So we are in the early stages of Operation Sandbox and getting a good response.  Hopefully this will turn into something that we have to ask people to slow down on.  Clothes, shoes, school supplies (both student and teacher), glasses and other children’s items are needed.  On the clothing, clothes without religious symbols, vulgarity, or “U.S.” specific themes are best.  With glasses, we get as many as we can to provide some variety of prescriptions.  As far as school supplies, everything is needed, but sometimes the teachers are forgotten.  Imagine having no chalkboard or whiteboard to utilize, or even a small carrying case for materials to go home in.  A lot of these teachers must take their stuff into and out of the classroom on a daily basis.  Money can be used to provide for the shipping of all of these things.   We would love to partner with companies to provide some of these things—email us if you have some ideas.  We are working some on our own now, but every bit of help is appreciated.  Understand that our resources that are here, to include communication means back home, are limited.  Churches, VBS, and youth groups are more than welcome to team with us as a mission outreach of sorts.  We have a few engagements in the early planning stages, but these can ramp up quickly, based on our supplies and op tempo.  If you received an email, please continue to pass it on.  We were in a village the other day that had to have had 30-40 four-six year olds running around in some experienced clothing.  Their village has a small water source down the way and no electricity.  They have to move approximately 40 kilometers by mule to get to food and supply sources.  Lack of electricity is common here, as is water that is at best “drinkable”. That word being used in the broadest sense possible in some situations.  Other projects that are ongoing are assisting the Afghan people in some construction of schools, clinics, wells, and other like things.  This was a side of my tour here that I looked forward to, but now it may become a bigger focus than I expected before.  I look forward to doing my best with it. 

As far as other things, we are training some more National Security Forces.  Every time I work with these guys, I am reminded of why I came over here to begin with.   As an NCO, I love being with soldiers.  Whatever their culture or background, they are still soldiers, and we have common ground.  When I was in Farah, I was living high on the hog, working with troopers everyday.  Here, it has not been quite that way, but we got after it again today.  Some pretty basic stuff that can be a yawner to give, but beats the heck out of just driving around doing…  Anyway, I digress.  Even basic classes can be way cool though.  Today I gave a 1 ½  hour block on leadership.  The audience had officers, NCOs, and soldiers.  My partner that had given a class before me said he thought the class had an immediate impact, as the officers were somewhat on the spot.  Without putting anyone in a bad light, we discussed in length.  Sometimes, even in our own military, we forget the importance of people.  Mission accomplishment is part of a leader’s job—taking care of your people is the other part.  To be a good leader, you do have to do both.  I am not talking about coddling soldiers.  Bag that.  You make your decisions based on both though, not just one.  There are no “soldier trees” that we magically grow on.  These are people, no matter what country they are from.  Nations spend lots to field armies of varying skill levels.  I think they would all be wise to acknowledge how limited the resource is. 

Anyway, before I continued down that rabbit trail, we were talking training.  You could see some awareness and agreement on things in the classroom.  Having worked with these guys before on a couple of missions, I also now have a point of reference to measure them from myself. 

We will see how it goes.  For  now, adios.