Transition

Everybody's talking about it. Big T, small t. I know, I know, they say there's a bipartisan consensus that we should be out by yesterday. But first there's got to be someone to take over, right? Transition.

Thus it was that in July, we got a start with the provinces of Bamyan, Laghman, and Panjsher, as well as the municipalities of Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Lashkar Gah "transitioning" their security responsibilities from NATO to Afghan troops. At the time of the initial announcement (March), was much wringing of hands of inclusion of Lashkar Gah on the list - the thinking being that it was little more than a stunt to include a "Taliban stronghold" and nexus of the opium trade among the serene and happy areas on the list, as if to hoodwink the international community into thinking this place was actually ready.

President Karzai just upped the ante, when with some fanfare he announced ceremonies to mark the occasion: Lashkar Gah's would celebrate its ritual of taking Afghanistan back on July 21. And oh what a show - we had the ISAF Commander - John Allen - along with "my" own general, John Toolan, plus Afghan luminaries galore. Helmand Gov Mangal trotted out a NY Post front page from the bad old days ("Talislam!") as a prop for his pean to peace and progress. A heady military ceremony - featuring Marines and flowers occupying the same space - capped things off.

It all appeared a masterful spectacle, full of passion on a historic day. Some cross between participant and observer, my own experience of the whole thing though was much like what the waiter sees in the kitchen: much aimless milling around, migrations leading to dead ends, phantom "hold" rooms, an overcrowded dais. For all the confusion and speakers overshooting their allotted times though, it all ended only 15 minutes late, the strong visuals more than compensating. Me, I was glad to don my body armor and be convoyed away to the LZ for that smooth (but always adrenaline-inducing) ride back to Leatherneck on a big ol' Chinook.

Long live Helmandia!

Greetings from Camp Leatherneck!

This is just my way of communicating with my peeps in such a way that I don't forget to tell someone something and don't find myself repeating myself to someone else. If you want to know the day-to-day minutiae, talk to Emma Claire - I try to call her every day with a full litany of my meals, the temperature, helicopter rides, etc.

It's a strange tale about how I got here, and I don't even pretend to understand it. I was originally going to Bagram (located in Regional Command East) to work with the Army First Cavalry (First Team!). I'd even trained with them in advance of their deployment and well before my own arrival in theater. I got to Kabul, and after only a few days there and a quick trip to Kabul for an ISAF Joint Command conference, the lights went out. When they came back on, I was on a plane headed for Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province. Imagine my surprise.

Just to review, I'm working here as the so-called Senior Civilian Representative at the Southwest Regional Command. These SCRs come in all different flavors, but there are five RC SCRs in Afghanistan, one for each regional command. I work jointly with the II Marines Expeditionary Force (Forward), the civilian counterpart to Maj Gen Toolan, and am in charge of the civ-mil effort in Helmand and Nimroz provinces. But wait! It's not that easy! There is also an ISAF SCR, a Brit (esteemed coalition partner), who also happens to head the Provincial Reconstruction Team establishment in Lashkar Gah - capital of Helmand -and whose area of responsibility is Helmand province. As you might imagine, this requires us to get all diplomatic, let that special relationship thing comes out and all, and we make very very nice and are in charge of our respective domains and go forward together!

That's the set-up. I live in a dry hooch, with running water scant steps away. The temperature is routinely in the 110+ degrees F (45+ C) range, but so dry it's like a balmy (but yeah, hot) summer's day. I seem to travel all the time (averaging about 2-3 times/week), on one or another of the Marines' bitchin helos, and have to wear my body armor all the time it seems. So look here for endearing tales of one SDR's experiences (retold with OpSec firmly in mind), along with photos that will make you laugh, make you cry, and frequently, I betcha, just shrug.