Greetings from Afghanistan

Two weeks ago, I got on a plane at Ft. Lewis and started my journey to Afghanistan.  A week ago today, I landed in Kabul.  So far, it has been every bit of the adventure I had hoped it would be!

Within 30 seconds of arriving in Kabul, I was assigned to a new job. I am now the lawyer for the Future Plans Directorate of the ISAF Joint Command, which means I advise on the legality of all operations being
planned for the next three or so months.  I’m the only lawyer on the team, so I am constantly being pulled into to planning meetings to listen to what operations the planners are coming up with, and then help guide them around any sticky legal issues.  It’s fascinating to watch them plan these ops – especially since I don’t have any military background – and to look for potential legal issues with what they’re planning and the effects of their plan.  Since they usually have at least a day (usually more) to solidify a plan, there’s always time to ask lots of questions and do some research, and help talk them through alternate plans that might be more legally doable.  It’s only been a week, and already I’m blown away by the intelligence and creativity of the officers I work with.  This being a NATO command, there are officers here from 48 different countries, some of which I’m embarrassed to say I could not point out on a map before last week. (Montenegro?  Tonga?)  The accents and the culture and the different personalities/dispositions of so many different people – all here fighting the same war – is just electric.  (Frustrating as all hell sometimes too, but 95% of the time it’s a good kind of “electric”!). I’m also fortunate to work directly for Brigadier General (one-star) Hix.  He’s a real John Wayne kind of character – hard as nails, quiet, always professional, smart -- and absolutely f**king determined to win this f**king war.


In addition to my duties as the legal advisor to the Future Plans directorate, I’m also assigned to the Stability Operations Team to coordinate Rule of Law efforts throughout the country.  That means establishing working justice systems in all of the key areas of Afghanistan, which many people think is impossible.  I’m not the one
that actually does that – my job is to coordinate all of the different agencies and people who are out there doing it, collect and assess data about the progress, and compare the progress with the overall campaign plan (i.e., comprehensive war effort) to make sure all of the programs are on track with what the Commanders expect.  The cool thing about this part of the job is that I get to travel to the US Embassy and ISAF HQ a lot, and work with a whole range of interesting people including State Department Foreign Service Officers and Ambassadors, military officers from a variety of different disciplines, and directors of agencies & organizations like USAID and the United Nations.  I am humbled by how many people – mostly civilians – are passionate enough about this issue to volunteer to come to Afghanistan (sans body armor and a big gun!) and do this work for years and years.  Of course, trying to coordinate such a diverse group of people (each with a slightly different mission, motivation, and definition of success) is a challenge some days, but it’s an amazing experience.   I don’t think there are words to express how much I absolutely LOVE this job.  For the first time ever, I feel like I might actually be making a difference, however small, in the world, and my brain is always engaged.

Life here at North KAIA (Kabul International Airport – where our base is located) isn’t awful, but it sure as hell ain’t the Ritz Carlton. I live in a tent with about 20 other women … luckily, I have a bottom bunk.   Bathrooms are a short walk away and actually have flush toilets and real showers!  Sure, it’s a pain in the ass, but it’s manageable.  Whenever I get frustrated, I just remind myself that there are lots of Soldiers living out in the villages, who haven’t seen running water or a bed in months.  My work day usually starts at 0800 and I work every night until at least 1100, sometimes a lot later.  The tent is really just the place I store my toothbrush and catch a few hours of sleep at night.   There are two dining facilities (cafeterias) that I think are absolutely awesome, but that most of my American counterparts hate.  There are tons of fresh vegetables, a
salad bar every day, lots of cheeses and meats and good crusty bread. I have no complaints (other than the lack of cold Pale Ale and a good Cabernet!).

I’ve taken a few pictures since getting here, but unfortunately I can’t get them posted to the blog from here.  I think you can see them on my Facebook page (even if you’re not on facebook) via this link:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1814312925434.2086724.1468380254&l=bdc97cc012&type=1

Being away from Doug and the pups is hard, but Doug has been sending lots of pictures of the pups and emailing me tales of their adventures driving across the country.  They’re on their way to the cabin right
now, which of course makes me insanely jealous (especially since I know he will find his way to the Moat at least once!!).  The regular contact, even if only via email, helps us stay connected.  One good
thing about working 16+ hours a day is that I don’t really have time to think about how much I miss them!

That’s it for this installment.  Thanks everyone for the emails and Facebook posts.  Nothing makes me happier than when I check my gmail or FB and see new messages from family & friends!

After months of training and planning, the time has finally come to head to Afghanistan.  Its impossible to describe how I'm feeling this weekend.  Excited for the opportunity & the adventure, broken-hearted about leaving Doug & the pups, a little bit nervous about the job I'll be doing over there, and a little bit numb (because all those other emotions are absolutely exhausting!).

My plane leaves Tuesday afternoon, subject to the usual hurry-up-and-wait routine the military is so good at.  I'll be flying with about 100 other people from Ft. Lewis heading to the IJC - this is just one of four flights heading over.  Ironically enough, the first stopover may be Bangor, Maine (does anybody know if the whoopie pies at the Bangor airport are any good???).  We'll stop again somewhere in Europe, then its on to the US Air Force base in Kyrgyzstan, where we'll spend a few days in-processing, getting more vaccinations (probably the same exact ones they poked me with here a few weeks ago), and hopefully getting adjusted to the time difference.  Finally, we'll load into a C17 (military cargo aircraft) and head into Afghanistan.   It sure as hell won't be anything like the first-class upgrades I've grown so accustomed to on Delta, but I'll survive.  :)

If there's one thing I hope to remember about this time, its how important time is.  Time spent with the people who matter the most, doing the things that mean the most.  Never has that been more real than in the past few weeks, getting ready to deploy for a year.  I hope that when I come home, and slip back into that daily grind of work and life, I am still this passionate about making every minute count.  (And yes, you all have permission to remind me if I forget!)

OK, enough sappy stuff.  Lots of you have asked for my mailing address over there.  I don't really have an idea of what I might need or want until I get there.  On the forbidden list:  no porn, no pork, and no booze (seriously, they take ALL the fun out of it!!).   You have to write the name (no rank!) and address exactly as it is here:

Jennifer Norvell

N.KAIA-IJC-LEGAD

APO AE 09320

Thanks everyone for your encouragement and support leading up to this little adventure.  I'll keep you posted along the way.  Doug and the pups will be heading to the cabin for the summer, so they'll be kept busy driving across the country (again!) and puttering around the property once they get there.   

Heading Downrange

In early July, I'll head out to Afghanistan.  The Commanding General of I Corps, LTG Scaparotti, will become the Commander of the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command (IJC), and is bringing a small staff, including six JAGs, with him. 

You can learn more about the IJC here.  Generally, the NATO mission in Afghanistan is broken up into six different Regional Commands (RC's):  East, South, Southwest, West, North, and Capital.  Each of these Regional Commands is led by a 2-star General from one of the NATO countries.  (Currently, the US has responsibility for the East, South, and Southwest RC's; Italy has the West, Germany the North, and Turkey the Capital).  All six RC's are under the command of the NATO International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF.  The Commander of ISAF (COMISAF) is currently GEN David Patreaus, but that will change when he retires later this summer.  The IJC is kind of the buffer between the Regional Commands and COMISAF.  The IJC is a relatively new creation (~2009), and this will be the first time a functioning Corps-sized element will be inserted together to command and run IJC operations.  Generally, the IJC is a strategic-level command responsible for overseeing the day-to-day tactical operations carried out by the Regional Commands and making recommendations for future operations and transition in Afghanistan. I'm one of only six JAG officers (NATO calls us "LEGADs" - short for Legal Advisers) from the US assigned to the IJC.  I am assigned to the Current Operations (CUOPS) cross-functional team, which means I'll primarily be providing legal advice on missions and operations happening currently.  In my spare time, I'll likely be involved in furthering Rule of Law initiatives and providing legal reviews of investigations.  

I am especially excited about serving in a NATO command.  I will be assigned to NATO (rather than to US Forces), and working shona ba shona (Dari for "shoulder to shoulder") with partners from 60+ nations, as well as officials from the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) and partners from the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).  All in all, US forces make up only about 1/3 of the IJC, so I'll definitely be in the minority.  I see this as an excellent opportunity to learn some German or Italian (although, unfortunately, not to sample their beer or wine, as all US personnel are prohibited from drinking while in country!!) and learn about cultures around the world.

As far as living conditions, I won't be staying at the Ritz Carlton, but I will have a roof (well, tent) over my head, three hot meals a day, and an Internet connection.  Really, what else does a girl need?  The IJC is based at the North Kabul International Airport (NKIA), which is just a few miles from downtown Kabul.  (And no, I still haven't figured out whether its Ka-BOOOL or KA-bul .... tom-A-to, TOM-ahh-to, whatever!). From what I know now, I'll have a bunk-bed in an 8-woman tent (hopefully they'll pity the old lady -- like they did at DCC -- and give me one of the bottom bunks!).  There is a bathroom and hot-water shower just a short walk away (ask me again in January how "short" that walk really is!), a gym with a few treadmills, and a chow-hall that serves hot meals at least 3 times a day.  Because its a NATO facility, we don't have all the "luxuries" you've heard about at the big US Forward Operating Bases (FOB), but I consider myself very lucky that I'm not at a Combat Outpost (COP) having MREs hurled out of helicopters once a month.  I'll be able to get regular mail (will post address here when I have it), and have a pretty regular Internet connection most days (gmail & facebook).  So its not the Ritz, but its not awful either!  :)

Oh, and to answer the most popular question I've gotten so far:  No, Doug is not coming with me, nor does he have any kind of "special privileges" to visit me there (nor would he want to!).  He'll be carrying on with retired life, taking care of the pups and keeping the home-fires burning.  I will get a two-week R&R leave sometime during the year, and will be able to fly somewhere - probably Europe or Asia - to meet him. 

Bottom line is that I'm excited to go, but also heartbroken about leaving Doug & the pups for a whole year.  We'll make it, and we'll all come out the other end better for having experienced this!

Winter in the Pacific Northwest

Guess I've been a little delinquent in updating the blog ... but I think I can sum up the last four months pretty quickly.

We spent the month of December living in the camper.    After looking at lots of off-post rental houses, we decided to live in on-post housing, but had to wait for one to become available. 

We went all out at Christmas!

It was worth the wait.  On New Years Eve, we moved into our new house on post.  It doesn't look like much from the outside, but its a very comfy 3BR/2BA house with a big fenced backyard and a view of the lake, and most important -- one-level living for aging pups!

Even though we moved in on 31 December, our furniture or personal items didn't arrive until February.  We made do with the lawn chairs and the tiny TV from the camper (Hell, we were just so happy to not have to walk outside to get to the shower, anything remotely resembling a house would have been luxury!)  Happy to report that we are now fully nested in our house. :)

In general though, I gotta say, I'm not loving the pacific northwest.  It literally rains here every single day, and when its not raining, its cold and gray and depressing.  We've only been mountain biking twice since November, and both times were a messy disaster of hub-deep mud and impassable bogs.  People keep saying it will get better in the summer, but given that we're half-way through April and I have yet to see the sun, I have a hard time believing it.

The one redeeming thing about is that we are close to Doug's family.  We've been able to spend a lot of time with Doug's sons, Patrick and James, and James' wife Brookes, who all live in the Seattle area.  Doug was also fortunate to be able to serve as the best man at James & Brookes' wedding earlier this month. 

(yes, that's the same uniform he wore when he retired in 97!)

As far as work goes, there isn't all that much to write about.   I started out as a Complex Litigation Attorney in the Criminal Law Department, where I was responsible for overseeing & coordinating 85 separate financial fraud cases, that were all connected by the same stolen account number.  I hit the ground running, working the kind of hours I used to work in private practice.  The other JAs in the Crim Law shop were all really busy and stressed with a lot of high profile cases (perhaps you've read about them in the New York Times?) so there wasn't much fun to be had at work.  In January, I was promoted to Captain, and was thankful that Doug was able to participate in the ceremony, pinning (actually, Velco-ing) on my new rank.

Sometime during the winter, I learned that I would be deploying to Afghanistan in June/July.  That started an intense period of learning as much as I could about the country, the people, the politics, the legal issues, and the current command structure.   Our mandatory reading list was 3 pages long, and we attended several weeks of live training at the JAG school in Charlottesville and here at Ft. Lewis.   Next week, I head to CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, FL for one more week of training.  I have learned a ton, and am loving every minute of this new challenge!

Thankfully, one of the Army's pre-deployment rituals is "block leave", which is a set period of time when all deploying personnel are given a few weeks away from work to spend time with their families.   Doug and I escaped to the Big Island of Hawaii for 8 days to spend some quality time together.   Despite the fact that it rained almost the entire time (I'm cursed!!), we had an awesome trip! 

 

Well, that pretty much wraps up the last four months.  I know you all want to know more about the deployment, but that's for another post.