Sunday, May 23, 2010

Under Attack

Kandahar, Afghanistan

I guess it was our turn.  Our sister base to the north, Bagram, had been attacked a few days ago following a huge suicide bomb in Kabul which had killed 5 US soldiers.  I think the fight is on here in Kandahar province.

The night began innocuously enough.  Our Air Force colleagues who "rent space" behind our hospital, and who are responsible for air evacuating our ICU patients to Germany, were having their monthly BBQ.  It was a beautiful twilight and the hundred degree breezes almost seemed pleasant.  After a few burgers and NA beers the dreaded sirens began, followed by the Germanic-accented "Great Oz" voice pumped in over the base loudspeakers.  Known as the JDOC (no one seems to know what this stands for), Great Oz repeatedly informed us that "KAF IS UNDER ATTACK!  TAKE COVER!"

We made our way to the closest shelter and hung out for what seemed like a few hours.  These are small cement boxy enclosures giving off radiant heat like a brick pizza oven.  In the distance we could hear explosions and gun fire.  The first ambulances arrived probably within 30 minutes and we made our way to the trauma bay and ICU.  The rockets had exploded on the boardwalk and had injured a number of people, mostly with fragments and shrapnel from the rockets.  Several went immediately to the OR.  One patient had been partially eviscerated.

Great Oz continued to bellow in the distance every 30 minutes or so.  He informed us that we were under ground attack and to take cover.  The sirens went off a few more times and we hit the deck in the hospital.  I peered outside the hospital door and noted that all lights on base were out.

I noted that there was a huge variability in how people reacted to the situation.  Some folks were clearly rattled.  In the shelter I could here several people chambering rounds in their weapons.  That was more worrisome to me than a rocket hitting us or having an insurgent finding us.  I noted that some folks' eyes were wide open - they had the "fight or flight" stare.  Some people went a little nuts, began yelling at others and acting a bit irrationally.  The vast majority of us resorted to the default condition of being quietly professional, taking care of business and focusing on the patients.

After a few hours we had tucked in those patients who had either come back from the OR or who were in the on deck circle.  By 3am, roughly 7 hours after it had all began, I made it back to the barracks.  We all wanted to hear the Great Oz tell us "ALL CLEAR" but we heard nothing.  It is still "not clear" - we wear flak jackets and carry helmets wherever we go.

At 5am I woke up, as we had  to be at work by 6am.  Today was the day we moved into the new ROLE-3 and we had to get an early start.  You could not have scripted a more challenging scenario for that evolution.

10 comments:

  1. I hope everyone makes it. Hang in there in your flak gear. I love you.

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  2. Stay safe, Tim - we have our fingers crossed for you and your fellow soldiers, but most of all for you. Love from Ruth and Wayne.

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  3. Read about this in the news and thought about you. Sounds scary. Glad to hear you are okay.

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  4. So so happy you are well... The family is fine, Sarah is an amazing wife and mother. She is strong with grace -- she misses you very much. We are all so very proud of you and admire your courage and dedication. We will wrap your beautiful family with love and support until you are back home!

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  5. Your description of the people in the bunker reads like a section out of Norman Mailor's "Living and the Dead". Hang in there. Keep your nerves about you. What's this about 100 degree heat in May though? Have a few brews for me. Let's hope it calms down for a while.

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  6. Hang in there Q! What an ordeal...soooo scary. We love you and can't wait to see your smiling face back home. Keep safe.

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  7. Sheila and I were wondering when we read about the attack. Keep your head down, wear the Flak, and (as a good Navy Doc) keep professional. Not quite the same as when we would say "at least we're at sea and doing something. Hate being in port." When you are busy the world hears about it. Stay safe and can't wait to hear about your boring life after this deployment.

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  8. Hey Tim,
    Stay safe and keep your CATT and IBA handy.
    Hopefully the new building will provide more protection. BTW, I think JDOC=Joint Defense Operations Center and RSOI=Reception, Staging and Onward Integration although I never knew that while I was there.
    -Tony H.

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  9. Thanks Tony, will do. I think we came up with that guess for JDOC once, but RSOI - never could crack that one. Back in flak last night, all clear this morning. It's like a bad habit.

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  10. Back in flak. . . could be a new hit song.

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