Training Day

The Kandahar Team Chief for my mission arrived at KAF last night and asked if I wanted to come out with him to visit a district.  So out we rolled this morning with our Army secfor platoon, picked up one ROLFSO (Rule of Law Field Support Officer – what my title will be) and headed to another district to visit another and do a site visit.  All told 5 hrs in an MRAP (will take some getting used to).  

I was able to meet two of my fellow ROLFSOs who are both now working in their second provinces.  Both are at FOBs with limited support and connectivity.  After checking out the district center’s facilities and a building we hope to have renovated for the judiciary, we met with the district governor.  First official meeting!  Complete with chai and candies of course.  

All in all, I learned a lot today and am still processing my first real exposure to Afghanistan.  It doesn’t appear that I will be moving forward tomorrow, so I might take the time to organize some thoughts on the Afghan legal/dispute resolution system to try to teach myself a thing or two  – and I might even do this AF PowerPoint style :)

Sidebar – I made the Chief take a picture after we returned safely.  Upon review, I have determined that even with full battle rattle standing in front of an MRAP, I do not look tough, and thus never will.