Fourth Leg

We have been here at Ft. Carson, Colorado for a while already. This is my first opportunity to post. We will be here for a few days to turn in gear, do paperwork, and clear medical. For some of the guys it is still surreal that we are back in the states.

An anonymous commenter left a hostile comment on my post titled “Second Leg” and I will address his concerns point by point.

“General Order 1B says no alcohol until you are CONUS. MPs will be waiting for you.”

All soldiers transiting through Manas Airbase can have two beers or two glasses of wine every twenty-four hours. In Qatar I was able to drink three beers or three glasses of wine every twenty-four hours. If this commenter has deployed to Afghanistan in the past, he would have known about Manas Airbase unless he deployed in 2001. He should know of at least one soldier who has been there recently and he would know about the liberty’s we have at Manas. So far, no MP’s have bothered me.

“Also great OPSEC. Way to tell everyone in the whole wide web that you are redeploying, and exactly where you are. Good job!”

Unit and personnel moves are classified secret and divulging unit or personnel moves prior to movement is a very serious operational security (OPSEC) violation. Divulging your location after you have arrived is not. Besides, all the terrorists in the world knows the route the US Air Force takes to bring soldiers home because we have been doing it for close to six years now. The key is not divulging times. In my last post I did state I was posting from Ramstein. I did not say how long I was going to be there, nor did I say when I arrived or when I was going to depart. OPSEC is one of the areas that I work in as an Information Operations officer so I do know what I am talking about.

“And why the FUCK are you wearing an SF combat patch. Holy shit!”

The first thought that popped in my head when I read that line was:

BECAUSE I EARNED IT YOU MISERABLE LITTLE FUCK!!!!

The Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Oruzgan province (Tarin Kowt) was under the operational command and control of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A). All the personnel assigned to that PRT for thirty days or more are entitled to wear the Special Forces patch to signify former wartime service. While I was there we had Regular, Reserve, and Guard soldiers. We also had a few TICs (Troops in Contact) or firefights. It wasn’t all hugs and kisses serving at a PRT.

“Fucking guard.”

Say that to my face. My name is on this blog, I am currently in Ft. Carson. If you are enlisted please remember common military courtesies. I would hate to see the First Sergeant go ballistic seeing some little shithead dissing one of his officers.

Fourth leg down, one to go.

CIAO’
CPT Thomas C. Nield aka “NightHawk”