14:19 Local Time
Manas AFB, Kyrgyzstan
My unit has been at Manas Air Force Base, outside the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. The view from here is absolutely amazing. We're surrounded on two sides by the 10,000 ft peaks of the Himalayan mountains. I would love to post a photo, but the sun is so bright reflecting off the snow covered mountains that it actually makes them invisible.
In all it took us 10.5 hours to fly here from Anchorage, AK--flying back into the future, thanks to the international date line. The flight in was over Russia and China, and was a spectacular display of geographic features.Our flight was rather uneventful, but we were served some wonderful food at both ends of the flight. The care packages put together for us by USO were a welcomed gift as well. That organization does so much to help our morale, and they deserve more recognition.
Once we arrived it was about 7pm here and after preparing our gear for our short stay here we made our home in a small tent filled with bunk beds. Our 40 man platoon stays in 1 tent that would be comfortable for another 15-20. It also has heat and air conditioning. The facilities here are very spartan, but it's heaven compared to what I'll be living in for the next 9 months.
After a welcomed night of rest, our first full day here was spent in classrooms receiving some training. It was rather uneventful. The remainder of the day was spent checking out the facilities in the area. Having been here 36 hours now I've already been to the gym 4 times. The dining facilities here are amazing. The local contractors cook up a mix of both American and local foods. There is always an endless supply of drinks and candy and ice cream...certainly not something I need, but it keeps morale high!
For security reasons I cannot say exactly when we leave, but I'll let everyone know when I'm in Afghanistan. It's been a nice stay here in Kyrgyzstan, but I'm anxious to get to work in Afghanistan. Everyone is ready for the mission that lies ahead of us.
Until next time...
Chris
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