A summer spent at a Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan known as ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) headquarters. Here celebrating 4th of July with troops
The singing grill-masters
Troops looking out into the Hindu Kush Mountains
Reducing pent up stress from being in a base that suffered a devastating suicide attack, killing NATO troops at the base entrance that August
Working as a Subject Matter Expert for the US Army's Information Operations team at NATO HQ during the Obama troop surge of 2011 under General Stanley McChrystal.
As military contractors, my team was allowed to drink at the German beer garden on the base, where only Germans can drink in international NATO base
An armored personnel carrier from the Macedonian NATO contingent
German military vehicle
While the US and other NATO troops on the base could not leave the safety of the base and its walls to roam the “red zone”, me and my military contractor friends could. Here we are exploring Kabul’s medieval walls
Hiking up the mountains around Kabul following the walls
Overlooking Kabul and the medieval fortifications
My colleague Brian and I follow a spry mountain goat-like Tajik mujhideen , follower of, the legendary Massood. The Lion of Panjsher, who lost his leg fighting the soviets
Mountain shepherd hazara
Swilling beers in the legendary British pub built in Osama Bin Laden’s former compound known as the Gandack run by an eccentric British war correspondent
My dwelling protected by Hesco blast barriers that helped protect it from frequent Taliban mortar strikes
My colleague Brian and I relax at another Kabul watering hole oasis found behind protective blast barriers for foreign war correspondence and aid workers, a french bar and restaurant know as L’Atmosphere
The entrance to my base, which was subsequently hit by a Taliban suicide bomber killing several NATO troops
Part of my Information Operations team heading out with me in “full battle rattle” Kevlar vest
The going-away ceremony held for me by my colonel on my last day in the war zone
A summer spent at a Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan known as ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) headquarters. Here celebrating 4th of July with troops
