It’s a 30-hour trek from Lejeune to Afghanistan

[thedrifter]

It’s a 30-hour trek from Lejeune to Afghanistan
Hurry up and wait is nothing new for the Marines
March 27, 2008 - 12:27AM
JENNIFER HLAD
THE DAILY NEWS

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of reports from Afghanistan by The Daily News writer Jennifer Hlad, who is embedded with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit there.


KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The trip began on a cold morning at Camp Lejeune and ended more than 30 hours later on chilly, dusty morning at a base in the southern part of Afghanistan.

It took about 100 Marines and sailors of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from North Carolina to Virginia on a half-full commercial jet, distinguishable from another civilian plane only by its lack of first-class seating and yellow ribbons posted on the bulkhead.

After a few hours in Virginia, the Marines and sailors reloaded the plane, now joined by about one hundred airmen also headed for Afghanistan. The group traveled through Maine, then Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Manas Air Base in the Kyrgyz Republic before the airmen and Marines split up, headed to different areas of the same country.

Cpl. Will Gillespie, an administrative clerk with the 24th MEU, said he slept through most of the flights, and he wasn't the only one.

"When I was awake, everyone else was asleep," he said.

Traveling on a civilian aircraft while wearing uniforms and carrying weapons was strange, Gillespe said, but the concept of "hurry up and wait" is nothing new to the Marines.

And while the trip was long, the group had possibly the shortest journey of any in the unit, Marines already in Afghanistan said.

Many groups spent a night or even 24 hours at Manas Air Base - helping make one day in March the busiest day in recent years, said Lt. Col. Adriane Craig, chief of public affairs for the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing.

The base, which opened after Sept. 11, 2001, and began running operations in December 2001, processed more than 1,600 people one day in mid-March, Craig said.

With service members coming and going from deployments, the base population can double in a day, and a late flight can mean 200 extra people for dinner, she said.

But Manas has made many facility improvements to meet the needs of Marines, sailors and others who pass through, Craig said.

From a 24-hour dining facility and a gym that never closes to recreation centers that offer bingo, karaoke, movies and video games to everyone coming through, Craig said the Air Force personnel "try to provide a lot of things for people to do, to ease the transition."

The transition for this group from the 24th MEU was relatively short - just three hours in which the troops checked in, unloaded luggage, reloaded bags onto palettes and piled into a C-17 airplane.

Then, at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Eastern time, or 6 a.m. Afghanistan time, they stepped off the plane, ending their travels and beginning their seven-month deployment.



Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

REPORTERS NOTEBOOK: Cappuccino takes bite off dusty, concertina wire-clad place
March 27, 2008 - 12:33AM
JENNIFER HLAD
THE DAILY NEWS

FILED: 1 p.m. EDT, March 26, 2008


The first thing I noticed when the C-17 airplane touched down in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday morning was the dust. Even at 6 a.m., it hung around the International Security Assistance Force base like fog.

Most of the Marines have come down with what they call "the funk" in their first few days here - likely the result of breathing in the powdery sand. It eventually goes away, but no one really knows how to avoid it.

I grew up in Arizona and I don't mind the desert. And the dust has no obvious smell or flavor. But it is not easy to escape. Service members from more than a dozen countries walk around the base in various shades of desert camouflage, sunglasses on to shield their eyes from the glaring sun and ubiquitous dust.

The living and working facilities, while much nicer than I expected, are nonetheless pervaded by the dust and strong afternoon heat. And I learned that even a shower doesn't do much to get rid of the dirt - since it will simply collect again on feet and legs during the long walk back to the tent.

Still, I have been impressed with dining facilities (or "chow halls," as they're called), the tents and the buildings here - some of which did not even exist before Camp Lejeune Marines began arriving here about a month ago. And the Canadians brought with them a miniature Tim Horton's, a coffee and pastry shop that offers a refreshing and tasty iced cappuccino.

A few Marines have said they think their wives may stop sending those generous care packages if they know how "cushy" the accommodations here really are. But I know better. I know that those homemade cookies aren't baked because a family member is afraid her loved one is starving. It's more akin to the reason the Canadians set up Tim Horton's - to make this dusty, concertina wire-clad place feel a little more like home.



Ellie

[thedrifter]

From ocean sands to desert sands
March 26, 2008 - 10:33PM
Jennifer Hlad
Freedom ENC

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The trip began on a cold morning at Camp Lejeune and ended more than 30 hours later on chilly, dusty morning at a base in the southern part of Afghanistan.

It took about 100 Marines and sailors of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from North Carolina to Virginia on a half-full commercial jet, distinguishable from another civilian plane only by its lack of first-class seating and yellow ribbons posted on the bulkhead.

After a few hours in Virginia, the Marines and sailors reloaded the plane, now joined by about one hundred airmen also headed for Afghanistan. The group traveled through Maine, then Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Manas Air Base in the Kyrgyz Republic before the airmen and Marines split up, headed to different areas of the same country.

Cpl. Will Gillespie, an administrative clerk with the 24th MEU, said he slept through most of the flights, and he wasn't the only one.

"When I was awake, everyone else was asleep," he said.

Traveling on a civilian aircraft while wearing uniforms and carrying weapons was strange, Gillespe said, but the concept of "hurry up and wait" is nothing new to the Marines.

And while the trip was long, the group had possibly the shortest journey of any in the unit, Marines already in Afghanistan said.

Many groups spent a night or even 24 hours at Manas Air Base - helping make one day in March the busiest day in recent years, said Lt. Col. Adriane Craig, chief of public affairs for the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing.

The base, which opened after Sept. 11, 2001, and began running operations in December 2001, processed more than 1,600 people one day in mid-March, Craig said.

With service members coming and going from deployments, the base population can double in a day, and a late flight can mean 200 extra people for dinner, she said.

But Manas has made many facility improvements to meet the needs of Marines, sailors and others who pass through, Craig said.

From a 24-hour dining facility and a gym that never closes to recreation centers that offer bingo, karaoke, movies and video games to everyone coming through, Craig said the Air Force personnel "try to provide a lot of things for people to do, to ease the transition."

The transition for this group from the 24th MEU was relatively short - just three hours in which the troops checked in, unloaded luggage, reloaded bags onto palettes and piled into a C-17 airplane.

Then, at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Eastern time, or 6 a.m. Afghanistan time, they stepped off the plane, ending their travels and beginning their seven-month deployment.



Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Reporter's notebook: A return to the brotherhood
March 28, 2008 - 12:48AM
JENNIFER HLAD
daily news staff

I spent about half of the day Thursday with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, talking to Marines and sailors about their jobs and their role in the MEU.

One Marine I met is Cpl. Brian Wheat, who is with the maintenance detachment. Wheat served in the Marine Corps from 1992 until 1997, then got out. He re-enlisted on Jan. 31, 2007, as a way to take care of his wife and son.

But that wasn't the only reason.

"I missed this, to tell you the truth," Wheat said.

"It's the brotherhood. You can't get this out in the civilian world. I tried." Being a 34-year-old corporal can be difficult, Wheat said, more difficult than he expected. But he plans to stay in the Marine Corps until he can retire, if possible.

"If the Marine Corps wants me to stay, I'll stay," he said. "If not, I'll go."Alarms sound: The mortar attack alarm sounded tonight for real.

First there was one boom that sounded like the explosions that happen a lot at Camp Lejeune, but it didn't shake the ground like the Camp Lejeune ones do. Then, about five minutes later, the alarm went off.

This time, I was in the public affairs tent, so I just went with the other Marines to the bunker. Maybe 20 or 30 minutes later, they gave the all clear.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marine camp courtesy of contractors
March 28, 2008 - 12:50AM
BY JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF



EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of reports from Afghanistan by The Daily News writer Jennifer Hlad, who is embedded with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit there.



KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - When Cpl. Robert Harrell arrived here two months ago, the area now referred to as "North Side" was nothing more than a minefield, he said.

Now, it is a Marine camp, complete with tents, showers, a dining facility and air conditioning. Not only does it house the bulk of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, it also will be a temporary home for the Marines of the California-based 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment.

Unlike in other locations, where the logistics Marines typically set up their camps themselves, most of the work at North Side was contracted out to KBR, said Harrell, the assistant commandant for the camp.

United Nations workers de-mined the land, but KBR scraped, graded and graveled the land, then built foundations and erected the tents, said 2nd Lt. Gregory Procaccini, combat engineer officer for Combat Logistics Battalion 24 and the camp's commandant.

The contractors also provide support and maintenance, Procaccini said.

All the tents came from the Air Force in kits that included flooring, air conditioning, lights, ventilation, generators, cots and trash cans, he said.

"Nothing fancy, just the essentials," Procaccini said. "But it is a vast improvement from a two-man tent."

Working with NATO contractors was different than working with American contractors, Procaccini said, but the Marines got used to it.

And there is still more to build. While the camp already has laundry service, a dining hall, sleeping tents, bathroom facilities and a makeshift outdoor gym, the area will get an indoor gym and more work space within the next two weeks, Procaccini said.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Greeters wish deploying Marines well
Maine volunteer group aims to make the troops feel appreciated
March 27, 2008 - 11:23AM
JENNIFER HLAD
THE DAILY NEWS

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of reports from Afghanistan by The Daily News writer Jennifer Hlad, who is embedded with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit there.

BANGOR, Maine - Bill Knight served 32 years in the military, first in the Army Air Corps during World War II, then in the Navy. Now, he serves in a different way - volunteering his time to greet troops headed to or from deployments.
"I wish I was still there," Knight said Monday evening, sitting inside the Maine Troop Greeters storefront in the Bangor airport.
"I'm not there, so I've got to be here. They're my life."

Knight was one of a handful of veterans and civilians who greeted Marines, sailors and airmen headed to Afghanistan with a handshake and smile.

The point, said volunteer Tom Kohl, is to make the troops feel appreciated.
"You're not going to make it fun, but at least we can make it comfortable," said Kohl, who served two years as a soldier in the Vietnam War.

The group, a loose organization of about 150 volunteers, sends members out day or night to welcome troops headed to or from deployment, and offer them a free call on a cell phone, a complementary snack and the opportunity to share sea stories. They greeted their 3,000th flight Saturday night.

"We try to get someone here all the time," Kohl said. "We just think it's our job to be hosts and hostesses to the city."
Knight said he got involved because of the way he saw troops treated when they returned from Vietnam. It upset him that service members could not wear their uniforms in public or walk in groups, he said.

Since 1990, when Knight began working with Maine Troop Greeters, the welcomes have been well received.
"They all seem to be very happy and thankful that we're here," Knight said.
Pfc. Brandon Gibbs, a Marine with VMA-542, a Cherry Point-based Harrier unit attached to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said he appreciated the gesture.

"There's something humbling about World War II vets and retired master sergeants with Purple Hearts shaking your hand and thanking you for what you do," Gibbs said.

Lance Cpl. Kevin Wyer agreed.

"It was very welcoming," said Wyer, who is also with VMA-542. "It's great, what they are doing. It makes me feel better doing what I do."

For the veterans, like Knight, Kohl and Bill Dean, it also is a way to stay connected to the military brotherhood.
"To some extent, you miss it," Kohl said.

And the reaction of the troops makes the often crazy hours worth it, he said.

In addition to greeting the incoming and outgoing service members, the group has a storefront with unit coins, plaques, flags and other memorabilia, as well as a Web site, on which they post thousands of photos of the men and women they meet.

"Some of the messages posted on those pictures ... it keeps you coming back," Kohl said.

Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Plenty to do for dentists with MEU
March 28, 2008 - 1:30AM

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Navy Lt. Adam Firestone pulled nine teeth out of one mouth Wednesday - all from a Romanian soldier who spoke no English.

It was a challenge, the dentist said, because he had to try to determine through a less-than-fluent translator whether the anesthetic was working or if the man was in pain.

Luckily, he said, teeth are universal.

Performing extractions, root canals and dental exams on troops and civilians from all over the world - some of whom have never before gone to a dentist - is a part of the job Firestone and Navy Lt. Gregory Hohl didn't expect when they deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

But it is work they say they are happy to do.Usually, a MEU has one dentist - attached to the combat logistics battalion.

But since the 24th MEU will be here with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, they added another one.Firestone and Hohl doubled the number of dentists at this International Security Assistance Force base in southern Afghanistan, which houses thousands of troops from more than a dozen countries.

Their presence also allowed one British dentist to go home early on emergency leave. Since they examined all the MEU teeth before leaving Camp Lejeune, Firestone and Hohl expected to spend much of the time waiting for dental emergencies.

Instead, they rotate between working at the MEU camp - where most of the work consists of double-checking the mouths of Marines with no obvious dental problems - and working at the base's hospital, where they treat troops, contractors and civilians from all over the world.

"There are a lot of people with a lot of things you don't expect to see," Hohl said. "But the military has trained us well to see the types of patients we see here.

"The hospital may actually expand its dental hours now that Hohl and Firestone are available to treat patients, Hohl said.

While many people would not think of a dentist as an integral part of a military team, Firestone said dental pain is actually one of the most common reasons a service member would be flown out of a forward operating base.

The reason, he said, is that bases generally have numerous surgeons and doctors equipped for a wide range of medical emergencies but no one to treat dental problems.

It's a quality-of-life issue, Hohl said. Dental problems are generally not life-threatening, but a Marine who can't sleep because of intense tooth pain or one who is fighting an infection is not as battle-ready as one who has a healthy mouth.

"They bring us here for the ‘what ifs,'" Hohl said, hoping that the dentist won't be needed - but knowing they will.

Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines adapt to tech threats
March 29, 2008 - 12:39AM
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Enemy forces use many differ-ent types of explosives to target Americans. But Marine forces here have a list of new technologies designed specifically to defeat them.

One of the most widely known is the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, a type of truck with a V-shaped hull designed to deflect an improvised explosive device blast away from the vehicle.

"It does what it is supposed to do," said Don Scattergood, a contractor with Force Protection working in southern Afghanistan to train Marines on how to use the vehicles. "I won't leave the wire myself unless I'm in one of my vehicles."At the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. did not have vehicles designed to take a hit from an IED, said Scattergood, who came to Afghanistan after spending years in Iraq.

The MRAPs, as they are often called, are made of armor and bullet-proof glass to protect against the explosions.

"There have been a lot of hits on a lot of vehicles, and a lot of people have gone home (safe)" because of the MRAPs, Scattergood said. "This truck has seriously saved a lot of lives."

Another type of gear designed with IEDs in mind are "jammers," tools used to counter electronic signals from the enemy.

"We try to take away the ability of the bad guy to select his target," said Bob Krch, field representative for a Counter Improvised Explosive Device section of Marine Corps Systems Command.

"We're taking away one form of detonation," he said. "The occurrence of events and fatal-ities has dropped off since we started using the equipment." Marines must learn how to use the jammers, just as they must be trained how to operate the MRAPs and use other new equipment.

"In the Marine Corps, half the battle is the training," Krch said. "Our fielding concept is not just outfitting the vehicle, but equipping the Marine."

Still, "The best way of defeating an IED is right here," he said, pointing to his eyes.

In addition to the jammers and MRAPs, the Marines have mine-rollers that go in front of vehicles to activate pressure-activated IEDs before a manned vehicle drives over them, said Maj. Brian Newbold, liaison officer.

And inside the vehicles, the Marines have a touch-screen computer called the Blue Force Tracker. The tracker has mapping and land navigation capabilities and allows Marines to send messages or reports to other vehicles or the operations center via a type of text message, said Genaro Guerrero, field service representative for the BFT.

While radios sometimes can be garbled because of the rough terrain, the Blue Force Tracker is not affected by the geography, Guerrero said. The computer also helps prevent friendly fire situations by allowing Marines in one vehicle to see exactly where other friendly vehicles are, he said.

Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

REPORTERS NOTEBOOK: Afghan bazaar
Trip to the Afghan bazaar offers sundries, family gifts
March 30, 2008 - 12:28AM
JENNIFER HLAD
THE DAILY NEWS

Filed: 12:26 p.m. Saturday (3/29)

Today was the weekly bazaar on base, out near the edge of the camp. I have been to bazaars before, and the setup and general feel were the same, but I was impressed by the range of wares available.

Besides the normal selection of DVDs, cigarettes, pashmina scarves and T-shirts, there was some really pretty jewelry, nice rugs and all sorts of hand-carved wooden figures and other crafts.

Just inside the bazaar, the onslaught begins. A man hawking DVDs yells out prices, while two children approach with sad faces, selling local currency and asking ‘please, please, please?'

Lance Cpl. Sara Russell, a 24th MEU Marine originally from Michigan, was one of many Marines at the bazaar. She was looking for something to send home to her family, but she didn't buy anything Saturday.

"We're coming back after pay day," she said.

Pfc. Stephen Cantry, a Marine with Battalion Landing Team 1/6, found jewelry for his mother and girlfriend. But Lance Cpl. Kevin Tonsetic, of Combat Logistics Battalion-24, didn't have any luck.

"I was looking for a guitar, but they didn't have anything I wanted," he said.

Still, he plans on returning.

"I'm here to help," he said. "I might as well put some money back in (the economy)."

Ellie

[thedrifter]

24th MEU gets eyes in Afghan skys
Harrier jets arrive at base
March 30, 2008 - 12:22AM
JENNIFER HLAD
THE DAILY NEWS

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of reports from Afghanistan by The Daily News writer Jennifer Hlad, who is embedded with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit there.

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - The dust, fine as powdered sugar, cast a fog in the air as Harriers cut through the sky. As the jets taxied to their spots on a newly built mat, each plane kicked up a small storm of sand in its wake.

Ten days after leaving Cherry Point Air Station in North Carolina, the first wave of jets from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Harrier detachment landed on base in southern Afghanistan. The AV-8Bs give the Marines on the ground an eye in the sky, said Maj. Stephan Bradicich, a Harrier pilot.

The jets can perform reconnaissance or determine routes, Bradicich said, as well as "keep an eye on the fight" and send information directly from the cockpit to the ground.

"It extends the range of vision for the ground commander," Bradicich said.

The jets also provide heavy firepower, he said, "the big bombs."

And laser-guided and Global Positioning System technology means "we can put bombs on target the first time around," said Sgt. Robert McElmurry, an aviation ordnance Marine with the Harrier detachment.

That can be very important when ground troops call in for air support, he said.

"When the ground guys are out doing their thing, if they run into trouble, they know we're just a phone call away," he said.

McElmurry has been in the Kandahar province less than a week, but he spent a year in Bagram, Afghanistan, on a previous deployment. During that tour, he said a group of American soldiers came and thanked the air unit for air support.

"They said without us, they'd be dead," McElmurry said. "It was really cool and kind of humbling to hear it actually from their mouths."

Harrier pilots Capt. Christopher McLin and Capt. Arthur Bruggeman also arrived Saturday. This is the first deployment for both, and they said they are not exactly sure what to expect. But since the MEU is the first large Marine unit in this area for a few years, Bruggeman said he thinks there will be plenty to do.

"We're definitely looking to do some good work, and looking to be busy," he said.

Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Siren signals bunker dinner bell
March 29, 2008 - 12:38AM

Filed: 2:33 p.m. Friday

Friday night, when I was in the chow hall with the public affairs officer and my husband, the rocket attack siren went off again. We actually didn't hear it very well inside the building, but we noticed about half the people there were getting up and leaving at the same time.

We weren't done eating, so I actually took my roll, pecan pie and Coke with me.

One thing I thought was a little weird was that all the American sol-diers and Marines were leaving, but a lot of the contractors and foreign service members seemed not to be in a big hurry to get to a bunker.

My husband and some of the other Marines were a bit annoyed that the siren interrupted the steak and lobster dinner, but they definitely moved quickly to get out of there.The three of us ended up in a bunker with a bunch of Dutch soldiers, who of course laughed about the fact that I brought pie. (My husband also brought some food). And since I had told the PAO that I learned how to say one Dutch phrase when my parents lived in Belgium, she made me say it to the Dutch soldiers.

They laughed about it, since the phrase (I don't know how to spell it, but it sounds like Smakliken) means something like "enjoy your meal" - and I was the one eating.

None of us - including the Dutch soldiers - had heard any explosion. We did hear some vehicle sirens while we were waiting in there, but I know that everyone in the MEU was OK. I will try to find out tomorrow whether there is any more information available about either of the attacks.

Also, tomorrow there is a bazaar on base. It is something that happens every week, and I am interested to see what they have available. I heard they have $5 Oakley sunglasses, but I have a feeling they are not the real thing!

Ellie

[thedrifter]

March Madness takes hold in Afghanistan
Following NCAA requires early start
March 30, 2008 - 11:32PM
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of reports from Afghanistan by The Daily News writer Jennifer Hlad, who is embedded with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit there.



KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Sgt. Derek Dortch was up bright and early this weekend - all in the name of basketball.

Dortch, a University of Memphis fan, got up at 4:45 a.m. Saturday and headed over to the Morale, Welfare and Recreation tent to catch some hoops live on Armed Forces Network. He stayed up late Sunday night to catch the Memphis-Texas game. And this weekend wasn't the only time he's stayed up late or woken up even earlier to watch the NCAA men's basketball action.

The early rounds were difficult, he said, because not all the games are broadcast and there are many people who will stay out until 4 a.m. to watch their teams play. But once favorite teams were eliminated, the crowd started dropping off a bit, Dortch said.

"I was keeping up with UCLA ... and UNC, just because I wanted to see them lose," Dortch said Saturday during halftime of the Memphis-Michigan State game.

Army Spc. Jarmarcus Smith, a soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, has been in southern Afghanistan for 15 months. He is slated to go home next week.

Smith is a University of North Carolina fan and says he stays up all night to catch the games.

Before Smith arrived in Afghanistan, he said he didn't realize he'd be able to watch his teams. So he was pleasantly surprised to see there are cable inputs in the modular housing he lives in and televisions at the MWR tent.

"I didn't think they would have so many resources available for us to keep in touch with what's going on in the states," he said.

Smith and Dortch said they were most surprised to see Davidson get so far, and to see Duke fall so early.

"Even though I hate (Duke), they're a pretty good team," Smith said.

Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Sunday can be day of rest
Reporter's notebook
March 30, 2008 - 11:35PM
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Filed 2:33 p.m. Sunday

It turns out Sunday is a day of rest, even on base in Afghanistan.

The Marines here never truly take a day off, but Sunday is the day they can sleep in a little later and take things a little easier. Instead of the normal breakfast hours, the chow hall offers "Sunday brunch," though the food didn't seem much different to me.

The difference was evident out at "the boardwalk" - basically a wooden boardwalk surrounding a large dirt lot, where the gift shops, food vendors, volleyball courts and hockey rink is set up. Yes, I did say hockey rink - but it is for sneakers, not ice skates.

The rink is made of concrete and decorated with a maple leaf. This morning, two teams wearing hockey jerseys and shorts faced off as other service members stood in line for Tim Horton's coffee or sat at plastic tables, enjoying the not-too-hot-yet morning sun.

Later in the day, service members browsed the gift shops around the boardwalk, as American soldiers played volleyball on one of the two sand courts and a random assortment of people played a pick-up game of baseball on a sandy diamond.

But the day wasn't entirely relaxing.

In the afternoon, I went out to north side to interview a pair of brothers - one a pilot, the other an infantry officer - who are both serving with the MEU. The drive there was fine, but when we went to leave, we noticed the driver's side front tire was hissing air.

The hissing stopped when someone would push the air valve to the side, but obviously no one could hold it there. So we tried using chewing gum, but that did not work, either. Finally, the public affairs officer pushed on the valve, popping it back into place, and the hissing stopped.

We piled into what they refer to as the "Scooby Doo van" - complete with a white fur dashboard cover - and started driving. But when we stopped to drop the infantry officer off, the tire was hissing again and had gone completely flat. It's the fourth flat tire that van has gotten so far, and it probably won't be the last. Luckily, most of us were able to catch the bus back to the main area of the camp, while the public affairs officer found someone who could fix it.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

24th MEU'S dad-to-be count down the time
April 1, 2008 - 12:29AM
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of reports from Afghanistan by The Daily News writer Jennifer Hlad, who is embedded with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit there.

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - When 1st Lt. Chad Bonecutter first arrived here in southern Afghanistan, he checked his e-mail - and got a surprise from his wife.

"One of the e-mails popped up and said ‘I'm pregnant,'" Bonecutter said. "She got a phone call right after that."

For Lance Cpl. Jake Willis, the news came in a phone call the day he was set to leave for deployment.

"I wasn't expecting my wife to call and say, ‘We're having a baby,'" Willis said Monday.

Bonecutter and Willis, both with Battalion Landing Team 1/6, are two of more than 50 Marines in the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit who are expecting a new baby. But while Bonecutter and Willis will likely be home for their wives' respective late-November due dates, Lance Cpl. Kevin Wyer will miss the birth of his first child.

Wyer, an intelligence specialist with the MEU's aviation control element, said he was excited to deploy but sad to leave his wife at home. The couple's baby is due in mid-April.

"I have mixed emotions," Wyer said. "I am ready to go out and do my job, but I am already trying to set up a video link to see my wife and baby."

Wyer isn't the only one who will be able to see his new child via video link. The MEU is working to make sure anyone whose wife gives birth while they are deployed will be able to do a video teleconference to meet the new baby - as long as the wife is in the Camp Lejeune area.

Cpl. Russell Alloggio isn't sure whether he'll make it home in time for his wife's October due date - which would mean missing both of his children's births. He missed the birth of his daughter by a week, he said.

Alloggio's wife found out two weeks before he left for deployment that she was pregnant again, and it came as a surprise to both of them. She was scheduled to deploy to Al Asad, Iraq, three days later.

Though going through the pregnancy at home while Alloggio is deployed will be stressful, "she's all right with it," he said.

But it is difficult, he said, to know that one day he will have to tell his daughter, and possibly his second child, that he missed their births.

Plus, he said, it is tough to not be there "to help her, take care of her like you're supposed to."

Willis's wife is also in the military, so she understands, but she is not thrilled that he is in Afghanistan, he said. He also does not like being away from her while she is going through the pregnancy. But they are handling it.

And though Bonecutter's wife is not in the military, she grew up in a military family, so she also understands the difficulties of deployment, he said. She is a nurse, so she knows what to do, and "she's got a good support group back home."

"I'm pretty lucky; she's a good girl," Bonecutter said.

Contact Jennifer Hlad at jhlad@freedomenc.com or visit her blog at http://fromafghanistan.encblogs.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

My longest half-mile trip ever
April 1, 2008 - 12:31AM
JENNIFER HLAD
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Filed: 12:05 p.m. Monday

It wasn't that hot today, but it was definitely windy.

I went over to northside today to find expectant dads to interview, and then I had to find a ride back. I could have just ridden the bus, but I foolishly thought I could catch the Marines who were getting the van fixed from yesterday.

It really is not that far from the entrance of the main northside camp to the vehicle maintenance area - maybe half a mile, tops. And I see people running along that road all the time. So I didn't think it would be too bad of a walk.

About one minute after leaving the main camp, the wind started kicking up the dust, which in turn went straight into my eyes. I was wearing a hat and sunglasses, but the dust did not care. The farther I walked, the more dust attacked me.

Apparently I wasn't walking very fast, because I got passed by two groups of Marines. Meanwhile, the wind would die down a little, then the dust would swirl again, seeming to envelop me in a miniature brown cloud.

You can probably imagine what I looked like when I got to the vehicle area. One of the Marines who had driven a Humvee past me apologized for not giving me a lift, but I didn't mind. It was only a half mile, after all.

Unfortunately, when I finally got to the place where the van had been fixed, it was already gone. I was trying to decide whether to walk back to the camp to catch the bus or just go ahead and walk the two and a half miles back to the main building, when a Marine I interviewed earlier this year offered to give me a ride.

Sgt. Billy Miller - whom I met when the Marines were loading gear onto ships at the port in Wilmington - left his Ramen noodles behind and drove me back to my workspace in a Humvee. I was quite thankful I didn't have to venture out on foot again. But we did pass runners along the way.

Ellie