Afghanistan

Introducing combat zone soda

By Dan Lamothe on May 14, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — It has been a relatively quiet day here on base, and for the first time in a few days, I actually had the combat cook-prepared dinner. Among the joys that came with it? The following: That’s right. Even the soda is different over here. It can be hard to find when you get this far downrange, but there was enough tonight for everyone to have one can. If having a “Coca-Cola Light” wasn’t weird enough, consider the other side of the beverage: For what it’s worth, it tasted the same, at least.

Newsflash: There are crabs in landlocked Afghanistan

By Dan Lamothe on May 13, 2010 Afghanistan, Animals, Embedded journalism, Marjah

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — So there I was, relaxing in my tent here after going outside the wire with Marines on a three-hour evening patrol of Marjah. There was a squeak in the corner, and I saw movement along the wall. What was it? Upon closer inspect, the fine specimen you see above. Landlocked country or not, Afghanistan apparently has a population of crabs. I’ll assume they usually hang out near the canals, because that’s the only body of water within miles. Marines, apparently, are used to the spiky little guys. One member of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, said…

Video: Marines, journalist caught under sniper fire

By Thomas Brown on May 13, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

MARJAH, Afghanistan — The tension was obvious even before leaving the wire on a 6 a.m. patrol. Everyone in the fire team I was traveling with knew that a sniper had ambushed a Marine patrol the previous day in the same area we were traveling. While making our way along one of the canals that cut through Marjah, everyone was nearly silent, on high alert. We made a turn onto small, dusty road, with only the sound of boots crunching against dry rock cutting the air. Then the sniper hit. There was an intense crack and impact. A rifle round…

Marines brave adventures in a world of military ‘wag bags’

By Dan Lamothe on May 13, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Gear

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — I’ve been meaning to do this blog entry for quite some time, but, well, I figured we should get to know each other a bit before diving in. In my newly educated estimation, one of the things Americans take for granted the most is their plumbing. Fresh, crisp running water is a beautiful thing, whether it’s used for bathing, drinking or flushing the toilet. Flushing the toilet, you ask? Oh, yes, compadres. This is a blog entry about what happens when you no longer have that option. And since this blog is devoted in part…

The view from the edge of the Sistani Desert

By Dan Lamothe on May 12, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry, Marjah

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — We’re closing in on 10 p.m. here in Afghanistan, and I just realized we haven’t shared much new on the blog today. I’ve spent most of the day preparing a long magazine-style feature for next week’s Marine Corps Times that will cover Taliban tactics in Marjah, and how the Corps counteracts them. Above, a photograph I took last night while out with Marines from 2nd Platoon, 3rd Squad, of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, on patrol. I’m certainly not the photographer that Tom Brown is, but I jumped at the opportunity to show what the Sistani…

Roadshow arrives

By Thomas Brown on May 11, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

For more photos of 3/6, you can also visit our Line of Sight blog.

Attack of the killer grasshopper?

By Dan Lamothe on May 11, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — So, perhaps my friend in the photograph got your attention. I took this photo while wandering at Camp Dwyer last week, but really, it could have been taken anywhere I’ve been in Helmand province. The insects are large here, larger than just about anything I’ve seen in my 28 years of life. It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking bees, spiders or mosquitoes, the creepy crawlies here all look like they’ve been taking steroids. The mosquitoes, in particular, wowed me, since they flock to my computer screen late at night. Anyway, another day. After four months…

Marijuana, fleas and shell casings: A morning in Marjah

By Dan Lamothe on May 10, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Infantry, Marjah

MARJAH, Afghanistan – It was a moment I was simultaneously dreading and seeking: My first time on foot outside the wire. This morning, I went on a four-hour foot patrol with members of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines. Half of 2nd Platoon’s 3rd squad took me along with them on a routine, early morning security patrol, which can drag on monotonously boring for hours at a time, only to shift into a blood-pumping engagement with the enemy at a moment’s notice. Today’s stayed quiet, but it showed the dynamics Marines deal with on a daily basis. They set out on foot…

Happy Mother’s Day from Afghanistan

By Dan Lamothe on May 9, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

PATROL BASE YAZZIE, Afghanistan — Good afternoon, friends. Tom Brown and I have made another move, jumping from Camp Hanson, home of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, to Patrol Base Yazzie, a smaller outpost in northwestern Marjah that is home to India Company, 3/6. The drive over from Hanson was certainly an eye-opener for me. While I expected to see poverty, I didn’t expect to see a wasteland. There is obviously no electricity, and modern farming tools are nowhere to be found. Even we and the Marines sleeping on the ground in tents here at Yazzie have far more comforts of…

Marine mail call in Marjah

By Dan Lamothe on May 7, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan — We’re waiting for a ride to one of the infantry companies that falls under 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines. In the meantime, photographer Tom Brown and I watched a heartwarming part of Marine life today: Mail call. I’ll be honest: From my tent, all I could hear at first was “Meatloaf!” “Meatloaf!” “Meatloaf!” I assumed they were distributing Meals Ready to Eat. Turns out, the Marines in the back of a 7-ton truck were actually yelling “Kilo!” “Kilo!” “Kilo!” as boxes headed for Kilo Company were pulled off the truck. As the process started to wind down, I…

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