commanders to not understand, and take into account, the trials and tribulations of travelling by road. Or should I say lack of road.
Which leads nicely to the next FUBAR (an old military phrase which applies as much today as ever – Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition). The plan was for Charlie Company to return to Orgun-E, the base where I had met them, and then to continue by road back to Bermel, their home base of operations. But this would mean going back over the same pass again, and no-one was keen on that idea. The Military Police element that was with the mission was heading back to FOB Sharana, a major base in Paktika, and they told 1SG that there was a good road all the way, plus a decent road to Orgun-E after that. On paper it seemed ludicrous, as it would take Charlie Company miles out of their way, and once again they would be initially heading further away from where they were trying to get to. But 1SG was assured that the “paved road,” as prevalent in Afghanistan as Yeti in my opinion, was certain to make the trip faster and safer than going back the way we had come. The MPs assured the 1SG that they travelled the road often, and that it was good. Also, a paved road is harder to place IEDs in, and so is always an attractive option.
With the eventual arrival of Attack, we were finally ready to go. The MPs knew the way, so they would lead. They set off confidently, and everyone got into the correct order of march, and followed. 10 minutes later, with the entire convoy trying to execute u-turns in the narrow streets, with mud-walls on either side, due to a wrong turn by the MPs, I started to have doubts. In fact, more doubts, because I already thought the paved road story was bullshit; either a myth or wishful thinking. However, I am an ignorant non-military civilian, and worse still, a journalist, so I said nothing. More driving through those claustrophobic laneways, and whoops, we were lost again. Now 1SG started to vocalise his thoughts, in a delightfully colourfully manner, and so I felt I could join in. And did, with gusto. How those MP ears must have burned.
And then, unbelievably, after more u-turns, bashed walls, and much to the bemusement of the local Afghans watching us, it became apparent that for the third time, we were lost. I kid you not! Spina is not a big town, it is tiny. How in Christ’s name could we get lost 3 times in what was probably a square mile? We had now spent a FULL HOUR trying to get out of town, and tempers were fraying.
1SG offered a little guidance, in his own inimitable fashion, and finally we started to make progress (1SG is also known as “The Big Angry” and having heard this for over a week now, I finally got to see why). Soon we were climbing again, as we made our way to another mountain pass. But of course we had been assured by the very same MPs that this was a much easier pass, and after all, the paved road awaited us as reward for whatever difficulties we had so far suffered. The pass was in fact simple enough to climb, although one of the Humvees crapped out, meaning it had to be towed. So now the wrecker was towing one, and a Humvee was towing another. When we crested the pass it became immediately apparent that this was going to present very serious problems. The descending road was like something out of a Roadrunner cartoon. The road was effectively built onto the side of the mountain, and in no way looked strong enough to hold even a starving mountain goat, let alone a fully up-armoured Humvee. And as for the recovery vehicle, well, I felt sorry for the driver and crew. It would be a miracle or a display of super-human driving if he made it down in one piece. Oh, I forgot to mention the hairpin turns, and the approx 600ft drop off at the start of the descent.
The ride down was, …hmm, how do I put this, not fun. Really unpleasant in fact. But for the wrecker, which was behind us, it must have been a nightmare. The first hairpin turn required them to make, wait for it, a 20 point turn. And on the second hairpin the Humvee being towed broke free, such was the twisting and wriggling that was required. By the time they reached the bottom it was almost dark. There was still a long way to go before we reached FOB Sharana, let alone Orgun-E. 1SG worried that he would be ordered to stop and camp by the road over night, as travelling in the darkness holds it own dangers. There is also the added problem of lack of Medevac availability in the dark. However, he is very experienced, and obviously a lot of people put a lot of trust in his judgement, and so we were able to continue.
By now all the soldiers were wearing their Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) and so could see well. I, on the other hand, couldn’t see a damned thing, so I fell asleep. Briefly. The sound and feeling of the Humvee slamming into an unseen dip frightened the life out of me. Waking up to what sounds and feels like an IED ripping through a vehicle is not conducive to calmness, and so, with my heart pounding for a few miles, I was awake and alert again.
Of course, there was no paved road, or if there was, the MPs must have taken one of their infamous wrong turns, because we bounced and bumped over dirt tracks, and even off –road, for the entire trip to FOB Sharana. At one point, part of the convoy got lost in the dark, and an overhead aircraft was asked to check on the progress of the situation from the sky, with their own night vision capability. The pilot informed the missing element that they were in fact travelling in the wrong direction, and needed to “do a 180 degree turnaround” to rejoin the convoy. Their section leader, known as “Little Angry” for his emulation of 1SG, exploded over the radio. I couldn’t hear the actual event because I didn’t have a headset, but I got the basic gist of it once the guys in my Humvee had stopped laughing. Suffice to say, he was not happy with his people.
Finally approaching the FOB, we encountered what 1SG described as “The Eye of Sauron”, a reference to Lord of the Rings. There was a massively bright rotating light, not dissimilar to a lighthouse beacon, that shone out from Sharana. Either the FOB’s occupants get lost frequently, or they have decided that the insurgents need something to aim at in the night, when shooting rockets. It led us in though, and I was much relieved when I was finally able to get out of the Humvee and stretch my legs. It had taken 5 ½ hours to make the trip, including the farcical tour of Spina. Now we had 15 minutes until the Chow Hall closed. However, there is a PX (military supermarket-type outlet) on the base, and the March or Die boys were torn. 1SG told me he hadn’t exchanged cash for goods in 6 months, and the same would be true for most of the guys. Using his powers of persuasion, he convinced the PX to remain open a little longer, thus allowing everyone to enjoy the spectacular DFAC (dining facility) before shopping till they dropped.
After all the excitement of real food and then the PX, I was ready for bed. But first I needed a shower. Having dumped my gear on a bunk in our designated tent, I found the wash facility and stripped. Unfortunately a lot of other guys had got there before me, and I ended up having a freezing cold shower. My teeth were chattering when I finished, but it felt good to be clean.
I then realised that being at a major base, my Afghan mobile might work. I switched it on, and low and behold I got a signal. This was great, because I had been out of contact from the moment I left Orgun-E 7 days ago, and I knew that my girlfriend would be worrying about me. I felt sure she would have heard about the 6 US deaths in Nuristan several days before, and because that is where I was shot earlier in the year, I knew this would have set her imagination running wild. I dialled, she answered, and it was great to hear her voice. It had only been a week, but a lot had happened, and I felt better already just talking to her. I was right, she had heard about the incident, and had been worried, although she managed to contact my embedding contact at Bagram, who assured her I was nowhere near that particular fight. That took 12 hours though, and she said it had been a hard 12 hours. Again the feelings of guilt came to me. I put so many people through so much worry with these trips. I believe my work is important, and I am willing to run the risk of getting hurt again, or even killed, but it is hard to bear the truth, that I am not alone in the equation. I am certain that this is what will eventually stop me, but not tonight. I told Helen not to worry, a useless request of course, and then I made for my bunk.
There was one more act to the day’s play though. In the tent the XO and some of the other guys were in convulsions of laughter, and when they could finally talk, they explained why. Apparently the 1SG had just had a call informing him that none of the senior commanders had been tracking the convoy’s movements that day, and in fact Charlie Company was still supposed to be in Spina. They were now telling him that on the morrow we would have to retrace our steps entirely. This was ridiculous, and discussions were ongoing. I dreaded the thoughts of going back over those roads and that pass again, but there was not a bloody thing I could do to influence the outcome, so I embraced my helplessness, and slept.