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3 Company Sit Rep as at 16th Dec 07
(Archive)
3 COMPANY REPORT FROM PATROL BASE KEENAN
MESSAGE FROM THE COMPANY COMMANDER
The period since I last updated you has been dominated by
significant and sizeable operations to the north of Helmand,
operations launched to wrestle away the initiative from the
Taleban who are occupying that particular area of Afghanistan.
What has this meant for 3 Company and the Danish Battlegoup we
are working within? Many of the resources within the Danish
Battlegroup have pushed north, leaving 3 Company as the solitary
unit able to conduct offensive patrolling in our half of the
area of operations. This has been a rewarding challenge as we
have pushed into areas we would normally do so, but it has also
been a demanding time such is the volume of ground we have had
to dominate. Thankfully, operations in the north look set to
cease in the near future so there will be less of an onus on 3
Company to do much of the work; we look forward to welcoming an
Afghan National Army (ANA) Company to our south and possibly an
Estonian Company to our north. This will mean joint patrolling
and truly multi-national operations in the near future which we
very much look forward to, especially with the ANA who have a
reputation for no nonsense when dealing with the Taleban.
So we have now completed one third of the tour and we are
already seeing the first group return from their R&R, all of
them with tales of the weather, delicious food and the
inevitable alcohol fuelled nights out. For those whom have just
returned they now have a long old slog until the end of the
tour, some 4 months to battle through. One of the unfortunate
things about the R&R plot is that someone always has to go at
the beginning of the tour and someone always has to wait until
the end. Nonetheless, regardless of when the men have their R&R
break all very much look forward to it and return refreshed and
ready to crack on.
What else have we been up to? Over the past few weeks much of
our efforts have been focussed on keeping the rain out and
keeping the warmth in. Many of the boys were caught out in early
December, going to bed under a clear night but waking up to
thunder and lightening. Thankfully the Royal Engineers and ever
resourceful boys have now rectified the situation and some of
the men are now accommodated in relative luxury (see photos).
Regarding the cold, we have been issued cold weather clothing
which at best makes you resemble a large slug, nonetheless it
does have the desired effect of keeping the edge off you,
although some would argue that at four in the morning nothing
will stop the cold getting through.
Our relationship with the local nationals continues to flourish.
Following 2 Shuras and constant patrolling we now have a real
feel for what the locals need to improve their lives. Religion
and culture are undoubtedly at the fore in everything we
discuss, followed closely by health, education and electricity.
To that we have presented 4 mosques’ worth of equipment (see
below) to locals and look forward to bringing an Afghan Health
Clinic into the area as well as funding to purchase school
equipment (blackboards, Korans and tables and chairs). Regarding
electricity in our area, the construction of a large dam to our
north should see this arrive within 24 months, however, much
depends on the Taleban who are hell bent on destroying anything
built by the Government of the Independent Republic of
Afghanistan.
Christmas is now fast approaching. As you will see from some of
the platoon articles many of the boys are sporting Christmas
hats. Some of the platoons even have full Father Christmas
outfits should Father Christmas himself fail to make it out
here! Looking at the volume of parcels you have all sent out
there will be much to open on Christmas Day. A big thank you to
all of you, I can not over emphasise the positive effect post
has on the morale of the men. It remains to be seen what the
theme for this year’s Christmas presents will be...
I know many of you are concerned when we are due to finish our
time out here. These things are rarely clear until one month
prior to the end of tour, however, working on it being exactly 6
months after we took command from the last company you should
assume we will be back in between 21st – 23rd April. Prior to
this, the Company will spend 24hrs in Cyprus to decompress
before returning to Windsor; a chance to have a beer and get a
few things off our chest. The plan once we have returned is for
the Battalion to conduct a ‘march through’ Windsor on Saturday
26th April with a marquee function of some kind in Victoria
Barracks, which all families will be invited to. The Battalion
will then work the following week before leaving on Post
Operational Tour Leave (POTL) on 2nd May – 2nd June. As soon as
I have firm dates regarding our return I will ensure all are
informed. On returning from POTL the Company will conduct
Ceremonial Duties and Adventure Training throughout June and
July.
Other than this, please know that the morale of the men remains
high. Now very much settled in the Company is clear on its task
and we know what we have to achieve over the next 4 months. As a
company, we remain focussed, optimistic and enthusiastic in all
that we undertake. The men of 3 Company wish all of you a very
Happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to posting more
messages in 2008.
T F CHARLES
Major
Company Commander
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NON-KINETIC TEAM UPDATE AS 12 DEC 07
3 Company’s Non Kinetic team (responsible for the ‘hearts and
minds’ side of the Company’s work) have been busy over the last
few weeks dealing with all sorts of problems which local Afghans
have brought to our attention. Both out on patrol and in the FOB
the Company has built up an impressively strong relationship
with the local nationals. 3 Coy, 1 COLDM GDS, so we are
informed, are the only unit conducting Non Kinetics in
Afghanistan and it is very gratifying to see the results of much
hard work already.
The large majority of the Afghans who live within 3 Company’s
area of operations suffer from extreme poverty. This coupled
with the lack of medical support and the constant and very real
threat of the Taliban makes reassuring them difficult. Non
Kinetics is ironically largely kinetic in that the best way to
ensure local nationals feel secure is to get out on the ground
and show ISAF’s presence. The Non Kinetics Officer has been busy
with the interpreters accompanying the platoons and reassuring
the local Afghans in this way.
LSgt Hutchins (Non Kinetics NCO) has been working hard to
address the many claims for compensation which the local
nationals have put into him and has to date not failed anyone!
In addition, the Company medics (LSgt Browell and LCpl
Constantine) have done a fantastic job at providing medical care
to the numerous ‘walk ins’ we have had with only limited
supplies and facilities. Several young children have been
brought to the camp with serious injuries. One two year old girl
was particularly unfortunate and at some point before the
Company deployed was injured by mortar fire (see photo below).
Although she received treatment at Camp Bastion her wounds did
not heal well and she required further hospital treatment (sadly
slightly beyond the capabilities of the FOB). The NKET team
arranged to get her to Kabul and she is now being treated
properly in a hospital there. Unfortunately, the number of
locals with medical problems leaves us unable to help everyone
but we are eagerly awaiting the mobile medical clinic to assist
us.
On a lighter note, the Company has made great waves with the
local tribal leaders by holding Shuras (meetings to discuss any
concerns or aspirations the locals may have). Today, the Company
Commander held a Shura for December and presented the local
leaders with brand new speakers, amplifiers, prayer mats and
Korans for their Mosques. This went down extremely well and was
only briefly interrupted when the tent that the thirty odd
attendees were sat in took off and then promptly collapsed- an
American Chinook decided to hover over the Shura after dropping
off some much awaited supplies for the Company. The scene was
reminiscent of something from the Monty Python Show as a group
of thirty hysterical Afghans struggled to pull themselves out of
the tarpaulin crying with laughter whilst the Company staff were
completely blinded by the dustbowl that the helicopter had
created whilst trying to hold down the tarpaulin. Eventually,
some sense of formality returned and all the Afghans went away
satisfied with the outcome of the day. Not so the light sleepers
in the Company who are soon to be roused by early morning
prayers following the installation of the speakers in the
mosques!
J R T LAW
Lieutenant
3 Company Non Kinetics Officer
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