Home Away From Home

These are pictures from around the FOB that has been Chris's home for the past 6 months. Not surprisingly, what I've been picturing in my head and what these places/things actually look like have been very different, so it has been pretty neat to finally "see" what I've been hearing about and have only been able to imagine for so long.

 COC (Combat Operations Center)

This is a picture of the command center for all of the battalion's operations. All reporting and decisions for the batallion are made here, including any requests for fires (call-in artillery, what Chris does, and jets) and controlling who comes into their Area of Operations.

A closer picture of the entrance to the COC. You can see the "River City" sign is posted meaning they were in a communication blackout during this time.

Marler Hall

These are pictures of the conference room where all of the large staff meetings are held. It is named after a Corporal that was killed in action.

A memorial drawn and painted by one of the Marines. The pictures are of the fallen Marines of 3/1.

These are action pictures taken during the deployment.

This is a picture of Tar, one of the IED Detection Dogs that was killed in action.

Chris's "Office"

Entrance to the office.

The odd looking posters on the walls are propaganda posters that the US military has made for the local Afghan people, trying to persuade them to trust the Afghan government.

"Hesco Village"

This is the grouping of all the living areas where everyone stays. It is called Hesco Village because each living area/tent is fortified with "Hesco barriers" (the large walls you see) to protect them from any mortars or rockets that could be shot into the FOB. A Hesco barrier is basically an expandable metal frame with a liner that is filled with dirt and then placed together to forms protective walls.

An entrance to one of the living areas.

It looks very much like a maze.

A sign one group of Marines made for the entrance to their living area. Pretty funny...

Sleeping Tent/Living Quarters

These are pictures of Chris's living area.

Chris's cot/corner of the tent.

(Notice the bottle of Tabasco and other random things under his cot...boys are so messy! ;) )

Such a ham.



Chow Hall

Please excuse the ugly word on this sign, but I thought it was too funny not to share.

A hand-washing station they finally put in after 3-4 months of everyone constantly being sick because they didn't have the means to wash their hands when they ate or (even worse) served food.

"One of the hardest working individuals I've ever come across in the Marine Corps. He pretty much feeds the camp and carries the chow hall on his back....really good guy." -Chris

Their food comes in large plastic bags that are heated in boiling water and then dumped in and served out of these large green vats.

One of the condiment caddies...Chris says you have to put hot sauce on pretty much everything to make it edible.

The makeshift grill they use on the rare occasions they have steaks.

The new oven they are building to make bread and pizza....after Chris is gone. :(

Gym

The gym is named after a Sergeant that was killed in action.

The "weight room".

I like it...

Chris probably won't like that I put this picture on here, but I wanted to show what they use for a weight bench. It's actually an empty rocket canister with a board placed on top...another innovative use of what's available.

"I don't know. You take a few pictures around here for your wife and dudes want to get in and act silly..."

-Chris

This will be the last of the "Afghanistan Picture Posts"...for now anyway...hope you've enjoyed!! :)

Honoring the Fallen

"Lord, bless these heros;

Who have given their lives.

Comfort their children;

Their husbands and wives.

Let us not forget;

They have given their all.

Let the bugle be silent;

Let no more soldiers fall."

These are pictures of the memorials that have been constructed on FOB Delhi; a somber reminder of the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and for their comrades in arms. Lord, let us never forget those who have laid down their lives so that we may live a life of  freedom, safety, and justice.

Memorial Chris's battalion made for the Marines who have been killed in action in this area of operations since April 2010.

The names of the fallen are written on the stones placed at the base of the cross as well as the plaque in front.

The British Armed Forces memorial.

"Greater love has no one than this,

that he lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

"One of the cool parts..."

...as Chris would say, is getting to radio in helicopters and direct their landing on the FOB (Forward Operating Base**). He really enjoys doing this, I think mostly because it helps break up the monotony of most of his days, but it's really a pretty neat task to get to direct the pilots and help them land in what's proven to be a very small area!

These first pictures are of Chris radioing in a CH-53 Super Stallion. These helicopters were developed specifically for the Marine Corps for "heavy-lift operations" including carrying cargo, vehicles, artillery, and troops.

This next series is of Chris working with a V-22 Osprey, the military's newest helicopter. It is a "tiltrotor" aircraft, which means it takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter, but has the maneuverability and the long-range, high-speed capabilities of an airplane. A down-side to this particular aircraft is the incredible wind speeds and literal dust-storm it produces when it lands. Roofs have been torn off of buildings, care-packages thrown into walls, and one Marine's Kevlar helmet was actually dented after being picked up by these winds and slammed into a nearby building. Needless to say, loose objects are secured and the marines duck and cover when one of these comes in!

 

**For those of you who have already read this, apparently I've been mistaken about the meaning of this acronym the entire time I've known Chris/been around the military, but it's fixed now! Just goes to show you...I'm constantly learning new things everyday as a military wife! :)

The Washateria--OEF Style

Over the course of the deployment Chris has had to endure some pretty sparse living conditions. Not to say that other Marines haven't or don't have it worse than he does. There are definitely worse living conditions than what he has had to tolerate, but nonetheless, his current environment provides somewhat less than what you and I would consider "basic comforts of home". The Marines hardly ever complain though...they know it has been and/or could always be worse. They seem to always be coming up with new ideas of how to use their limited supplies to get things done. One of the most humorous (but rather clever, I think) innovations is their system of washing clothes using commercial mop buckets since they don't have regular washing machines. The first time Chris told me he washed his clothes in a mop bucket, I thought he was kidding...he obviously wasn't.



Can we take a moment and notice how DISGUSTING the wash water is?? UGH!!

Chris being Chris...



Funny how creative you can be when you don't have the basic "creature comforts" that we all take for granted on a daily basis!!

Pictures from Afghanistan

I know, I know...it's been a long time since I've updated, but honestly there just isn't much to blog about without my other half with me! I've been nagging (yes, nagging) Chris for a while now to send me some pictures from Afghanistan...just of his daily happenings around the camp, and where he's been living for the past 6 months. Even if no one else is interested in looking at dirty old tents and mud huts, I definitely am curious to see what his daily life has been like...and I know our kids/grand kids will one day love to look at all of these pictures too!

Well, all of my pesky perseverance in getting him to take pictures has finally paid off. This morning I received about 65 pictures in my email! (Ya think he wanted me to quit asking?? haha) Don't worry, I'm not going to make you scroll through 65 pictures (your poor fingers would probably fall off after using the mouse button so much)...I'll just post the ones I find most interesting. I'm planning on splitting up the pictures into several posts over the next few days, so if you're interested, keep checking back to see new pictures. I know it would have been better to get to see these posts periodically over the deployment...but you can take that up with Chris ;)

Post "One" coming soon!

O Captain! My Captain!

I am so proud to report that Chris has been promoted to Captain!

 We were not expecting him to get promoted until September, so this came as a very pleasant surprise! Both times that Chris has been promoted, he's been overseas, first in Iraq in 2008 from 2nd Lt. to 1st Lt., and now in Afghanistan from 1st Lt. to Captain. So while it's a little disappointing that I've never actually gotten to see him be promoted in person or been able to pin his new rank on his uniform, I am also very excited for him and very proud of my Marine! And at least I have pictures of the ceremony to share! :)

Reporting to the Commanding Officer for Promotion

(Chris is on the far side of the picture, saluting. They promoted both him and another Marine to Captain at the same time.)

Reading of the Promotion Warrant

Shaking hands with the Battalion Commander, Lt Col Watson

Getting "pinned" with his new rank

Chris with his shiny new Captain's bars :)

Taking an Oath of Office

This month also marks 4 years for Chris's Marine Corps career. I am so proud of you, Chris, and your four years of dedicated service to our country!

Half Way Home!!

Just a small note, because I wanted to recognize this milestone in the deployment...

This past week we reached the best estimated half-way point of the deployment! Notice I said "estimated" because while we're expecting Chris's battalion to return during the first week of November, this will probably change at least three more times before he actually steps on US soil. But, even so, it's something to celebrate! :)

Along with celebrating, Chris and I also want to thank everyone who has been praying for us and all of the troops overseas and to ask for your continued prayers. I can't express how much they truly have been felt by both of us over these past months. God has blessed us in so many ways throughout this deployment. Actually, "blessed" doesn't even seem to justly describe it. Besides getting to talk to Chris via email on an almost daily basis (except for communication blackouts) and talking to him on the phone a few times every week, the absolute peace that God has placed on my heart is truly amazing and is a testament to the comfort only our God can provide. I can't describe it, and I can't explain it, but it's there, and I am so grateful. One particular scripture has been very powerful to me: "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10 ) Whenever I start to feel sad, lonely, or worried, this reminds me that God and only God is in absolute control. He holds both Chris and I in the palm of His hand, and He will never give us anything that we cannot handle. And in this moment of realization, my heart finds that indescribable peace. God is so good!

The "half-way point" is also notoriously hard for the servicemen and women overseas. They have now been there for over three months and while "half-way" is something to be happy about, it also comes with the realization that they still have as much time as they've already been there to go before they come home. So I hope you'll join me in praying for peace and patience in their hearts during this time, as well.

Yay for Half Way!!! :)