Promotion Video

For all those who want to what me get promoted, here is the link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIIB8f0Uvu0&feature=youtu.be

It's been a while......

 Shortly after Christmas, our work here became very slow.  There were not a lot of new projects going on and we all were just working in the rhythm of ANA.  Sometimes just meeting with the Afghans can be a laborsome task, but we didn't do any major missions or big leaps of advancement in our counterparts.  That all changed about a week ago, and now that I know more, I am able to give you all more details.  We were recently tasked with getting a section of our ANA ready for Air Interdiction Missions and thus we had to find and study everything we could on helicopter-borne assaults and raid missions.  Over the past few days, we have arranged and rearranged our own Marine and Sailor team that would lead the ANA and have now moved on to rehearsals.  I have assumed the position of Assistant Assault Force Commander and will be responsible for both the Vehicle Search Team and the Personnel Search Team.  Over the course of the next couple of weeks we will move on to train the ANA and then to do rehearsals with the ANA.  In time, we will start doing Air Interdiction missions as dictated by our higher.  Fortunately, we are the second advisor team to be doing this, and thus have been able to lean on another unit for what has worked and not worked for them.  This will be a major accomplishment if we can train and operate with the ANA in this capacity as it will bring a new dimension to their Army's tactics on disrupting the flow of narcotics and IED components once we leave.  Below I have attached an article and 2 videos that cover the other units actions for a better understanding of what we will be doing.

http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/news/afghan-national-army-prepares-for-air-interdiction-mission.html

http://www.dvidshub.net/video/133479/afghan-national-army-prepares-air-interdiction-mission

http://www.dvidshub.net/video/133472/broll-afghan-national-army-conducting-air-interdiction-force-training

Celebrating.....

Christmas in the Stan.......

No news.....

Just wanted to write to tell everyone that everything is going o.k. here in the sandbox.  Not a lot has been going on over the past couple of weeks that is of mention which is the reason for the lack of post.  Most notably, the weather has turn cold, which only makes the ANA not want to work even more and has given me time to read a couple of books and research some things on the internet.  Christmas is right around the corner, and it's not very fun being away from the family right now.  Our new baby girl has been teasing us with her arrival, and both Amber and I are very anxious for the day!

Christmas from Afghanistan

Below is a video recording of me playing Silent Night as arranged for Gibson's Learn and Master Guitar Series.  The series is a 20 lesson program and I have been stuck on lesson 4/5 for the last year and this song is intended for lesson 10 and above.  I missed a couple of notes, and it is not the greatest, but I bought this program a year ago and told myself I wanted to be able to play this song by this Christmas, so I have been working on it over the last month and a half.  Hope you all like!!!  Just click on the picture to play!!

Christmas time.....

Received a box today from the girls!