Mil

On travel related to various martial activities.

Security Salve

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 

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Posted at 14:57:07 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoTravel

Kandahar

Sunday, April 3, 2011 

KAF would be very nice base, quite photogenic. Aircraft take off night and day, the fighters taking off on afterburner are like a free fireworks show every night. The A10s are some of the coolest planes ever and there aren’t that many places to see them any more.

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The downside to the base is the Poo Pond. It is, perhaps the most famous feature of the base. It was built by the Russians, a gigantic open cesspool.

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The smell… the smell is truly incredible. Imagine being locked in an overfull outhouse on a hot, windless day, but spreading downwind for miles and inescapable. It is one of those things that is better experienced vicariously.

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But at sunset, aside from the retching stink, it is quite photogenic – the black, viscous liquid is mirror like, still and reflects the sunset just beyond the bio hazard signs.

Posted at 09:36:57 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel

A few more pictures from Kabul

Sunday, March 27, 2011 

Urban livestock is a key element in recycling efforts.
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The rooftops are open space and free of modern clutter
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Posted at 02:50:31 GMT-0700

Category: MilPlacesTravel

Kabul scenes

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 

Most of the roadside ditches are blocked, and emptied by hand, perhaps an invitation to a game.
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Trash disposal is  a bit primitive in most places, but there’s a series of recycling steps that take place involving scrap collectors, goats, cats, children, and burning.

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Kids are kids no matter where.

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Posted at 10:29:27 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel

Happy 1390!

Monday, March 21, 2011 

Sal e now mubarak!

Children’s work,

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Panorama of Kabul,

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Herds of traffic.

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Posted at 10:36:41 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel

Some Pictures From Afghanistan

Sunday, March 20, 2011 

The mountains from our compound

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Horse drawn cart in front of a small truck in front of the hospital.

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A small street-side cemetery

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Posted at 11:15:59 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel

Welcome Home

Tuesday, February 15, 2011 

After flying out of dusty airports with bullet holes in the windows on time, after passing through gauntlets of guards for whom “ankle holster” is an acceptable excuse for setting off the metal detector – all of whom were pleasant, and a few ear protectors put on “habibe” terms, it is a bit of a shock to land in the US where DHS shouts at passengers angrily, despite having run zero risk of IEDs to get to work and potable water running out of their taps at home, and flights delayed by 30 minutes on the runway for bad traffic management, not rockets.

Appreciate it, people are still dying for it.

Posted at 06:54:24 GMT-0700

Category: MilPolitics

Luxury is Relative

Monday, February 14, 2011 

At the COB, Green Beans  is a real, but essential, luxury. We started our day with a triple cappuccino expertly served up by the unexpectedly named Robert Rodriquez (perhaps an homage) and felt pretty well taken care of.

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Coming straight to Dubai is a bit of a culture shock. Indoor palm trees? We had to go off base to see outdoor palm trees.

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We did have one bit of green on base…
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Posted at 11:37:53 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesPositiveReviewsTravel

When the Alert Sounds

Sunday, February 13, 2011 

If you’re not already in a hardened building, when the alerts sound, you get to sit in one of these until the all clear. They’re kind of homey in a homely way.

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Posted at 12:32:11 GMT-0700

Category: MilPlacesTravel

History of the COB

Saturday, February 12, 2011 

The Brits had the base first and left their marks here and there.

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Posted at 15:06:29 GMT-0700

Category: MilphotoPlacesTravel