TEN YEARS LATER
#11 Into The Sunset
March 7, 2012…Forward Operating Base Edinburgh, Helmand province,
Afghanistan…One mission today to pick up two working dogs. It came
late in the afternoon. First mission in almost three days. There is
definitely a lull now. What it is attributed to is anyone's guess.
Whatever the case is, quiet is good in these parts. Everyone wants to
be doing their jobs however, all accept that if there are no missions
there are no American casualties to pick up either. That is a good
thing.
The call did not come until late this afternoon. It had been sunny all
day and the wind has subsided. Seeing the mountains is always a nice
sight. There are times it looks like many parts of New Mexico only
much drier and the mountains have literally zero vegetation on them in
this area. In the far off distance snow capped mountains that must
reach well over 15,000 feet high can be seen. As soon as the sun
begins to fade, the temperature drops rapidly. Now, at night, it is cold.
Flying over the terrain today I had a vantage point that was different. I
sat in a seat that is in the middle behind the two pilots and between the
medic on one side and the crew chief on the other side. An additional
medic came along today which placed me in a seat that I had not been
in before. I was just getting used to "my" routine seat but the change
was good. It could present a better angle for the camera.
Peering out the window I noticed that the ground where farms are is
greening up a bit. It seems to have happened quickly. One must
realize though that a hint of green here is like a stark contrast to the
overwhelming brown that pervades the landscape. I was sitting next to
the windows on either side of me and they were open for a while during
the flight. I looked out the window without the obscuring of the old,
scratched plastic windows I have been used to looking though. I could
see more clearly the habitable areas that litter both sides of a river that
looks more like a huge arroyo back home. There is lots of population
in these areas but all of it is rural in nature and agriculturally oriented. I
observed lots of irrigated fields from water ponds scattered among the
tracts of land below. It looked like desert areas similar to Palm Springs,
California but also had a similarity of the area along the Rio Grande
River in New Mexico in the central to southern part of the state. All the
architecture is rectangles of mud making perimeters. The dot the
landscape wherever water is available.
It is no secret that almost everything I am looking at today below, will
be poppy fields in full bloom soon. By May the harvest will be on and
opium will be processed and the flow of drugs will thrive once again in
this land. It is also the time when more casualties will occur. The war
on terror has much to do with opium production. For now, from above,
the ground below looks calm and cultivated. It is spring in Afghanistan
and signs of life seen by the pale shades of green sprouting forth bring
to heart the farmer in
the observer. There
are times I actually
think it would be cool
to just go and see
what the planting time
is like in this land.
However, not at this
time on this journey.
We picked up the dogs
at a FOB I have been
to a couple times
already. Once the
dogs were loaded, we
headed to the main
medical facility in
Helmand province
where other "patients" are
taken. Once again the flight over I kept looking out the window as the
two dogs made themselves comfortable among the medics and crew
chief on board. This was the second time I have been on a medevac
mission to retrieve dogs. I find that interesting.
We dropped the dogs off and immediately headed back to FOB
Edinburgh. On the way back the sun was setting. I enjoyed the flight
once again and handed my camera to the medic next to me who opened
the window and snapped some photos for me at my direction of the sun
setting over the Afghan landscape. It may have seemed like this day
was non productive. However, looking out the window at the chase
helicopter in the setting sun silhouette, I realized that once again I am
in a place that few get to see. And, not just that, but I am with friends
who fly me around Afghanistan documenting this particular time in
history. It was not a boring day after all.
Earlier in the day, I had a photo taken with me and the flight crew. I
was paired today with two pilots, W2 Brandon Seay from Las Cruces,
New Mexico with the NM Guard; Lt. Holly Vance who is with the Arizona
National Guard; SSGT Felicia Espinosa also with the Arizona National
Guard; Sgt Zachary Menzie of Albuquerque, New Mexico with the NM
Guard; and Sgt Brian Bowling with the NM Guard but who actually lives
in Arizona currently. It is important to note that March is Women's
History Month which is advertised all over the AFN television network
here. Today, for the record, I noted that one of the pilots flying me
around is a woman and the crew chief on this flight is also a woman.
Both of them are much younger than my own children. Both are
excellent at their jobs.
Times have indeed changed.
I like being here. In the morning I wake up and walk over to the tent
where Marines have made coffee and breakfast. The coffee is hot and it
is good. I don't eat much breakfast though. I walk the flight line a bit
and see a variety of helicopters parked in such a way ready for the day.
I get a bottle of water and walk across the way and brush my teeth
while standing outside in the cold, brisk air of the Afghan morning. I
then coordinate up my cameras and things and take my vitamins with a
can of fruit juice. Then I watch as the rest of the place wakes up one at
a time. I look in the distance and see mountains and snow even farther
away. Then one by one each of the folks here says hello and the day
begins.
By the end of the day, I've had lots of conversations and learned more
about my neighbors who have been half a world away for nearly a year
shuttling the wounded off the battlefields of Afghanistan. Each minute
of daylight I wait for the call for medevac. Eventually, the sun sets as it
did today out my window in the helicopter coming back to the FOB. I
have seen a lot of sunsets all over the world in my days. But today, the
sunset was like a movie out my window. I thought back to being a kid
on my horse in the desert of New Mexico riding home as the sun was
going down.
Some days never seem to get started until right about the time they are
almost over. Such was the case today as I rode into the sunset in a
helicopter over Afghanistan with some friends and neighbors of mine
here at the FOB "Edi".
Jim Spiri
jimspiri@yahoo.com
Afghanistan…One mission today to pick up two working dogs. It came
late in the afternoon. First mission in almost three days. There is
definitely a lull now. What it is attributed to is anyone's guess.
Whatever the case is, quiet is good in these parts. Everyone wants to
be doing their jobs however, all accept that if there are no missions
there are no American casualties to pick up either. That is a good
thing.
The call did not come until late this afternoon. It had been sunny all
day and the wind has subsided. Seeing the mountains is always a nice
sight. There are times it looks like many parts of New Mexico only
much drier and the mountains have literally zero vegetation on them in
this area. In the far off distance snow capped mountains that must
reach well over 15,000 feet high can be seen. As soon as the sun
begins to fade, the temperature drops rapidly. Now, at night, it is cold.
Flying over the terrain today I had a vantage point that was different. I
sat in a seat that is in the middle behind the two pilots and between the
medic on one side and the crew chief on the other side. An additional
medic came along today which placed me in a seat that I had not been
in before. I was just getting used to "my" routine seat but the change
was good. It could present a better angle for the camera.
Peering out the window I noticed that the ground where farms are is
greening up a bit. It seems to have happened quickly. One must
realize though that a hint of green here is like a stark contrast to the
overwhelming brown that pervades the landscape. I was sitting next to
the windows on either side of me and they were open for a while during
the flight. I looked out the window without the obscuring of the old,
scratched plastic windows I have been used to looking though. I could
see more clearly the habitable areas that litter both sides of a river that
looks more like a huge arroyo back home. There is lots of population
in these areas but all of it is rural in nature and agriculturally oriented. I
observed lots of irrigated fields from water ponds scattered among the
tracts of land below. It looked like desert areas similar to Palm Springs,
California but also had a similarity of the area along the Rio Grande
River in New Mexico in the central to southern part of the state. All the
architecture is rectangles of mud making perimeters. The dot the
landscape wherever water is available.
It is no secret that almost everything I am looking at today below, will
be poppy fields in full bloom soon. By May the harvest will be on and
opium will be processed and the flow of drugs will thrive once again in
this land. It is also the time when more casualties will occur. The war
on terror has much to do with opium production. For now, from above,
the ground below looks calm and cultivated. It is spring in Afghanistan
and signs of life seen by the pale shades of green sprouting forth bring
to heart the farmer in
the observer. There
are times I actually
think it would be cool
to just go and see
what the planting time
is like in this land.
However, not at this
time on this journey.
We picked up the dogs
at a FOB I have been
to a couple times
already. Once the
dogs were loaded, we
headed to the main
medical facility in
Helmand province
where other "patients" are
taken. Once again the flight over I kept looking out the window as the
two dogs made themselves comfortable among the medics and crew
chief on board. This was the second time I have been on a medevac
mission to retrieve dogs. I find that interesting.
We dropped the dogs off and immediately headed back to FOB
Edinburgh. On the way back the sun was setting. I enjoyed the flight
once again and handed my camera to the medic next to me who opened
the window and snapped some photos for me at my direction of the sun
setting over the Afghan landscape. It may have seemed like this day
was non productive. However, looking out the window at the chase
helicopter in the setting sun silhouette, I realized that once again I am
in a place that few get to see. And, not just that, but I am with friends
who fly me around Afghanistan documenting this particular time in
history. It was not a boring day after all.
Earlier in the day, I had a photo taken with me and the flight crew. I
was paired today with two pilots, W2 Brandon Seay from Las Cruces,
New Mexico with the NM Guard; Lt. Holly Vance who is with the Arizona
National Guard; SSGT Felicia Espinosa also with the Arizona National
Guard; Sgt Zachary Menzie of Albuquerque, New Mexico with the NM
Guard; and Sgt Brian Bowling with the NM Guard but who actually lives
in Arizona currently. It is important to note that March is Women's
History Month which is advertised all over the AFN television network
here. Today, for the record, I noted that one of the pilots flying me
around is a woman and the crew chief on this flight is also a woman.
Both of them are much younger than my own children. Both are
excellent at their jobs.
Times have indeed changed.
I like being here. In the morning I wake up and walk over to the tent
where Marines have made coffee and breakfast. The coffee is hot and it
is good. I don't eat much breakfast though. I walk the flight line a bit
and see a variety of helicopters parked in such a way ready for the day.
I get a bottle of water and walk across the way and brush my teeth
while standing outside in the cold, brisk air of the Afghan morning. I
then coordinate up my cameras and things and take my vitamins with a
can of fruit juice. Then I watch as the rest of the place wakes up one at
a time. I look in the distance and see mountains and snow even farther
away. Then one by one each of the folks here says hello and the day
begins.
By the end of the day, I've had lots of conversations and learned more
about my neighbors who have been half a world away for nearly a year
shuttling the wounded off the battlefields of Afghanistan. Each minute
of daylight I wait for the call for medevac. Eventually, the sun sets as it
did today out my window in the helicopter coming back to the FOB. I
have seen a lot of sunsets all over the world in my days. But today, the
sunset was like a movie out my window. I thought back to being a kid
on my horse in the desert of New Mexico riding home as the sun was
going down.
Some days never seem to get started until right about the time they are
almost over. Such was the case today as I rode into the sunset in a
helicopter over Afghanistan with some friends and neighbors of mine
here at the FOB "Edi".
Jim Spiri
jimspiri@yahoo.com
All photo’s and Website © 2012 JimSpiri.com, All Rights Reserved
The vantage point for March 6, 2012 on a walk
around the block. SPIRI FREELANCE
Another vantage point looking east. March 5,
2012 SPIRI FREELANCE
What it looks like here in the low spot. It still has
not drained since last week. March 6, 2012
SPIRI FREELANCE
This is a photo of me, Jim Spiri, on March 6, 2012, taking a
photo inside the helicopter. Photo is by Sgt. Brian Bowling
and used by permission for SPIRI FREELANCE
One can see looking north a little greening up
going on. March 6, 2012 SPIRI FREELANCE
The parking lot I see every morning...March 6,
2012 SPIRI FREELANCE.
The traffic I see in the morning...March 6, 2012
SPIR FREELANCE
Around the make shift campground in the waiting
area. March 6, 2012..SPIRI FREELANCE
The crew on March 6, 2012, photo by Jim Spiri, SPIRI
FREELANCE
The landscape in Helmand province Afghanistan
on March 6, 2012 out my window
The military dog inside helicopter with Sgt.
Zachary Menzie, March 6, 2012 SPIRI
FREELANCE
