[MARINEVET]

Boats & Beau:

Hope you don't mind me answering both of you on the same post...just much easier to do it this way over here.

Boats:

Thx...just doing what I can to make a positive difference. Even tho I'm not satisfied with what's going on over here, please don't read that I'm discouraged or not motivated...this gig has me fired up...hell...I run a lot of the youngsters into the ground over here...! I know that "our part" (that which our Team is doing) is going great guns...most professional...most of the ANA folks key on our every word...do their best to satisfy our desires...etc. Will talk more about the ANA Warriors in another post.

Beau:

To answer your last question first...STILL 5' 10" tall (haven't noticed any lessening in height yet but some folks say that'll happen)...WEIGHT has gone up a little over here...nearing 190...about 6-8 pound gain...dang chow at the KBR-run mess hall is SUPERB...MORE on that later, too!

Will try to answer your questions/concerns:

1 & 4. They go together. YUP Beau, the WORST leadership...have been in a few USMC outfits that weren't as good as some others...that was a result of LEADERSHIP...but the "worst" leaders I suffered under in the past were better than most of the "good" ones I've seen over here...forget about the "bad" ones!!!! ARE there some really good folks over here in leadership positions...sure, and doing a great job. There's a Guard COL here (who served 28 years in the Regulars) doing a great job. Some other officers and senior NCOs too. A lot of the "Sojers" are trying hard but just don't have adequate training/experience. A lot have NOT been to Iraq. Guard outfits, by and large, don't seem to be cycling back and forth to Iraq as are USMCR outfits.

Let me also say this about the Guard...I'm a big supporter of the Guard and Reserve folks. I used to be hard on some of them when they'd complain about coming on AcDu...telling them they were happy to "play Soldier" (Marine/Airman/Sailor/Coastie) when they wanted...took the money...etc...but we always came to an understanding. That said, our G&R Forces were never designed or intended to be employed the way they are now...so such service as they are providing us is greatly appreciated by this Ol' Jarhead. And...our Guard outfit in J-Ville NC is TOP NOTCH...the only outfit in past few years to defeat the OPFOR at Ft. Irwin...!

2. Not enuff room here to discuss how I think the bad guys of the world are gonna get us, but it won't be a classic invasion thing...it WILL involve ECONOMIC-based issues...other politically laced issues...maybe a disasterous "sneak attack" of sorts on key infrastructure...etc. Far too much to discuss here, but I'll fly you an interesting "attack scenario" via Email...PM me with your current address.... I'm not just talking about the Islamic Radicals...they may end up merely being pawns (tools) for others who DO and/or will soon have the capability to gain our attention thru various attack scenarios.

3. Our "senior leadership in Afghanistan"...both the Civilian and Military...woefully lacking. Can't provide specifics over this forum. Suffice it to say, it's not just U.S. leadership I'm talking about...ALL LEADERSHIP...! The NATO piece really leaves me cold. It's not cohesive...quite fragmented...working against one another in some ways...etc. Fighting in one provice on way, another way in another province...pure BS! The corruption in the Afghan Government (society) is impossible to imagine UNTIL you get over here on the ground. I had a pretty good idea what it would be like given my rather broad experience base in dealing with folks around the Globe over my 34+ years of Active Service, but even I wasn't prepared for what's going on over here...!

4. Discussed above.

5. Pakistan is a most critical piece in the ENTIRE GWOT...not just Afghanistan. Very mixed emotions on them...the position they're in...the way they crack down on Talibs at one turn, and then on the next, the only "turn" involved is them turning their heads to Taliban activities/staging areas/etc. We MUST be able to cross their border to pursue Talibs.

Will make a separate post on hooch...living conditions...have NEVER lived so well in a combat zone...! Offset somewhat by incoming rockets (107/122mm), IEDs, occasional pot shots at our moving vehicles...but hey...beats the crap outta the way we lived in Vietnam...!

More than enuff above to bore folks to death at one sitting....

Gonna try to attach another flick...one of our "morning commute" from where we live over here on KAF towards where we work over at Camp Shir Zai, the ANA 205th Corps camp...going outward bound with some Canadian LAV-25s.

Semper Fi to all From the Sands of Kandahar