Why I'm Here

Lunch yesterday was at the Australian SAS compound at a base in Uruzgan province. We had to go through a locked door to get to their part of the base which the Sargent escorting us said was less for security than to keep the other troops on base away from their chow hall which he said was the best in the region. He was right. I had brought my team in order to meet with some of the units that we support and find ways to better work with them and accomplish our respective missions. It was very helpful and we will be working more important missions in the future. After our meeting, we enjoyed a lunch of herb crusted lamb chops and fajitas with .50 cals chattering in the background. I ended up eating with one of the JTACs that I had been talking to on the radio during an op last week. Then he had been whispering as he and a few others were laying in a cornfield setting an ambush for an enemy commander. At lunch however we had to talk louder to be heard over the occasional explosion outside the fence. He told me that even though we had found the enemy they wanted they were unable to get clearance to fire at the time. Later that day the same guy had caused the death of an American soldier. Though he has since been tracked down and killed it is frustrating to know that sometimes even though we do everything we can it is still not enough or timely enough to stop yet another graveside flag to be presented. On the flip side of that, I am reminded that when things do worked out and we have a successful mission it's not just another training sortie but an action that allows more of our troops to go home to their families, to hold their wives and watch their children grow up.
That's why I am here.