I Coy Blog 

 January 2012

The festive season has flown by and the New Year finds ADV 30 busier than we’ve been all tour. December and January have been the prime R&R slots for the unit and as such Camp Gereshk itself has at times felt empty and on other occasions been filled with new faces providing temporary cover for those in the UK with their families.

The lead into Christmas was heralded by cards and presents from friends and families, not to mention numerous gratefully received festive welfare packages from supportive members of the public. Early on the Riflemen decided that all sweets, chocolates and festive treats were to be hoarded until Christmas Day itself. Despite protests by the Officers, as the pile of goodies approached the size of Lt Seligman’s weekly mailbag, that it would be impossible for us to tackle such a collection in a single day, LCpl Perfect rigidly enforced the policy. As the CSM entered into the holiday spirit, the camp found itself transformed into something of a desert based ‘Winter Wonderland’; a tree was erected, the welfare tent decorated and tinsel draped everywhere.

 Camp Gereshk welcomed a number of our outlying sub units in the run up to Christmas, providing a welcome change of faces and conversations. Cpl Ulliott, Bugle Major Davies and Capt Watson relocated here following their redeployment from FOB Khar Nikah. The Bugle Major provided a welcome change of Cuisine to the nightly menu by introducing everyone to Polish food. In exchange he was introduced to ‘Mad Dog Sauce’ by Rfn Odei, with unfortunate consequences as the dressing (several thousand times hotter than chillies) was adventurously applied like ketchup to the meal. In addition we had Capt Bowers team stuck in Camp Gereshk during a period of patrol minimise due to the poor weather, though they escaped our company just before Christmas. Capt Ollie Little was welcomed into the fold as he joined the company halfway through tour, following a productive period as a platoon commander in ITC Catterick. Capt Alex Jackson, missing CSjt Norton’s company, was granted a brief holiday from his location and brought back for Christmas.

 Christmas Day itself was enjoyed by all. Christmas Eve rather set the scene, with a moving service hosted by LCpl Tikoisuva and Rfn Goodwin. The Officers and Seniors took on all jobs for the day itself, providing cooked breakfast in bed for all the Juniors while Sgt Park and Lt Stanier played Santa Claus delivering stockings to each bedspace (winter issue socks crammed full of sweets, chocolates and an orange). Following a lazy morning, Sgt Park and Sgt Prendergast beasted everyone on a Christmas day PT session in the sunshine. The culmination of which was an egg and spoon race done as a relay – Officers and Bugle Major against Juniors – in full body armour. Despite the underhand methods employed by the Juniors, the Officers and Bugle Major emerged victorious, consigning the Juniors to their forfeit. Each member of the victorious team earned the privilege of gunging their opposite number with a variety of food products including syrup, baked beans, eggs and beetroots. The ANA couldn’t quite understand what was happening! Christmas Dinner was provided by MOB Price and collected by us late in the afternoon. In honour of the day, we transformed the welfare tent into a dining facility decked out with tablecloth, crackers, candles and party poppers and food was served at the table – the first and possibly only sit down meal we have had all tour. Alas the only lubrication for the meal was the alcohol-free Becks bought from the NAAFI, perhaps the only thing really lacking to wash down our mince pies, roast turkey, Christmas pudding and Christmas cake.

 Boxing Day saw a swift return to normality, as the OC in particularly was thrown into the planning cycle for a large scale ANA operation in our area. Preparations for this became increasingly frantic over the next week, such that the only New Year’s celebration was a bonfire outside our vehicle park for those hardy enough to stay awake until midnight. Although it should also be noted that time was found to play the ANA at football in Camp Gereshk, a match that ISAF won 2-1, much to the chagrin of the ANA. The series stands at one match each so far this tour, a decider looms. To show how far removed we were from a normal New Year, Lt Stanier called his girlfriend at midnight in Afghanistan as she was on the way to a party and then again at 6am with her still at the same party! The planning seems to have paid off however, with large numbers of ADV 30 having deployed for eight days in support of the ANA, with very successful results – a testament both to the ANA themselves and to the work we are doing out here.

 Below are attached some words from members of ADV 30.

 Happy New Year.

 Lt James Stanier says:

 The last couple of weeks had seen us involved, along with the whole Ad30 callsign, in the effort of coordination for withdrawal of ANA and our advisors from KNK. Again during this period we witnessed more people leaving for R and R and that has further stretched us manning wise. We conducted three consecutive days of patrol to and from Tombstone to enable the OC to be involved in the planning process of the withdrawal of ANA and their advisors from KNK. Then it was routine as usual for pre-patrol checks which involve getting our kit and equipment ready and packing at least 48hrs of ration and enough water to last a few days for every crew in case we get stuck in desert and need to admin ourselves for a couple of days before help arrives. The vehicles are then checked for serviceability and re-supplied with ammunition. Lt Stanier, Sgt Park and Rfn Goodwin returned from R and R whilst Cpl Dalzell, LCpl Jammeh and Rfn Bayles returned home to spend Christmas at home HURRAY!                                                                                                                                   

LCpl Tikoisuva says:

 I am a Jackal Driver Operator; but recently I passed a Husky Driver’s Operator Course. It looks ally when you are in a Jackal, but in this cold weather experienced at the moment, it’s Husky all the way. Anyway, I’ve enjoyed getting to know some ANA soldiers. I play Volleyball with them some afternoons when there’s not a lot going on and continue what we do best - WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS. I try to treat them right, as the Bible says, treat others the way you want to be treated. Life Is A Boomerang, What Goes Around Will Come Around. I try to show these Afghan soldiers that we are Humans just like them, and we are here to help and not take over, by making Helmand a safer place to live. I live and work alongside some other cap badges and they are a good bunch of soldiers. At the moment I am looking forward to my RNR in January. I am enjoying my time in Gereshk.

LCpl Ashton says:

 I am a Combat Medical Technician, and from my perspective, it has truly been a testing time for me. Pest Control plays a big part here. I have come across such threats as the mouse, and, more recently the rat, which has proven a worthy foe in this testing environment, but, I’m fortunate enough to have been able to keep them at bay…for now. The threat of Diarrhoea and Vomiting is always looming, as people have gone ‘man down’ in recent times, but with training and perseverance, the Rifleman has adapted and overcome such odds, and this threat is waning. Training plays a big part for this Advisor Group (pretty much why we’re here now) and training the ANA Warrior is an extremely rewarding task…when they turn up! I am fortunate enough not to have dealt with trauma on this Tour, the closest thing I got was when 2 Interpreters decided to start windmilling each other and I pray this is all I have to deal with for the rest of my time here in Gereshk. Looking forward to getting out on patrol again with Adv30 as we can enjoy ourselves regardless of being in this hostile environment and try to see the funny side of most situations, which is a highly admirable quality. Hopefully by the time we leave Camp Gereshk, we’ll be one step closer to handing over training responsibility to 3 Kandak and that the Warriors will be able to take in what we have taught them and eventually pass their knowledge down to their fellow Warriors.

 Rfn Goodwin says:

 After returning from R and R I am now the only Rifleman left in camp Gereshk until the return of Rifleman Odei in a few weeks time, soon after my return the weather changed for the worse and the mist rolled in reducing visibility so badly that it was considered too unsafe to go out on patrol, this resulted in Adv 34 having to stay with us at our camp for a few days leading up to the Christmas period, this was an enjoyable time as it was a nice variety to see some other friendly faces for a while, as the weather brightened they left just in time for Christmas day which was enjoyed by all of Adv 30 by taking part in a morning of PT lead by our very own PRI and STI combination of Sgt Park and Sgt Prendegast, this was followed with an egg and spoon race (whilst wearing full personnel body armour) which the seniors and officers won and so as a forfeit the juniors were gunged in a variety of nasty treats. Then settling for Christmas dinner provided by ‘BIG JOHN’ from MOB Price we ate and ended our Christmas celebration ready for a patrol the next day on boxing day with Brimstone 92  to dispose of some IEDs that had been found by the local population. I am enjoying my time in Afghanistan and as the youngest member of Adv 30 I am relishing in the opportunity to gain as much advice and encouragement from the older and more experienced soldiers here with myself.

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