By MAJ Choli Ence
As the air has gotten brisker and the mountain peaks glisten in fresh fallen snow, it’s a reminder our time here in Afghanistan is winding down. The 128th MPAD began its journey at Kandahar Airfield under the command of the 4th Infantry Division and then the 1st Calvary Division. While at Kandahar, MPAD Soldiers documented the drawdown and retrograde of the airfield and surrounding forward operating bases in preparation for the Resolute Support mission. Additionally, MPAD Soldiers made lifelong friends with partner nations like the Slovaks, Belgians, Romanians, Australians, and Georgians. Some Soldiers from the unit even made friends with some of the interpreters, which paved the way for almost weekly invites to enjoy fresh Afghan food consisting of amazing rice, bread and lamb kabobs. I can’t lie, I had the pleasure of partaking in one of these meals and left feeling fuller than I had in a very long time.
As our time in Afghanistan ticked on, we were selected to backfill the U.S. Forces Afghanistan PAO and Armed Forces Network in Bagram. This allowed the MPAD the opportunity to see another part of the country and leave the dust storms of Kandahar behind. Over the course of this past month, we have slowly transitioned to Bagram Airfield. Bagram is considered an enduring base and as such is bigger and more congested than Kandahar. The climate and terrain reminds me a lot of Northern Utah, which doesn’t really help with our home sickness. Some of the MPAD Soldiers have been getting opportunities to cover stories outside the wire. SSG Stowell is finally getting the opportunity to compete with SSG Houston as he has covered a patrol with the 101st Airborne and Afghan bridge building in Kabul. Additionally, SPC Solomon is getting the chance to step away from the glimmer of all the distinguished visitor coverage and instead focus on honing his skills as a journalist. Meanwhile, SFC Jones has gotten a couple of opportunities to cover some cool stories since he is the last holdout in Kandahar.
Regardless of our location or specific mission in Afghanistan, I can honestly say we have all learned a lot from this deployment. I’ve decided growth doesn’t necessarily come from the deployment itself, but from the amount of time left for us to reflect on the past, learn from the present and make changes for the future.
As our time in Afghanistan ticked on, we were selected to backfill the U.S. Forces Afghanistan PAO and Armed Forces Network in Bagram. This allowed the MPAD the opportunity to see another part of the country and leave the dust storms of Kandahar behind. Over the course of this past month, we have slowly transitioned to Bagram Airfield. Bagram is considered an enduring base and as such is bigger and more congested than Kandahar. The climate and terrain reminds me a lot of Northern Utah, which doesn’t really help with our home sickness. Some of the MPAD Soldiers have been getting opportunities to cover stories outside the wire. SSG Stowell is finally getting the opportunity to compete with SSG Houston as he has covered a patrol with the 101st Airborne and Afghan bridge building in Kabul. Additionally, SPC Solomon is getting the chance to step away from the glimmer of all the distinguished visitor coverage and instead focus on honing his skills as a journalist. Meanwhile, SFC Jones has gotten a couple of opportunities to cover some cool stories since he is the last holdout in Kandahar.
Regardless of our location or specific mission in Afghanistan, I can honestly say we have all learned a lot from this deployment. I’ve decided growth doesn’t necessarily come from the deployment itself, but from the amount of time left for us to reflect on the past, learn from the present and make changes for the future.
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