One Click at a Time, March 21, 2010

My work is starting to settle in a bit. We work until we are done, but it might be more accurate to say that we work until we give up for the day. I work in a room that is about 20 ft by 20 ft, and we have 13 people in it. Each of us has a least two computer systems (some three) at our stations. There are no storage areas, no drawers, no nothing…just a place to sit and click and type. We bug the crap out of each other, we get in each other’s way, we laugh, we fight, then we make up, but we always help each other out. This scene is played out in countless rooms, in countless tents and buildings, in a countless number of bases. In short, we are…killing the Taliban one click at a time…

I have learned another valuable lesson from running. Although I had to change my goal, I did not change my work ethic. I’ve been running 3-5 laps around the compound (2-3.5 miles), and I have found that my speed has increased--I am down to a 9:30 pace. I had time to run 9 glorious laps around the compound today…6.1 miles. At almost 6000 ft, I still pulled off a 1:02 time and it was a leisurely run. This was the same as my best time back home, during my last 10K race (with Jen!). The moral of the story is to be flexible with your goals, but not with your work ethic.

I got another quick jaunt around town in an up armored vehicle and full battle rattle, as required. On the one hand, this is the right thing to do, because there is risk. On the other hand, it is the wrong thing to do because to be successful here, we must win over the population and you can’t do that by alienating yourself from them. Winning them over is key to them turning over the Taliban or to withdrawing their support of the Taliban. They can’t do either of those things until they are certain of our success, or their will be consequences—the Taliban will get them back in spades. I swear the Afghanis are wondering if we are bad guys or good guys, and if we are going to leave them without the knowledge, skills and training to provide for their own security. That is what keeps the Afghanis up at night.

The people are curious, especially of women, but they are also scared. Once you smile and wave, their eyes light up. We were quite the spectacle…female driver, female in the front set and a couple of guys in the back seat! It was awesome.

I got a room! I’ve got a good roommate.  Oh, happy spring! The weather is beautiful.