I'm in Afghanistan - General

[QUOTE=TEH_TPMASTER;29549842]I haven't seen a camel spider but the guys we've replaced from 101st Airborne say that they come out a lot during summer. [b]A lot of people evidently catch camel spiders, scorpions, big ants, and geckos and get them to fight[/b]. [/QUOTE] :colbert:

I don't understand why you give him shit for being a guy not out there taking bullets. The people out there taking bullets need people like him for tactical purposes.

Not so much to do with where you're at, but more your job. What does it pay? Did you need schooling to get that job, or did the Army train you? What did it take to get there? (I'm assuming you have top secret clearance, so I'm more wondering about background checks, psych tests, those things.)

I always imagined if I was in the military and I got stationed in like Afghanistan or something and I was a cook in the mess hall, I couldn't help but have a boombox looping the Cantina theme from star wars...

Is it scary to go out of the FOB at nights? Do you feel safe living in the FOB? How big is the FOB? Is it illegial to get overall pictures of FOBs?(never seen a full FOB before, its always pics of HESCO barriers) Why do some afghan man have red beards? Do you ever fear for your afghan colleagues? How well trained are the Afghan soldiers?

Have you been to the National Training Center, TEH_TPMASTER?

[QUOTE=Jakobi;29550679]I don't understand why you give him shit for being a guy not out there taking bullets. The people out there taking bullets need people like him for tactical purposes.[/QUOTE] I don't give him shit because he's 35G, I give him shit because he's 35G and he acts (or did act when he posted the "I'm leaving" thread) like it's a big hard decision and that he should be commended for it. I understand that the support personnel make up a good 80% or so of the Army for a good reason. My main concern is he doesn't turn into one of those hooah-patriotic assholes who pisses away perfectly good tactical opportunities because of badly interpreting the high-tech imagery and shit that comes his way. If he doesn't turn into one of those types and he does his job well, good on him, I just don't want him to act like he knows everything about Afghanistan from sitting on his FOB all day. @ignhelper, here's a small picture of FOB Salerno. FOBs, in pretty much all cases, are tent cities encased by HESCOs, so you aren't missing much. [img]http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/1301/fobsalerno.png[/img]

Is the FOB usually filled with armored vehicles and tanks or just soldiers and a couple of humvees?

This is such a good thread with good information, yet the early posters just bombard it with shit. I do have one question, though; what are the kind of things you do on-base/out-of-base? As in, activities, sleeping, eating, etc.

Do they eat babies?

You know, I've heard Afghanistan isn't all that terrible of a place... apart from somebody always wanting to invade it.

There you go, have heart... Always wondered what it was like out there, and It's nice to learn that 90% of afghans have cool beards.

The beard-based social hierarchy sounds awesome. I wish that existed everywhere.

[QUOTE=Ignhelper;29550848]Is it scary to go out of the FOB at nights? Do you feel safe living in the FOB? How big is the FOB? Is it illegial to get overall pictures of FOBs?(never seen a full FOB before, its always pics of HESCO barriers) Why do some afghan man have red beards? Do you ever fear for your afghan colleagues? How well trained are the Afghan soldiers?[/QUOTE] I'll answer from top to bottom using numbers. 1. The enemy doesn't have the same capabilities we have. They don't have NVGs so it's kind of hard for them to pinpoint us at a distance, which is usually how they work. So, it's not that scary of an idea. 2. Yes. The worst that could happen is either a suicide bomber or a mortar strike. The chances of either of those hitting me is astronomical. 3. BAF is a pretty decent size. Not quite sure of the exact dimensions. FOB Finley-Shields is a tiny FOB that used to be some kind of Russian officer resort. 4. It's bad OPSEC, and not recommended. Besides, there isn't really a good time to go outside the wire and climb a hill to snap a photo. 5. Colored beards are a sign of social stature. Red beard = Badass 6. Not really. We're trained to take care of our own before anyone else. I can't really get to know them on a personal level either because most of them don't speak english. 7. Most of them have little to no training. [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Ninja Duck;29551980]This is such a good thread with good information, yet the early posters just bombard it with shit. I do have one question, though; what are the kind of things you do on-base/out-of-base? As in, activities, sleeping, eating, etc.[/QUOTE] There are MWR's on most FOBs that have tvs, movies, internet, and phones. I don't really have much time to do anything because I work 12 hour shifts.

[QUOTE=Guardian-Angel;29550153]tpmaster aren't you that guy who got all melodramatic about joining the army even though you're only a fobbit edit: hahaha oh god i was right that was you. wow, how do you feel about sitting in your nice air-conditioned TOC while the action guys go and take bullets.[/QUOTE] Shut up

[QUOTE=Tac Error;29551044]Have you been to the National Training Center, TEH_TPMASTER?[/QUOTE] Yes, and it blew hard.

[QUOTE=vBatuhan;29543309]I dont care Afghanistan, I dont care United "Snakes" Military [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Snipe/ Why reply" - Craptasket))[/highlight][/QUOTE] You are my idol.

[QUOTE=Guardian-Angel;29550153]tpmaster aren't you that guy who got all melodramatic about joining the army even though you're only a fobbit edit: hahaha oh god i was right that was you. wow, how do you feel about sitting in your nice air-conditioned TOC while the action guys go and take bullets.[/QUOTE] Melodramatic wasn't really the word for that thread. I think I was reflecting on what was happening in my life at that moment in time. Also, I enjoy sitting in my TOC while the "action guys" go take bullets. Want to know why? Well, it's because I get to feel safe and I get to go home without PTSD. Just because my job is different than the infantry doesn't mean I'm less of a soldier. Plus, I wonder how many bullets they would take if there was nobody doing what I do? Hmmmm. Food for thought, asshole. [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=urbanmonkey;29550755]Not so much to do with where you're at, but more your job. What does it pay? Did you need schooling to get that job, or did the Army train you? What did it take to get there? (I'm assuming you have top secret clearance, so I'm more wondering about background checks, psych tests, those things.)[/QUOTE] Pay is based on rank. I'm an E-2 so I average about 2300-2400 due to COLA and Hazardous Duty Pay. The Army trained me. It took 7 months and I got a nice chunk of college credits out of it, though. To get the job, you need good ASVAB scores, a clean criminal background (no DUI's, no felonies, speeding tickets are okay unless you have 30 of them), and you must never have been in the Peace Corps. They do three separate security interviews with you and one with each of your references (Family, friends, ex-girlfriends/boyfriends, teachers, etc.). It's a lengthy process. [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] That pay is per month.

What does Afghanistan think of America?

[QUOTE=TEH_TPMASTER;29552772]Pay is based on rank. I'm an E-2 so I average about 2300-2400 due to COLA and Hazardous Duty Pay. The Army trained me. It took 7 months and I got a nice chunk of college credits out of it, though. To get the job, you need good ASVAB scores, a clean criminal background (no DUI's, no felonies, speeding tickets are okay unless you have 30 of them), and [B]you must never have been in the Peace Corps[/B]. They do three separate security interviews with you and one with each of your references (Family, friends, ex-girlfriends/boyfriends, teachers, etc.). It's a lengthy process.[/QUOTE] Sorry if I sound dumb asking this, but why not?

[QUOTE=Jmir 54;29550018]What do you do when someone mortars the base? Do you go out looking for them or do you take cover or something?[/QUOTE] Sometimes they'll send somebody out if they see the people who are mortaring. Mostly everybody gets to a bunker and hunkers down for a bit. [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Honesty;29552928]Sorry if I sound dumb asking this, but why not?[/QUOTE] Since the job requires a Top Secret clearance, the government doesn't want you to have had relations with foreign nations in the past. (That's a barebones explanation. Just because I say "relations" doesn't mean you can't have a friend from somewhere else). It's basically a precautionary. [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=guckymister;29552915]What does Afghanistan think of America?[/QUOTE] Depends on who you ask about us.

[QUOTE=TEH_TPMASTER;29552930]Since the job requires a Top Secret clearance, the government doesn't want you to have had relations with foreign nations in the past. (That's a barebones explanation. Just because I say "relations" doesn't mean you can't have a friend from somewhere else). It's basically a precautionary.[/QUOTE] Oh, okay.

[QUOTE=TEH_TPMASTER;29552690]Yes, and it blew hard.[/QUOTE] How so?

Is it true that Afghan police get high on heroin and start shooting at coalition troops? I've heard about a Canadian patrol going down a highway and the police at a checkpoint a little ways down the road started firing RPGs at the Canadian vehicles.

hey master can you send me back some multicam FRACUs small regular ok i kid, i kid but seeing as my brother was possibly gonna go into the airforce but failed hard at it, what do you see most airmen doing there at bagram? [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] or wherever you're at

Tell me if I'm wrong, have you been scammed on your first taxi driver?

These acronyms :argh:

Thanks for the services bro, come back safely! Sorry you have to put up with cunts like the first couple posts. I wouldn't expect any better from some of the lot on here.

Yeah, most of us support you. But we have quite a few of whiny, bleeding-heart, save the world assholes that'll give you the Vietnam treatment. Take solace in the fact they're 13 years old and have no idea what they're talking about.

[QUOTE=Taepodong-2;29553109]Is it true that Afghan police get high on heroin and start shooting at coalition troops? I've heard about a Canadian patrol going down a highway and the police at a checkpoint a little ways down the road started firing RPGs at the Canadian vehicles.[/QUOTE] Haven't really seen any Incident Reports about the police getting high, but they do tend to start a lot of arguments with other soldiers. [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=W0w00t;29553119]hey master can you send me back some multicam FRACUs small regular ok i kid, i kid but seeing as my brother was possibly gonna go into the airforce but failed hard at it, what do you see most airmen doing there at bagram? [editline]1st May 2011[/editline] or wherever you're at[/QUOTE] They do their jobs. lol Pilots just fly from FOB to FOB... back and forth and back and forth and back and forth... etc.