Because My Days of Wearing a Head Scarf are Numbered...

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney with the RoL and FET ladies

So few women...so much work to be done...we came to Kabul from around AFG

Ma'am, I Have A Question...

“What do you think about women being allowed in the infantry?”  This is how my morning started today as I was walking into the shop from chow, coffee in hand, and some soldiers waiting for a promotion board were talking and stopped me.  “Is this a hot topic for you guys these days?”  I asked.  Head nods all around.  So I stopped and talked to them for a while.

Here is why this is a topic of conversation in the infantry world:

1.       The Marines are allowing women to attend infantry officer school http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/25/us/marines-moving-women-toward-the-front-lines.html

2.       The Army is considering allowing women to attend Ranger school http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/05/ap-army-leaders-mull-sending-women-ranger-school-051612/

3.       Two female Army Reservists are suing DoD to reverse military policies barring women from combat roles http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/27/us/2-women-sue-over-armys-combat-ban.html

I think I am in an interesting position to comment on this.  For one, I am currently serving at the battalion level and spend a great deal of time at the company level – often commented on these days in the news because current policy prevents women from being “assigned” to battalions, so we are “attached.”  This doesn’t make me hard core or anything like that – for one thing, I just followed orders that told me to hop on a bird here.  And in addition to the FET, there are female soldiers that are cooks, working for the supply/support company, in the MP platoons, medics, the BDE psychologist, and a USAID civilian.  About half of us have regular OTW missions.

Secondly, the infantry soldiers and I both realize my “place.”  They know I’m an AF JAG.  They sort of understand my role and what I’m doing here (enough that they no longer fear I am here to investigate them).  And bottom line, no one thinks I’m itching to sign up for the infantry so I’m not a “threat” to their world as they know it.

The refreshing thing about talking to these soldiers was that none of them questioned whether women could do the job (“I know a lot of women that are smarter and in better shape than I am”).  They also went to great pains to not sound “sexist” in talking about it.  Their fallback position on why women shouldn’t be allowed in the infantry is that the “knight in shining armor” innate in all men will emerge and they will ignore sound tactics and orders to “save” female infantrymen in trouble (damsel in distress argument?).  They cited to me “studies” to this effect.  “Oh yeah, what study, I’d be interested to read,” I said in all seriousness.  “Well, I personally haven’t seen…”  Rumor mill at its finest.  I acknowledged their concerns and also pointed out the microscope and pressure the first women that enter the infantry will be under.  I talked to the FET OIC about this and we talked about the reality now when we are out on patrols – there is no extra security and we aren’t treated any differently.  The soldiers apologize sometimes for their language or crass stories they tell and in general you get the feeling that they just aren’t terribly used to working (much less fighting) with women.  The FET also told me that many of the soldiers’ wives were not happy when they found out they’d be deploying with a FET team – we laughed and rolled our eyes at this (military wives, your husbands can cheat on you just as easily at home as deployed).  At the end of the day I think it’s likely a question of “when” not “if” this change is coming.  Will there be some bumps and bruises?  No doubt.  But in the long run, I’d have a hard time thinking of any civilian career field or military MOS/AFSC that has been hurt by opening its doors to women – and would argue that more often than not the opposite has been the case.

Happy Memorial Day

I read an op-ed today that said "happy" should have no part in Memorial Day -- that it's a day of sadness and remembrance and our country has done a disservice to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by moving the holiday some years ago so that it would coincide with 3 day weekends, unofficially mark the start of summer and pool season, be marked with backyard bbqs, and where I grew up a pretty stellar parade led by the best high school marching band out there (if I do say so myself).  I am not saying the writer didn't have a point, but I'd also like to think that marking the day by spending time with friends, family, in one's community, carrying on with such activities might not always be a bad way of living as those we have lost might have wanted.

Four years ago on Memorial Day I was back in OH from DC for the weekend attending Memorial Day events on behalf of my then-boss, Congresswoman Sutton.  I tried to find one of the speeches I gave that weekend, but could only dig up this article  http://www.thesuburbanite.com/news/x244768771/Springfield-community-Memorial-Day-ceremony about one of the events. 

I am at a loss for what more to say about Memorial Day deployed.  I took extra notice of the memorials on our FOB and paused a little longer at the pictures in the hallway.  But we also had bbq chicken and potato salad for chow tonight and there was the same laughter and late night as usual (but near beer instead of the real deal of course).  For those back home, I hope for the same mix -- we can remember the ones we love and have sacrificed the best by carrying on with life and enjoying the freedoms they have won.

Just A Couple Pics

Just a couple pictures from what is likely my last outside the wire mission -- aside from many more helo, C-130, and finally civ flights that is...

CPT JM said these flowers are bigger than I am.  Not quite, but I will always enjoy the mystique of Afghans and their plastic flowers.  Also, I have tried to wear my head scarves many different ways.  Someone told me if you tuck it behind your ears, it stays better.  Well, apparently my ears just stick out like they do when I wear baseball caps :)  Second one is a self-photo once we were back at the COP.  Just as fitting -- helmet cocked, scarf peeking out.  In another month I should be back in sun dresses and flip flops, which probably suit me a little better.

The More Things Change...

The more they stay the same...or you hear about the same issues everywhere you go.  Today I took what may be my last trip to a district center in AFG for meetings with the DGOV, NDS, judges, prosecutors, and other line managers.  The meetings went the same as they did 6 months ago.  We drank chai, I asked a bazillion questions, there were plastic flowers, we had lunch (I think my stomach is stronger 6 months later...), we drank more chai.  All in a day's work. 

At the end though I met a judge from a new district.  I had heard about the judge and actually organized a rather large training event that took place in his district a couple months ago.  I sat down next to him and began to talk.  Now Afghan interaction with CF women varies a great deal.  Most I have found will shake my hand.  Some will not.  He was the first that I have met that would not even look at me.  Needless to say the conversation ended up being rather brief.  We did discuss the public trials in his district though because I acknowledged that only his district and the two others I work in throughout the entire province have regularly held public trials.  He said they do not have that many cases.  I asked if this is because there isn't that much crime in the district or because the investigations do not come to the prosecutor's office.  He said there are indeed many criminal complaints and investigations but they are resolved by the AUP or DGOV without being referred to the prosecutor's office.  I asked why some cases make it to the prosecutor's office and some do not.  Not surprisingly, it's a matter of influence -- those who have influence through either their family connections, village elders, or presumably bribes are able to have cases disposed of without reaching the formal judicial system.

I mention this because it was the first conversation I have had with this judge and even though I am able to report on "good news" fairly regularly through my chain of command, I'm not sure that it matters how many public trials are being held if at the end of the day entry into and access to the justice system is not equal for everyone. 

There is no doubt that AFG is going through a transition phase right now -- transition for the CF that is.  I'm sure in AFG it feels like nothing but constant change with all of the informal and formal government systems they have had in the last 30 years, the rapid influx of American and coalition forces and dollars, and to Afghans the just as rapid change in how those forces are deployed and dollars spent ("on budget" is the new catchphrase).  In some ways I don't fault them for the dysfunction of their government.  When CF were throwing money at the problem 6 months ago and are now expressing frustration at their inability to submit peshnehads from the district to the provincial, well who likes rapid changes in the rules of the game?

There really is a point...and it is this.  The catch phrase "Afghan problems require Afghan solutions" isn't just a catch phrase.  At the end of the day, no matter how long we are here, Afghans will solve the "problems" they view as "problems," and whatever else CF or international watchers view as "problems" that don't really bother Afghans...well there probably isn't going to be a whole lot of movement no matter how much time, money, and blood is invested. 

Let's Summit It Up

It's a big weekend for Afghanistan, though the main event is back in the U.S. at the Chicago NATO Summit (will Karzai and Obama share a deep dish at Gino's East?).  Being deployed can be quite isolating and it is easy to become focused on the sometimes very narrow mission or set of tasks one has to accomplish.  As you dig into the challenges of the district or province you are working in without regard for the violence and/or "good news" coming from other parts of the country.  I am fortunate to have been able to travel a bit during my time here to get a wider perspective.  I am also attempting to be able to rattle off all 34 provinces in AFG by the time I leave with the same ease I could name all 50 U.S. states.  But more than that, I keep an eye on the news in the U.S. and international news to try to build the link for what is happening at the strategic level down to what I'm doing at the tactical level (and yes team gov/dev/RoL/team non-lethal/team squishy practices tactics too!).

When not out KLEing it up, I have done my fair share of "staff" work (a noted improvement in my PPT skills!) and sat in a lot of meetings.  One of these meetings is the Stability Working Group (read: team squishy) where we try to sync all the non-lethal efforts in the battlespace.  At various points I have raised issues happening at the national/international level as potential talking points with our Afghan partners.  When the SPA (Strategic Partnership Agreement) was signed a couple weeks ago, we were able to obtain not only the full text English version, but a Pashtu translation as well.  I thought "perfect," this will be great to share during my next set of meetings.  Because I am convinced that the GIRoA officials I meet with -- while they will always ask for help with logistics and resources, they are also curious about life in the U.S. and are truly interested in the future between our two countries.  I have often been gently re-buffed when I make these suggestions -- I think more due to a lack of faith that I can "teach" PLs what the SPA means.  So I was thrilled that today during a meeting with my favorite DGOV, he told me that he had printed a copy of the SPA and also talked about the Chicago summit this weekend.  Sometimes when things seem hopeless, this is all it takes to bring a smile to my face.

Happy Anniversary Husband!

Just for the internet record, I did NOT forget my very first wedding anniversary.  Steve and I skyped, but our internet went down before I was able to post this lovely picture yesterday.  If nothing else, being deployed certainly makes me grateful each and every day for the wonderful family and friends I am blessed to have and especially the love of my life.  We met right after he had returned from a deployment to Iraq so I never experienced how difficult I am sure it is to have a loved one deployed.  I am definitely fortunate though that he had that experience so that he understands what I am going through and I can be more open about the ups and downs of deployment since I know he has a frame of reference (and he knows all the acronyms I throw around like no one's business!).  Love, I am so lucky each and every day that you are in my life.  30 days and counting until we can tackle the top of that wedding cake in our freezer!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom and Mom-in-law.  I of course am not a mother myself yet, but I did have the pleasure of spending this weekend with a group of strong American and Afghan women in Kabul.  The FETs are doing amazing work across this country and a handful of us non-FETs (though frankly just as a female I tend to fall into this category anyhow...) were able to join them for a workshop in Kabul and meeting with a CODEL of female members of Congress.  Congresswoman Pelosi said this is something of an annual event for her, bringing a female delegation to meet with female members of the military and Afghan women on Mother's Day.  What a cool idea.  I will have pictures of the event later, but for now here is Tami and I flying back this morning.  Thanks to all the Moms in my life!

Still In AFG

I have been slacking on the blog a little bit lately.  Truthfully I have many draft posts in my head on everything from the recently signed SPA (strategic partnership agreement) to FETs (female engagement teams) to "life on a FOB" to "do they talk to each other? part 2 (AFG and CF) to JAGs in the news.  But...I'm a little tired so these will have to wait. 

In the meantime, a few more quotes from the last few days:

"We all have season tickets."  LT on fighting season beginning. 

"The big thing for this week will be women." Marine DAT briefing at CUB (I love that we have Marines and SEALs as the gov/dev guys attached to SF units...it's priceless)  Also probably funnier in context.  The FET OIC and I high fived. 

"It's the first thing I've been on time in 2 yrs of staff work." Staff member perhaps not quite cut out for the job.

"Hope is not a COA."  But it is a pretty good presidential campaign slogan.

"You guys are fucking this chicken now -- I'm not going to tell you how to do it."  Apologies Mom.  My usage of acronyms has increased, but I promise I have not picked up cursing (or dipping or any other bad habits) from the Army.