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I just recently read this blog from a US soldier who is currently stationed in Afghanistan. Very sobering to say the least:


GETTING SHOT AT
Name: B.C.
Posting date: 2/9/07
Stationed in: Afghanistan
Hometown: FLORIDA

From an email I sent home:

I'm still at Firebase Snake, which is a cool-sounding name for a small group of ramshackle brick buildings and a Hesco wall tucked in a river valley somewhere in Uruzgan province. I can't talk specifics, but there aren't a whole lot of Americans here, and our only link to friendly forces is by air, due to the bad roads and worse people who control them. I'm working on month eight of this deployment, and I've been on plenty of patrols, but getting shot at is a relatively new experience for me. Since this is an experience most of you will never have (and I'm thankful for that), I'll do my best to describe the sights, sounds, and feelings of a gunfight for you.

Usually we have some kind of heads-up that the bad guys are around, so things haven't started in a surprise fashion for me, but even when you know it's coming the first shots are startling. The most prominent thing about a battle is the noise -- it is ungodly loud. Think of the loudest war movie sequence you've ever seen, and multiply that until it would make your ears bleed. Literally. One of our interpreter's ears were bleeding after this last one -- he wasn't wearing ear protection. I wear a radio headset that also acts as hearing protection, and without it I'd be stone deaf right now.

Guns make a distinctly different sound when they are pointed at you -- sharper and higher pitched. Bullets make a zip noise that's tough to describe, but it isn't like the movies either. You can sort of judge how close they get by the sound and intensity of that noise. Recently, as I was in the open rear-facing seat of a humvee, fighting started up at the front of the convoy. We were towards the back and couldn't see the engagement in front of us, and weren't taking any fire from the left, where it started from. Within a short time, I start hearing zzziip, zzziip. I look around in confusion, because I didn't hear any shots. The zips continue, and I still don't hear anything, so I yell to the guy up front, "Hey Larry, I think someone's shooting at me." It sounded so ridiculous I still want to laugh about it, but I didn't at the time because we figured out where it was coming from when the truck behind us got raked down its right side. So everyone swings right and lets loose on some mud compounds and trees just across the river. I never saw the guy or guys, and that's often the case, but the shooting stopped and we moved on.

Everyone's least favorite noise is that lovable RPG sound. Rocket-propelled grenades suck -- there's a whooshing sound and then a terrific BOOM when they hit. Thank God that the Taliban can't shoot worth a damn. Artillery, on the other hand, is such a beautiful noise, since we know it's ours. Of course, I'm partial to it by profession, but it makes a pleasing jet sound or low whistle when it goes over your head, depending on the angle, fuse, etc. etc. etc., and then a satisfying "crump" when it hits. Explosiony goodness and hot metal action for the bad guys. It must be terrifying for them, but I don't care.

Um one note, the guy is in Afghanistan, not Iraq. first he mentions the Taliban, second in the header is says Afghanistan, just figured I would point that out.

One person described war in Vietnam as long periods of boredom with some brief moments of excitement. Sounds like that here, The guy was there 8 months and never had a issue, then someone finely shot at him and it was a quick engagement. But quick or 5 month long slug fest, its still got to suck.

I remember reading a letter like this that turned out to be a hoax. Not sure if this is the same letter, but it seems that there are inconsistancies (Iraq or Afghanistan? ) or perhaps too much information (legit Firebase name ? ) for a military email (Emails are usually filtered for content in a war zone, so I've heard).

They are BUT this is a blog. and he did not specify any specific location and he did not say how many troops exactly or anything I would say is to much info.

there is no inconsistency's about location in the letter points to Afghanistan. PanzerMeyer just made a mistake of Iraq in his post, thats all. Can I say it was true, nope but I can't rule it out either, but it dose sounds liek the guy know what he was talking about. Also even if it is fake, its still gives you a idea of the crap those guys are in.

this sounds like a hoax. i was in the army and guys do not write like that (very, very, very few have the ability to do so)...and how in the hell, when they have nothing but contact by air is he posting on a blog or sending e-mail???