I know everyone who is reading my blog is up for another good read.
Yes, a lot happened since the last blog thats why there is a bit lag in it. I moved from being a Fobbit to a smaller Forward operating base close to Kandahar. There is a war going on in this region, soldiers living within a 30 mile radius are living in a combat zone. I get to see them when they have Dental issues. Its interesting to see how infantry live when they come to a combat zone. Over all soldiers are very nicely behaved and know of my existence. When in a gaggle they whisper and wonder who I am and why I look the way I dress.
Highlight of my first day at Pasab, I got to see General Petraeus where a lot of 10th Mountain soldiers gathered in a formation and he gave out awards. It was an interesting gathering and we stood in formation for atleat 40minutes in a 102degrees temperature. Yes, I saw him looking at me using his peripheral vision.
I am the OIC of the clinic(Afghanistan Dental Clinic) and Yes super busy. I extract a lot of teeth and at a point where I almost feel a little bad about extracting teeth. The ANA soldiers are my patients and I am picking up on Pastu and Dhari. The oral hygine is horrible with ANA soldiers and they have no clue about keeping up with the oral hygiene. They come and say meshah, which means pull it. It seems like taking teeth out on Afghan soldiers is very easy, probably the lack of essential minerals in their diet. Hence the short stature and skinny built.
I was told by the 1SG to be careful at night where a lot of these soldiers drive under the influence of drugs. The terrain here is still sandy with hills all around this place. The hills have no green in them, they look like man made. There are hot showers and they are communal and they are at a walkable distance.
Part of my assignment is travel from FOB to FOB and treat our soldiers in a Dental Van. I will be accompanied by infantry and we will travel on road. My first CLP(Convoy) was from KAF to Pasab and it was a little nerve wrecking and my eyes were on the road 24/7. It is the pits on the roads, the locals on motorcycles/cycles/cars. I was put in a big truck called Hemmat, it was loaded with supplies. While talking to the brave driver from NY, he mentioned that his hearing is bad in the left ear. I asked him what happened and he looked at me and said sir nothing crazy but "we get hit by IED's often". For a second it made me numb and then I felt fearless for the rest of the trip.
My coworkers are stationed here for a year in support of our soldiers from all over the southern region. I salute them for their work they do in providing the care the soldiers deserve.
Yes, a lot happened since the last blog thats why there is a bit lag in it. I moved from being a Fobbit to a smaller Forward operating base close to Kandahar. There is a war going on in this region, soldiers living within a 30 mile radius are living in a combat zone. I get to see them when they have Dental issues. Its interesting to see how infantry live when they come to a combat zone. Over all soldiers are very nicely behaved and know of my existence. When in a gaggle they whisper and wonder who I am and why I look the way I dress.
Highlight of my first day at Pasab, I got to see General Petraeus where a lot of 10th Mountain soldiers gathered in a formation and he gave out awards. It was an interesting gathering and we stood in formation for atleat 40minutes in a 102degrees temperature. Yes, I saw him looking at me using his peripheral vision.
I am the OIC of the clinic(Afghanistan Dental Clinic) and Yes super busy. I extract a lot of teeth and at a point where I almost feel a little bad about extracting teeth. The ANA soldiers are my patients and I am picking up on Pastu and Dhari. The oral hygine is horrible with ANA soldiers and they have no clue about keeping up with the oral hygiene. They come and say meshah, which means pull it. It seems like taking teeth out on Afghan soldiers is very easy, probably the lack of essential minerals in their diet. Hence the short stature and skinny built.
I was told by the 1SG to be careful at night where a lot of these soldiers drive under the influence of drugs. The terrain here is still sandy with hills all around this place. The hills have no green in them, they look like man made. There are hot showers and they are communal and they are at a walkable distance.
Part of my assignment is travel from FOB to FOB and treat our soldiers in a Dental Van. I will be accompanied by infantry and we will travel on road. My first CLP(Convoy) was from KAF to Pasab and it was a little nerve wrecking and my eyes were on the road 24/7. It is the pits on the roads, the locals on motorcycles/cycles/cars. I was put in a big truck called Hemmat, it was loaded with supplies. While talking to the brave driver from NY, he mentioned that his hearing is bad in the left ear. I asked him what happened and he looked at me and said sir nothing crazy but "we get hit by IED's often". For a second it made me numb and then I felt fearless for the rest of the trip.
My coworkers are stationed here for a year in support of our soldiers from all over the southern region. I salute them for their work they do in providing the care the soldiers deserve.
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