So my mom is currently deployed in Afghanistan...

[Cain]

Where in Afghanistan is she?

Also, if she can find them, she should try and get the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan involved with helping at such places, if she can.  That they're Afghans, and feminists, and still in the country...well, they're pretty badass.   As I understand it, they're not too keen on the US army for supporting warlords and the like, but an effort like this might give them a more nuanced perspective.  And if they can pitch in and help, when she cant be around, so much the better.

[Cainad (dec.)]

Kabul. She was going to be stationed somewhere else, but one of the higher-ups at Kabul knew her reputation and yoinked her.

I'll send her that link to RAWA, thanks!

[Cain]

Well I can certainly think of worse places to be.

Cool.  Hopefully they will be helpful...at the very least, getting more role models for Afghan women to follow cannot hurt.

[Mangrove]

Cainad,

This was a cool story and ended much better than my son in law's.

He did a 6 month stretch in Afghanistan and, thankfully, managed to GTFO before anything happened to him. He's in the Italian military and lost a couple of guys, one of them in the big Kabul car bomb of a few months ago.

The especially frustrating part about that, is that the person from his unit died was some office dude and not actually 'combat'. He was all scheduled to go home that week. In fact, he had called his family and said 'Hey, I'm done here, see you in a couple of days.'

He wasn't even supposed to be in the capital that day. Every now and then, the Italian army take trips into Kabul, usually soliders from different bases. The guy from my son in law's unit had no real reason to go into the city other than as something to do on his downtime.

Right now said son in law is back in Italy, but is thinking of going back to Afghanistan. (The missions are voluntary.)

[Cainad (dec.)]

 

She's got a few more months to go on this deployment... here's hoping nothing like that happens.

[Mangrove]

She's got a few more months to go on this deployment... here's hoping nothing like that happens.

Likewise.

The residents of Mangville will cross their collective digits.

[Jenne]

Great that your mom is helping out like that, Cainad.  The more modeling women can do for the girls over there, the better.  Mang, sorry to hear about your son-in-law's experiences--that's rough.  My husband keeps saying we're going over there soon--lots of weddings and whatnot.  Ever since his uncle was kidnapped and held for ransom a couple of years ago, though, I really cringe about going there.  The rich are not as safe as they would have you believe.  And since that's who we'd have watching over us...well, I just cringe is all.  But his other uncle who's lived in the US for nigh on 25 years goes back every other year since 9/11, and he's fine.  *shrug*

[Iason Ouabache]

Cainad,

This was a cool story and ended much better than my son in law's.

He did a 6 month stretch in Afghanistan and, thankfully, managed to GTFO before anything happened to him. He's in the Italian military and lost a couple of guys, one of them in the big Kabul car bomb of a few months ago.

The especially frustrating part about that, is that the person from his unit died was some office dude and not actually 'combat'. He was all scheduled to go home that week. In fact, he had called his family and said 'Hey, I'm done here, see you in a couple of days.'

He wasn't even supposed to be in the capital that day. Every now and then, the Italian army take trips into Kabul, usually soliders from different bases. The guy from my son in law's unit had no real reason to go into the city other than as something to do on his downtime.

Did he stare lovingly at a picture of his girl back home right before getting into the Humvee? That's the big mistake that they always make in the movies.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

...and I thought I'd share a brief version of one of the stories she relayed to us from there:

Quick background: My mom is a medical doctor in the US Army

She was invited to spend a day at a girl's orphanage by the director/doctor of the orphanage, since it is much easier for a female doctor to give a proper examination and treatment to girls and young women in their culture. She went wearing a white headscarf and without a weapon, since firearms frighten the children.

She realized that in addition to the gender issue, the real reason the director of the orphanage wanted my mom there was to show "his girls" what a woman can grow up to be in this day and age. It's a great concern, especially for the older girls, whether or not higher education made one unfit for marriage and motherhood; my mom was there to show them it didn't as much as she was there to treat them. She showed them that she had two sons who were both "this tall," and they laughed; "taller even than you, Doctoress?"

As she left, she was told that at least three of the girls were eagerly talking about becoming "doctoresses" or nurses.


I really, really enjoy being related to the people in my family.

This made me feel good.

[Richter]

Your family kicks ass.  They were impressive folks when I met them, and knowing this only drives that all home.