Landlocked Sailor 2004

Here I am receiving a Commander's Coin from our new boss, COL (UK) Stopford:

Maj Patrick, (FR) receives the Army Commendation Medal:

The CFC-A Planners, a motley crew:

Maj Steve, CPT Andy, me and CPT Heidi:

Maj Jim begins the task of unwrapping his desk upon his return from Norway. Yes I said Norway, while we remained in Kabul, he went to Norway for a conference. He got to drink real beer, and we got to wrap his desk in Christmas paper. A fair deal, I think:

Spending time away from home is difficult. Even more so over the holidays. We try to do as much as we can to get in the holiday spirit. It usually works pretty well.

The stockings were hung by the whiteboard with care....in hopes that a ticket home would soon be there....


Due to security concerns, we need camoflauge Christmas hats...(I am kidding)

I don't think anyone would notice the antlers and bow on the helmet.
In fact, when at the North Pole the wearer could probably get close to the workshop undetected:

Heeerrrrees Santa!

Minimalistic Christmas tree:

Maj. Tim...in real life, he is a Lawyer, yeah, I want HIM on my side....


Capt Heidi, gettin in the Christmas spirit:


Maj Jim went away for a few days...to Norway. We missed him so. Here we are preparing for his return...Nothing like a little desk wrapping to say "we missed you":

The finished product, yes we wrapped the phones, computer, and coffee cup:

Here I am burning classified material.

SGT Tim: Hitman...

Crowded bus, just can't imagine a scene like this in the states. Gettin' a little close there buddy aren't you?

Kids like this attach themselves to the sides of vehicles in traffic. They try to sell you things or clean your windshield. But like seagulls, if you feed them, many more will come.

Street scene:

There is a Christmas door decorating contest on the compound. This is my entry, I think it is a lock for winning:

Officers, waterguns, and Silly String don't mix....

Col George, from the UK, departed. He was our boss and a pretty good one at that.
Here he is at his farewell party. Yes, the beer is non-alcoholic.

A "friendly" card game.....

The making of "Professor" Jim...."What did you say my waist was?"


Maj Jim gets down to check a rug. He didn't know what I was doing. What am I doing?

Maj Patrick (From France) Doing his Yasser Arafat (He is still dead) impersonation.

Me making the coffee, apparently this doesn't happen too often. Well there are CPTs in the office.

Cleaning up the silly string under a barrage of water pistols:

The aftermath. We better clean this place up before the cleaning guy comes back:

A group goes to a local orphanage each Friday. Maj Chris and some kids:

Soccer is pretty popular in Afghanistan:









Cpt Andy, he is from West Virginia.....