Sports Byline USA Insight

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Remember in grade school, the first thing you had to do when you returned to school was write the obligatory “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” essay.  I never really figured out what good or purpose writing about my summer activities accomplished either in my educational process or the teacher’s.  Being the “smart ass” I was, even back in the 2nd grade, I should have written that I spent my summer chasing loose women and going to strip clubs at night.  I wonder what grade my teacher Ms. Crankston would have given me for that one?

With that in mind, I’m spending this summer back in the Middle East and back in Afghanistan.  It’s my own damn fault.  It was only in February that I was doing the same thing with Randy Cross, Brian Billick and Spencer Tillman in going to Iraq.  The same purpose, to broadcast Sports Byline with the troops and spending time with them talking sports, letting them know we care and hopefully raising their spirits with a taste of home and sports.  On the flight from Washington, D.C. to Kuwait, I met Major General Robert Cone who was on his way to Afghanistan.  One thing led to another and I said I’d like to come back again to broadcast the show and visit with the troops.  Well, be careful what you wish for.  That’s why I’m flying today from San Francisco to Washington to Kuwait, where the military takes over and flies us into Kabul, Afghanistan.

Again, I’m not alone on this adventure.  My buds from my recent Iraq trip have been replaced in the lineup by two more people I respect and like.  Cross, Billick and Tillman out for this trip, 49ers coach Mike Nolan and Super Bowl winning defensive back Eric Davis in.  Each trip I prevail upon my sports friends to make the journey with me.  No matter how good a friend they are, trying to sell an athlete or coach on going to a combat zone where you can come under a rocket attack, or any of the other dangers of war, is not an easy thing to do.  Rejection to my offer is certainly understandable when the friends I approach to go with me say, “No, are you nuts?  Or, “Sorry Ron, that’s the time I promised my wife I’d help her plant the garden.”  My request certainly challenges the bounds of friendship.  However, many have said, “Count me in Ron.”  Words can’t express my appreciation to Mike Nolan, Eric Davis and my other friends who have taken time out of their lives to bring a moment of happiness to our servicemen and women who are on a serious and dangerous mission. 

I lingered in bed a bit longer than usual on my departure day.  I reflect on my life, those I care about and love and the beauty of the sun shinning over the bay and onto Mt. Tam, which sits out my bedroom window.  Like the soldiers or anyone else who goes to a combat area, I reflect because I know life isn’t guaranteed.  I’m a positive person, but I know stuff happens and so I reflect in appreciation for a life that has been overflowing with wonderful people and experiences.  This is my fourth trip to Iraq and Afghanistan and each has been educational, spiritually uplifting and given me a deeper appreciation for young people and all who serve in our military.  There’s no political debate on the pure fact that they are our best, bravest and brightest.

Let’s get this adventure rolling, and let’s hope my United flight to Washington, in order to catch the only flight of the day to Kuwait, is on time this time. 

The Land of 33 Cent Gas

The flight from San Francisco to Washington to Kuwait was long and uneventful.  You can only eat so much food and watch so many movies.  The best part was the flights were on time.  Whoever says we’re in a recession, money is tight, and airfares are too high for people to fly apparently hasn’t been to an airport lately.  At SFO and Dulles, there were thousands of travelers proving the recession, tight money, and high airfare theories wrong. 

I’m glad Mike Nolan and Eric Davis are making this trip with me.  I’ve known Eric since his 49er playing days.  He’s a caring, intelligent, articulate and inquisitive person.  Mike and I had never met before, but I had had him as a guest on Sports Byline several times.  We sat together from SFO to Washington and then all three of us were together on the Washington to Kuwait leg.  I liked Mike right away.  He’s open, direct, focused and an outstanding football coach.  We talked a little football, but most of it was about families, common people we know and life experiences.  Also, I shared with him information and my previous experiences of my trips to Iraq and Afghanistan.  He was like a sponge in absorbing it all.  I like Eric because he is as he appears.  He’s a good family man, with four kids including triplets.  He enjoys new experiences and I can already tell he’s looking forward to getting know a different part of the world and a different culture.  I’m going to enjoy getting to know Mike and Eric better, and we’ll always be able have this shared experience as something special between us.

Getting off the plane in Kuwait city, we realized 120 wasn't the time, but the temperature.  Mike and Eric were like kids taking it all in as they observed the culture shift, the different dress, women and young girls in berkas and the men were obviously the rulers of the family.  It might work here, but not at home.  After getting our visas to enter the country at the airport and claiming our luggage, we proceeded to leave the airport and the reception area.  An official looking person motioned us ahead of everyone else and through immigration.  In the reception area where there were at least a thousand people waiting for deplaning passengers, I told Mike we got the special treatment and all these people were here because heard the San Francisco 49ers head coach was coming to town.  He paused, thought about it, and almost bought it.  I’m going to have a lot of fun selling these two traveling “rookies” on a lot of things.

We made the hour trip from the airport to the military base where we’d spend the night.  Eric and Mike were all eyes and full of questions for Clayton, our guide and security person.  Clayton is an American who has been in Kuwait for 14 years.  I asked him why and he said, “I like the job.”  He also said he has made enough money and therefore he doesn’t stay for any other reason then he likes the job.  Mike peppered Clayton with questions about the weather, the people, the region and anything else he could think of.  It was fun to watch and listen to.  What impressed everyone was Clayton telling us he could fill up his Suburban for 15 dollars.  Mike said it costs him over a hundred dollars everyone he fills up at home.  Gas here is 33 cents a gallon.  That maybe a good reason to live here for most, but not a good enough reason for me.

General Robert Cone sent a Lt. Colonel from Afghanistan to escort us.  He let us know we’d be in Kuwait until 10pm Sunday and then we’d take a C-17 (thank God) to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and then we’d go on to Kabul.  There’s talk about ground convoying us to Kabul, but Jon Bullock (J.B)., the tour manager and producer of my shows, says no and that we should helicopter there instead.  We’ll see who prevails.  My money is on J.B.  Anyway you look at it; it’s going to be a long day.

A few words about Jon Bullock.  This is my 4th trip with him to Iraq, Afghanistan and Germany.  He’s special.  First, he has the patience of Job, something you need to have when you’re dealing with the military, people with their own agendas and different cultures and customs.  He’s slow to anger, but if you do, watch-out.  I can’t think of a better person to have leading us and making this the positive experience for the troops, as well as us. 

Well, they just let us know the 10pm (tentative) take-off time has been moved up to some time in the afternoon.  That’s the military.  There is no schedule, you go when they say you go.  We’ll get our flak jackets, helmets and get mounted up for the trip to the airfield and our C-17.  Next stop Afghanistan.   

The Looongest Day

I should have known traveling to Afghanistan was going to be tough.  First, it was a black flag day in Kuwait.  That means the temperature was going to be more then 120 degrees.  Try 127 degrees.  How hot is that?  Eric Davis said it was like standing in front of an electric hair dryer.  I don’t know how hot hell is, but it can’t be any hotter.

Bad news number two.  Remember how I said they had called and asked us to be at the airbase earlier because we’d be flying out at 4 pm instead of 8 pm?  Well, we left the base where we stayed overnight at noon, got to the base we’d be leaving at 1:30 pm, only to find that our 4 pm departure was now a 9 pm departure.  Military flying means hurry up and wait.  You just come to expect it.  But it did mean we were going to be up all night and not get to Kabul, Afghanistan until daybreak.  For Eric and Mike, that meant a second sleepless night since the time change kept them up all night in Kuwait.  Mike read most of the night, Eric was out on the airbase track running at 5 am, in the cool part of the day.  It was only 107 degrees.

Some good news, our aircraft was going to be a C-17 jet.  Good news only in that the seats in this cargo plane are a bit more comfortable.  However, don’t think airline seat comfortable.  We boarded before the cargo was put on and about 100 soldiers going to Afghanistan boarded.  That gave me time to ask the cockpit crew if they’d let me jump seat ride in the cockpit.  Being a pilot they were more than willing, and they were even more willing to let Mike Nolan and Eric Davis join me in the cockpit for the flight when they said they were based at Travis Air Force base in Fairfield, California.  It certainly didn’t hurt that the C-17 captain was Captain Jason Garland, a big time 49ers fan.  Everybody was happy.

I let Eric and Mike sit in the cockpit for takeoff and I sat right behind the cockpit.  This is a big cargo plane and it has bunks for the pilots to catch some rest.  And, it wasn’t long before Mike and Eric, who had gone sleepless for more than 24-hours, were nodding off in their cockpit seats as the plane climbed to its cruising altitude of 23,000 feet.  Eric almost fell out of his seat sleeping.  His safety harness saved him from a C-17 face plant.  It wasn’t long before Eric found one of the pilots’ sleeping bunks and Mike traded seats with me and both were passed out.

For me, it was opportunity to swap flying stories with the crew, talk some sports and hear about the challenges of flying in the Middle East and a combat zone.  Later, I donned a pair of NVGs (night vision goggles) and saw stars you can’t see with the naked eye.  It’s one of those things that make being a pilot special.  For Captain Garland, and his co-pilot Mike, they’re a necessity for flying into tough places, Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan being one.  Since I previously experienced the challenge of landing at Bagram, I gave Eric the honor of sitting in the jump seat for this one.  It was everything I knew, with warning and automated voice alarms going off.  After the twisting and challenging landing, the look on Eric’s face made me smile and told me he had witnessed something that got his attention and made him think, “What the hell am I doing here.”  As we left the C-17, I thanked Captain Garland and his crew and we took pictures with them, and presented them with some gifts of appreciation for their courtesy and professionalism. 

If we all thought the plane ride into Afghanistan was interesting and challenging, the ride from Bagram airbase to Kabul matched it.  Since there were no helicopters available at 3:30 am to take us the 35 miles to Kabul and Camp Eggers where we were staying, then we would be armed convoying it to town.  It can be dangerous with the possibility of insurgent attacks and IEDs (improvised explosive devices).  It wasn’t our first choice, but I and producer and tour manager Jon Bullock, who’s a Afghanistan tour veteran, felt pretty comfortable we’d arrive safely.  The military was prepared to protect us at all costs with a convoy that included putting us in a Rhino for protection.  Now, a Rhino looks like an armored Winebago.  Think Bill Murray in the movie “Stripes” and you get the picture.           

Boots on the Ground in Kabul

Our armed convoy from Bagram airbase has landed us in Camp Eggers in Kabul.  This is the military command center for all of Afghanistan.  Lt. Colonel Jim Rodney, General Cone’s point and fix-it man for us, gets us situated in our rooms.  They’re the best they have to offer and they’re nice.  The first big decision of the day is do we eat and just keep going, or do we get some sleep before we meet General Cone at 10 am?  I vote to eat and sleep for a couple of hours, Mike and Eric decide to eat and workout. 

General Bob Cone is the reason we’re here.  He was on our flight in March from Washington to Kuwait.  He was returning to Afghanistan and Randy Cross, Brian Billick, Spencer Tillman and I were heading to Iraq.  Cone is a big sports and football fan, so sitting with Spencer Tillman on the flight was nice for both of them.  I chatted with him during the flight and told him I’d like to bring Sports Byline and some of my sports friends back to Afghanistan, but only if we got more cooperation then we did the first time.  Returning home from Iraq, General Cone and I emailed and he invited me to come back, with the promise of support.  So here we are.

Precisely at 10 am General Cone greets us in his conference room and gives us an overview of the Afghanistan situation and what his goals are.  I grew up in a military family and know the military well.  As I listened to him I was impressed with his awareness of the numerous social, economic and political challenges, his sense of both the military and political realities, his understanding of Afghanistan’s history of being a battled for and war torn country and his commitment to do all he can to stabilize and make Afghanistan a better and more secure, independent country.  He is one of the most impressive military men I’ve ever met.  He’s disciplined, focused and honest.  He has one other major attribute.  He’s a Patriots fan and his wife is a big time Packer fan, who knows her football.  He’s able to maintain football peace in the Cone family, so I have no doubt he can handle this assignment.

Our 40 minute briefing is over; it’s time to meet and greet the troops.  General Cone will join us for a segment on our first Sports Byline broadcast tonight.  We haven’t had much sleep, but we’re pumped about doing what we’re here to do.  Time to hit the road with another armed convoy.

FOBing

A FOB is a Forward Operating Base.  They are the backbone of the military effort in Afghanistan, as well as Iraq.  These are satellite bases that have anything from a handful of soldiers to a couple of hundred that operate in combat missions, to training the Afghan military and police with the hope that at some point they’ll take over their own defense.  From an entertainment standpoint, they’re often overlooked.  One thing General Robert Cone said to me when we arrived was that he wanted us to go the FOBs that don’t much attention.  That was the good news, the bad news was those FOBs are generally located in out of the way places.  So, our first two days in Afghanistan was spent visiting those troops.  By armed convoy and helicopter, we visited FOBs Dobbs, Stallion, Lightning and Phoenix.  The first comment we heard on each stop was, “Thanks for coming; no one ever comes out to see us.”  We met and talked with the troops in the DEFACS (chow halls).  Mike Nolan, Eric Davis and I were touched by how appreciative they were to us, when we were there to tell them “thank you” for all they were doing.

At each stop you could easily find every soldier’s team allegiance.  If someone asked a question of Mike or Eric about a particular team, it either got a cheer or a razzing boo.  As the Q and A session at each FOB went on, the fun and pace of the questions and answers increased.  There was lots of laughter, especially with Eric’s quick witted tongue and responses.  Mike’s thoughtful and insightful answers about the NFL, players and the 49ers had their total attention.  For me, it was fun to host it, share some of my favorite sports stories and just watch how much Mike and Eric were enjoying themselves. As each session was about to end, you could sense they wanted it to continue.  The talk of football and sports was a connection to home.  It took them from where they were, and the job they do day after day in harm’s way, back to Houston, Toledo, Omaha, Galveston and a vast array of other cities across America these soldiers come from.  We basically heard what I’ve heard on every trip I’ve made to Iraq or Afghanistan, “Thanks for making me feel like I was back home.”

After the end of Q and A sessions, we were inundated by requests for autographs and pictures.  We didn’t leave each FOB until every autograph was signed and each picture was taken.  There was no way we could say “no” to any request these men and women had.  Besides requests for autographs and pictures, the biggest number of requests of Mike Nolan was for tickets to a 9ers game.  Every time Mike said, “Give me a call when you get home and let’s see what we can do.”  He made a lot of friends and new 49er fans.  After each FOB stop it became harder and harder for us to leave the soldiers behind.  Later, we talked about knowing that we were going home soon, but these men and women were staying to fulfill their mission and commitment.

As I said, we spent the day helicoptering to two of the FOBs, Lightning and Phoenix.  FOB Lightning is at 7,200 feet elevation.  Our trip there was eye opening.  We saw the real Afghanistan, a country which is only 5% on the power grid.  We saw mud hutted villages in the middle of nowhere. Some were lush and green, while others were desolate and on dusty plains.  Also, we saw Bedouin people who live in the middle of nowhere, on mountain sides and in the heart of desert plains.  The recurring question we all had in reflection is how do the Bedouins exist?  Where and how do they get their food and water?  The helicopter view of Afghanistan filled in another piece of the puzzle of the military mission here.  But, it also added to our awe of what these soldiers are accomplishing. 

Our Sports Byline broadcasts from Kabul and Camp Eggers were fun and another reason why we came.  Our broadcast setup was outside, in a nice courtyard.  It allowed our audience to sip coffee (alcohol is not allowed) and view the show in a relaxed atmosphere.  It was balmy, in the low 90s.  Our guest lineup was great as usual with Brian Billick, Luc Robitaile, Bill Romanowski and others.  And, as usual I let four soldiers co-host the show and talk with the athletes.  Mike Nolan and Eric Davis also shared the microphone with me during the two hours.  General Cone also spent an on-air segment with us talking sports and their mission here.  It was a full house and after the broadcasts we again spent time talking sports, signing autographs and having pictures taken.  It was the end of a long, satisfying day.

Next up, Kandahar.  It’s the combat hotspot in Afghanistan.     

Where the Action Is

Kandahar and the Helmand province in the South are the front lines in the battle for Afghanistan.  It’s where the Coalition of the Willing (NATO) is taking it to the Taliban and the foreign insurgency.  It’s the “hell hole” of the war in Afghanistan. 

To get there, General Cone has arranged for a plane especially for us.  That’s good because the words “on time departure” are foreign to the Air Force.  This specially designated flight comes courtesy of Blackwater.  Yep, the same Blackwater we’re heard so much about.  They are the military’s main civilian contract security provider and they don’t mess around.  Our flight was on time and at 9:15 am we said goodbye to our Kabul friends and military protection and winged our way south to Afghanistan second largest city.  We’d been told to expect heat, dust and danger. 

Blackwater provided us with a STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft.  It’s cool and can land and take-off on a postage stamp.  The crew knew I was a pilot and asked if I wanted to join them in the cockpit.  I resisted the urge to ask them if I could fly in the right seat (co-pilot).  I figured since it was Blackwater they might say, “What the hell, sure.”  But, contrary to what you may have heard and read, they’re pros all the way.  While there might not be any rank per se in these cockpits, Darsh Dohler was in the left seat (Captain).  Like most of the pilots, military and civilian, I’ve met on this and other trips to Iraq and Afghanistan; they’re young, eager and talented.  From the cockpit on take-off you get a good view of the vastness of Kabul.  On the ground we only saw a small part of the Kabul area that holds nearly 4 million people.  From the air, that number looks about right.  It was a beautiful mix of high mountain peeks, barren desert and an oasis of green here and there.  It put everything we saw on the ground in perspective.  While I would have enjoyed spending the entire 75-minute flight with the guys up front, I also wanted Mike and Eric to have the chance to see the view.  Eric was already asleep, but Mike eagerly accepted the invite to take the cockpit jump seat.  This entire trip Mike has been like a sponge, soaking up the entire experience.  It’s fun to see.

Traveling with us was Navy Commander Mike Larious, Army Major Gina Rockel and photographer and Army Specialist Tim Newborn.  They will be our guides, protectors and a wonderful source of information and understanding of the military and social challenge this war presents.  What I like about them is they answer any questions we pose honestly and in depth.  Sometimes the military can be paranoid, but not on this trip.  General Cone sets the style and he believes in transparency.  They trusted us and we trusted them.  It’s rare, but nice when it can work that way.

About an hour into the flight, you get the feeling you’re about to enter hell.  The landscape is bare and as we make our approach into Kandahar, I get a feeling of conflict here.  After we land, and the aircraft door opens, one thing about hell is confirmed, it feels like it.  The temperature breaks 120 and it’s a searing heat.  The sky and sun are partially obscured by blowing dust and sand.  My first thought is of the soldiers that have to serve here, and particularly of those who are fighting here.  I can’t imagine how they do it.  But, I do know this is going to be intense, and a real education.     

The Front Lines

It didn’t take us long to get “boots on the ground” in Kandahar for us to see the real face of the war in Afghanistan.  After dropping off our bags in our bunkrooms, we headed out to a “meet and greet” inside the base.  As in our other visits to FOBs, the soldiers eagerly greeted us.  Early hesitation gave way to easy conversation and banter between the troops (who had a myriad of NFL team allegiances) Mike Nolan, Eric Davis and myself.  Sports are an easy communication bridge.  Again, Mike and Eric’s effusive and down to earth style made it feel like it was just a group of friends getting together to talk sports and trash talk a bit.  An hour and many autographs and pictures later we headed out to our next stop, Forward Operating Base Scorpion.

Here is where the war became real for us.  First, Scorpion is located “outside the wire.”  In other words, it’s beyond the security of the base.  FOBs are the backbone of the war effort.  Think of them as American forts in hostile territory.  For us to reach FOB Scorpion, we had to use M RAPs for transportation.  M RAPs are the military’s latest effort at an armored troop transport vehicle that can better survive deadly IED (Improvised Explosive Device) and RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) attacks.  They’re better armored, more sophisticated and sit higher off the ground then the troop carrying humvees the military has been using.  They’re loaded to the teeth with protective firepower and sophisticated detection and detonation equipment.  The report card on the M RAP is still out.  Some soldiers in Iraq told me they sit too high off the ground and have become vulnerable to tipping over when they’re attacked.  Also, the enemy has adjusted their attack mode in going after the M RAPs.  Nevertheless, M RAPs were our cocoon of protection for traveling to FOB Scorpion.  The trip was our most apprehensive time so far in Afghanistan.  A great peace of mind came from the professional soldiers we had transporting and protecting us, even if they all looked like they were in their early 20’s.  Young maybe, but they were definitely “kick ass” veterans. 

The relatively short trip allowed us to see again more of how the real Afghans live and exist.  Their living is hard and their existence is perilous.  FOB Scorpion is attached to an ANA (Afghan National Army) camp.  If this war is to be won and the Afghans are to have their country back, they’re going to have to fight for it, which they’re willing to do with our and NATO’s help.  This FOB visit is going to be different than the others.  The soldiers here have felt the sting of war and loss.  Just yesterday they lost four of their own.  That loss is heightened by the fact that this FOB is a small group of soldiers, and any loss becomes more personal and harder to accept.  As we arrive, we’re told that chaplains are here to help them cope with their loss.

For us, there’s some trepidation. We want to bring them a break from their pain and everyday perilous existence, but we are very mindful and sensitive to their loss.  We want to be respectful of what these soldiers are going through as well as the four who were killed.  Mike and Eric are even more sensitive to it since they understand better than I do the comradeship of men who battle together as a family.  In Mike’s case, he knows first-hand what it’s like to lose a team member.  In his first season as the head coach of the 49ers, one of his players collapsed and died in the locker room after a pre-season game in Denver.  As the soldiers of FOB Scorpion gather to meet us in the DEFAC (mess hall), I quickly tried to read their mood so as to make sure I say the right thing in starting our visit and conversations with them.  Immediately I can tell they’re going to be harder to reach so I start by saying that we’re proud of them and we’re here to say “thank you” for all they’re doing.  Then I introduced Mike and Eric and we talked about how the teamwork and commitment we’ve seen in Afghanistan is special and unique.  As we felt our way along, and each of us express our thoughts to them, I felt a softening and a brightening of the atmosphere.  I think they deeply appreciated that we would come “outside the wire” to visit them and such a small FOB.  The tide turned in the atmosphere when Mike and Eric was asked by a soldier, who was a passionate Falcons fan, about the team and if Mike and the 49ers would consider signing Michael Vick when he gets out of prison.  Mike talked honestly, but respectfully about the Falcons, but was tactful when it came to Vick.  He did a nice dance job and for the first time we had laughter.  From that point on, the conversation found a nice level and the 90 minutes we spent with them was good for everyone.  They appreciated our coming and our efforts to bring a little light into an otherwise dark and difficult time for them.  And, we appreciated them sharing with us their time in such a difficult moment.  Our trip back to the base was a quiet and reflective one.

The rest of the afternoon was spent resting up and getting ready for our last Sports Byline broadcast.  I wanted this one to be special since this was where the tough action is.  This was different than our broadcasts from Kabul.  There, soldiers had jobs to do, but there was flexibility and a more relaxed atmosphere for the broadcast.  Plus, we did it outside in almost a garden setting with soldiers filling nearly 100 chairs.  In Kandahar we did it inside in a somewhat air conditioned hard top tent.  It was the MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) building.  It’s where the soldiers play pool, ping pong, video games when they have time, and visiting entertainers (comedians and bands) perform.  It was the perfect setting for our broadcast.  As always, we had four soldiers, including a coalition Canadian soldier, co-host the two hours.  Darryl Johnston, Lou Holtz, ESPN’s Linda Cohn, B.J. Armstrong, Pete Carroll and others we on-air guests for the soldiers to talk to.  As I signed off the show, the room was full, the energy was good, and it all had a feel of normalcy and home to it.  It ended a day that had been full of fun, sports talk, sadness, gun fire and wonderment for Mike, Eric and me of how wonderful these young men and women are, how different this is from our daily lives and how lucky we are to have experienced it all.

Time to Go Home

Military travel is always an adventure.  The most common phrase is, “Hurry up and wait.”  Our travel back to Kuwait became a fluid and ever-changing schedule.  At first we were going leave Kandahar that night at 11 pm for Qatar, catching another Air Force plane to Kuwait.  But, since there was no guarantee our Kandahar flight would leave on time to allow us to make a tight connection to our Qatar to Kuwait flight, a command decision was made in Kabul by Lt. Col. Jim Rodney, our main military contact, that we’d stay one more day in Kandahar and take a flight the next night.  It was an extra day, but fine with us.  More on the adventure of getting home later.

The extra day gave us another chance to do another “meet and greet.”  Being a pilot, I was well aware of the military’s Predator and Reaper military aircraft programs.  I’ve wanted to see these planes up close for some time.  In March, in Iraq, they wouldn’t let me.  In Afghanistan, all doors were open to us.  Eric stayed back his room while Mike and I visited the Predator and Reaper air squadron.  Actually, since we were late getting to Kandahar that was one of the “meet and greets” we had to drop the first day.  So, when we called and asked if we could drop by, they said, “Come on over.”  The best way for me to describe the Predator and Reaper is they’re model airplanes on steroids.  They can stay aloft for as much as 20 hours.  They do reconnaissance and are armed with rockets and bombs that can take out selected targets.  The amazing thing is they do all this without a pilot in the cockpit.  Pilots thousands of miles away in a command cubicle fly most of the mission.  It’s the ultimate video game.  The night before we arrived in Kandahar the base had been rocketed.  An over flying Predator watched and saw who had launched the rockets, following them on their motorbike back to a house.  Let’s just say that later appropriate action was taken.  It was truly an eye opening and instructive look into modern and futuristic air warfare.  Afghanistan will be won on the ground, but the Predator and Reaper programs provide a strong and psychological addition to that effort.

Back to our adventure of trying to get back to Kuwait and home.  The Air Force doesn’t know the meaning of “on time departure.”  That’s not a criticism, it’s simply a reality.  I don’t mind waiting, but someone in the Air Force has got to come up with better communications as to when a plane will actually be taking off.  The seem to live on the slogan, “If it’s taking off, it’s news to me.”  We waited the extra day in order to get a C-17 cargo jet nonstop to Kuwait.  Joyous news to us.  In fact, we were to be the only human cargo aboard.  At first we were told we had to be at flight operations at 6 pm for an 8 pm takeoff.  Then we were told our report time would be midnight for a 2 am takeoff.  We reported at midnight, but our C-17 didn’t get to Kandahar until 4 am and we didn’t takeoff for Kuwait until 8 am.  We sat in operations for almost 8 hours.  Our C-17 pilots told us that when they got to the plane in Kuwait, it was up on jacks and they were putting new tires on it.  I think the Air Force would be more efficient if they called someone and communicated better.

Kandahar flight operations is like a Casablanca movie set.  We dropped a couple of bombs on it when we chased the Taliban out of the area in 2001, so there are holes and loose plaster in a lot of places.  Plywood is big in the building.  The only thing modern is the big, flat screen television for those who are waiting hours for their flight.  I watched Spain beat Russia, 3-0, in the Euro Soccer Championship.  The sofas are ratty, but inviting when you’re looking for a place to spread out and catch some sleep. 

In the space of our 8-hour waiting time, we picked up 12 soldiers going on leave to the U.S. and a soldier going home on a family emergency.  Here is another special moment on the trip for me.  A young Captain who was attached to us to coordinate our departure, whenever that was, and the soldier going home on emergency leave were thrilled to be able to sit and talk sports and football with Mike and Eric.  I watched as they took time to share with them their insights and experiences.  These two soldiers were soaking it all up, and Mike and Eric spent more then three hours talking with them in the middle of the night when they could have been catching some sleep on one of those ratty sofas.  It’s a moment and mental picture I’ll never forget. 

We finally boarded our C-17 and we were ready to roll out, however we endured one more delay.  This one was meaningful and understood by all.  A soldier had been killed the day before and this morning on the tarmac at the airfield there was a solemn, respectful and emotional farewell.  Officers and soldiers paid their respect as his flag covered casket was quietly put aboard an aircraft to return him home and to his family.  I was struck by a searing thought that will stay with me forever.  A soldier was returning home as an officer was knocking on the door of a family to tell them their son, their husband, their love one had been killed.  The soldiers on our C-17 decided not to attend the ceremony.  As one soldier said, “We’ve seen enough of these.”  That says it all.

Tired, but finally relieved, our C-17 takes off for Kuwait.  From the jump seat in the cockpit, I think about the fact that we’re returning home and so many others aren’t.  They’re honoring their commitment and duty, and doing so without a complaint.  As we climb out, the hostile landscape below makes me wonder why, how much longer, and at what price?  The answers will be a long time coming.

Memories and Reflections

Each of my trips to Afghanistan or Iraq has left me with unique and special memories.  It’s only after each trip has been completed that I can reflect on the experience, the soldiers I shared time with, the Iraqi and Afghan people, and the athletes and coaches who have been kind enough to make the trips with me.  With that in mind, here are some of things I’ll always remember of my June 2008 trip to Afghanistan.

I’ll always remember that this was the most satisfying and also the most difficult trip of any I’ve taken.  Satisfying in that we had great military support for traveling into, out of and around Afghanistan.  General Bob Cone wanted us to go to the smaller FOBs that other celebrities/entertainers/athletes usually never go to, and we did.  In helicoptering to those FOBs, we got a chance to see urban Afghanistan, (Kabul) and rural Afghanistan.  We weren’t pigeon holed into seeing the perfunctory places; we saw the real Afghanistan and got to spend quality time with the servicemen and women who are at the heart of the conflict.  In Kandahar, we were at the front line of most of the combat action, and we saw some of the hellish conditions our troops, and those of NATO, have to work and fight in.  This trip provided the most human and realistic war experience of any of the trips I’ve made.

The difficult part of the trip was the reality of war.  There is death and injuries.  Seeing a picture of an IED attack that killed 4 Marines, hearing stories of other combat casualties, firefights, almost inhuman fighting conditions, and heart wrenching stories of separated families and loved ones, was the difficult part.  Add to that, our sitting on a runway in Kandahar, during a quiet period, as they boarded on another plane the body of a fallen soldier.  He was going home, and somewhere in America a family was being informed that their son, their father, their husband or their loved one had been killed. War IS hell, and it’s not easy and it’s not pretty.

I’ll always remember General Bob Cone.  He’s in charge of building the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Police.  His invitation was the reason why we came, and he made it all worthwhile.  He’s a realistic, no nonsense commanding officer, who understands the challenge, the culture he’s working in, the politics of a coalition/NATO war effort and the Afghan people and their spirit.  He’s impressive for his honesty, military wisdom and sense of reality.

I’ll always remember thinking, “what the hell is NATO doing here?”  It appears as if only the Americans, British and Canadians are doing the fighting, or certainly the majority of it.  The problem with a coalition of forces is that everyone (country) has their own military agenda and style, their own evaluation of how to fight this war and a differing degree of commitment to being in Afghanistan.  I couldn’t help but observe, as I sat in the DFAC (mess hall), that it was segregated into each country eating with their own.  I didn’t get any sense of teamwork or unified commitment.  However, all the soldiers, no matter the country, were professional and conducted themselves that way.

I’ll always remember visiting the Predator and Reaper Squadron in Kandahar.  I call them model airplanes on steroids that fly as high as 20,000 feet and for up to 20 hours.  Certainly it’s a major psychological weapon with military capabilities that can surprise and overwhelm the enemy.  But, I was struck by the irony that it was a 21st century weapon fighting a shadowy, guerilla and mobile enemy.  It’s like taking a hammer to an ant.  In the end, this war is still going to be decided by “boots on the ground” soldier fighting.  

I’ll always remember the extreme heat, wind and dust in Kandahar.  Generally speaking, this is a young person’s war, especially the fighting part.  You have to be young to be able to endure the heat, carry the battle equipment needed and fight.  But, everyone contributes, no matter what the age.  They adapt and they persevere.

I’ll always remember our helicopter flights to far away FOBs.  Viewing Afghanistan from the air you see vast plains of nothing but barren land.  Occasionally, small towns and villages mark the landscape. Some are barren while others are encased in lush green valleys.  Most are reachable only by a single, dirt road.  As we fly across desert plains, my biggest wonderment is how the Bedouins exist, live and thrive? How do they get their food and water in the middle of nowhere and in such a desert existence?  That question is heightened when we see isolated shacks built on the side of mountains with no other human existence within sight.  The mountains are majestic and I want to return to see them when they’re snow-covered.  It’s hard to imagine these majestic mountains also as enemy routes and hiding places for ambushes and gunfire on helicopters like ours.  For the last 30 years, Afghanistan has been occupied by either the Russians, the Taliban or American/NATO forces.  Afghanistan has no oil or mineral wealth.  It’s being fought over as a political pawn, while all the Afghan people want is peace and a safe environment.

I’ll always remember our C-17 pilots being 26 years old.  I still laugh when I think about it.  They were young, but very talented and professional.  I watched the way they set up their missions and their preciseness.  They take pride in their work and their contribution to the overall military effort.  They were always open to welcoming Mike, Eric and me into the cockpit.  In having flown with aircrews in Iraq and Afghanistan, I’m concerned that we’re working both equipment and personnel to the breaking point.  Also, I hope the Air Force learns to do a better job at coordinating and communicating their operations, flight schedules and departures.  As I mentioned earlier, the Air Force doesn’t know the meaning of “on time departure.”  I understand the fluid nature of their efforts, but better communication would make for a more efficient operation.

I’ll always remember the men and women I met on this trip.  How committed they were and how professional they were in that commitment.  The soldiers that protected us on the ground in our security contingent, the helicopter pilots and gunners that flew us from FOB to FOB, the officers, the military support staffs and numerous others.  And, never let anyone say a woman can’t carry her own weight.  I’ll always remember all the women who are serving with distinction.  In full combat gear, Major Gina Rockel was ready to protect us if harm came our way. 

Finally, I’ll always remember Mike Nolan and Eric Davis.  They trusted me when I asked them to go with me to Afghanistan, telling them it would mean a lot to the troops and be a life enhancing experience for them.  The experience and comradeship we shared with the troops and with each other solidified a friendship that will endure forever.  I watched as they spent hours talking with the troops, taking pictures, signing autographs and giving out 49er hats and shirts.  The trip was difficult at times, but never did I hear a word of complaint.  Mike and Eric cared and they showed it.  Sitting in flight operations at Kandahar in the wee hours of the morning and watching Mike and Eric talk sports and football with two soldiers for nearly 3 hours is a memory I’ll never forget.  The only words I have for them are “thank you.”  And, not to be left out, tour manager and Sports Byline producer, Jon Bullock (JB).  He’s a veteran of many trips to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo.  The tower of strength and patience, he’s the glue that keeps it all together, even in the most difficult of times and locations.  JB, you are Da Man.

Previous Diaries from the Middle East:

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