KABUL, Afghanistan --
(These words are my own thoughts and they are from the heart.)
Day 176. Military people, in every sense of the term, get used to a seemingly revolving door in their life. Friends, pets (depending on the housing situation, host country's laws, length of TDY or deployment, etc...), vehicles (see previous list of reasons), significant others, lifestyles, jobs, hobbies--the list is infinite, but the point being that military people become accustomed with saying goodbye and moving on. Sometimes the ease of acceptance, when faced with another revolution of that door, leaves us with the accusation of being cold-hearted. Make no mistake; we feel the sting of goodbye.
Tonight, I watched a phenomenal senior officer hug a handful of NATC-A teammates as she said her goodbyes. As we walked back to her transient room for her last night in Kabul (fingers crossed, Ma'am!) she simply said, "This is weird. I really may never see them again."
We gave each other an understanding look and walked on.
Serving a year-long deployment is truly like moving. It doesn't feel temporary, even though we remind ourselves that it is ONLY temporary in the rough moments. The fact is we are here for longer than many people commit to when signing a lease or attend a college before transferring. This is home.
Our home sees a lot of traffic. As one person departs to reunite with their forever family, another teammate steps into the fold. We also get a lot of temporary traffic, better known as distinguished visitors or DVs.
I've recently read a number of blogs and comments about the unnecessary stress and strain of DVs. I have to admit that I've been able to relate to that opinion a few times over the past 10 years. However, I have to give our recent visitors some serious props!
DVs that NATC-A has hosted could not have cared less whether the coffee was their favorite blend, if they had to walk a few hundred feet in the Afghanistan sun, if a CGO asked a controversial question,or if we presented a brief that was not exactly happy-go-lucky. Although, there were a few strict requirements: they must meet the air advisors that were personally building the AAF, they would really, really like to meet these Afghan Airmen that we are constantly bragging about, and they need to know what it's actually like here.
One indisputable fact, with DVs come meetings and briefings. Last week, I mentioned that a part of PA is sitting through lots of meetings where big decisions are made. I'm sure we're all aware that the Commander-in-Chief announced that 2014 is a pivotal year. Pivotal year equals lots of meetings and big decisions.
Check out the press release here.
You've asked what will happen to the NATC-A mission and what this means for the AAF. Let me start this answer with reminding everyone that I'm just a young officer on my first deployment, but I'd like to tell you what I'm seeing.
The amount of concern and beyond PHD-level analysis that is invested in this gargantuan decision reminds me, yet again, of what our distinct and important purpose is in this assignment.
What will happen to the NATC-A mission? The NATC-A family will continue to work diligently and with great purpose to set the conditions for a professional, fully independent and operationally-capable Afghan Air Force that meets the security requirements of Afghanistan today and tomorrow.
Yes, this could be pulled directly from a strategic message or talking point. The best talking points come from facts, and this is factual. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that there will be difficulties. Any change in a blueprint causes people to revisit the drawing board. There is rarely a day in Afghanistan where everything goes as planned. Our mission has always been to advise, and the advising mission is what we will continue.
What does this mean for the AAF? Well, see above. The mission will go on. Our Afghan counterparts are full of determination, grit, pride, and excitement. An added challenge is nothing new to this resilient culture. What was the reaction? The most universal sentiment is that they understand. We have a job to do. We must work quickly and diligently to learn and grow as much as possible in the time we have together. We need help. We are grateful. These paraphrased words are from many interactions with Afghan counterparts at all levels of the AAF.
I could say the same. I have a job to do. I must work quickly and diligently to learn and grow as much as possible. I need help; I need my counterpart as my equal in this adventure. I am grateful for this experience.
Check out the Facebook Note HERE