Editor's note: J.M. Simpson covered Fort Lewis Stryker soldiers in Iraq during four trips there from 2005-2007. Last week, he flew to Afghanistan to get the other story, as seen through the eyes of Fort Lewis's soldiers from the 864th Engineer Battalion. The following is his first filed story. John's full features will begin March 27th in the Fort Lewis Ranger newspaper.
I will say this for the soldiers of the 864th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) – they sure work hard here at FOB (Forward Operating Base) Sharana in completing all of the tasks they have prior to returning home in May.
“We’ve got a lot of work yet to do,” commented Christa Bowman as she checked her level to ensure that a doorframe was perfectly vertical with the ground. “But I think we will get it all done before returning home,” she added.
And as I have already pointed out, coming home for these soldiers is just around the corner.
Located south of Kabul in eastern Afghanistan, FOB Sharana is still a relatively desolate place in the middle of nowhere. It serves as a hub for construction projects all across the eastern part of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. That said, soldiers don’t complain about their quarters, the food or the internet/telephone accessibility.
FOB Sharana is a beehive of activity with construction – both of the horizontal and vertical variety – going on as the FOB grows in size. From digging and the driving of nails to welding and the pouring of cement, the battalion’s soldiers are doing it all. It should also be noted that members of the Polish Army at times work with their American counterparts.
The weather here has been warm during the day and cool during the night. The one meteorological occurrence, which has struck me, is how blue the sky is. Puts me in mind of the skies over Montana.
The 27 March issue of the Ft. Lewis Ranger newspaper will carry my story on what I have seen and experienced during the last couple of days. In the meantime, I will continue to write about and photograph the work the battalion is doing outside of the FOB.
There is never a dull moment around here.
J.M. Simpson
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