Power of the Sun

In the morning, we went to the OCCP. The main issue of the meeting there was how to get the ANSF (Afghan national security forces) to join us for yet another patrol. There always seem to be plenty of excuses not go patrolling, and if there aren't any excuses left, there is always the option to start complaining or arguing. There are always plenty of topics available for a good, Afghan-style argument. Well, we got there at last, and our patrol will be joined by the locals even this time. Or at least that's the plan - the reality might be another story.

After the OCCP meeting there was the Provincial Governor's security meeting, which was business as usual. When we got to the safe house, I cleaned my weapons and the grenade pistol. At the weapons maintenance table in the back of the main building, the sun shone warm enough to remind me of the heat that I experienced in September. I really don't miss that heat, but I'm sure that there will be more of that to come. Then I wrote the weekly Suomi-report and the report from the security meeting. I printed the new contracts for our local employees - the contracts had arrived by email last week, but they were lost somewhere in the inbox. After that, I wrote a list for the weapons store of all the ammunition that we spent last night. Then, I worked a while on the contingency plan of the PO, which has been ordered to be updated.


This gentleman, who works at the Ministry of Interior, used to be a helicopter pilot in the Afghan Air Force during the Soviet occupation. He still uses his pilot's helmet when he rides his motorcycle to the OCCP meetings.