The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

Rocket Status: None tonight so far.

Running Group:  Had the normal three show up.  One was on time and the other two were late, but they did run.

The Good:
This morning started out really good.  We showed up at the logistics depot to find the ANA Col from the Southern Region was in my ANA Colonel's office.  They were discussing the preparation of a weekly or monthly report of everything that is ordered and what the status is of it.  This seems simple, but advisors have been trying for over a year to get this accomplished.   With the request coming from this Colonel, it should happen.  It was nice to see an Afghan show up with a plan, discuss it, solve it, and then leave happy.  That was the best part of the day.

The Bad:
By 12:00 noon today, I had told the ANA Colonel that the containers needed to have the gear removed from the top or I'd have to canx the movement scheduled for Saturday.  I don't know if he thought I'd let him slide and get it done last minute or what, but at 12:00 today there was still a lot of gear on top of the containers.  I canx the movement and pushed it to the right two weeks.  I know he won't be happy about waiting, but I also don't want him to think when I say something I don't mean it.  I gave him two weeks notice to get things moved off the containers and he started this morning with one guy and a forklift...very frustrating, because I wanted to see the containers moved as well.  I heard they did finish it after lunch, but I'm sticking to the cancellation to help show him I mean what I say.  I did remind him 3 or 4 times starting last week.

The Ugly:
I came back after lunch to see what progress had been made and at 2:45pm there was no one in the office.  The ANA Colonel went downtown to get money out of the bank and the Sgt Major was no where to be found.  He said his son was sick and he needed money.  I don't believe their excuses for things anymore.  They may or may not be true.  I had the interpreter call the Colonel and asked about the containers and moving things off the top, but he said we'd do it tomorrow.  I was extremely frustrated and decided it wasn't important to him to get it done, so he can wait for two more weeks.  He knew the deadline and disappeared on me.  A few days ago he told an officer that he couldn't use a vehicle to go downtown to get money from the bank and this officer said his son was sick too...now the Colonel went using the same truck and reasoning...not the best way to earn the respect of your team.  Do as I say and not as I do is not good leadership.  The leadership of the ANA is so lacking it's ridiculous.

More Ugly:
I was told today that a high ranking ANA officer asked another ANA officer I work with to take money from the contractors and send him half or he'll get no support from him at all.  This just get's more frustrating.  I think most everyone I work with is stealing goods or taking money from the ANA, which ends up coming out of mainly US taxpayers with some from Coalition country's too.  We are asking about firewood, which is a huge commodity here.  They are issuing firewood to people when it's over 100F, so we are asking who is getting it and where is it going.  Seems a lot of people use it to make chai, which is strictly forbidden according to the Ministry of Defense Guidance.  We're trying to slow it down or at least highlight it.  I did get some good news.  If you are a regular reader, then you'll remember the guys I caught stealing fuel.  I received a phone call from a USAF Master Sgt I worked with in the past and he told me these guys were military and they were going to be punished...YES!!!!

Okay, time for some old 1960s pics of Afghanistan....