Day 157

Busy, busy, busy day! This was one of those days where I never stopped and had to just walk away as the day approached the 12hr point. Reflecting back to that point paper I wrote once again in June, today I went on the hunt for about 1/2 million dollars worth of expeditionary tent material that I KNEW was on this large base, determined to not return without photos of what I found and 100% accountability of it. Sure enough, I did...all of it. Why must I be the one to do this? Couldn't the "customer" get this done instead of coming to us about it?! Get up...get out there, and find your supposed "lost" material that you never got. Still, though, my reflection back on my point paper continues to be spot on and recommendations dead on target. Later on, I took my photos and put them into a PowerPoint presentation with what I found, problems identified again, and the solution. Never complain without proposing a way to fix the problem. I am living that principle out here and it's working. I actually spoke to the newly-assigned person who took over the team Stateside recently and she told me that I have caused a firestorm of activity back there and meetings upon meetings are taking place precisely to put my recommendations into practice. I must say...I am feeling pretty good about the change I really am leading. Leading alone, too. EVERYONE else out here with my agency has stepped back and let me lead the way. My one solo fear is that I'll leave here and never be thought of again. I really do hope what is happening sticks but the chances of me EVER seeing it again are highly unlikely. As a Navy Reservist, I'll return home, go back to work, and never deploy again for this agency. That's the only bummer about it all...to essentially vaporize in a split second after accomplishing so much. I guess I could extend my deployment.......NOT!!!!

I also hunted down some other material today that shipped...wait for it...3 MONTHS ago. Yep...3 months ago. This stuff was a whole bunch of long, 10' PVC that can't be flown so it floated, it flew a little, and rode on host nation "jingle" trucks through several countries. It was supposed to be here July 29th but thanks to customs and politics at the northern gate of Afghanistan, it sat there for an entire month. Once I heard it arrived, I headed on down to inspect and take more photos. Poor stuff...it really took a beating but was still fully intact. I had the yard workers split it up among the different customers' stuff so there would be no doubt whose stuff is whose and I headed on back...but not before stopping to see "Haleem," the Afghan merchant who sells wood crafts. I had ordered a few items and picked up a few things for Dorothy, Tin Man, and Scarecrow and they were finally ready. Great guy and I'm going to have to fight not going back to him to shop more. If shipping weren't an issue, I could spend hundreds with him. The craftsmanship is awesome.

The rest of the day was crazy busy and like I said, I just had to leave before I camped out for the night. I grabbed the shuttle again (skipping Mongolian BBQ again) and went straight to the internet folks. Yep...another silly landmark...internet for $70 renewal day. But guess what? It's the LAST full month of internet I will ever buy on this deployment. :-)))))) I'll have to renew this date next month but will certainly not need a full month. (yes, they'll credit me the unused portion when it's PACKING TIME!) So, I gladly handed over my 70 bucks, walked back the mile or so to my room and grabbed some dinner.

Back in my room tonight, I packed up all of the goodies I got for my 3 girls back home and made them ready to go. I'll try to get them moving in the next few days. While I receive packages in 5-10 days always, everything seems to take 2 weeks or more to get back home so I want to get it moving. This should be the LAST time I mail a package home. Everything else will either be eaten or carried home. Once done, a quick room clean, shower, and here I am...closing out Day 157. So with that, I bid you a goodnight.

Goodnight, everyone.