Very Frustrating, but also Rewarding!!!

Rocket Status: One tonight, but not close...didn't hear any explosion

This morning we were supposed to issue weapons to a Ministry of Justice location.  All paperwork had been reviewed and all was approved for pickup.  The Canadians were showing up at 0800 to pick up the weapons.  They arrived right on time and we went to the location where the weapons were stored.  We waited for the weapons officer to come out and chatted while waiting.  The interpreters asked me if they had an Afghan person with them to take custody of the weapons...no, they did not.  This turned out to be a massive problem.  The ANA will not issue weapons to NATO forces and they aren't suppose to.  We argued back and forth, I called his boss' advisor in Kabul to try to have them let me sign for the weapons and get the original signatures back tomorrow from the Afghans receiving the weapons.  They wouldn't budge at all on this.  Even his boss in Kabul told him he shouldn't issue the weapons to the Canadians or any NATO country.  After multiple phone calls, discussions, rants, and the insistence that the weapons must go today, the ANA Colonel said he would load up a truck and take armed guards to drive into the city of Kandahar to deliver the weapons.  I was shocked that he offered to do it.  They never deliver anything and much less outside the wire.

The ANA Colonel had a great reception from the personnel receiving the weapons...I guess they were really short on them before he showed up.  The advisor there told me it looked like the happiest day of their lives.  They brought the ANA Colonel in for lunch and celebrated with him.  I think he understands now why the delivery was so important.  I really pushed the limits today with the Colonel.  I could tell he was angry, I know I was angry, but all is well now.  He received a call from his boss in Kabul when he was driving back from Kandahar city telling him that everyone was happy.

The above was so simple, but was the most mentally taxing day I've experienced that I can ever remember. The constant arguing...knowing I couldn't make the decision, but only persuade him to make the right one. I don't know if I did it exactly by the book, since it got a little heated, but it worked.  Now he looks great to everyone for taking the initiative.

Here are some pics of the guys getting ready to roll out on their convoy.

These guys were excited to go outside the wire...they don't normally get to get all armed up.

Here's a partial class in literacy training.  There were some stragglers that were coming in after I took the picture.

Now here are some pictures of Afghanistan in the 1960s.