Soldier’s in the 1960’s got away with WAAY more shenanigans than we do today. This story from a Vietnam Vet is both ridiculous and hilarious.

I find myself with the Marines right smack dab in the middle of the Helmund province. Why the Helmund province? All I’ve seen so far is oppressive heat and horrific dust in the air. But there’s more. It has been said that 80% of the world’s opium comes from Afghanistan and I believe most all of it comes from right here in the Helmund province. Money and power. I can easily draw parallels of Juarez, Mexico and the power of drug cartels and the chaos that follows.

General Petreaus visits Forward Operating Base Salerno to honor soldiers. Under fire, Lieutenant Lohnert ran 150 meters over open ground to put their heavy guns back in action. He describes in his own words the events of that fateful day that led up to his receiving special recognition for valor. LISTEN TO AUDIO INTERVIEW by Jim Spiri.

Serious looking dudes were unloading and they caught my curiosity. I had a momentary flashback to my time in war torn El Salvador with the Army of the Republic. I was only in my twenties but still older than most of the soldiers I was with. But here in Afghanistan these men were the roughest and most hardened looking foreign soldiers I’ve ever come across.

“Nothing comes easy, nothing comes free.” American warrior, Captain Watson was a Ranger Instructor when he saw the Twin Towers hit. Listen to the Audio Interview by Jim Spiri

This is what happens when you love loud noises and blow up things as as a kid! Great audio interview by our combat reporter Jim Spiri in Afghanistan at Camp Salerno.

Audio Interview from Soldiers of the 344th Combat Support Hospital at Camp Salerno. Enjoy listening to the interview as the Soldiers open up about the mission.

I’m discovering that tribal loyalties and traditions are the fabric of Afghanistan. “Pashtunwali,” roughly translates as guiding philosophy or sense of right and wrong regarding relationships, loyalties, and conduct.

In September 2007 I spent a short bit of time in a place called Forward Operating Base Falcon down towards the Diyala province area during the surge in Iraq. I embedded with 1/40 Cavalry from Fort Richardson, Alaska and became good friends with a young Lieutenant Rob Hamilton.

The 187th Infantry Regiment, Rakkasans, is a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the Army. The regimental motto is “Ne Desit Virtus” / “Let Valor Not Fail” The Rakkasans, derived their nickname from the Japanese word for umbrella dating back to WWII and the 187th’s tour of duty in Japan.

Nine years ago my son Jimmy was a door gunner during “Operation Anaconda” as our forces attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains southeast of Zormat. Now I’m standing 35-miles east of that same ground.

As I sipped on my cup of black coffee, I inquired about the production of pomegranates, pistachios, and other tidbits regarding agriculture and geography I had studied up on. My interests’ sparked enthusiasm and Walli shared many details pointing out specific regions, raging rivers, and mountain ranges on a wall map we stood next to. I told him the mountains in New Mexico were much smaller, a fact he took pride in as we continued to talk.

Like most people living in the USA prior to 2001, I did not know very much about Afghanistan. But after the events of September 11, Afghanistan would take precedence in my mind and I determined that one day this combat photographer would have to go there. Who would have thought it would take me nearly nine years?

I have arrived in Bagram via C-130 transport plane. I am almost at my first embed location; however, there is still a ways to go. I have arrived at Bagram, the place where my Soldier son Jimmy came to in late 2001 after the events of September 11 summoned him into duty. I wondered if I ever would make it to this place.