Wednesday, 21 September 2011

Kandahar Airfield....another world.....

Kandahar Airfield was my first glimpse of Afghanistan back in July, It is the NATO Military Base centred around the International Airport about 12km from Kandahar City and home to almosy 40,000 people made up of Military Personnel and Contractors Supporting them, everything from Cleaners to Chefs to Builders.

It is a very strange environement to arrive into, you are brought through what they term the "arrivals" area which is in fact the last standing building from the fall of the Taliban back in 2001, plenty of eveidence of the bullet holes in the walls, what also hits you is the extreme heat and dust, dust everywhere....

I spent my first few days here in July before moving up the mountains to the altitude of Tarin Kowt north of here in Uruzgan Province, and last week, I had occasion to go back to Kandahar Airfeild or KAF for short, for a number of meetings, so off I went on an American Helicopter from Tarin Kowt, (its like a bus here !) and got a phenomenal aerial view of this beautiful country through the mountains, you can see the dried up river beds and the green zones in the valleys below the barren desert mountains that seperate the mountainous region of Uruzgan from the Plain to the south in Kandahar Province, you can also see Kandahar City with its vast layout of Mud Houses along with more modern homes all spread out across the flat plain, a truly remarkable sight. This is a City that has been fought over for centuries and is still at the eye of the storm here, there is a saying here "he who controls Kandahar, controls Afghanistan"

I spent five days in KAF last week and got a chance to see more of the place as well as get some work done with my colleagues based here including may I add seven of my compatriates from Limerick, Tipperary , Waterford and my own native Clare.

KAF is truly an odd place, it is a Military Base of enormous proportions, with streets and heavy traffic everywhere, and not normal traffic, large Army Vehicles and Container Trucks all moving at a maximum of 20 km / hr. Pedestrians are given priority everywhere and the Military Police are there to impose order throughout the base, the buildings are essentially temporary in nature though there are many that are much more permanent, accommodation blocks for troops, Contractors Compounds, DFAC's (Dining Facilities), Gyms, and even a Church.

The noise is everywhere in KAF, everything from the PA system throughout the camp to the roar of Passenger Planes, Fighter Jets & Helicopters all day and night. Everyone here is working and working hard, from the soldiers of many nations to the waiters working in DFAC's and PX (Shops), It is truly a culture shock.



Also in KAF, is the Boardwalk, which is the social centre of the Camp, this is a remarkable place, a large recreation area surrounded by a wooden covered walkway, with Retail Outlets all around, everything here from Tim Horton's, TGI Fridays to Pizza Parlours and even a French Cafe.

In the centre there is an open space which can cater from everything from joggers, to cricket to outdoor concerts and even an Ice Hockey Rink, yes, right here in the desert !

It is a great place to socialise and wind down from the very work orientated focus of the camp, buy a coffee or just sit and watch the (rather surreal) world go by !


 After leaving KAF to return to Tarin Kowt, it occured to me how one could actually get accustomed to "living" in KAF, as essentially everything is there and this got me thinking how you could almost accept it as normal which of course it is anything but, and I have even met people who live on Camps such as this and have done so for many years, it is certainly an alternative way of life, and not one I'm sure would be entirely well balanced, as if you think of it this way, a soldier does a tour of anything from six months to one year, and though they may return to do another tour, most Military Organisation insist that they have adequate time between tours, what then of the many civilians who make their lives in places like KAF........

6 comments:

  1. another great insight in the surreal world you currently inhabot. Thanks Noel, great read as usual! Keep her lit!

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  2. Hi Patrick, sorry for th very delayed response to your message, thanks for all the support for the blog, I have enjoyed writing and particulrly this piece as Kandahar Airfield is a unique experience, I was there again last week for a day, and its as surreal as ever, I even went to TGI's for a meal !- home soon, hope to catch up with you and everyone else, take care - Noel

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  3. maria donoghue17 June 2012 at 00:07

    Great images, noel. The whole experience sounds fascinating. Thanks for sharing it with us and keep up the good work. Maria an

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  4. Dear Noel,
    I came across your blog by pure chance re: Google Images.
    I cannot thank you enough for your personal account of the time you spent in Tarin Kowt.
    I'm a 60 year old gal who was born in New Zealand, then immigrated to Australia in 1993. With a wonderful husband and 3 adult children, life was going along as normal until our Soldier son eloped on New Year’s Day 2012 and abandoned us a family.
    We greatly enjoyed his journey into the Army and followed all his moves, which he was very proud off. Then one day, he meets his wife to be and nothing has been the same.
    We were totally void of any Deployment Parades, and after six months in Afghanistan, we were not even invited to his ‘Welcoming Home Parade’.
    It’s been well over a year since we last saw our Son, and we have asked, wondered, and looked many times for anything that might give us peace on how he felt about serving in Afghanistan.
    Now!, would you believe it we have just found a photo of him this week, and just yesterday I found your wonderful commentaries on the net.
    Tears of joy I might say, as I sat with you on the plane (figuratively speaking) and read intensely of your travels around Afghanistan, quote . . ‘Kandahar Airfield was my first glimpse of Afghanistan . . . .
    Thank you Noel, you have clearly put a smile back on my face, and it’s without a doubt, hubby and I can feel some empathy towards our Son again, knowing what he’s been through.
    Love and Kind Regards, QLD. Australia.
    Yes, as you well know, there are two sides to every story, let’s hope I get to hear our Sons side very soon?



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    1. Dear Anonymous in QLD,

      I am truly touched by your message as I read it here in Riyadh, I had no idea that writing the blog would ever have such outcomes but I guess life can be like that, I can say honestly that you should be so proud of your son and the other men and women who have served in that country, yes, its a controversial war and this is not where I wish to talk about politics but i can tell you i met many fine Australians who did their country proud and it was a pleasure to work with them, I met many fine Afghans also who I hope will see a better country sometime, I do hope you hear from your son soon, I too have two sons, though young, I can empathise with how that might feel, I wish you all well, "Go neirí an bothar leat" in Gaelic means, may the road rise to meet you !

      Noel

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  5. Great Stuff.
    I left Afghanistan late 2012.

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