D Company Update 2

**ap1** · 12-01-2008, 13:15

An update from all the different groupings within Deltas

No Rest for the wicked – D Company on duty until the end!

As the deployment window draws to a close some thoughts might turn to Home and Leave. But for the Police Mentoring Teams currently deployed across Helmand Province, those thoughts will be held on ice (literally as it is soo cold at the moment!) until the Relief in Place is completed as our masters the Security Secotr Reform ‘Cell’ of the Brigade Headquarters are keen to make the most us right up to our departure date.

The company is split across 4 forward and 1 supporting locations (we can’t forget the CQMS who is having to endure the pain and pantomimes of working in the logistic Base at Bastion – even if the nurses are apparently setting pulses racing with their adaptation of Aladin). Over half of the company is currently working out of Patrol Bases, living off 24 hours ration packs and growing beards due to the lack of water (at least Fus Teale is trying to grow a beard, but at just 18 years and 3 weeks old he is struggling somewhat!). The platoon helping to secure and stabilise Musa Qala are currently are enjoying an Afghan winter at well over 1000 metres altitude, whilst those in Patrol Base (North) are slightly lower, their spot in the green zone just up from the Helmand River adds an unexpected dampness to the biting cold! Despite these austere conditions (the Brigade is hoping to officially raise the standard of accommodation from austere – camping under the stars - to ‘austere +’, roughly equivalent to living in the block in Cyprus, but without the water or electricity) the Fusiliers are loving the experience of front line patrolling. We have no report from them, as they don’t have electricity for lights let alone computers, but radio conversations tell me they are all cold, tired and working 23 hours day. Despite (or is it because of) this they love it!

GERESHK

Festive greeting to all, from this very special part of Afghanistan that currently acts as home for 21 individuals from Deltas. As you know by now FOB Price has been our home and base for patrolling Gereshk District and Centre and surrounding area for 5 weeks now. It has also provided a location for Santa to stop and to see the New Year in, well for 14 of us anyway. Seven brave individuals are facing the austere surroundings of Patrol Base North. Sgt Jaffa Price, LCpl Roberts 13, Fus Roberts 00, Fus Williams 30, Fus Ward, Fus Blanchard and Fus Teale, all moved up to the base on Christmas Eve and are mentoring the newly installed Afghan National Police in a very hands on manner. The chilly evening temperatures, as low as -8 degrees, have meant fire wood is more valuable than local currency and as scares as rocking horse excrement. The guys have dealt with some very challenging circumstances and are said to be earning their pay but enjoying it al the same.

Daily patrolling continues in and around Gereshk, with many local nationals now very familiar with the angelic tones of Fus Joner 90 asking them politely to move away from the vehicles! The food continues to excel at Price, with even Lobster making an appearance on special occasions, thanks to a broccoli and fresh veg black market deal with US SF on camp, and morale remains very high with the prospect of the return to Cyprus looming large on the horizon. Cpl Warner continues to attempt to bench press every weight in the gym whilst Fus Hodson, Taylor and Connick prefer to cover their miles on the ground behind the wheels of our surprisingly versatile Snatch vehicles, as our resident ‘Stigs’. Mail remains a rarity in Afghanistan, with every delivery being greeted ith shrieks of joy from LCpl Williams, our medic. However, Shoe box parcels from ‘Support our Soldiers’ have provided much morale – and calories! A big thank you to al of you who have sent them. With a bit of luck the platoon will start making its way back to Cyprus, via Bastion, Kandahar and anywhere else the RAF decide to take us! We’re all ready for some well earned leave.

LASHKAR GAR

We arrived in Lashkar Gar at the start of December to take over the role of PMT (Police Mentoring Team) from the Coldstream Guards who were moving north. We were expecting to be providing close protection to the RMP while they taught the ANP (Afgan National Police) how to be police, as they have been largely untrained since the start of Op Herrick. When we actually got in place we then discovered that most of the RMP had left this location on a mix of other tasks, the Op in Musa Qala and R&R. We also found that there were 2 other tasks that we were responsible for, joint patrols with the police, army and ‘special’ police and the formation of a taxi firm know now as ‘Welsh cabs’.

The loss of most of the RMP left us under the direction of Sgt Hulse, who had to use bigger cuffs than on a wizard’s sleeves to come up with a plan to train the ANP in the PVCP’S. It’s always a bit cheeky to be thrown in at the deep end but that’s the nature of op’s, especially out here. Luckily a few of us had done a similar job during Op Telic 4 so did have some idea about what we needed to do, so after a quick refresher by watching a couple of episodes of the Bill, and then watching CSI Miami to improve our forensics, we cracked on with the task, which has seen us on the ground at least twice a day, every day. Now that the deployment is coming to an end we can defiantly see an improvement in several of the stations that we visit, which makes us feel as though we have at least achieved something. Having seen the standard of the police when we arrived, that’s more than we expected as they make the RWF blokes serving with the North Wales police look professional, and that’s saying something! It’s completely different to what the other company’s will have achieved, in a very different role and without a lot of support, but its been fun all the same.

The second task of the joint patrols with the police, army and special has also seen a big improvement since we took over. Initially they didn’t really happen, or if some did then, then one or other of the agencies wouldn’t turn up. Now they all arrive at camp, nearly on time, which as Afghans is a new concept for them! When they arrive all their commanders are brought to the Op’s room to talk through the plan that the multiple commander and NCOs will have worked out earlier. Once they have all agreed and changed bits or added anything they may want to do then the patrol will begin. and within 100m’s of camp they will have changed their mind and decided that they would prefer to go to a different location or in a different direction, but that only makes it so much more interesting!

The final task that we have here is to run the Afgan branch of Welsh cabs. We did ask the QM’s department here if we could swap the snatches for either some black or even mini cabs, but apparently like everything else they are still on demand. We pride ourselves on our customers not having to book and the less notice that we can have the better. If you can get 2 rides to go to the same location about 30 minutes apart – and not bother coordinating the move that’s the best.

All in all our time in Lashkar Gar has been good. We have achieved a lot more than we thought we ever would in the relatively short time we have been here, and have hopefully put in place some practices that are only going to improve the police in the area.

Summary

Our replacements have already arrived and are settling in to normal routine during a range and RSOI package at Bastion (by normal routine I mean their freight and weapons have yet to arrive and they are getting used to the reality that their best laid plans do not survive contact with the loggies – let alone the enemy!) They will move forward a couple of days later than planned, but this is not likely to affect our return to Cyprus date of mid to late Jan 08. Once we have confirmation of the flight the families office will send out the relevant text messages to let you know when to expect us. Get the turkeys out – it’s almost time for that second Christmas!