Thanks Everybody

Hey there True Believers!

I have gotten to the point where I have not done anything productive.....except exercise.....for the last three days.  My replacement has fully taken the reins and my mission in Afghanistan is almost complete.  This is a really good feeling, because I can finally relax.  I am not going to lie, serving with the Army has definitely shown me my true potential and given me many memories and friendships that I will treasure for the rest of my life.  Any deployment after this will most likely be with the Air Force and much MUCH easier and shorter.  All I have left is the long journey home where I base hop and fly back in time to American.  You will know when I am finally back home through a Facebook update. 

Thank you everyone for keeping up with my blog and supporting me throughout my deployment in Afghanistan. 

WINNING!
JoJo

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Howdy True Believers,

Just an quick update that my replacement finally arrived a couple of days ago.  After a little turnover training my mission in Afghanistan will be complete.  Then it is just the journey home that will take a little while.  I can't wait to get back!

WINNING!
JoJo

The Peacock Flies Again

I seem to have only been using this blog to complain so I will change direction and give an update of the last month or so’s latest adventures. Hmm….where do I begin? I will start out with my dismounted patrol with the French Foreign legion, and then go to the helicopter adventure around Afghanistan.

Pulling security while waiting for an IED to be cleared

I thought I was finished with dismounted patrols in Afghanistan after my romp in southern Tagab where I talked to villagers and took down Taliban night letters and the elders were literally terrified to point of uncontrollable shaking to talk to Coalition Forces (IED and small-arms fire attacks a week later in the villages) before I went on R&R. Boy was I wrong. Last month our new French counterparts (who happened to be French Foreign Legion) arrived and to be a good neighbor I briefed them about an area when I got wind of where they were going. Initially I went to brief my specific counterpart, but it grew to me briefing the Platoon and Company leaders, and eventually the Commander. I must have made an impression because he invited me to go out with them on the mission. Dismounted combat patrol with the Légion étrangère , do You think I would turn that down ? Hell no. I still had to ask my commander for permission since it’s not really my job to do this. Surprisingly he said yes. I was elated.

Two other American guys and I set off with the Legion to conduct a key leader engagement (KLE) with local Afghans that were trained to provide their own security. Sweet huh? We did not get the memo that the dismounted movement would be 11 km. You are probably thinking that’s only 6.84 miles, that doesn’t sound hard. Let me put this into perspective my full kit IOTV/body armor, 6x M4 magazines, personal medic kit, M9, and advanced combat helmet weighs about 80lbs. That is about half of my body weight. The M4 rifle  with everything we put on it weighs about 9.5 lbs. So 11 kms kinda sucks balls to trek around in Afghanistan. 

Agrocrag Afghanistan (This is the nice way down)

6 km into the journey, we had to climb this ginormous mountain to get to the KLE. If you grew up watching Nickelodeon in the 90s, then you may have watched a show called GUTS. At the end of the show the final challenge was a giant foam mountain called the Agrocrag that kids would have to climb to achieve greatness. Our mountain was not foam, we were kitted up, and we still had to trek back to the VICs (vehicles), and there is no greatness for us (nor do we expect or ask for it). I will be completely happy if I never have to walk through another Karez system. A karez is an irrigation system that Afghans use to water their fields and poppy. We goes through the narrow (6-8 inches across) mud barriers that separate the fields. This is probably the most vulnerable we are during the march to snipers since we are looking at the ground to avoid IEDs and busting our ass during the worst balancing act in full battle rattle. Thank God, the Legion NCO found a quicker route back because at the final click (km) my legs started locking up from dehydration. Stupid me for packing for a fight and not enough water, IT AFGHANISTAN for crying out loud. 5 clicks later and we are back to the VICs mounted up and went home. I can check operation with Foreign Legion off of my bucket list. I am not going to lie, it was horrible, but it was a once in a lifetime experience that you feel good about after you have done it. Plus, not many Air Force dudes, much less American Military guys can say they did it. WINNING.

 

 
Ha. You though I was done because I used my closing catch phrase shamelessly stolen from Charlie Sheen  but that was more of an intermission “WINNING”. Go grab a beer (have one for me) and some snacks because I will be writing about the story where I almost died on Memorial Day. bum Bum BUM!

That would have sucked, but that was only the beginning of the story. So I think I will Tarantino it and go with it last. So I have an additional duty where I get to reward good Afghans for turning in weapons and reporting caches. Myself and this other LT go all around the province to make payments and it’s a good gig since I get to ride around in helos. This last payment seemed pretty simple, fly to FOB Tora and make a couple of payments, return the next few days (five to be exact). While waiting for the French helo to take us there the French officer told us that instead of five days, it would only be three (c’est bon!) Unfortunately we got diverted to Kabul International Airport (KAIA).

We got to KAIA and met the French Liaison and he told us that we were not going to be able to fly out in two days, but to come back and check after dinner. We then asked if they had any living quarters for us arranged. They did not, but gave us the directions to the US consulate over there which ended up being the way outside-the-wire. Luckily the other LT saw an American flag and suggested that we go towards freedom. While leaving the French side of KAIA we saw all of the SUVs parked outside and thought how nice it would be to get a ride since we packed for five days. That only happens in the land of fairy tales and puppy dog tails so we hoofed it the click to the other side of the base. Having just trekked the Afghan countryside with my Legionnaire friends the week before I was okay, but the other LT was having problems with her bags.

At the PAX (passenger) terminal we were able to get spots in the transient tents. We then set off to find some grub and got to eat at the Turkish restaurant (Yes there are restaurants in the nice places of Afghanistan. After chow, we went back to the French side and asked about the flight information. Hooray! There was a flight to Tora taking off from the soccer field in Kabul the next morning. (car screeching noise) Where?!? The soccer field is where the Taliban would hold public executions and stuff like that during their regime. Since then we have turned it into an Airfield. However, to get to the soccer field one must travel through Kabul. No problem. Wait we flew here, how are we going to get to the soccer field? I asked the French guy and he said that he did not know, take a cab. Thank God, that is grossly against American policy. I called the Aviation LNO (my friend) at HQ to see what he could do. He said to give him two hours to figure something out. Two hours later the French guys at KAIA were acting like they had saved my life (even though it was my friend) and said that Mel Gibson would take us to Tora. This guy really did look like Mel Gibson, but French.

The next morning we flew to Tora. The payments went well, and that was the easy part. How the hell are we going to get back to FOB Morales-Frazier? Flights are few and far between lately so we had to spend two days are Tora. I am not complaining about this because Tora hands-down has the best food in our part of Afghanistan. (Bread, Fruit, Plenty of food, and actual utensils!) Plus, I got to take a break from my boring job and just chill. I even accidently broke a printer by spilling water all over it. But back on subject. Getting out of Tora was the hard part. Afghanistan is in this seasonal phase called the 12- days of Wind. This limits the already limited amount of flight out of Tora. My friend hooked us up again and got a flight out on the 1^st of June! And it was American! Hooray!

Unfortunately, the flight coordinators were on the same book, different page. As we were walking up to the LZ (landing zone) we heard one chopper. I thought okay, there were supposed to be two choppers, this must be different. (Chopper 2 sounds) Okay, if we see PRT guys from M-F then we are screwed “Hey guys! What are you doing in Tora?” (Shit). I called my friend to say “What the Hell” and he was already working on circling the choppers back around to pick us up. Waiting around for about an hour they came back. The French had to let us out of the FOB and we had to run in battle rattle with five days worth of gear back to the LZ up a hill (wah wah) Finally on the way back to M-F. Hooray!

Wait, I don’t remember M-F having so many lights. Welcome to Bagram. The helo crew was waiting for us to get off their chopper, but we said that we were going to M-F. The crew chief assured us that another Helo was coming to pick us up and take us to M-F. BAZINGA! The bastard lied. I then found the nearest phone to ask my friend “What the Hell” and he said that they adjusted back to the original flight schedule and we ended getting screwed as a result. Normally these things happen and it’s no biggie. In this situation, it was 0200 (2am) and we could not call the PRT LNOs here and had no living quarters again. It’s a good thing the nearest transient barracks are 1.5kms down Disney Dr.

Poppy the National Flower of Afghanistan

Again, got living quarters and called the PRT LNOs the next morning. This is where the trip evens out. Bagram is pretty nice and relaxing, with an endless amount of food (but not better than Tora). I kept on checking and even saw a lot of French people, but they were going to Tora (I had to speak French to get this information…not to brag or anything). Two days later we finally got a flight out of Bagram and got to sleep in my own bed again.

You almost forgot about the Tarantino moment, didn’t you? Yeah, the first flight of that long journey was almost my last! I love helos, it’s the only way to fly (no offense Paul), but not in 35 knot winds. Apparently that’s acceptable to the French. Before we even took off, I couldn’t see the sky because the wind was blowing dust EVERYWHERE. But I trust the pilots and their judgement. Before we got on the helo, the gunner showed us a sign that said “TORA” we nodded and got on. As the helo started hovering off the ground, the gunner told me that we would go to KAIA first then TORA later in the day. Quoi?!? Ou?!?! It must have been because of the wind. Usually we fly through another valley, but the wind had diverted us. I have a pretty vivid imagination, so as we were taking off, I was contemplating 1) how shitty it would be to die on Memorial Day and 2) If we crashed and I was the only survivor, how I would drag the bodies to the nearest village and use Pashtunwali (specifically “malmastia”) to get out of this pickle. As I was zoning out the helos were climbing to their ceiling to fly over the wind. I was looking out my window and saw that it was still a brown out at ceiling level. The other LT was looking out were window and saw us getting pushed closer and closer towards a mountain. The helo must have looked like a bird flying against the 35 knot wind because we started to shake. Then we dropped! I was floating for about three seconds (like the first drop on a roller coaster) and the other LT grabbed my arm (like that would save her). Luckily we recovered and the gunners gave us an uncomfortable thumbs up and awkward laugh. I loved every second of it! When we got to the French terminal, the gunners were talking about the drop and singing “Highway to the Dangerzone” to their buddies. Yes, I was with them, when they had their Top Gun moment. The other LT was traumatized (I had bruises on my arm the next day). When we got on the French Helo to Tora, and they did a fast descent, I could tell she was scared. Needless to say the French guys are a little riskier when they fly. Hopefully, I will not have to fly with them again. The other day a French helo crashed in that same wind trap that we had the drop in. Unfortunately the pilot did not survive. I asked my buddy why they go up in these conditions, and he said that its not too bad.  The one thing that is different is that US rotary pilots get HAMET (High Altitude Mountain Elevation Training) and the French pilots unfortunately do not.  

Cue the obscure seventies music.

 

WINNING

-JoJo

CAB chasing....

The Combat Action Badge (or CAB) is a military badge worn in the U.S. Army. The emblem features both an M9 bayonet and M67 grenade. The Combat Action Badge may be awarded to any soldier after the date of September 18, 2001 performing duties in an area where hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay is authorized, who is personally present and actively engaging or being engaged by the enemy, and performing satisfactorily in accordance with the prescribed rules of engagement. Award is not limited by one's branch of service or military occupational specialty, but is only authorized for wear on U.S. Army uniforms. 

The above information sports fans is a clear definition of what the CAB is and what qualifies as getting one.  I do not have one, but I have seen many deplorable incidents of idiots trying to get one.  These stupid people are known as CAB chasers.  These vile service members actually go out of their way to put themselves or their unit's (which is ridiculous) in harm's way.  There were several members from the last Liaison Officer group that would go out on mission's simply because they knew that they would be in a hostile area.  Simply going outside-the-wire because they have not been out yet is one of the most foolish things you can do. 

We go out on missions because we have to.  The PRT before us would go out and sit in the same spot for hours to make sure that they got shot at.  We do not do that.  As our deployment comes to a close, there are those individuals who are upset that they have not seen action yet.  Most people in Army feel like they have not done anything while deployed if they have not received a CAB. 

This is the wrong mindset and bad for your families.  Everybody plays their part over here and it all counts toward the fight.  It just disgusts me every time I hear about CAB chasers, or if someone hears shots fired and thinks that they get a CAB.  Shots fired 300m away where you hear no hisses or snaps near or around your vehicles is not combat action.  You get that in Juarez...believe me I know.  This badge has been tarnished by soooooo many CAB chasers that real combat veterans (like 16 yrs experience whose time overseas has amounted to five years in the last ten) do not wear their CAB anymore.

Just another rant, but I feel that it is warranted. 

WINNING!
Joe

OBL Dead....Now What?

September 11, 2001 was a moments in one's life that everyone can remember exactly what they were doing that day.  For me, I was a Junior at Franklin High School going to my Zero Period which was Chemistry.  We were conducting an experiment where the faster we stirred a liquid, the colder it would get.  My Chem teacher, Mr. Jerry Monsey, was glued to the television.  He was a very stern man who would never do such a thing, so I knew something was wrong.  If you just turned on the television at that point, you might have thought it was a random accident.....Then the second plane hit and a new word came to every American's vocabulary.  TERRORIST.

Osama Bin Laden was the terrorist.  The US has hunted him for the better part of a decade, and on 1 MAY 11, a US team of Navy S.E.A.L.s sought him out in Pakistan and took custody of his body.  Americans everywhere rejoiced the death of the man who killed nearly 3,000 Americans in a single day and gave a rude awakening to the Intelligence Community.  Now that he is dead, the troops can go home from Afghanistan, right?

Wrong.  OBL was the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, but he is not the reason we are still in Afghanistan.  At the time of the attacks, OBL was basing his International Terrorist organization, Al-Qaeda, out of Afghanistan.  Al-Qaeda had become the most dangerous terrorist group in the world and was making big waves during the late nineties.  This high profile needed a sanctuary for the planning of more horrendous acts of violence.  Enter Afghanistan.

Afghanistan was still in the wake of violence stemming from warlords that arose after the Soviet War in the eighties.   Muslims across the world took up arms (even OBL) to fight the Soviet aggression.  This war tore the country apart and left numerous warlords in place to vie for power.  This state of anarchy and power corrupted many of the mujahadeen heroes that defeated the Soviets.  Crimes against humanity soon enveloped the entire country.

A group of students of Islam decided that the madness must be stopped and took up arms and ousted or subdued many of the warlords by declaring a Jihad on them.  The students or seekers were known as the Taliban.  The students practiced a different type of Islam, and they soon instilled strict Sharia law over the population that they saved.  Some embraced the strict code because after nearly twenty plus years of war, the Afghan culture had been shattered and people needed some form of stability.

Some mujahadeen fighters that stayed out of corruption felt that the Afghan central government should return now that some sense of order had manifested.  They came to odds with the Taliban, and soon formed an Alliance to stop the harsh oppression.  One man stood in the way of the Taliban taking complete control of the country.  His name was Ahmad Shah Masood.  His part of the country could not be taken over by the Soviets and still could not be taken by the Taliban.  Enter Osama Bin Laden once more.

OBL promised the Taliban that he could kill Masood, if his group was granted safe haven in Afghanistan.  The Taliban agreed, and on September 9, 2001 Masood was severely wounded from an IED explosion during an interview.  He died a few days later.  The Taliban and Al-Qaeda now had their opportunity to take control of the country.

After 9/11, the US Military infiltrated Afghanistan in search of Bin Laden and concurrently drove the Taliban into hiding in Pakistan.   The stress of waging two wars with more focus on Iraq has allowed the remnants of the Taliban to re-enter Afghanistan nearly under the radar in the last few years.

Currently they are trying to get back the power that they once held.  This is why we must stay.

We cannot let this country fall apart again so that it can become a haven for terrorists again.  We must help this civilization get back on its feet and shake off the dust and crumble from nearly thirty-eight years of constant fighting.  The Afghans do not know what a real life is anymore.  The majority of the population was born into war and knows nothing else.

So OBL is dead.  Our job isn't done yet.  Afghanistan is still OUR war.  If not, then we might as well open our doors to terror again.

WINNING!!!!

Wow has it really been THIS long since I have notified my sports fans of my activities?  Well it might be that I surprised most of you true believers with a triumphant return briefly last month.  I have since returned back to Afghanistan for a couple more months to complete my mission.  Let me tell you, I left at the right time.  Not that anything bad happened, but because many of my tales of woe were eliminated during my absence.  

The first and the best thing to happen was that we have a new cook!!!  As you all know food is my motivation, and having a cook who hates his life made the food situation HORRIBLE.  The new cook actually can cook spaghetti which is miles ahead of the last one.  You know your on a Forward Operating Base when you have rice and meatballs and not spaghetti.  The portions have also improved a little bit.  Needless to say, food no longer ruins my day....everyday.  

The second bastion of my existence was the distance it took to take a shower.  (.75Km for those who haven't been reading).  While I was WINNING in America (iPad review to come soon)  the bathrooms in PRT village became fully operational.  The toilets suck...but describing the problems with that would make even the guy from Dirty Jobs cry.  I use the port-a-potties, so I really have no problem with the crappy (ironic adjective) toilets.  The best part of the new bathrooms, is that the showers and laudry machines are SOOOOOO close. My exercise routine has only doubled because of this new development.  They also laid out gravel in some parts of PRT village so the mud problem has gone from dismal to mere annoying.

The third improvement upon my return is that my frenemies are GONE from my life forever.  For those who haven't been keeping up with my rants, this means that the wussy LT and his butt buddy COL protector have left Afghanistan!  And not a day too soon.  

These improvements will make the rest of my deployment a breeze.  I was really glad to see as many friends and family members that I could during my mid-tour R&R.  I feel really refreshed and ready to hit it hard (so to speak) and get back to the states and move over the AFSOC!  Thats right, I got my new assignment with Air Force Special Operations Command!  Go Army huh?  Going on leave and talking with several of my other friends in the military and some Army guys really made me appreciate my stay here in Afghanistan.  I am truly getting to do a once in a lifetime experience.  Not many can say they patrolled a couple of villages in Afghanistan ;-)  Anyways....I feel like I am monologuing so I will go ahead and stop.  BTW, I am retiring "Stay Frosty".

WINNING!

JoJo

They Finally Let This Peacock Fly!!!

Wow, so it has definitely been a while since I updated my blog.  I didn't forget about you sportsfans, I have just been receiving a lot of complaints about writing book reviews and solely book reviews.  So I probably won't be writing a lot about them anymore...Que Lastima!  


Have ya'll been wondering what has been going on my the Secret Life of JoJo?  If you haven't, then I don't care because you will learn about it anyways.  Since I have gotten down with my inner "nerd" lately, I must caveat that there are a lot of Star Wars references.

It did snow at least once more for a week.  (it actually stuck!!!)  That cancelled missions for a few days, but it didn't stop my job....sigh.  I at least got to feel like I was stationed on Hoth for a little bit.  Within a week it went from balls cold (an actual term that refers to temperatures plummeting to the point that canon balls cracked and became unservicable) to blindingly bright and hot.  I am a little bummed to see the winter leave Afghanistan because I have to ditch my cool AF issued fleece jacket.  You have got to believe me that it was pretty sweet.  

When the weather cleared I got to take a helicopter ride on a French helo.  I must say that flying through the mountains with the French was definitely an experience to remember!  They literally fly on the nape of the earth.  In Afghanistan, especially in Kapisa at the beginning of the Hindu Kush with all of the valleys makes the ride AWESOME!  It felt like I was bullseyeing womprats in my T-16 in beggars canyon back at Tatooine.

finally Finally FINALLY!!!!  (What the title of this blog is)  I get to lead some operations!  I had been complaining before about not being able to leave the base, but my prayers have been answered!  I get to go to another base in the province that is more remote and conduct some village atmospherics.  I get to go to some villages that have not seen the white man...or brown man...goldish man....what ever my skin tone since the Soviet war.  I am really excited for this opportunity and proud to be the first to do it!  Email will be the best way to get ahold of me for about a month or so, so don't forget to write.

Stay Frosty,

JoJo

Capuraginga in Kapisa!!!

After a number of weeks I get bored with a usual workout...so I change it up every six weeks or so.  Muscle confusion is definitely the best way to workout.  I am starting to get back into Capoeira shape.  I tried a little bit and it was very tiring.  Unfortunately I fell down some stairs (if you know me that's just a usually part of life)...well not really down if you fall at the last step, but nonetheless I feel when my foot hit the giant rocks that prevent mud.  The downside of preventing mud means that if a mortar comes raining hate and discontent down on us there will be plenty of shrapnel and flaming debris to say hello, but I digress.

 

New Update: I actually wrote this blog four days ago, and I did Capoeira yesterday with no pain in my ankle.  Thank you Wolverine-like healing capability!

Capoeira is a martial art that originated out of Brazil.  If you have played Tekken 3 and beyond than you have seen the character Eddie Gordo, or (if you have been so lucky in life) if you have seen the cinematic masterpiece Only The Strong, then you have seen this style of martial arts.  To the bystander capoeira looks like break-dance fighting, but it is so much more.

 

Capoeira was developed by the Angolan slaves in Brazil.  They were not allowed to practice self-defense so they adapted their techniques to look as if they were dancing.  This is called the "roda".  There are three essential elements to Capoeira: 1) the roda 2) the music 3) the food.  Capoeira is one of the only martial arts that immerses the student completely into the culture.  This is the main reason that I LOVE this sport.  If you have ever had BBQ'ed pineapple Brazilian style, then you know what I am talking about. 

 

Since practicing capoeira is basically swimming in the air.  Meaning, that muscle you do not regularly use through normal motions.  I started off slow, with the ginga (fighting stance) some kicks, and other basic moves.  It is definitely a great workout, and I have a lot of fun doing it.  For the first time in about a month my legs are  sore. 

 

Stay Frosty,

 

JoJo

Technical Difficulties

I had a post about two days ago about Capoeira, but it didn't post...sorry sports fans, believe me I am just as irritated as anyone......that one will come soon after I re-do it.  I do have a book review in my pocket, so why not......

How I Met Your Mother is Legen...wait for it...dary!

I guess that some of you are tired of reading about my reading.  So I am adding a new section to my blog repertoire: TV Series.  I have watched numerous TV Show while deployed over here.  It has actually raised up my Pop Culture Awareness.  TV Series I have watched thus far: Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles, Weeds, Heroes, and How I Met Your Mother.  I think when I started this blog a couple of months ago I intended to do this...(hmmm???)

Well I am going to start with my most recent TV Series, How I Met Your Mother.  This show is Legendary!  (that's what one of the main characters says all the time)  In the Afghan Bazaar, we can get the whole series on DVD for a cheap price (hmmm....I plead the fifth) so I have this show from Season 1-6.  When this show started, I really had no interest in watching this show due to the title.  I mean it is kind of a lame a title....

Basically, this show is about a dude feeling like he has to get his act together after his roommate gets engaged.  The show revolves around several college grads going through the turmoils of life and relationships.  It sounds like Friends (even though I have never seen the show), but it has a lot of funny stories that a twenty-something in the new millennium will encounter.  This show really is THAT funny. It sometimes seems like the story of my life like Blink 182 was the soundtrack to my high school years.   I have not yet met anyone who doesn't like it.  Neil Patrick Harris' character steals the show with his comedic genius.  Just google "Bro Code" and you will find that his character reaches out to reading public.  The 6th season just finished, but I will lend anyone who wants to watch it.  That way you won't be the "Blitz". (Inside joke from the show) 

Stay Frosty,

JoJo

Hooray a Humidifier!

So my humidifier came in the mail today.  I never thought that I would really need one, but it is so dry and cold here.  I am so excited that I am blogging about it!  Afghanistan besides being the darkest place on earth is really dry during the winter. I mean I don't want to be San Antonio humid, but enough to not feel like I have been sunburned!  Is it pathetic that a small thing like a humidifier can make my day?  Rule #32 Enjoy the little things.

This humidifier is going to be a lifesaver!  I know that sounds a little dramatic, but I feel like I am being prepped to be skinned by Buffalo Bill everyday (its puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again)  I am so glad that I got the electricity working in my room.  It is kinda funny that I lacked so much confidence in the craftsmanship of the people making the PRT village that I accepted the electrical flaw in my room.  Not a dangerous one, but the electricity was configured in a series setting when it should have been a parallel.  That means that the lights need to be turned on to have the electricity work.  Turns out I was the only one in the whole village like that (woe is me)  Anydangways, I get to try out this sweet set up tonight.  Maybe I won't be JoJo Jerky anymore. 

                                                      Stay Frosty and Moist,

                                                      JoJo

Book Review: The Girl Who Played With Fire

I know, I know another Book Review.  I  finished this book a week and a half ago...its better than three weeks.  Can you believe that I am actually already half way through another book by the time that I post this blog?  But this post is about Steigg Larson's second book The Girl Who Played with Fire  I was a little overwhelmed by how this book started (due to the violence) but this book really impressed me.

I am not going to go into too many details because I want ya'll to enjoy the book, but I can at least give a basic premise.  This book continues pretty much where the last one left off.  Most of the original characters are back and the new topic is human sex trafficking in Sweden and scum that proliferates it.  Several new characters are introduced in the story to include detectives.  These new characters added a new flow to the story, where in the The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo told the story from Blomkvist's and Salander's perspective, this book adds a third perspective through the investigation of the detectives.   At times throughout the book, two paths may cross and they combine for a couple of chapters.

This book was more action oriented than the last book, and spent less time with the graphic details of human trafficking.  As stated earlier, the book did start out harsh in the first chapter, but the pace quickly changed.  These books (The Millenium Series) are definitely among my favorite books.  Some books I pick up and flat out refuse to read.  I definitely can't wait for these books to be made into the films (they already are in Sweden) by my favorite director David Fincher.  Lisbeth Salander in my opinion is the Clarice Starling of the last decade (wow one more decade down).  This is a must read for fans of thrillers and suspense. 

Air Force Appreciation Tour

Hey there true believers!

I am sorry that I have neglected this post, but I have been really busy and starving....more on that later.  So I am going to start off this post with some good 'ole fashioned complaining.  (Does my  blog seem like a bunch of book reviews and complaints?)  Well that seems like all there is over here.  I guess if you count my training (4 months in Indiana AHHHHHHH!!!!!)and all that I guess I have been deployed for about 6 months now which is about a normal Air Force deployment for my career field (note that I said career field because some pukes deploy for only four months), but I am about ready to get back to my real life again.  In all reality I have been here a little over 3.75 months here and I have become a little bored.  Nothing really happens here and that is boring.  The Nine Inch Nails song "Every Day is Exactly the Same".

For about 3 1/2 days we had no food...I mean a lot of people complain about how the food lacks nutrition, but people really blew their lid when the kitchen was out of service.  I just walk over to either the bazaar or French Dining hall to eat because sometimes you just don't feel like eating breakfast foods for dinner.  Occassionally with the bazaar you found a hair in your food, and you can taste what the local feed their animals (it begins with a "P" and ends with "OOP")  and sometimes the French Dining Hall has mysterious European things, but the desert rocks my face OFF!  My time is limited so I have to time manage like a MOFO, and thus I am working out or reading (if you didn't guess) in the time I get off of 10hrs of work. Thanks to everyone for the care packages, because they sustain me in times like these. 

There really isn't much job satisfaction with my job.  I really get no feedback if I do a good job, and I get STOMPED on the rare occasions I mess up.  I am basically accepted to perform at a Captain's level, but still treated like a stupid Lieutenant...which I still am for another 7 months, but who is counting.  There really isn't anyone around here to vent to because the other lieutenant in the other unit with my same job is a giant DOUCHE. 

Okay, so I let this sit for about a week and my mood has changed from pissed to merely irritated.  There is a difference believe me.  Through out this week of me trying to calm down, the door to the barracks hallway has broken leaving only one way of escape (how safe is that?), and it has been non-stop raining.  Normally this wouldn't be such a problem, but in the land of moon dust this is really really really bad.  Raining is an overarching term for precipitation.  It has transitioned from raining Cats and Dogs, to Bulls and Hippos, to sleet, to snow that doesn't stick.  It's not really the precipitation that bothers me.  It is more the 1/2 mile walk in the rocks and mud to get to the latrines and showers that bothers me.  I will be so happy for the sun to come out and dry the mud so that walk to get clean doesn't feel like that scene in T2 (shame on you if you haven't seen it) where the T-1000 is frozen by Nitrogen and the T-800 shatters him with a bullet (Hasta La Vista Baby!) There were also wonderful sinkholes in this journey where you take the wrong step and for .008 seconds you think that you might fall through the earth back to America (hmmm maybe I should try that).  When the ground is dry you are only at risk of rolling your ankles....so its a lose-lose situation (kinda like having the first Superbowl in Jerryland be between the Packers and Steelers)

I know that my family in El Paso is under siege due to the weather over there, but it is a similar case over here (except for the snow....for which I am jealous).  After your long journey to the showers, you might find that A) They are all occupied, B) One of the showerheads is broken, or (the worst one of all, but El Pasoans can relate now) C) The pipes are frozen and you have absolutely no water to conduct your Triple S routine.  So after trekking down the deadly path to get clean you are dealt your first disappointment of the day.  The second being chow.  So stay strong El Pasoans, while you may be on water restrictions at least you don't have to check the toilet seat before you lay down for fear that an Afghan pee'd all over the seat (psst They squat to pee. Ewwwwwww) 

A fellow Airmen, a senior NCO, stated how everyone feels.  "A PRT is the Air Force Appreciation Tour" Whether is be the length of the deployment, the shitty living conditions, or (gasp) dealing with our Army brothers on a daily basis.  Before this deployment I was really considering switching to the Army, but my Squadron commander back home, the wise man that he is who has in fact deployed with a PRT too, told me that this would be the best taste the Army.  They can keep their Army.  I know that Shamy's have a four generations stemming back to the Army, but my Dad made sure that I joined the Air Force.  Thank God I listened to him.  I think I will only do one more assignment after I get back from this deployment.  After working toward getting in the military for 8 years of my life, I am not sad to say that after 3.5 years of being Active Duty I am not really impressed.  This is supposed to be the greatest adventure of my life and I am stuck on a base most of the time.  All I can say is at least I am not a BAFFIT (someone who stays on Bagram Airfield there whole tour).

Stay Frosty, (No pun intended)

JoJo

Book Review: Lone Survivor

So I just got done reading the book Lone Survivor by Marcus Lutrell...like a 3 weeks ago...but I am BUSY!!!  Marcus Lutrell is a US Navy SEAL Team Leader whose team was over taken by Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in Kunar Province in 2005.  He was on a Secret Squirrel mission (did I really just type that?!?) to capture/kill some high-value target but it went horribly wrong and became the worst loss in US Navy SEALs history.  They dropped in there with little Intelligence support in the wrong spot in the province.  They also didn't know how many bad guys there were supposed.  Marcus and his team after insertion had to traverse the rough terrain of Afghanistan at night to get to their location.  They had to travel by night and in the rain on a full moon.  When the rain stopped, bullets started flying from up above.  The only place for his team to go was down, so they dove down the rocky terrain several times.

After a pretty intense firefight, Marcus was the only one left.  Before his Team Leader died, he was able to make one last attempt to contact American forces.  The SEALs back at Bagram immediately saddled up and went to rescue their comrades, but during the infiltration an insurgent fired a rocket at the chopper and killed every one on board.  Marcus and one other guy were still at the bottom of the mountain at this time and they got blown up by an RPG.  His buddy died, and Marcus was luckily launched somewhere behind some rocks, his leg was filled with shrapnel and knocked out.  What is amazing is that through all the tumbling and constant explosions his sniper rifle stayed with him the whole time.  When he woke up, he found his rifle just in time to take out three more insurgents.  He crawled out from behind some more rocks and fell down again.

He landed by a stream and started crawling to quench his thirst.  When he looked up from his journey to refill his body with life rejuvenator, he saw four armed men waving him down.  He immediately went into "fight or flight" mode but had little energy to do anything because he was dehydrated.  One thing that he did notice before he passed out was that the armed Afghans that were approaching him did not have hate in their eyes.  He "came to" every now and then while they were taking him to the village, and told them that he was a doctor.

The village was Sabaray.  The village elder was named Sarawa.  In Afghan culture, age means everything and in this village Sarawa was the boss.  Marcus was taken to the village and his wounds were dressed and cleaned.  At nighttime the insurgents kicked in the door (because Afghan hut village doors are very heavy) and immediately started interrogating him.  Sarawa risked his life and confronted the Taliban and told him that Marcus was under the protection of the village.  This is part of the Afghan culture, specifically the Pashtuns (an ethnicity) known as Nanawatey.  This means that if someone is a guest in your village, you have to defend them with your life no matter what or risk violating Pashtunwali (the Jedi Code for Pashtuns).  Begrudgingly, the Taliban left the village after roughing Marcus up a little. They threatened the villagers with the concept of total annihilation of their village before they called "deuces".

After the insurgents left, the villagers all gathered together to discuss what should happen with Marcus.  Sarawa made a hard point about Pashtunwali and it was decided that he would stay even if it meant that they could all be killed.  (Interesting ain't it?)  Sarawa's son a police officer (by Afghan circa 2005 standards) was appointed his guardian throughout Marcus' recovery.   This man would become Marcus' greatest friend during his tenure.  Sarawa then left on a journey to the nearest base to notify that Marcus was still alive.

 

Marcus recovered in a few days and was soon able to stand.  He got out his rescue beacon from his assault pack and placed it at the window.  Every time he heard a helicopter he stumbled out to the middle of the village and tried to get the chopper to land.  At one point the US dropped some supplies off for the survivors.  They did not know who had survived, but someone was using that beacon.  Throughout his stay he made a quickbond with the Afghan children.  The children had notified Marcus of the supplies, and even volunteered to bring it back.  One time, when the children returned, they looked disheveled and beaten.  The Taliban found the supplies too, and used aggressive tactics to take the supplies that were of value from the children.  This infuriated Marcus and he immediately tried to leave and catch up with Sarawa so that the village would no longer be burdened by his presence, but he was not yet healthy enough to make the journey. 

 

The Taliban returned a couple of days later and to scare the villagers.  Marcus was being moved from house to house so that he would not get caught.  The insurgents did not find him and later that night it was decided that he was healthy enough to attempt the journey to the US base. 

 

Marcus and Sarawa's son left in the dark of night (I have said before that Afghanistan has to be the darkest place in the world except for the bottom of the sea) but their journey was at the limits of Marcus.  At one point they came across the Taliban leader that Marcus' SEAL team was sent to kill, but he gave a nod to the village elder'sPashtunwali. 

 

They climbed up a hill and ran into an armed Afghan.  He was wearing a "Luv Ya Dubya" button using American weapons.  He was Afghan Special Forces and as soon as Marcus noticed him, Army Rangers came out of the terrain and were excited that they had found their fallen comrade.  They were immediately exfiltrated.

 

Concurrently, Marcus' family in Texas had been holding a five day long vigil.  Their only shred of hope for Marcus' survival was that his twin (also a SEAL) could still sense that his brother was alive.  After months of recovery in an overseas Army Hospital, Marcus returned home. 

 

Marcus would eventually go back to Afghanistan to finish out his tour and escort the bodies of his comrades to the their loved ones in the United States. End.

 

I really liked this book.  It really gives you a perspective about how persistent the enemy can be in the war that I am in right now.  Initially I was mad that Marcus seemed lapsed in Afghan cultural awareness (he called them Afghanis which is the currency of Afghanistan, and he referred to Allah as "Their God" when in fact its the same God as Christians), but then I realized that he had only been with the Afghans for five or so days.  My only real gripe about the book was that 40% of the book was spent on SEAL training (not a bad subject, but is misleading to the reader wanting to delve into Afghan culture) and 15% of the book was about what his family was doing in Texas.  It is Marcus' book so he can write whatever he wanted, but I was expecting a more thorough examination of the Afghan culture.  I blame the people who recommended this book to me.  Don't get me wrong, I loved the action aspects of the book and the tactical knowledge you gain of the enemy, but it is not a good read for cultural enlightenment. 

 

Stay Frosty,

 

JoJo

 

I am finally done with this review!!! It took me 10 days because I am so busy!

Book Review: Millennium Falcon

Well here is another book review.  The funny thing is, is that I have been finished with this book since 28 Dec 10.  I have really been slacking in putting up this review, but I have been busy, and I wanted to at least do the book some justice. 

So before I deployed, I bought a Kindle and loaded it with all sorts of books.  I had a variety of History, Classics, Educational, Non-Fiction, Bestsellers, and Fun.  I am a semi-Star Wars fan (so you don't think that I am that big of a nerd) so my fun books that I bought were various Star Wars Novels.  I haven't really read a Star Wars book in eleven years, so this is really reliving my childhood.  Note: At home I do read a lot of comic books, but those are really hard to get in the far-away Hindu Kush...so I have embraced E-Readers.  I hated my first encounter with an E-Reader (Aerospace Basic Course) but now I realize that the have some value through portability and the extensive library you can possess in the palm of your hands.

Back to real subject...do you readers feel that I go off topic a lot?  Maybe its because I blog in stream of consciousness style.  Hoh-Kay.  Millennium  Falcon. (focus, JoJo, focus)  So I decided to read a novel about one of my favorite characters in the Star Wars universe, and that is the Millennium  Falcon.  I know that it is hard to believe that a ship can be a character, but I consider the Falcon to have a vital role in the Star Wars stories.  Who doesn't give their car a name, or think that their respective vehicle sometimes talks to them?  Not in the Knight Rider sense....but in the sense that there are some things that your car does or doesn't do that gives your car "character"  Well this is how that Millennium  Falcon is to Han Solo (he is captain of the ship...but if you didn't know that...or that the Millennium Falcon is a spaceship....then stop reading now to avoid future headaches for you and disappointment on my part).  Even though sometimes...most times...he is fixing some sort of mechanical problem with the ship, the Falcon always seems to turn on allowing the characters to narrowly escape danger.

This book explores the Millennium Falcon's history through the adventures of two groups of characters.  One group (of course) is an older Han Solo and Princess Leia and their grand daughter.  This was a little odd for me at first, because I know nothing of the events that happened after Return of the Jedi.  So this was a crash course history lesson of the events in the thirty years after the explosion of the second Death Star (feeling nerdy yet?  I will tone it down...maybe) The other group is actually one character named Jadak who is a former pilot of the Falcon, which was then named the Stellar Envoy, who has been in a coma for forty or so years that was caused by an unfortunate accident with the ship.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you kept reading, then whoops....because this will ruin some aspects of the story which is not my problem at this point.

So Han's family is relaxing after a brutal fight in from two years before where their son had turned to the darkside and he was killed by his own sister.  (I haven't read those books yet, but those are in the future) This is how they acquired their grand daughter.  But she is about elementary school age and very adventurous.  In her romps around the ship she discovered an artifact embedded in the ship.  It was some sort of communicator from the times of the old republic.  This peaks Han's imagination because he thought that he knew every inch and bump on that ship.  Thus they set out on an adventure to delve into the history of the Millennium Falcon.  Throughout their adventure you discover the various roles the Falcon played in the Star Wars history before the rebellion.

Jadak's story is one where he is from the past, but he is working his way to the future.  He was on a secret smuggling mission when all of a sudden the Stellar Envoy (Millennium Falcon) turned off and unfortunately he was left on a collision course with a frigate.  In the last minute (like always) his ship turned on, but not before being sideswiped (if that could happen in space) leaving him in a coma....for 62 years.  He was given a message that left him feeling guilty that the mission was not accomplished.  Jadak wondered why he was kept alive for so long.  There was a doctor from the medical facility he was in who happened to be a collector.  This guy was somewhat of a bad guy but not really. 

Eventually Han and Jadak end up on the same planet through their journey.  Initially Jadak pretended to be the pilot that Han was looking for and sent his assistant to steal the ship.  The was foiled because Han had installed an anti-theft device on the Falcon.  Jadak did not care about how famous of a hero Han was, but he did care about completing the mission he was on 62 years before. 

They pair up and travel to a planet that was victim to some sort of alien plague from earlier novels....like I said...I haven't really read these books EVER.  They end up finding some seal that the Old Republic had hidden away before the hostile take-over of PalpatineJadak barely made it out of the dying planet alive (like always). Han and Jadak then spend time reliving old stories that they had with their ship.  The ending of the novel leads on to another series of novels regarding a side story. 

Despite all of the cliche's in the story.  I really enjoyed it.  Can you tell from the really long blog?  I love the fact that the book made me nostalgic about the Original Star Wars Trilogy.  This story had many elements that the new trilogy lacked.  It was also very interesting seeing how the Falcon had various roles throughout its existence.  I also liked how this was a novel that integrated some of the past stories of the Star Wars universe that a reader might not have had the opportunity to read (like me)   I recommend this to any fan of the old Star Wars movies....before they were revamped.

Stay Frosty,

JoJo