SubscribeMy first mission outside of the wire was to go fire all the crew-served weapons that the infantry platoon we brought with us was taking over from the old group. It was also a training mission for me to learn what I’d be doing. I was in a humvee with the old comm guy and we went to a place just past Duranta Dam. It was just a big open area with some hills in the distance. One truck drove around to make sure there was nobody back in the area, and then we started shooting. Not at anything in particular, just shooting at the hills to make sure all the weapons functioned. Turned out to be a good thing we did because one of the .50 cals was crushing ammo and only one of the Mk19s was working correctly.
At one point there was a lull in the shooting while they worked on one of the Mk19s and 2 men on 2 camel just came walking across in front of the hill we were shooting at like they couldn’t hear the gunfire for the last hour. A cease-fire was called and we sent a translator out to hustle them by. They came by where we were and we gave them a couple bottles of water and sent them on their way.
While we were firing a crowd gathered behind us. We had posted guards to keep them away, but when we finished shooting and started cleaning up they got closer and closer. Finally we pulled the trucks back and they swarmed in to pick up all the brass and links. The Afghan National Army (ANA) guys we brought with us had picked up the majority of it, but there was still quite a bit for the locals. They can sell it in town for something like $5 per kg. They picked up every little thing that we dropped, water bottles, trash, everything. A guy from the old team told me that they burn the trash at night to keep warm. It’s pretty sad. There were a bunch of kids there that had gathered along the ridges to watch and when we finished they would come running down the hill and a dead sprint. I kept waiting for one to go ass over teakettle but none ever did. They’re part mountain goat or something.
After we finished firing we loaded up and headed back to the FOB. We went through part of the town and it’s pretty dirty and poor. But I got my first mission out of the way, looks like there’ll be plenty more to come!
