J.M. Simpson returns to the war zone for the seventh time to capture the stories and photos of Fort Lewis soldiers. He is spending Dec. 2009 with Strykers from 5th Brigade. His dispatches are below. Look for additional stories inside the Fort Lewis Ranger newspaper.
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Sunday, December 6 Left Dubai International Airport on time and on a Boeing 737 that had seen better days. Landed at Kandahar Air Field at exactly 11:15 am local time. The weather was clear and sunny, and the mercury had climbed to about 65...
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Monday, December 7 - Pearl Harbor Day I spend most of the day with First Sergeant Henry Ortega of Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 402nd Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. A quiet but strong and...
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Sgt. Peter Nguyen:"We're halfway through and feeling better than I did during the last deployment." Spc. Eric Cunanan:"Happy Holidays to everyone at Fort Lewis.We're almost done here." Spc. Kasey...
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Friday, December 11, 2009 With over 20,000 soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines at Kandahar Air Field from 17 different countries, Kandahar Air Field (KAF) is a multicultural mix of languages, food and customs. For example, one of the dining...
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Lt. Col. Jon Neumann and Sergeant Major Peter Smith, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, know how to thank those who have helped their soldiers out of a number of tight spots. "I can't begin to tell you how much we owe the guys in...
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Enjoy. We'll post more photos at the end of the week. Look inside the Ranger newspaper on Thursday for more stories and photos.
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The main attraction here at Kandahar Air Field is the bazaar that is held each Saturday morning. Hundreds of Afghani vendors show up and present their wares for sale. It seemed, too, that most of the military members from the NATO nations...
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We left FOB Spin Boldak at around 1300 and headed for a little place called Lwar Kalay. A farmer there claimed that a 155mm shell had landed in his compound and killed a number of his sheep. Under the command of 1Lt. Patrick Kohler, 1st Platoon...
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The goal was to render humanitarian assistance to poor Afghanis. Under the command of Lt. Josh Martin, 2nd Platoon would head to the villages of Martsenzai and Haji Satan...
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I certainly can't complain about the weather here. It's been in the upper 50s during the day and lower 20s at night. At least there has not been a significant amount of rain, and that suits me just fine. FOB Spin Boldak is actually...
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There is a wonderful little irony that gets played out whenever soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery go into action. For long periods of time, out here on a distant corner of FOB Blackhawk, they wait quietly for a mission. As I...
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The smell overwhelms you when you walk into the 402nd Brigade Support Battalion's tactical operations center, or TOC. Just ask Command Sergeant Major Frank Grippe. He knows. During a recent visit to meet...
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Looking for something different to do, I volunteered to go out with 1st Platoon Bear Troop on an overnight mission. Our mission agenda was pretty straightforward. We would stop by an Afghan Police Highway Checkpoint, conduct surveillance...
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Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan - The 402nd Brigade Support Battalion is in the middle of change. "You've come at the right time," Lt. Col. Steve Allen, the battalion's commander, recently said to me. "There are a lot of things moving...
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Returning from the all-night scout mission mid-morning, I decided it would be good to get cleaned up, get some chow and read. I grabbed a shower, ate lunch and lasted about three paragraphs into the book I'm reading when I fell asleep. Waking...
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The subject of counter insurgency is getting to be quite the de rigueur topic. Part of the discussions in Washington and elsewhere center on whether the United States should be fighting the Taliban, a constellation of indigenous Pushtun groups,...
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The day started at 0400 when I linked up with 3rd Platoon, Bear Troop, 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment for an all day mission. "Early enough for you," said SFC Brian Schrank, the noncommissioned officer who would lead the mission. I replied...
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I departed FOB Blackhawk in what is my first step to returning home. The convoy back to Kandahar Air Field (KAF) was stopped for a while when a civilian Afghan vehicle detonated an IED buried on the side of the road. The signature weapon...
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Gun 1, Brave Battery, 3rd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery, fires on a target in the Tora Ghar Mountains.
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In talking with Afghanis, one learns quickly that indirect and nuanced conversation is the manner in which business is done. "Being direct does not get us anywhere," Lt. Col. William Clark told me as we headed to a meeting. And speaking of...
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Forward Operating Base Lagman, Afghanistan - Everything the two mechanics do at Lagman is a work in progress. A very small place about four hours east northeast of Kandahar Air Field (KAF), Lagman is a vital cog in making sure 5th Brigade, 2nd...
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EDITOR'S NOTE: For a complete story on Chaplain Subler, see the Dec. 31, 2009 issue of the Fort Lewis Ranger newspaper. I have been spending some time with Chaplain (Capt.) Carl Subler, 5th Brigade's Roman Catholic priest.  A...
Comments for "OUR MAN IN AFGHANISTAN: J.M. Simpson reporting from 5th Brigade's position" (13)
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RangerKen said on Dec. 07, 2009 at 2:55pm
John stay safe and thanks for all you do to bring the photos and stories of our soldiers in the war zone home to the families.
Randy Stalding said on Dec. 07, 2009 at 6:54pm
Merry Christmas!!! Glad you arrived in time to spend the holidays with our troops.
David Wallace said on Dec. 11, 2009 at 4:53pm
John, thanks so much for risking your life to tell the soldiers' stories. You are objective and a man of distinction.
RangerKen said on Dec. 12, 2009 at 7:25pm
John will have more to post on Monday so check back with us. Also, he has a couple exclusive stories lined up for the 12/17 issue of the Fort Lewis Ranger - copies available across Fort Lewis and in every community in the South Sound. Feel free to call our office for locations (253) 584-1212.
Crystal said on Dec. 17, 2009 at 10:35am
I had john as a teacher in college. I enjoy all his stories and pictures, I enjoyed his lessons and knowing that what he says is real and not just a story. Thank you sooo much Mr Simpson. My husband is over there as we speak. Maybe my husband will get the chance to meet you! Thank you for taking your time to do this!
Kris Chavez said on Dec. 20, 2009 at 6:19pm
Hi John. I am the wife of CSM Charlie Chavez with 402D BSB. I want to thank you for all that you do, to bring the story home to the spouses here at Ft. Lewis. Your sacrifice and self preservation are not unappreciated. With you there telling the stories of our brave men and women, and their day to day trials and triumphs it helps us to realize why they are there. Thank you for all that you do! Blacksmith Household 7 out!
Karen Brown said on Dec. 21, 2009 at 7:08pm
Thank you Mr. Simpson. You have no idea how much this means to us back home.
patrick haskett said on Dec. 24, 2009 at 12:40am
Hey John,
I think you are the hardest working, and one of the best journalists I have known, since I met you that time down at NTC, with LTG Dubik and CSM Tommy Williams. How things have changed. Our troops are so lucky to have your true grit reporting about what they do, and your real life photos of them . Stay Safe, Pat.
Vicky Mohler said on Dec. 24, 2009 at 11:39am
Hi John,
Merry Christmas to you and all of our Fort Lewis Troops! Thank you for the great articles. Wishing you all a safe holiday and look forward to your return.
Take care of each other.
Hope Morris said on Dec. 25, 2009 at 7:28pm
Hi John: Thanks for the picture of my granddaughter 1Lt Meredith Morris, executive
officer, A Company. Means so much to a Grammy. Stay safe and thanks again.
A wife said on Dec. 27, 2009 at 11:59pm
Thank you for bringing all that is going on there with the BDE back home.. hope you get a chance to meet with other units from the BDE.., like the BSTB.
RangerKen said on Dec. 30, 2009 at 6:53pm
John arrived safely back in the South Sound late Monday. We will post his last online piece tomorrow, plus have two great features in the Fort Lewis Ranger also on newsstands tomorrow. His final two stories will run January 7th in the Ranger.
Please keep your photo album pics coming to us at editor@ftlewisranger.com so we can share them with everyone.
Sonya Tapia said on Dec. 31, 2009 at 8:36pm
I'm the spouse of Shawnee Tapia 5-2 8-1 cav 5th brigrade stryker unit . I just want to say thank you all who was involded with allowing my husband to stay home a few more days to care for our son while I heeled from surgery. Thank you Sgt. Tran from the whole family. Happy hoildays bear cav family
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