Afghanistan man hunt

EODRay

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Joined
Sep 26, 2012
Messages
586
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
With the interest shown in what life is like here, I wanted to take you though my most recent mission/hunt. I would have like to do it live but couldn't for two reasons. 1. Not internet or phone signal in most of Afghanistan. 2. Violates OPSEC

So what I figured I'd do is go ahead and play it out day by day as it unfolded for me. I just got back today but you will get day 1 now and I will update each day as it happened. I will give all the information that I can without putting out things I'm not allowed to. I'll post pics along the way.

The mission was a big clearing operation in the western part of Afghanistan. The team that I'm with had three guys going on it. I had volunteered to go but they said they already had EOD on the mission. About 10pm. the night before the mission, the Team SGT said that they didn't have EOD and wanted to know if I wanted to go. He!! yea I want to go, was my response. I went and packed my stuff.

Our role in this mission would be a blocking position to catch any squirters that came down from the main effort that was sweeping down from the North. Out directive was very vague. The intent was…….go start a fight. The area we were going to had not had any Coalition presence in over a year. The Taliban had free reign and this area was a known location of some HVT's (Hight Value Targets). We would be inserting by Helicopter. We brought two ATV's to carry the food water and extra ammo. My pack was about 65-70lbs. When you add that to my PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), basic load of ammo and weapon, it totaled about 120lbs every where I had to go. That gets old fast.

Day 1. I got up early and flew out to another camp to meet up with the team where they were staging to conduct the HAF (Helicopter Assault Force) mission. Intel said that the mission had been compromised and they (enemy) were expecting us. That is never a good situation and we were expecting to get hit as soon as we landed. I was on the first of the three chalk's that were flying in. Around 10pm we took off for our 30 min flight. Thankfully we didn't have a welcoming party waiting for us when we landed (they didn't know exactly where we were coming in at). We moved out about 1 Kilometer to a strongpoint and provided security for the rest of the flights. When everyone was on the ground, we linked up and moved toword the objective. We found an empty mud hut, got some security positions on the high ground and slept a few hours between guard shifts. It was a very cold night. There was a human turd literally within a foot of my head where I slept. Glad I don't roll around in my sleep. :cool:

The only picture I took the first day were at the bigger camp that I went to link up. It was too dark and busy for pics that first night.

This is what the Afghan crappers look like…..they squat rather than sit.
IMG_1455 (1).jpg
This was in the Infantry barracks. I guess they need tactical directions. :D
IMG_1456.jpg

Day two coming up.
 
Ive gotta find that sign! Put that in the locker room! Haha!

Stay safe Ray!
 
Now I know why you see all those small signs with the international symbol for "Don't stand on the damn seat" in the rest rooms near Niagara Falls.
 
Now I know why you see all those small signs with the international symbol for "Don't stand on the damn seat" in the rest rooms near Niagara Falls.

That's why. It's not uncommon to find muddy broken toilet seats here. Very annoying.

OK, Day 2
At first light, we had to assess our area and move out to a better and more defendable position.
Myself and one of the ODA operators took the two ATV's to scout out a good area. It was the one time that I didn't have to carry my pack, so I wasn't complaining.
Buggie.jpg
About 1K away there was some high ground right at the edge of a village. We went there and set in OP's (Observation post). There was one to the north
OP3.jpg
One to the West (my OP) The ANA guy squatting down in tennis shoes is smoking Hashish. They do that a lot. :eek:
Hashish.jpg
One to the South
OP1B.jpg
and One to the East
CP.jpg
As soon as we got set up and in position, They hit us from the surrounding mountains (seen in the pics of OP South and East). A 5 hour fire fight broke out. They hit us with AK's and PKM's. The PKM's were putting down very effective fire. They didn't use mortars, RPG's or rockets…..thankfully. In the end, we called in air support and apache helicopters put an end to the fighting………until that afternoon when it broke out for another hour or so. At the end of the day, we had three enemy confirmed dead and none of us were hit. It was a good day. The good thing about this kind of hunting is that there is no bag limit. The bad thing is that the prey hunts you too.
 
I miss that rush

There is nothing like it in all the world John. It's kinda like a drug.
My wife thinks that there is something wrong with me. ;)
I have done everything from bull riding, jumping out of Airplanes, bungee jumping, cliff diving, etc but nothing makes you feel quite so alive as an intense fire fight or walking down on an IED. Maybe there is something wrong with people like me/us. If feel more like this.
Psalms 144.1 Blessed is the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle (KJV)
We have to do what we are designed to do!
 
Physiologically, Westerners poop incorrectly. In order to achieve maximum evacuation of your bowels, it is better to squat, such as one would have to in the toilet in the photo.

Many eastern cultures poop correctly. Westerners are the ones all bound up, so to speak.

Please read this liberal feel-goodery to understand how the Earth Mother designed us all to poop:
http://wellnessmama.com/7013/a-proper-way-to-poo-squatty-potty-review/

Dealing with ANA high on hash all the time must be great for effectiveness. Stay safe Ray and keep kicking butt. :)
 
Physiologically, Westerners poop incorrectly. In order to achieve maximum evacuation of your bowels, it is better to squat, such as one would have to in the toilet in the photo


WOW!
 
Regarding the above...JMHO in a war zone who the H cares, Just get it done as fast as you can. I never wanted to die with my pants around my ankles. You won't find any reading material in my *facilities*, not even at the cabin. I guess you could say, that is one of the *things* I haven't been able to shake.:eek:
 
Physiologically, Westerners poop incorrectly. In order to achieve maximum evacuation of your bowels, it is better to squat, such as one would have to in the toilet in the photo.

Many eastern cultures poop correctly. Westerners are the ones all bound up, so to speak.

Please read this liberal feel-goodery to understand how the Earth Mother designed us all to poop:
http://wellnessmama.com/7013/a-prope...-potty-review/

A water closet ottoman perhaps?

Ben, you must have an interesting search history.
 
Thanks for the pics and text Ray. Way too many people know nothing about what you guys are doing.
 
Unreal Ray - come back to us safe and sound brother! God bless you and the guys there, and thanks for the cool write up and pics!
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

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