Notebook Entry
Lamba Dan to Spin gar to Dan gar, Patrol to investigate two
civilians who were shot.
PB Lamba Dan to Spin Gar to PB Dan Gar. Patrol with the ANA to investigate the wounding of 2 civilians by the Taliban. 6km patrol. ANA had already moved the wounded civilian when we arrived. Sgt Salim gave his class, good, he is learning. Met up with Mintz (from IOC [Infantry Officer's Course) and a USMC Capt [redacted for ID] smoked a cigar with him, felt really shitty afterward. I felt like I was going to throw up out of the side of the Armadillo [an armored troop carrier]. At Dan Gar, Taught class to Marines on Patrol Debriefing. Gave them and intel overview they only have TacChat and know little of what is happening outside of their little section of the world. The SSgt [Staff Sergeant] who ran the place was a really good piece of gear. He new what he was doing. He was clearly a former drill instructor, occasionally he would drift back to speech immediately recognizable as drill-instructor talk. He was a little bit spooked when I came down, he stood behind me while we were prepping for the patrol, he was waving his hands and trying to pantomime to his Marines to make sure they didn't forget anything. He sent his squad leader in addition to his fire team leader out with me. It was kind of funny and kind of cute, he told the Squad leader quietly to 'look out for him [me]' just before we left. This is how I remember things. Enlisted would take care of things without officers around, make sure that the officers didn't have anything to nit-pick and look out for them when they showed up.
Waiting to go to Spin Gar had a conversation about selective sins with Neckpai. I told him that the US and the US military had singled out homosexuality as the target of its ire, but didn't give a shit about guys actually praying. Muslims did the opposite, they prayed all of the time but don't give a shit about gay guys. He agreed.
Incidentally in the entire time that I have been out here with them I have not seen him or Salim pray once. He also told me that he feels like it is his duty to give a large if not total portion of the money that he makes to his parents. He wants to be the good son and make sure that all of his brothers and sisters are raised right. He
doesn't want his sisters to go off and sleep with a whole bunch of guys and brothers to join the Taliban...interesting that those are the choices...
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| I took this because we had the same hot plate at home. |
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| Burning excrement |
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| The salinity of this area is visible on freshly moist then dried ground |
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| Naikpai in an appropriately named chair. |
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| On patrol |
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| Salim teaching a class to the Afghan Soldiers |
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