Back from Afghanistan

#1
carlos86

carlos86

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#1
Got back in the States a couple of days ago. Deployment got cut short by 3 months because of SFAB. Everyone came home in one piece and we only took contact with the Taliban a few times. Besides that, it went well and was better than I expected.
 
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#2
#2
carlos86 said:
Got back in the States a couple of days ago. Deployment got cut short by 3 months because of SFAB. Everyone came home in one piece and we only took contact with the Taliban a few times. Besides that, it went well and was better than I expected.
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Welcome home my man.
 
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#11
#11
Is this part of a withdraw because they are training the Afghans well enough to take over?
 
#17
#17
Mick said:
Is this part of a withdraw because they are training the Afghans well enough to take over?
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No there is no withdrawal. There was a surge of forces. Part of the surge force (1st SFAB) arrived in country 8 months before they were supposed to deploy. US Forces Afghanistan didn't realise this until April when Congress asked for documentation on how many U.S. forces were in the theater. We were over forced by 3,000 so they started sending people home.
 
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#20
#20
carlos86 said:
Got back in the States a couple of days ago. Deployment got cut short by 3 months because of SFAB. Everyone came home in one piece and we only took contact with the Taliban a few times. Besides that, it went well and was better than I expected.
Click to expand...

My friend is shipping out later this month for his first tour. He’s actually in the guard. Kind of wild to think they’re going over there.
 
#22
#22
Welcome back Carlos. Where were you over there? Chances are I’ve been there. Did you see any positives and negatives while there?
 
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#24
#24
AirVol said:
Welcome back Carlos. Where were you over there? Chances are I’ve been there. Did you see any positives and negatives while there?
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Bagram and a part of Parwan Province. We cleared routes and conducted patrols with and for NATO Forces and the Marines Liaisons who were attached to the Georgians. A positive is that ANA ANP and Afghan Commandos and do 50-60% of the word. What they cant do we do. The brightest spot has to be the Afghan Commandos. They don't lack the training or manpower that the normal Afghan soldiers lack. The negatives has to be how the Aghan Government is dealing with crises. The Taliban can't really fight toe to toe with anyone so they have shifted to delegitimizing the government. blowing up power lines, disrupting internet, water supplies, SVests in markets. But the cease-fire seems to have been a step in the right direction I would say 20-30% of the Taliban are tired of fighting and ready to reconcile with the government like other insurgent leaders have. The security situation had improved somewhat by the time I left the country. All the major fighting is down south and east. Its safe to assume that the U.S. and NATO will have a permanent presence there at least for the next 8 years.
 
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#25
#25
I know Bagram well. Went there when nothing was there, living in tents. Still had bullet holes in the tower at Camp Cunningham, old tanks and MIGS scattered everywhere near the ramp. Went back 2 years later and lived in a Cadillac bin which was nice because I had a bed and the base had changed a lot. Last time, stayed in a nice prefabbed bldg and they were expanding the base to the south, primarily for USAF.

We will occupy that base much longer than 8 years.
 
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