TEN YEARS LATER
#3 Wintering in Afghanistan
The Pax Terminal I Flew Out of in Kabul
February 20, 2012…Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan. I'm in a new place that I've been to before. 
Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan. I've actually been in the exact room I am sitting in right now. It was
over 110-degrees last time I was here and crowded with other embed hopefuls. Now, it's like a ghost
town and the rain has flooded everything including a fair portion of the room I'm in. Sitting here at 2:00
AM, barefoot, tired but needing to write, I ponder a few things that I've done this week and during my
life.
For most of my life, I've been able to travel to faraway places, sometimes even in my mind. This week I
said goodbye to a few friends in Albuquerque including the governor. Then I went and had lunch in
London. I've been told that sometimes I'm runnin' just to be on the run. Tomorrow I know it is going to
be a long Monday sittin' all alone. Pretty much this world has made me crazy as a loon. It is one of the
reasons I like to take very long walks. And so it goes, listening at the speed of the sound of loneliness,
preparing the next leg of this final project called "Ten Years Later". This is the way that my world goes
'round. It is a blessing to walk in spirit, in the zone. There is music in the air.
It was snowing when I walked over to the pax terminal to depart the warmth of my tent and
comfort of my surroundings to push south towards Kandahar. For years I said I would
never come to Afghanistan in the winter…so, here I am in Afghanistan in a winter snow
storm. I am glad to do this. After presenting my documents and badge I was told to put
my bags on a conveyor belt, including my precious carry on with laptop and camera inside.
It was explained to me that there would be zero carry-ons for this flight. I bit my tongue,
hoped for the best and watched my bags vanish in the snow.
I was shown where to go after passing through screening and sent upstairs to room #1 to
wait. I was in a room with over 120- local Afghan men who mostly looked like either
recruits or prisoners. I couldn't tell. But, all eyes were on me. I noticed there were some
special US soldiers in the area keeping an eye on these guys. That was good. After about
half an hour one of the Afghan men came up to me and said in broken English, "Sir, you
are in the wrong room. This is for these men only". Well, I couldn't have agreed more with
him and I went to the next room. Upon entering the room I was asked to produce a CAC
card. I told them, "I don't have one". They said, "oh, you're not American?" I abruptly
responded, "Oh yes I am…!" Then I produced my "media" badge. That went over like a lead
balloon but I was granted access to the "room" I should have been in, in
the first place.
Soon, I along with about 20-other passengers would board an
Australian C-130 which happened to make in through the storm. Leave
it to the Aussies to make things look simple. In years past I lived in
Australia and it is always fun to be among them. They are loyal allies
and can be counted on in a pinch. Such was the case this night in a
snow storm trying to get from Kabul to Kandahar. No worries mate.
Done deal.
The flight was about 90-minutes and we landed in a rain storm that
looked like something even Noah would be concerned about. The back
end of the C-130 was opened as we taxied to the ramp for parking. I
was concerned my bags would be soaked. Lucky for me the crew chief
realized the weather and re-adjusted the ramp so water would not hit
the luggage. We taxied to the parking spot and unloaded. We were
taken to the baggage area where we all retrieved our bags from the
pallet. Baggage claim in the war zone. It works well.
All my stuff was intact. I phoned my point of contact at the media
center who was happy to hear from me and said she would be there
shortly. I was not going to be allowed one inch past the red line
without my point of contact as an escort. This was made very clear to
me by the Air Force security person. I'm used to it now. No problem.
The Sgt from the media center picked me up in short order and took
me to the room prepared for me and got me all squared away with the
necessary paperwork. This particular media assistant is among the finest I've come across in all my travels. It was
now really pouring rain and even my room was a small lake. All my gear was put up on a top bunk and held safely
out of water damage. I signed a few papers, picked up a few bottles of water and got my bed ready.
I am in Kandahar. From here it's a short waiting game to find the folks I'm looking for. The Army media assistants
here handling me are working on locating my unit. I'm in good hands. Each day is a new day followed by another
new night.
This is the way that my world goes 'round.
Jim Spiri
jimspiri@yahoo.com
Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan. I've actually been in the exact room I am sitting in right now. It was
over 110-degrees last time I was here and crowded with other embed hopefuls. Now, it's like a ghost
town and the rain has flooded everything including a fair portion of the room I'm in. Sitting here at 2:00
AM, barefoot, tired but needing to write, I ponder a few things that I've done this week and during my
life.
For most of my life, I've been able to travel to faraway places, sometimes even in my mind. This week I
said goodbye to a few friends in Albuquerque including the governor. Then I went and had lunch in
London. I've been told that sometimes I'm runnin' just to be on the run. Tomorrow I know it is going to
be a long Monday sittin' all alone. Pretty much this world has made me crazy as a loon. It is one of the
reasons I like to take very long walks. And so it goes, listening at the speed of the sound of loneliness,
preparing the next leg of this final project called "Ten Years Later". This is the way that my world goes
'round. It is a blessing to walk in spirit, in the zone. There is music in the air.
It was snowing when I walked over to the pax terminal to depart the warmth of my tent and
comfort of my surroundings to push south towards Kandahar. For years I said I would
never come to Afghanistan in the winter…so, here I am in Afghanistan in a winter snow
storm. I am glad to do this. After presenting my documents and badge I was told to put
my bags on a conveyor belt, including my precious carry on with laptop and camera inside.
It was explained to me that there would be zero carry-ons for this flight. I bit my tongue,
hoped for the best and watched my bags vanish in the snow.
I was shown where to go after passing through screening and sent upstairs to room #1 to
wait. I was in a room with over 120- local Afghan men who mostly looked like either
recruits or prisoners. I couldn't tell. But, all eyes were on me. I noticed there were some
special US soldiers in the area keeping an eye on these guys. That was good. After about
half an hour one of the Afghan men came up to me and said in broken English, "Sir, you
are in the wrong room. This is for these men only". Well, I couldn't have agreed more with
him and I went to the next room. Upon entering the room I was asked to produce a CAC
card. I told them, "I don't have one". They said, "oh, you're not American?" I abruptly
responded, "Oh yes I am…!" Then I produced my "media" badge. That went over like a lead
balloon but I was granted access to the "room" I should have been in, in
the first place.
Soon, I along with about 20-other passengers would board an
Australian C-130 which happened to make in through the storm. Leave
it to the Aussies to make things look simple. In years past I lived in
Australia and it is always fun to be among them. They are loyal allies
and can be counted on in a pinch. Such was the case this night in a
snow storm trying to get from Kabul to Kandahar. No worries mate.
Done deal.
The flight was about 90-minutes and we landed in a rain storm that
looked like something even Noah would be concerned about. The back
end of the C-130 was opened as we taxied to the ramp for parking. I
was concerned my bags would be soaked. Lucky for me the crew chief
realized the weather and re-adjusted the ramp so water would not hit
the luggage. We taxied to the parking spot and unloaded. We were
taken to the baggage area where we all retrieved our bags from the
pallet. Baggage claim in the war zone. It works well.
All my stuff was intact. I phoned my point of contact at the media
center who was happy to hear from me and said she would be there
shortly. I was not going to be allowed one inch past the red line
without my point of contact as an escort. This was made very clear to
me by the Air Force security person. I'm used to it now. No problem.
The Sgt from the media center picked me up in short order and took
me to the room prepared for me and got me all squared away with the
necessary paperwork. This particular media assistant is among the finest I've come across in all my travels. It was
now really pouring rain and even my room was a small lake. All my gear was put up on a top bunk and held safely
out of water damage. I signed a few papers, picked up a few bottles of water and got my bed ready.
I am in Kandahar. From here it's a short waiting game to find the folks I'm looking for. The Army media assistants
here handling me are working on locating my unit. I'm in good hands. Each day is a new day followed by another
new night.
This is the way that my world goes 'round.
Jim Spiri
jimspiri@yahoo.com
Jim's first interview with a soldier happens
to be longtime family friend, Sgt 1st Class
Clay Sauer. Click to hear this amazing
man's story.
to be longtime family friend, Sgt 1st Class
Clay Sauer. Click to hear this amazing
man's story.
The View on the Side of my Tent as I Left Kabul
Clay Sauer Audio 2-20-2012
Listen MP3
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