Bagram Airfield a Betrayal of Trust One year aniversary

[peyton]

I did not want Veterans Day pass without marking the passing of great Americans killed on Bagram Airfield on Nov 12 2016. These personnel were getting ready to participate in a "Fun Run" and were killed or injured by an Afghani day worker. Bagram Airfield employed about a thousand per day, that morning started out no different, less than two hours later all Afghani's were fired and escorted off the base.


May 12, 2017 will mark the six month anniversary of the suicide bomber
attack on Bagram Airfield. In recognition of this heinous attack the military placed a monument at the spot where the attack took place.

I chose my title of post accurately, prior to it the airfield employed over 1,000 Afghans daily to do all of the service jobs. Whether it was picking up trash, electrical work, cooking or doing the laundry, they did it.
I walked and interacted with the Afghan's daily and felt they were all just trying to provide for their families.

After the attack there are only are 200 allowed on daily, the Afghan's work at the laundry and garbage dump.

For a cheap shot at glory there are so many Afghan's that suffered because of it, why, well the bomber was one of the day laborers as well.

I draw special attention to the plaque with the names, normally only military members are mentioned, this one is different. The bottom two names are contractors that supported the unit. One of them was a newly retired Colonel from the Air Force and the other was a doctor. All of them were walking down the side walk to go participate in a Veterans Day "Fun Run". There were several dozen injured as well, there lives will never be the same, as a matter of fact I know mine won't. We all realize we are in a war zone, and expect rockets or death fighting a determined enemy but our compliancy taught us a painful lesson

The tree was close to the blast site and has shrapnel in it and the building got patched and repainted. I took a few pictures of the monument to share
Here is a link to the ceremony.
1CD RSSB dedicates memorial at BAF | Article | The United States Army

 

[Jebus35745]

Our son was there not long before this happened. We knew it was a war zone and he was on a big Air Force base but we were happy when he left. He was an emergency room doctor and saw some gruesome things. He existed in 3-4 buildings for 6 months.

Let's hope that that monument stands forever in their memory no matter what happens to the base. May they Rest In Peace and their families heal from what happened. Larry

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Fear is good, complacency kills. Thank you for your service, come home to your family in one piece.

 

[Kevin J.]

After the attack there are only are 200 allowed on daily, the Afghan's work at the laundry and garbage dump.

For a cheap shot at glory there are so many Afghan's that suffered because of it, why, well the bomber was one of the day laborers as well.

Guerilla warfare 101. Deny the enemy the support and assistance from the local population. Make the population believe their suffering and hardship is the fault of the enemy.

Without the support of the local population no military can control a country long term.

 

[DeathGrip]

Thanks for the reminder Peyton. Come home safe.

 

[Cobroller]

Thank you sir. Peace and comfort to the families, friends and associates of those who were killed.

 

[peyton]

I was safely in bed sound asleep when the attack alarms went off, I live a mile away and did not hear the explosion. My co-workers were walking to the registration place when it went off.
None of them were hurt but a few went up the road to see if they could help. One of our young ladies, who had served in the US Army in Iraq was so traumatized by what she saw and heard, I fear it will haunt her for the rest of her life.

One thing about the hospital, it is small with maybe a 8 bed emergency room, however the quick reaction of all the first responders and hospital staff saved a lot of lives that dreadful day.

 

[sw282]

l spent 2003-2004 in lraq/Afghanistan.. l don't think l ever had a single

night of SOUND sleep while there.. Contrast that 1967-1993 with the

ARMY most all were safe and secure.. South West Asia is just so

depressing.. Never a relaxing moment.. Always the feel of potential

DANGER.. Don't ever want to go back.. Even after almost 14 yrs

still that fear of the unknown... Esp in CROWDS

 

[peyton]

Yep, I served 22 years in the Army, shoveled snow in Alaska during Desert Storm and retired. I fix computers now and we got a convoy load of them scattered between Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan that we maintain.
Courage is simple to explain, when everyone is running away, there are people who run to the problem. We got hit in a rocket attack at the Baghdad Airport in 2004, our canvas tent city took shrapnel and several fires were started. Picture coming out of your sleeping bag in your boxers and T shirt, grabbing fire extinguishers and first aid kits and putting out fires and providing first aid for the casualties.

I am here to tell you that you don't have to wear a uniform to be a hero. My friend Tina I mentioned went through a lot more in Iraq than I did.
She will never be the same after the bombing but she'll always be a hero to me because there was no way of knowing it that was the only bomb that was going to explode.

Lastly, I credit our armed personnel that did not shoot any Afghan's in the immediate aftermath, everyone was at condition red, and for a lot of them, this was the first exposure to combat.

 

[peyton]

Bagram Airfield attack one year later

As you mark this occasion remember our nation's finest scattered across the globe.

 

[TomkinsSP]

Guerilla warfare 101. Deny the enemy the support and assistance from the local population. Make the population believe their suffering and hardship is the fault of the enemy.

Without the support of the local population no military can control a country long term.

Terrorism 101: Destroy the middle. Make everyone choose a side.

 

[Bat Guano]

My son was a short distance away when that happened. He was a civilian contractor flying ISR out of Bagram.

Bad as that was, he agrees with his Dad that there are days when being deployed was better than being back in the so-called World.

Kind of makes you think.

 

[peyton]

Lax security allowed suicide bomber to kill 5 on Bagram Ai

I wanted to bring the latest news on how the suicide bomber was able to blow up personnel on Bagram Airfield last year.

Report: Lax security allowed suicide bomber to kill 5 on Bagram Airfield

Report: Lax security allowed suicide bomber to kill 5 on Bagram Airfield

 

[mrchuck]

As a MACV-SOG survivor, I will mourn the deaths of our current soldiers that die in protecting our USA. God Bless Them,,,,,,

 

[Bat Guano]

My son, who was there at the time as a contractor, came home to find that his wife had been looting his 401K. When she got caught she left in the middle of the night with the young boy. Nasty, and not over yet.

Suicide bombs are awful... but betrayal takes many forms...

Offer up a prayer for those killed at Bagram, and "my guys" on Christmas, please. It's a rough world out there.

 

[woodsltc]

My son, who was there at the time as a contractor, came home to find that his wife had been looting his 401K. When she got caught she left in the middle of the night with the young boy. Nasty, and not over yet.

Suicide bombs are awful... but betrayal takes many forms...

Offer up a prayer for those killed at Bagram, and "my guys" on Christmas, please. It's a rough world out there.

B.G. ........ per your request, prayers sent for those lost at Bagram & for "your guys". God Bless.

Don