Things are going well here. There is a lot of preparations here for the parlementry elections for the Afgans. This is going to be very large operation. The ANA that we are training and working with will be providing security in the province to make sure the Anti Coalition Members (Talabin and Alqada) don't interfer with the elections.
Just got a few items in that my wife Lori sent me. A DVD player and I got several case's of popcorn form the Lincoln Heritage Council. I look forward to a movie and popcorn tonight.
It's is still very hot here during the day, but it is starting to get dark early and about 2 or 3 am it gets cool. I expect it will get really cold here this winter. These people are really tough. To grow up and live in the conditions they do.
Mark Wilson
Greetings to all.
I've added three new links to the blog. The Kabul weather link (Weather Underground) was the original weather link on the blog. I've added the Weather Underground link for Kandahar. I've also included two CNN links. One is Kabul and the other is Kandahar. I don't know which source is the most accurate. Right now, Weather Underground show 81º in Kabul and CNN shows 73º but if you look at the forcast for then next day, Weather Underground is predicting a high of 89º while CNN predicts the high to be 94º.
So, take your choice. One of them is probably pretty close. The problem is "Which one?"
I haven't heard from Mark in over a week but Lori said she talks to him and "he is doing good."
It might be real hot here but if you get in the shade it is almost 20 degrees
cooler. Also our tents and office space is airconditions. Right now most of
my time is spent indoors. I mostly try to do things in the moring and evening
when it is much cooler.
Was there a good turn out of mohawk troops going to camp.
There isn't much humidity here. I gone 3 or 4 days with out a shower becasue I
was just real busy but I didn't stink to bad because it is so dry here.
I got a camera again so I will try to take a few snap shots to send out to post
on the web.
Thanks,
Mark
I received the following from Captain Wilson today. (Click the link just below this to read his comments.) He's still not able to make entries. I told him to keep those cards and letters (actually I said e-mails) coming and I'd keep posting them.
Now, click the link to read his comments.
John I just have not had a chance to work on the Blog. If I can email you some
info every now and then that would be great. Right now I am holding 2
positions the HHC/and S4 (Logistics) mentor. Also when other people on our team
are away then I fill in for them as well. Have been working from early in the
morning till late at night.
We are getting ready for the elections coming up in Sept. My role is to train
the Headquarters Company in how to by a HHC. Which means make sure their
medics have medical skills, that their mechanics can fix their vehicles, that
their S1 can keep accurate records, and that their S4 learns how to sumitt
request for supplies and can track what he has. In the past they have mostly
been used as an Infantry Co. So I have a lot of work to do.
The soldiers are all well trained we are working with the oldest Kandak in
Afghanistan. They are very fast and are good soldiers. Where they have
problems is learning to request all the different type of supplies in advance
of the time they need them. Then keeping up with it. They are very wasteful.
They just don't think before they do things.
This is a new concept to them ordering and projecting things they need before
they need them. The Kandak has come a long way. They have great diffulculty
thinking 1 month out vs 6 months out. They do have excellent leadership and
good NCO's. It just a matter of teaching them how to do things for themselves.
Goal is to work ourselves out of a job here.
Thanks
Mark Wilson
HHC/S4 Company Mentor