5/16/2010 - Rocket Attack & The Professor

The title of today's blog is not meant to scare you or get you concerned.  It's just a way of life here in Kandahar!  At 8:00PM, we heard the boom in the distance and then the Irish voice over the speaker "Rocket Attack, Rocket Attack".  At 8:15PM, we heard the same voice give the "All Clear, All Clear".  Sometimes we get the warning before the attack and sometimes not.  To date, it's never been a barrage of rockets only singular.  That's because the bastards probably have not figured out how to setup delay devices on more than one rocket in multiple places.  I will give them credit as to their crude delay devices.  My understanding is they use things like a block of ice.  Once the ice melts, the the rocket is launched.  Depending on the weather, it the delay could be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or so.  Our guys are still able to shoot a reverse trajectory and track these guys down.

What's the protocol when this happens?  Simple.  Drop to the ground no matter where you are, gym, work, walking down the street, chow hall, latrine, etc. and wait a minimum of 2 minutes.  Seek shelter as soon as possible and then wait for the "All Clear".  Jeff and I try to follow the protocol as much as possible.  However, we also use some common sense.  If we are already in a somewhat fortified location like say your sleeping quarters, well, we stay put.  Then we make the call to the chain of command for accountability and then all is good!

Now on to the Professor!  Who is this masked villain?  As we (Jeff and I) peer through our room window to the outside, we see a tall stature individual peering over a couple of shall we say up and coming students in which he is giving a lecture.  A lecture on frequency, signals, not enough power, low strength, complaining units, etc.  Literally, the Professor is using all his available tools to convey his case, finger pointing, voice fluctuation and I'm sure, if we could see his face, he would be using expressions to further convey his lecture.  Why do I speak of the Professor?  Forgive the language, but who gives a F_ _ _?  This guy is so freaking annoying, it is worse than finger nails on a chalk board, styrofoam being snapped and scrapped, fingers being rubbed on the lips of crystal drinking glasses.  The poor students eyes look glazed over from the lesson of the day.  I'm sure as I sit here that the students only wanted to smoke their cigarettes and did not realize what they were in for.  To further expand on this whiting fellow, our buildings set pretty close to one another, they are made of very thin aluminum material so there is no noise barrier.  We can here the wind blow on a good day!  Jets, helicopters and planes are common place.  You get use to that!  But the Professor, No Way!  I'd rate him up there with Snore Zilla on the richter scale.  The Professor basically sits outside his building taking smoke breaks and preaching to whomever will listen.  Usually other smokers.  He does this a various hours in the evening from about 8:30PM to 9:30PM and then 10:30PM.  And yes, he continues to talk and talk and talk.  Last night he and his students were out from about 12:00 midnight to 1:30am.  Yes, his voice carried and it kept me up.  Not tonight though!  If he begins his lecture tonight at the wrong hour, I believe Jeff and I both may get in some target practice.  All he has to do is tone it down a bit and life would be good!  Unfortunately people like the Professor are people seekers in which he hopes everyone looks and listens to him.  So, he talks at the top of his lungs.  Oh, we only hear him take one breath during the recent lecture of about 30 minutes.  I know I'm ranting, but!  Jeff and I were both trying to get some reading in and neither of us could concentrate.  We keep reading the same stuff over and over again.  We finally gave up!  He's back!!!!!!We can hear him outside!  He's on-time, it's now 8:35PM.  Someone call his family.  PLEASE!!!!!

This last week has been busy!  Believe it or not working the hours we work, time seems to fly.  We get tired by 8:30 - 9:00 and look forward to some down time in the rack.  We are starting to get in a rhythm, wake-up, shower, Skype, breakfast, work, lunch, work, gym, work, dinner, work, Skype, bed and start over. 

Today, Jeff and I arrived at the office and I basically had an OCD attack.  We work in a crude office environment which can be organized more functionally.  The dirt and dust is a given, but hell, when you need a folder, a pen, a paper clip, etc.  You can't freaking find one.  So, Jeff and I took charge and organized an area of the office today.  I'm sure there will be more organization coming in the next several weeks.  We will get this office shaped up the way we want it, SOON!  Hell, we will be here a year, so why not?

I'll let you go for now, this update has gotten pretty lengthy.  I'll try my best to keep folks up to date as often as possible and as honest as I can with the situation.  Blog updates may turn out to be weekly simply due to the long work week.  So, stay on board and keep a watchful eye for updates.  Maybe next week I can tell more about the Professor.

P.S.  My niece Beth had her first baby girl this week.  Charlotte!  Healthy and beautiful!

Love to all,

R2