Kyle's in Afghanistan

Well, Kyle finally made it to Afghanistan. It is funny that I'm glad to finally be here, but after about 40+ days of travelling, training, and living out of a suitcase, we've made it to our area of operations. I am still living out of a suitcase, but I also have plastic bins, so we're moving on up.


We flew from Kyrgyzstan two days before a coup began there. Initially, they wanted the U.S. to not have an air field there, but I don't think it's all been worked out yet. We flew on a C-130, kinda like the one in "Operation Dumbo Drop" (great movie). There is only webbing to sit on, and it is VERY loud; we all wore ear protection the entire flight.





The mountain ranges were breathtaking, however. The elevation of the mountains was incredible. At times I felt as if I could reach down and touch the tops. And thy lasted forever! It was if there was no end to these snow covered and rugged peaks. We saw an occasional valley that had no snow and small villages. It is a very rugged and harsh land. The reported average life expectancy is 44 years old for men. Some men that look about 70 years old are just over 40.

The work has certainly started at a fast pace. I was told a few months before we left that I was going to be in charge of supply, which turns out to be a very complicated, time consuming responsibility. I've been busy. Luckily, the surgical team hasn't been too busy. We've had a few cases, but nothing fatal. A few were serious, and a case that we had was very critical. I've been blessed to have a fantastic officer in charge of the ICU, where I am assigned. She is very knowledgeable, but is also very willing to teach and help us progress. Another soldier in the ICU is with us who passed his RN boards just before he came. Again, a phenomenal asset to our unit, and a good friend. All together, we have a great team. I'm proud to be here with them, and look forward to the experiences that we'll have here.

Thanks everyone for your prayers and thoughts. We really appreciate it. We are doing a lot of good here, and it's an honor to help. Until next time... Take luck!