Saturday, November 24, 2007

21 November 2007: No Graffiti, No Green Beans


I’ve been scouring this place to find the pulse of Kalsu – Joe graffiti. I’ll be damned but I haven’t found any yet. There’s evidence of previous musings but it’s all been expunged. I’ll keep looking though. This FOB doesn’t even have a Green Beans. I mention that to emphasize the smaller, more remote nature of this place. There is a small PX and that’s about it. Joes here don’t have the luxury of a food court, bazaar, or any of the other trappings of the larger FOBs. That’s why I’m so keen to find the graffiti. Joes around here don’t live a “garrison” life. These troops are outside the wire all the time.

Evidence of the work at hand abounds. Everywhere I look I see patrols lining up and ready to rumble. Artillery firing points are sending rounds downrange at all hours of the day and night (especially at night). I think someone tells the cannon crews when my team goes to bed so they can start shooting. Our billets are right next to the cannons. Helicopters are buzzing constantly. You can always hear a UAV overhead. FOB Kalsu is a fighting FOB.

My team kicked ass again today. I’m amazed at how much work so few soldiers can accomplish in so short a time. We came, we saw, we took care of business. Now we’ll kick back for Thanksgiving Kalsu style.

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