I thought this deserved to be pulled up out of comments. Old Blue of Bill and Bob's Excellent Adventure Afghanistan wrote about his experience as a "red headed step child" of the Army as an ETT (embedded tactical trainer).
Other important readings from the Red Headed Step Children:
Seriously, read it all and any other part of the blog because it is full of good information on Afghanistan. Invitation maybe to Old Blu to share some more incites on Afghanistan when he gets done spending time with his family. Or just feels the need to share some more.
I particularly liked this exchange on the importance of "honor" after Blue had to take a village elder into custody:
The article is on target. During my time at Ft Riley, we were told that we were the main effort; that everyone on that fort wished they were us. I volunteered for the ETT mission in Afghanistan through Guard Bureau after seeking a conventional rotation to Iraq with anybody who was going. My unit had nothing projected and I felt the need to contribute. The SGM at Guard Bureau's deployment desk recommended that I look into the ETT mission in Afghanistan. My response: "Huh?" I, like the rest of the Army, was clueless.
At Ft Riley we were, if not the main effort, a very significant effort of that installation and the 1ID. It wasn't't until we got in country and downrange that the problems began. To top that off, after rumors of some of the ETT's who had law enforcement experience being assigned to the developing ANP mission. I had no fear of that, having been only the subject of law enforcement, but having never carried a badge myself. I was assigned to the ANP mission shortly after my arrival in Afghanistan because I am an Infantry NCO. Go figure.
The problems started with the team from the 7th SF Group whose firebase we were sent to without a vehicle, crew-served weapon, SECFOR team, or any long-range communications ability other than the cell phones that we had acquired privately in Kabul. We were not provided minutes for these phones, as they were not government phones. They were our only link to the our support structure. TF Phoenix exists to support the ETT's and PMT's downrange. We did not see our UAH, crew-served weapons, radios, or SECFOR team for six weeks.
There's lots more to that story, but after we fought in a big operation with our ANP, took fire and casualties with them, and got a few cool things done, it was a different story. The 82nd guys were telling us that we were crazy. They saw how we hung it out there and how exposed we were a lot of the time and they respected that. Really, nobody knew what we were about. We had to earn our respect. The 82nd gave us their patch. They wanted to give us medals, but our own chain of command asserted themselves at that point. We were OPCON to the 82nd, but not ADCON. The OPCON thing made a difference.
Someday, people will wish that they could say that they were an ETT or a PMT. As the stories come out and people become more aware, like they did about some of the things that happened in Viet Nam. For now, we are the red-headed stepchildren. My little crew called ourselves the Bastard Children.
It all worked out. Great mission, lasting memories, and a lot to be proud of. Very small reunions.
Other important readings from the Red Headed Step Children:
The Importance of Chai Tea in Afghanistan (must read if you are deploying there)
Let's start with an ICE BREAKER. New fresh-faced Americans who are still adjusting to the smells and sights of the Afghan experience are invited to Chai. The experience is exciting and unnerving all at the same time. The relaxed Afghans are testing our resolve and understanding of the Afghan culture.
It's not as scientific as one might think. The Afghans like to joke and be social during Chai breaks. Many evaluate you as you struggle with whether or not to remove your body armor. Indecision is weakness. By the end of the year your casually toss your stinky armor in the corner and in some cases are welcome enough to pour yourself refills if so desired. This is a huge acceptance in the community.
More on Chai and Pashtunwali (Pashtun Code of Conduct)
One of the key tenets of the Pushtunwali, the code of conduct of the Pashtuns, is hospitality. Hospitality is not just a Pashtun value, though. It is an Afghan value. It is shame to be considered inhospitable, and as O and I discussed over the weekend, we have both been offered chai by families whose khalats we were either searching or had just searched.
We have both had chai served to us by Taliban, as well. A Talib will not kill you while offering you hospitality. It just isn't done. They may have been shooting at you an hour before, and they will be planning their next ambush even as you sit there with them, but they won't kill you during chai or while you are leaving immediately afterwards. A mile up the road is a different story, but not during chai.
Seriously, read it all and any other part of the blog because it is full of good information on Afghanistan. Invitation maybe to Old Blu to share some more incites on Afghanistan when he gets done spending time with his family. Or just feels the need to share some more.
I particularly liked this exchange on the importance of "honor" after Blue had to take a village elder into custody:
And these two posts on propaganda from Afghanistan (it's kind of like Iraq, you know, where every airstrike takes out a wedding party and the bad guys supposedly walk around in the open without ever being challenged, kicking American butt).Finally, I told them that I understood that it was their duty to come and seek his release, and that they had done their part to uphold their honor.
I told them that I am an askar, a soldier, and that my honor depends on me following my orders. They agreed; that is what askare are supposed to do. I asked them civilly, as I sipped the opposite side of my chai cup, if they were asking me to dishonor myself. The four men assured me vociferously that none of them would ever ask me to dishonor myself.
I thanked them, as I rose to leave, for understanding that my orders were to bring the man in, and I thanked them for not asking me to violate my orders and dishonor myself. I excused myself, bowing slightly with my hand over my heart in the Afghan way, and shook each of their hands mumbling, "Tashakur, khud hafez."
It never hurts to be polite, and Blue summed up the importance of being honorable rather than just appearing so. There have been several would-be suicide bombers who turned themselves in because they considered they would be dishonored if they carried out their missions -- which targeted Muslim civilians...