Have you wondered what life on a FOB in Afghanistan is like? There's a MilBlog for that!
This isn't the sexy combat type of MilBlog, but rather the kind that tells of the everyday frustrations of living in a cold, dusty environment, where not even showers or toilets are to be taken for granted.
"If you've never heard of Navy showers, try this next time you shower: get in, turn on the water long enough to get wet, and turn the water off. Wash everything you intend to: hair, body, face. Then, turn the water on just long enough to rinse."
Of course, first you have to leave your warm abode and walk to the showers, outside in the cold.
"It's a half mile walk to the Green Bean (think Starbucks), which isn't so fun in the cold. And with the snow/slush/refrozen ice, walking is rather perilous."
Why's she telling you about the walk to the coffee shop? Because that is where the internet connection is. It's not the only connection, but the at the last one:
"I once sat on the floor in the corner to try to upload classwork. And the USO always seemed to be 10 degrees too hot."
What she's careful to avoid are OPSEC issues, but that doesn't mean that work can't ever pop up:
"Not a word is said about changes before or after they happen. They just happen. Having studied psychology and sociology in college, I'm attuned to this social interaction, the intricate dance of how total strangers become a working team."
You never know who you'll run into on the other side of the world:
"A good friend from high school is here with his National Guard unit. We hadn't seen each other for 20 years, and had a good time catching up over dinner."
Stumble It!
