SS Advisor

[Anthony Hoh]

Stan,
In retrospect that is exactly what I should have done. Unfortuantley it is probably to late now that I am already on orders. As a update I have been at Riley for a week now and they still have not figured out what they are going to do. Basically they said this class was "overbooked". Here I thought I was learning to be an Advisor not trying to book a flight to Hawaii. They said "they" would have an answer from HRC by friday. I guess they meant to say friday after next because a friday came and went already. Oh well thats what I get for trying to manage my own career and do something good for the Army. If they screw up this assigment anymore I might ask about doing the 97E thing.

In Service
arh

[Tom Odom]

Tony,

The Army moves in mysterious ways unknown to itself. I know that does not help; hang in there,

Best

Tom

[Anthony Hoh]

Boss,
Thanks you still have a way of setteling me down. I finally have a team, although I am slightly dissapointed/but excited. I will be conducting a VTT Validation Training Team (Theres your new acronym for the day!) I will throw you some details in your .mil account when I figure some more out. However, as the name implies we will assist ETT's in validation\ readiness assessment of their respective units. I think the high side will be helping higher headquarters understand the capabilites and limitations of individual ANA Battalions. The down side is I will not have a consistant counterpart to Coach, Teach, Mentor as I bounce around form unit to unit. Thanks for you calm leadership and helping me get a better grip on the Advisor piece.

In Service,
arh

[Stan]

Hey Tony !
Glad to see things are going well in the end. Sounds intriguing and may actually be rewarding. You're well aware that an Army career often means you meeting 'it' at least half way.

I am however concerned about your previous boss... hmmm ...'settling'. Was he ever behind the wheel with you in the 'same' vehicle

Dunno if I would start with 'settling', but I've got a few other expressions that come to mind

Good Luck, Stan

[Tom Odom]

Boss,
Thanks you still have a way of setteling me down. I finally have a team, although I am slightly dissapointed/but excited. I will be conducting a VTT Validation Training Team (Theres your new acronym for the day!) I will throw you some details in your .mil account when I figure some more out. However, as the name implies we will assist ETT's in validation\ readiness assessment of their respective units. I think the high side will be helping higher headquarters understand the capabilites and limitations of individual ANA Battalions. The down side is I will not have a consistant counterpart to Coach, Teach, Mentor as I bounce around form unit to unit. Thanks for you calm leadership and helping me get a better grip on the Advisor piece.

In Service,
arh

Tony

Good for you! Like Stan said, this may be a great thing for you. More diverse and more interesting. I expect to see you down here as part of a rotation.

Best

Tom

[dusty]

As a current member of a MiTT, I feel your pain on this, Anthony. Our team was formed 'out of hide' from the Brigade. They basically took all the guys that had just checked in the unit, a few guys that had pissed off the wrong people, and then a few like me who were the only possible choices (not too many intel whackers running around an infantry battalion, right?)

We even had a few guys that weren't around when the team stood up, they were still on convalescent leave.

[Anthony Hoh]

Dusty,
Thanks for chimming in. Unfortunatley this seems to be more the norm than the exception.

To anyone browsing the thread. Had a cultural emmersion class today that ended in four hours with Les Grau.

For those of you not familiar with Les he wrote The bear went over the mountain. A must read for any SGT through BDE CDR going to Afghhanstan. We even got a free bonus copy of The other side of the Mountain. ( Yes Tom I snagged you an extra copy incase you didnt already have one. ) He gave some great first hand perspective on motivations behind the Mujahideen, and a detailed account of operation Anaconda. Not to mention a few personal insights about how the rebuilding effort is going so far. I wish a few more folks would listen to that guy.

One great take away to share... In his opinion and I agree we are rebuilding Afghanistan in the wrong manner. We have this large unemployed population. And we are contracting the building of road networks out to private contractors with buldozers. He proposes we use LEP's with pick axes and shovels to do the work. I think it is a sound idea and would welcome anyones insight before I put it in the "possible CERP project box." It will have its own chalanges wth fraud, waste, delay... ButI would rather you feed your family by building a road than growing poppy or shooting a rocket at me. If anyone else could show me adown side let me know.

In Service

arh

[Tom Odom]

Les is a national treasure when it comes to Afghanistan.

He once got lost between my house in DeRidder and Fort Polk for some 3 hours--went almost over to Beaumont and then Alexandria. Something of a record I think.

I got your award--need snail mail address. Send it via PM or email. And yes I want someone there to present it so it cannot be your address...

Best

Tom

[marct]

Hi Tony,

One great take away to share... In his opinion and I agree we are rebuilding Afghanistan in the wrong manner. We have this large unemployed population. And we are contracting the building of road networks out to private contractors with buldozers. He proposes we use LEP's with pick axes and shovels to do the work. I think it is a sound idea and would welcome anyones insight before I put it in the "possible CERP project box." It will have its own chalanges wth fraud, waste, delay... ButI would rather you feed your family by building a road than growing poppy or shooting a rocket at me. If anyone else could show me adown side let me know.

Darned good idea. As an adjunct to it, consider using the same type of workforce in local planning and rebuilding as well, especially at the village level. On the poppy issue, there are some pretty clear indications that the Taliban are forcing some local farmers to grow them so that NATO forces will come in to take them out and appear like occupiers. Try and contact the local doctors who practice Islamic Medicine (it's actually derived from Greek medicine via Alexander) and find out what their needs are for poppies and their byproducts. This should give you some type of figure for local medical consumption.