KAJAKI, Afghanistan – It’s time to make a confession: I’ve been wearing a diaper in combat. Not because I can’t handle being in Afghanistan, mind you. Bad things can happen here, but you have to make peace with that before you step on the plane. No, I’m wearing an armored “diaper” because it has become a requirement for many Marines in theater. When I asked Lt. Col. Kevin Trimble, commander of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., about the new gear fielded to protect Marines’ groins from blast injuries, he issued the armor to photographer James Lee…
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KAJAKI, Afghanistan – It’s time to make a confession: I’ve been wearing a diaper in combat. Not because I can’t handle being in Afghanistan, mind you. Bad things can happen here, but you have to make peace with that before you step on the plane. No, I’m wearing an armored “diaper” because it has become a requirement for many Marines in theater. When I asked Lt. Col. Kevin Trimble, commander of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., about the new gear fielded to protect Marines’ groins from blast injuries, he issued the armor to photographer James Lee…
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ZEEBRUGGE, Afghanistan — Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached the edge of the empire. Photographer James Lee and I arrived Tuesday on a convoy on this fire base. It’s situated on the northern reaches of the Marine area of operations in Helmand province. Only a small Marine observation post known as The Shrine is farther north, and it’s just a short drive away. Zamindawar, a violent section of Kajaki district, is about a mile to the north. We hit the ground running and quickly joined a patrol run by Police Advisory Team 1, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, out…
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – I wasn’t looking for a soundtrack when arriving at this sprawling forward operating base, but it appears I’ve found one. Traveling to get security badges here this morning in a van, we were treated to the confident crooning of Right Said Fred and his 1990s classic, “I’m Too Sexy.” The song was playing on a British-run radio station aboard Camp Bastion, which is part of this base. “Forces Radio,” as the DJ called it, is broadcasted to improve morale and keep people informed. It appears to do both of those things – as long as you…
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – I wasn’t looking for a soundtrack when arriving at this sprawling forward operating base, but it appears I’ve found one. Traveling to get security badges here this morning in a van, we were treated to the confident crooning of Right Said Fred and his 1990s classic, “I’m Too Sexy.” The song was playing on a British-run radio station aboard Camp Bastion, which is part of this base. “Forces Radio,” as the DJ called it, is broadcasted to improve morale and keep people informed. It appears to do both of those things – as long as you…
KABUL, Afghanistan — Good evening, friends. After a long odyssey that included two long commercial flights and a stop in Turkey, photographer James Lee and I have made it to Afghanistan. That’s step one. At some point in coming days, we will make the move to Camp Leatherneck, the sprawling forward operating base in Helmand province that is home to thousands of Marines and the headquarters of I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). Then it’s on to infantry units in the northern districts of the province. Early impressions? The military side of Kabul International Airport — KAIA, as the troops call it — is…
Two years ago, this blog was launched as I headed downrange to cover Marine operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. It’s about time I got back to it. Beginning next week, Marine Corps Times photographer James Lee and I will be embedding with several battalions in northern Helmand. We’ll transit through the Corps’ main hub of operations in the country, Camp Leatherneck, with plans to spend time in Sangin and Kajaki districts. I’m not bringing this up beforehand for bragging rights. No, I thought the best way to do this was to start a conversation early, as any good blog should.…
