It's the flies that I notice the most. In the heat of the Afghan summer and the a dust that is as fine a talcum, the flies swarm. As I sit here writing, I hear the buzz of yet another dyeing fly whose wings have become pasted to the glue on fly strip the hangs next to my head. There is certain pleasure in watching each fly die; an idilic, hopeful fantasy that somehow there will be less flies as a result. As with so many things here in Afghanistan, change only comes in small steps. Our fly strip may curb the population of vermin for now, but it does little to affect the root of the problem.

The embedded trainers here have nicknamed this place the Alamo. A remote forward operating base in southeastern Afghanistan that houses both Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers and two American Army National Guard embedded trainers (ETTs). There mission is one the most challenging the Army has to offer. Living, eating and sleeping along side of these Afghan soldiers, the American ETTs have the responsibility of mentoring and furthering their training.

There is no running water here, nor is there electricity. Clothes are washed by hand from water collected from the Arghandab river which flows through the valley below. Bottled water is the only drinkable water; to drink the water from the river guarantees at the minimum several days of nausea and diarrhea. At least one meal a day is cooked by ANA cooks. Prepared over a wood fire, the meal generally consists of rice, fresh flat bread and a serving of some form of stew, most often beans and potatoes. The flat bread is made by hand several times a day on a small wood fired bread grill opposite of the outdoor kitchen.

The Humvee becomes an essential part of life here. Providing transportation and a mount for the heavy weapons system, it is also the only source of electrical power to recharge the various batteries needed to operate in the modern Army. It is also the only source of power to recharge my equipment by way of a 12 volt inverter that I carry with me at all times.

This FOB is dependent on regular supply delivers. Most of those deliveries are done by convoy. Air assets in Afghanistan are stretched thin, making delivery by convoy the primary method for transporting supplies. Sadly, even those assets are stretched. So ETTs at forward FOBs like this become accustomed working with less than they sometimes need, while relying on their own innovation and ingenuity.

Daily life is paced. The ANA runs their Army autonomously from the United States military. The ETTs role is to advise and mentor. That perhaps is one of the most challenging and at times frustrating issues for these ETTs as they must often watch and observe rather than intervene and correct.

The ETTs are all National Guard and Reserve soldiers, yet these soldiers are doing the same task as Special Forces teams, without the recognition or support. Where Special Forces teams are composed of six to eight men, and are given large special ops budgets, the latest in weapons systems, and extensive training for these types of missions, ETT teams are generally limited to two soldiers with marginal specialty training, and countless limitations on their budgets and equipment needs. The ETTs greatest asset, however, is the one thing the Army can never offer or train... the civilian and life experience that comes from being a National Guardsman or Reservist which extends far beyond any job speciality available in the military. The result is a "can do" attitude that gets the job done, regardless.

Living facilities like so many things here, are tight. Three of us share a single room, approximately 8' x 8' in size. We lived within the walls of an ancient mud compound, with dirt floors, earthen walls, and straw and earth ceilings. As Cpt.Lonsdale said, "In the United States we would consider this place uninhabitable."

You feel the heat of the sun by 5 am. It feels more piercing than most places I've been; a high altitude desert surrounded by shale mountains and barren landscapes. Yet the Arghandab basin is lush and beautiful, lined with rich green grass, fig orchards, and the multiple plots of wheat. Everything is irrigated by hand and gravity flow irrigation canals, offering a glimpse into the world as it was a millennium ago.

Though by title, ETTs are embedded trainers, they do their work in the outer limits of the Army's reach. More appropriately, they should be called Embedded Fighter Trainers, for when the action begins they have the responsibility of not only functioning as advisors to the Afghan National Army, but as war fighters and leaders in combat as well. They are the quiet heros here in Afghanistan. A war that while falling from our pages, has been credited more to the actions of special operations troops and elite teams. The ETTs are elite teams, though that is not officially recognized, and they are all Army National Guard. Perhaps Lt.General Blum of the National Guard Bureau said it best, "The National Guard is our national treasure." Here at "Alamo" that statement has proven true.

The ETT program is one of the most innovative and progressive the Army has ever done. It is truly a way to the "hearts and minds" of the people of this country. Afghanistan, from my experience here, has a desire to be unified. Perhaps tired from the years of war, or frustrated that their country has now become a magnet to foreign fighters seeking their path the Holy Land, or desiring improved economic hope, whatever the case, their is interest in working with the new government and the Afghan National Army. It is a fine line, and one that sways in the balance each day. The biggest obstacle facing success for the United States is trust. Essentially, the belief that we will stay the course and not turn our back on this country as we did with the Mujhadeen fighters and the period following the Soviet withdrawal. It is a reality that confronts the ETTs each and every day.

Given time, and a continued to commitment to the ETT program, these embedded trainers will make a lasting difference. Decreasing our military presence over time is essential, and easily achieved so long as we don't move too fast or recklessly. Rather than the millions of dollars on war fighting, more dollars spent on the ETT program and support systems will go further to promote a long term ally in Afghanistan than anything else we could do. It is said that that efforts must be made to put an Afghan face on this war. I could not agree more; and, I would go further to say that the Afghans desire that as well. However, the Afghan National Army and the new Afghan government are not yet ready to be left to their own. The international forces that are here are neither capable or willing to offer the support or mentorship that the US does so well. For once, contrary to the few images and stories that are published back home, the United States can gain a victory, not through superior fire power, but through the experience, guidance and care of the embedded training team program... a program that is not just composed of National Guard and Reserve volunteers, but also represents citizens from our own communities that bring with them the experience and beliefs of much what the United States represents.

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Copyright, Scott Kesterson- 2006

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