greetings


http://bit.ly/2kpenhp



Joshmeador

FInally a new post---Trip to Kabul

Well sorry I haven't been able to update this as often as I would like to. It’s a combination of not having fast enough internet access & being fairly busy getting my feet wet in this new job. Well as many of you heard on the news the Taliban had 2 suicide bombers blow themselves up killing 10 civilians and 3 police officers in the nearby town of Herat which was really tragic and sad. Some of the people I work with know those killed and its always a somber day to hear of innocent lives being lost. The Taliban are desperate for ways of interrupting the upcoming elections which the police and army are hoping to secure. Well attached are some of the photos I took on a recent trip to the capital city of Kabul. It appears I’ll be journeying this way somewhat often for different business trips. While I am supervising a medic course for both army & police medics my job really has very little clinical which is kind of a change for me and also disappointing but right now we are working trying to hire doctors, nurses and medics and provide facilities for them to work in so they can help take care of the many injured army/police. The west where I’m working has been called the wild wild west for its scattered gun fights with the insurgents but also because it has been the last place for the NATO countries to reach….we are quite a ways behind the rest of the country. Well enough talk…here are some pictures of the airport in capital which has a really nice soccer field. Also some pics in the Italian flight I took across the country and some of the local villages near the airport. I’ll try to keep you all updated now that my internet here is working a little better.

Arrival at final destination

Well I've finally made it to my final destination.  It was a long 3 weeks of living in tents.  We were in 120 deg temps in Kuwait then 2 locations in Afghanistan before finally arriving here in Western Afghanistan.  I appreciate all the support of those of you at home praying for my safety.  I think it really hit me how I was entering a war zone when we arrived in Kabul.  It appears I'll be doing good amount of convoys so I will apppreciate all of your continued prayers!  Its nice to finally arrive here and start my job which is mentoring for the police medics and helping establish clinics across this region.  We are just getting settled and trying to learn the requirements of the job.  I'll try to keep you up to speed as I continue through this wild adventure!  Here's some pictures I've taken so far--- some amazing mountains in our view daily.

Headed to Kuwait

Well a few days ago we finally arrived in Kuwait. This after some incredible journey's flying. We first got on a bus from Fort Riley Kansas to the Kansas City Airport. It was quite a scene loading about 150 bags of gear (which included our weapons in a gun case) for the 25 of us but Southwest folks really went out of the way to organize the process. The flight was a commercial flight (of which our group in Army combat uniform) took up about a third. This flight was about 4 and half hours and we got a nice applause as we left the plane (and to be the first ones off). THen we had to get all those 150 bags at the baggage claim and load them onto shopping carts (well the baggage movers) and roll it across the airport to the international terminal. We had about a 2 hr layover then boarded our military flight which was on a 767 w/ a rented crew. I was really lucky and was one of 4 (of the 25) who got to sit in First Class and prop my feet up on the foot rest & enjoy alot more space than others. Our first flight took us to Ramsten AB Germany. It took them 3 hours to balance the plane's cargo & get everyone loaded so by the time we took off it was 2 am then we had a 7 hour flight to Germany. We had a 2 hour layover in Germany for the plane to get refueled then continued on to Kuwait. Germany was really incredible looking from the air. Lots of small farms everywhere among rolling hills. Well it was 5 hr flight to Kuwait getting us into Kuwait at 1 am. We sat in the plane on the runway for 2 hrs then in busses waiting for us for 3 more hours. Finally we drove about an hour to the Ali Air Base here in Kuwait. I thought I had landed on the moon it was so desolate. While you would have thought they would let us sleep by this point instead we had a full day of activities getting checked in and then later doing a MRAP (mine resistant vehicle) turnover exercise where we actually had to unbuckle and safely get out of a flipped vehicle. Once 180 deg upside down & then 90 deg. We all then came back and fell asleep around 6 pm. We're staying in tents with air conditioning but given that its around 120 deg F here the AC doesn't keep up well. Well I'm falling asleep so I better go. We'll be here awhile waiting for our next leg into Afghanistan.

Long I-stop now the real story begins

Well just wanted to update people. I haven't been the greatest keeping the blog up to date throughout training here at Camp Riley but I plan to try to start keeping a better journal of my adventures. I just returned from a 3 week leave period to California where I was able to go back and spend time with my beautiful wife & have opportunities to see extended family, parents, and Shannon's father. Spent time exploring Morro Bay & Pismo Beach (x2). Hiked some great trails in Yosemite and started riding my bike 10 or so miles a day to try to maintain fitness. Although a somewhat somber note we're now ready to do our Mission in Afghanistan. Looking forward to meeting the guy I'm replacing. We're here in Fort Riley for a last couple days. Well gotta run....

Radio coms

Well earlier this week we went through advanced medical course which
included 2 days of lectures and 1 day of trauma validation lanes.
Putting in IVs in the dark by flashlight then playing paintball
against terrorists while. Attempting to rescue patients from a burning
vehicle.
Today and tomorrow we have 2 days of radio coms class. Lots of fun!

Josh with his Individual Body Armor assembled (finally)

Well today was a day off & Easter.  Happy Easter everyone.  He has risen indeed.  This afternoon all 30 of us Navy folks worked on assembling our individual body armor (also known as IBA).   The millitary has slowly added more body armor to protect its troops going into battle. I'm not sure how a doc can move let alone take care of patient's in this heavy armor.  Nevertheless this body armor has proven to protect soldiers and safe lives so no matter how heavy it I'm planning on wearing it as much as I can. 

Well the weather was pretty rainy here today.  Friday we started classes learning the prominent language in Afghanistan, Dari.   This class in addition to several others on topics like interpreters & cultural matters where largely taught by local Afghans who have been brought over to teach us the ways of their people which was really interesting.  Tomorrow classes resume.  Looks like we won't be shooting any guns for 3 weeks and thats when we'll start learning how to do convoys and drive the Humvees.  We're planning on doing some 2-3 mile hikes this week with our 70 lb body armor on to get our bodies used to this new armor.