chadded
Not striking since 2004
First of all, I'm writing this from my perspective of the last six months, I'm no hero, but plenty of my collegues are. Hopefully no one will think I'm writing this is order to show off, or to earn rep. Indeed, please don't rep me for this at all. I realise I'm probably not the only serviceman on here, and there are probably guys or girls on here that have been in far worse positions than I have in my two tours of Southern Afghanistan in 2006, and most recently, April-October this year.
So what is it really like out there? Well I'll be as honest as I can, and you ask yourself if you want to do it.
I'm a Corporal in the Royal Military Police, so on paper, I'm not an infantry soldier who is at the front of the battle, but in today's operational theatres, it's not just the infantry at the front line. The RMP, the Artillery, the RLC and plenty of other specialists in the forces are out on the ground doing a job, even as you read this.
For the first few weeks of my tour I was based in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand province, and where I spent my previous six month tour in 2006, so I wasn't exactly enthralled when I found out I was going back there, to sit in camp and police a camp where theres less crime than Steven Hawking has working limbs.
Lashkar Gah, is a pretty decent base as far as facilities go. Food is fresh, and was one of the best places I've ever eaten in 4 years in the Army (I last ate there in June, so I don't know now). There's a shop on camp that sells protein for the gym queens, crisps, drinks and other things. Theres plenty of phones to use your 30 minutes a week to call home (any more costs extra), and theres enough internet computers to get on for a short period a few times a week. No military base doesn't have a gym, and Lash's isnt bad at all.
Accomodation isn't mainly airconditioned tents (when it works) and there was plenty of small TV's with British Forces Tv on it, so I kept up to date with Hollyoaks, and was able to watch both our play off games.
My job changed and I was part of the Police Mentoring Team, (PMT- tee hee) which does as it says on the tin. Training and mentoring the Afghan police. Which actually means I have the chance to make a difference and make a rag tag bunch of men a little bit better, and give them a better chance of survival in the fight against Terry Taliban. This also gave me a chance to get out on patrol, and carry out mentoring on the ground. Personnally, being stuck in camp is nothing short of ****, and does my head in.
Yes there is a risk whenever and wherever you go out on the ground, but you train hard, and your part of a ****ing good army. I was carrying over 300 rounds of ammunition for my personal rifle, High Explosive Grenades, and a Pistol as a Sidearm. Everyone carries similar, if not more. Vehicle patrols will carry bigger machine guns, more grenades, and anti tank weapons. (Terry doesn't use tanks, but you get why it's carried).
I can't describe what being under contact is really like. I've been out on the ground and heard gunfire etc, but haven't experienced coming directly under fire. I have had other unfortunate experiences. I've been on patrol when another callsign has come under contact, and I've heard it going on, but been 2-3kms away on another tasking. How did I feel? Positively itching to get involved, to test myself, and do what ultimately, I'm trained to do.
I'd like to go into more detail about what I'm about to write, but I can't because the incident is still under investigation, but I was on the patrol when 3 Special Forces Reservists and one female were killed by a roadside bomb, and I watched it happen- saw the explosion, heard the bang. Found myself checking all around me in case we too, were on top of a homemade bomb. Suddenly, your thoughts are that you want your Mummy. I was due home in less than a week for 2 weeks leave, and I had to, as the police officer on the scene, deal with the aftermath of an incident that claimed four of my collegues lives and nearly killed a fifth. All I wanted to do was go home and see my sister. She's five years old. I'm writing this because that day, 17th June this year, the big man upstairs decided it wasn't my time to join him. I'm not religious, but someone smiled down on me that day. So yes, there are times when the **** hits the fan, and the experience of that day will live with me forever, and is someone I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Whilst your on operations, you dont have time to grieve, live goes on you have a job to do. I can't put into the words the courage that was showed by the other guys who were on that patrol when 2 days later they were out on the ground again, doing their job. I'd have been with them, but I had to fly to Camp Bastion, as I was going on leave, and I was lucky enough to fly home on the flight with their coffins, and witness them leave the C-17 at RAF Lyneham. Real men cry too, and I was crying when they came home. I'll cry again on Sunday, and on the 11th too.
Other British bases are different to Lashkar Gah, and the main British Base- Camp Bastion- theres a Pizza Hut there!
I spent time in Forward Operating Base DELHI, in Garmsir. Whilst there, I was out on the ground more than the infantry boys I was with, and I was able to build up a really good rapport with the local Police chief and his Sgt, to the point where they trusted me more than a British Colonel. The threat of a suicide bomber is real. People and or vehicles loaded with explosives are a constant threat, but you deal with it, with the skills and drills learnt on pre deployment training, and adapted on the ground.
The Forward Operating Bases, or FOB's are a lot more sparse than the other camps. Food is cooked by chefs, but as an example, breakfast isn't bacon and eggs, its half a slice of tinned spam and one tinned hotdog, and some baked beans. Maybe some cereal. The food's just long life stuff, and the menu is pretty repetitive. I spent the last 12 weeks of my tour at DELHI, and my stomach shrank massively. On the welfare front, theres a few satellite phones between about 200 blokes, and no internet. Toilets are an oil wooden cubicles built by the engineers, but you **** into half an oil drum, and every morning, someone is on **** burning duties- about as fun as it sounds.
The temperature is fecking hot, easily hitting 55deg C. When your wearing body armour, with plates an inch thick- its fecking heavy. On top of your body armour I was carrying the kit I mentioned earlier, plus at least 3-5 litres of water. Then other patrol kit, including kit to block out the signal for roadside bombs, which are often remote conrolled, and can be set off by radio signals. That said, the biggest threat is a pressure activated bomb, with is simply detonated by weight on top of it, like a landmine. These can rip through vehicles, and its occupants.
Despite all that, its often incredibly boring being on tour. If I wasn't planning a patrol, on a patrol, or carrying out post patrol admin, I'd be sleeping. **** going to the gym, I was getting fit by carrying kit. Me and the lads I shared a wreck of a building with made ourselves comfortable, and the best luxury we had, was a fridge- cold water is a massive morale booster.
Seriously when on Operations, your main thoughts are getting home, waiting for mail to come through, and coming in from your next patrol with all your limbs intact. It's when you come home that you have time to reflect, and think- what the **** was I doing there, how close was that etc..
I could go on for a lot more about what it's like, but hopefully this has given you some insight into what really goes on.
I'm not a hero, and don't wish to be considered one. I signed up for this at 17knowing the risks. I was never going to be a good enough footballer to represent England, or be good enough at cycling to cycle for Great Britain at the Olympics, but my proudest moment was when I went on my first patrol in Lashkar Gah in 2006. That was my boyhood dream complete- to represent the British Army on operations. If I die when I'm out there, then I'll have died doing a job I love, and that If I'm honest, I'm pretty damn good at.
The real heroes are the guys at Headley Court, in some cases who lost 3 limbs because they stood on a landmine and their first thoughts weren't '****, that hurt,' but ****, I've let my muckers down. They are the heroes, and deserve all the praise they get. One member of 2 para lost 3 limbs this year and he was on the news this week sating he wants to get better, and deploy again- that's a real hero, not Lewis Hamilton for driving fast. The other heroes, are the ones that fell, and they won't be forgotten.
Steve.
P.S The 'Help for Heroes' campaign, is a charity that supports the guys and girls in Headley Court, getting rehabilitaion for their injuries. They put their arse on the line, thousands of miles away from home, for people like you, regardless of your race, religion, or political inclination. They've also made massive sacrifices, and deserve your full support. If you're going to support any charity, that, IMO, is the one to support.
So what is it really like out there? Well I'll be as honest as I can, and you ask yourself if you want to do it.
I'm a Corporal in the Royal Military Police, so on paper, I'm not an infantry soldier who is at the front of the battle, but in today's operational theatres, it's not just the infantry at the front line. The RMP, the Artillery, the RLC and plenty of other specialists in the forces are out on the ground doing a job, even as you read this.
For the first few weeks of my tour I was based in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand province, and where I spent my previous six month tour in 2006, so I wasn't exactly enthralled when I found out I was going back there, to sit in camp and police a camp where theres less crime than Steven Hawking has working limbs.
Lashkar Gah, is a pretty decent base as far as facilities go. Food is fresh, and was one of the best places I've ever eaten in 4 years in the Army (I last ate there in June, so I don't know now). There's a shop on camp that sells protein for the gym queens, crisps, drinks and other things. Theres plenty of phones to use your 30 minutes a week to call home (any more costs extra), and theres enough internet computers to get on for a short period a few times a week. No military base doesn't have a gym, and Lash's isnt bad at all.
Accomodation isn't mainly airconditioned tents (when it works) and there was plenty of small TV's with British Forces Tv on it, so I kept up to date with Hollyoaks, and was able to watch both our play off games.
My job changed and I was part of the Police Mentoring Team, (PMT- tee hee) which does as it says on the tin. Training and mentoring the Afghan police. Which actually means I have the chance to make a difference and make a rag tag bunch of men a little bit better, and give them a better chance of survival in the fight against Terry Taliban. This also gave me a chance to get out on patrol, and carry out mentoring on the ground. Personnally, being stuck in camp is nothing short of ****, and does my head in.
Yes there is a risk whenever and wherever you go out on the ground, but you train hard, and your part of a ****ing good army. I was carrying over 300 rounds of ammunition for my personal rifle, High Explosive Grenades, and a Pistol as a Sidearm. Everyone carries similar, if not more. Vehicle patrols will carry bigger machine guns, more grenades, and anti tank weapons. (Terry doesn't use tanks, but you get why it's carried).
I can't describe what being under contact is really like. I've been out on the ground and heard gunfire etc, but haven't experienced coming directly under fire. I have had other unfortunate experiences. I've been on patrol when another callsign has come under contact, and I've heard it going on, but been 2-3kms away on another tasking. How did I feel? Positively itching to get involved, to test myself, and do what ultimately, I'm trained to do.
I'd like to go into more detail about what I'm about to write, but I can't because the incident is still under investigation, but I was on the patrol when 3 Special Forces Reservists and one female were killed by a roadside bomb, and I watched it happen- saw the explosion, heard the bang. Found myself checking all around me in case we too, were on top of a homemade bomb. Suddenly, your thoughts are that you want your Mummy. I was due home in less than a week for 2 weeks leave, and I had to, as the police officer on the scene, deal with the aftermath of an incident that claimed four of my collegues lives and nearly killed a fifth. All I wanted to do was go home and see my sister. She's five years old. I'm writing this because that day, 17th June this year, the big man upstairs decided it wasn't my time to join him. I'm not religious, but someone smiled down on me that day. So yes, there are times when the **** hits the fan, and the experience of that day will live with me forever, and is someone I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Whilst your on operations, you dont have time to grieve, live goes on you have a job to do. I can't put into the words the courage that was showed by the other guys who were on that patrol when 2 days later they were out on the ground again, doing their job. I'd have been with them, but I had to fly to Camp Bastion, as I was going on leave, and I was lucky enough to fly home on the flight with their coffins, and witness them leave the C-17 at RAF Lyneham. Real men cry too, and I was crying when they came home. I'll cry again on Sunday, and on the 11th too.
Other British bases are different to Lashkar Gah, and the main British Base- Camp Bastion- theres a Pizza Hut there!
I spent time in Forward Operating Base DELHI, in Garmsir. Whilst there, I was out on the ground more than the infantry boys I was with, and I was able to build up a really good rapport with the local Police chief and his Sgt, to the point where they trusted me more than a British Colonel. The threat of a suicide bomber is real. People and or vehicles loaded with explosives are a constant threat, but you deal with it, with the skills and drills learnt on pre deployment training, and adapted on the ground.
The Forward Operating Bases, or FOB's are a lot more sparse than the other camps. Food is cooked by chefs, but as an example, breakfast isn't bacon and eggs, its half a slice of tinned spam and one tinned hotdog, and some baked beans. Maybe some cereal. The food's just long life stuff, and the menu is pretty repetitive. I spent the last 12 weeks of my tour at DELHI, and my stomach shrank massively. On the welfare front, theres a few satellite phones between about 200 blokes, and no internet. Toilets are an oil wooden cubicles built by the engineers, but you **** into half an oil drum, and every morning, someone is on **** burning duties- about as fun as it sounds.
The temperature is fecking hot, easily hitting 55deg C. When your wearing body armour, with plates an inch thick- its fecking heavy. On top of your body armour I was carrying the kit I mentioned earlier, plus at least 3-5 litres of water. Then other patrol kit, including kit to block out the signal for roadside bombs, which are often remote conrolled, and can be set off by radio signals. That said, the biggest threat is a pressure activated bomb, with is simply detonated by weight on top of it, like a landmine. These can rip through vehicles, and its occupants.
Despite all that, its often incredibly boring being on tour. If I wasn't planning a patrol, on a patrol, or carrying out post patrol admin, I'd be sleeping. **** going to the gym, I was getting fit by carrying kit. Me and the lads I shared a wreck of a building with made ourselves comfortable, and the best luxury we had, was a fridge- cold water is a massive morale booster.
Seriously when on Operations, your main thoughts are getting home, waiting for mail to come through, and coming in from your next patrol with all your limbs intact. It's when you come home that you have time to reflect, and think- what the **** was I doing there, how close was that etc..
I could go on for a lot more about what it's like, but hopefully this has given you some insight into what really goes on.
I'm not a hero, and don't wish to be considered one. I signed up for this at 17knowing the risks. I was never going to be a good enough footballer to represent England, or be good enough at cycling to cycle for Great Britain at the Olympics, but my proudest moment was when I went on my first patrol in Lashkar Gah in 2006. That was my boyhood dream complete- to represent the British Army on operations. If I die when I'm out there, then I'll have died doing a job I love, and that If I'm honest, I'm pretty damn good at.
The real heroes are the guys at Headley Court, in some cases who lost 3 limbs because they stood on a landmine and their first thoughts weren't '****, that hurt,' but ****, I've let my muckers down. They are the heroes, and deserve all the praise they get. One member of 2 para lost 3 limbs this year and he was on the news this week sating he wants to get better, and deploy again- that's a real hero, not Lewis Hamilton for driving fast. The other heroes, are the ones that fell, and they won't be forgotten.
Steve.
P.S The 'Help for Heroes' campaign, is a charity that supports the guys and girls in Headley Court, getting rehabilitaion for their injuries. They put their arse on the line, thousands of miles away from home, for people like you, regardless of your race, religion, or political inclination. They've also made massive sacrifices, and deserve your full support. If you're going to support any charity, that, IMO, is the one to support.
