Family dinner in Kabul

got back from mission... myself and the MA (General's aide) and some others from my office had planned on going to a US post for dinner. for steak more importantly.

I got back from mission and apparently the sky was falling because the MA was calling everyone and running around pushing people into meetings and whipping powerpoints into action. I had a hunch Steak dinner was out of my schedule now.
My great counterpart, Canadian Sergeant Major, who is also a driver for a General was waiting by his truck.
"SGM, where are you headed?"

"Pheonix, L2 is going to see his sister-in-law for dinner"

(Pheonix=STEAK DINNER)
"NO WAY!!! CAN I COME?"

"Ask the boss, i'm sure he'll let you"

-Text to General L2- 'sir, do you need a photographer to come with you?'
L2 walks up, "Sir, can i come?"

"you want to? sure hop in"

and away we go. discussion about Badr Day, every year on this anniversary Kabul sees some kind of attack...silence... driving... more talk of the everyday drudge and what gossip is going around the office and such...

we pull into the post and the General announces he will be the ground guide (someone has to walk infront of the vehicle to ensure speed control)

"sir, I'll do it"

"Nah, i've got it"

"I'm going to be fast"

"i'm going to be fast too"

"I got it"

"We'll both do it"

the General and his aide fight over the ground guiding job. nobody ever wants to ground guide... it sucks. you have to walk almost the whole length of the base... it sucks. so the General and his Canadian Aid ran it together. I opened my door, stood up hanging out the door and took pictures of them.

We met up with the General's sister-in-law, a beautiful and nice mother of two.she just arrived for her one year deployment.

steak was on the menu... so we dove in. They talked about family and how everyone was, how recent holidays were and they joked about how the Army has kept their immediate families sane... they talked of old commanders and where everyone is now.

pictures were gushed over and laughs went around and around.

if steak wasn't the best part of the meal there is always ice cream!

oooh wonderful US bases that fatten and gorge thier soldiers. oh how I love you. once a week that is. no more.

Yum. I grabbed tons of V8, my meal substitute when i'm hungry on mission and well of course a few pop-tarts. we headed out, back to the truck as the night began to slow and come to a close.

there was laughter and loud voices outside the chow hall. we walk right into a cinema.

Its MOVIE NIGHT! WTF? they have movies playing where the soldiers hangout and watch comedy and movies and have free time. FREE TIME! IJC why do we have no MOVIE NIGHT?! MORALE where have you gone??

The boss grabbed popcorn and ate in awe, laughing and smiling at the 'Joes' sitting around having a good time.

Kabul saw no attack on the anniversary of Battle of Badr.

very cool.