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As infantry you're looking mainly at force protection and advisor staff.  Force pro doesn't do so much gate guard (the gates are already manned by other nations, although we take a turn), but does a lot of convoy runs, so driver qualifications are a requirement (RG is great if you have it). ...

I was wondering if that would ever hit the news. Made for an interesting day.  And a very large ammo cas.  ;)

I met Maj. Mendes on course.  She proof-read my final paper and was always bringing fresh pomegranates in. . . I hadn't had pomegranates in ages.  Was looking forward to working with her again. RIP ma'am.  You'll be missed.

Section/Squad size -/+ (what the Taliban call a "Delgai") usually if they want to make some noise, but could be one or two guys if its just harassment.  Well, even the larger attacks are just harassment, but they're more agressive harassment.

Well, given that the above story that sparked this discussion is total fabrication on someone's part, I'd say it counts as disinformation rather than opsec. . .

. . . Although for those you forced to travel the Arctic via Twotter there maybe should be some form of "sacrifice" medal.  ;)

Eeeeeehhhh, not sold on this.  I mean, JTFN is just another domestic command, but with fantastic scenery and better pay. I have a Ranger sweater and CFNA and JTFN T-Shirts as souvenirs, and I'm good with that.  Let's keep our medals to those that matter. 

I think Pakistan currently is trying to play both sides.  They've made a peace deal with the Taliban, but at the same time are quietly allowing the Americans to strike into the border area. . . and then vociferously decrying American attacks which I bet they've secretly OK'd.  Problem is it's a...

Yes, but that fight has to be lead by the Pakistanis themselves.  It doesn't make much sense to be picking a fight with Pakistan when we're already tapped out against the Taliban as is.  There's common interest between us and them in stopping the extremists, the trouble is they're walking a...

From my perspective, largely because we (the military) don't tell them anything.  We feed them little unconnected snippets with a bare minimum of info, making it very difficult for them to make any sense at all of the overall picture. Anyway, even before 2-2 arrived the Americans were a...

Well, he actually says its coming from a Government official who has "contacts,' as any Government official worth his salt does.  The journalist certainly isn't chatting up the Taiban himself. Of course the report is still Afghan RUMINT and total fantasy, but people are hungry for details and...

Some of the ANA units are fantastic, and some are junk.  It's a bit of a crap shoot.  2/1 Kandak was probably more successful than the BG for the first three months we were here.  Then 1/1 rotated in. . . well, a squadron of air cadets could have taken the entire Kandak.  Say no more. The ANA...

I just finished an extremely bad day today, and was going to take it out on this thread by writing an extremely snarky response to those members making smugly superior blanket statements about those on KAF, but then I read this response and thought better of it.  At least some people understand...

It's friggin' fantastic, is what it is.  Sure there's a lot of Kandahar Province that needs attention, but Maywand is a key transit route and supply node for insurgents in Helmand AND Kandahar, and needs attention the most.  It's been a longstanding problem for years, and now it's getting...

As a general rule I'd say ALL weapons are overrated.  I've seen Hellfires bounce off SUVs and Taliban run out of the explosions of 500 pound bombs - and on the flipside read reports of massive IEDs that went off under passing vehicles and didn't do any more than scratch the paint, or unarmoured...

If a strategy is based on beating the Taliban in a contest of wills - battering away at them over the same ground year in, year out until they cry uncle - then it will fail.  We can thump our chests as much as we like, but these are a bunch of fanatic xenophobes inured to death and on their home...

Already has in theatre.  The ANA are G's, and TFK HQ uses J's, and Battlegroup, OMLT, and our "special friends" all use S2, S3, S4, etc.

We're actually on good terms with the Danes.  It's mostly just good natured one-upmanship, and - unless something has gone badly off the rails in the last 16 months I've been gone - was all quietly and diplomatically resolved two years ago.  For both of us Hans Island is a very small rock that...

That was the S3's idea.  It means "Lawn Mower" in Pashtu.  And that's it!  Honest!  I have no idea what you guys see when you read that. ;D Almost as good as OP BUB LUB LABLAW.

Hmmmm, well, if you remember back to the end of 2006 and the area we were supposed to control by now, having driven the Taliban out, encouraged development, and increased government control. . . well, that hasn't materialized.  Among other things we were supposed to have ink-blotted most of...