What goes on in my head while being in a war zone and away from the States????

It depends alot on the individual male and what they think. So I am just gonna say what goes through my head as in thoughts and emotions.
I've been to and from the states and the middle east. First time was a major culture shock. I never experienced anything like it in my life. I mean, I grew up in a middle class suburban neighborhood, I hardly had any confrontation and tried to avoid it. But that first time, I had to get in peoples faces and try to understand a totally different culture. I adapted quickly, especially being up close and personal with the local population. I was able to understand there hand gestures and mimic it to help me communicate. Even when I come back to the states I find myself doing the same gestures. Guess hard to break a habit.  
It was hard for me to see women treated very different and in a degrading manor. I wanted so hard to interject in there culture, but I was a guest in there country, and to do so would not be wise. All I can do is try and show my middle east counter-parts by leading with my examples and motivation on treating everyone the same.

There would be times when I felt alone, and definitely thought of that special someone and wish I was with her. for some reason it never worked out when I would return home. and throughout the years I could not find that special someone that "qualified" to my lifestyle. Now I have learned to be by myself. I have to tell ya that it felt great to come home to someone, it was like a light at the end of a tunnel. So now of course I am living the single life. Which has its ups and downs, just like anything else. But one day, when the good Lord wants me to, I'll settle down and have some little crazies runnin around.

In bed after a long day, I would lay there and think about the small things that I missed.

It would be the smallest and craziest things that would you miss.
The smell of fresh soil being dug up, the taste of the salt filled air by the ocean, walking barefoot on carpet, able to walk outside and see green, The sound of an airplane overhead, able to lay on the grass and let the sun soak into your skin as the heat drifts you off to sleep.

These are just a small fraction of what I missed when I would be gone away. It makes life that much more special, and humbles me. It use to upset me so much when I would hear someone back home sayin that hey have it so bad because there car had a gotten a flat tire. I would want to result to violence and punch that person. But now I just pity them and ignore them, cause they will never know how well they have it.

A stroll through a Village

Alot of the villages are the same in Afghanistan. They have many things in common, especially the kids. For some reason there are always more kids then adults in a average Afghan town/village.
There are also alot of dogs.  Nothing like some cute looking puppies to brighten your day up.  :)




Its that time of the year where you may see the regular nomads coming and going from Pakistan to head down south for the upcoming winter.  I can always tell who are the nomads,  they usually have camels, and the women are dressed up in brightly colored clothing.  They always have some flock of sheep or goats. 

An interesting group of people, they have been doing this almost since the beginning of time (I dont know exactly when but its a long time)
So that pretty much sums up my day.  Just another average day. 

Afghanistan Part 1

What history this country has.  I have learned to hate and love this country.  The terrain is very harsh just like the weather.  The people of this land have learned to live in these conditions and learned to live in war torn areas. 

A ruined structure from the past conflicts.

For thousands of years this country as seen many conflicts.  Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan used the Famous Khyber Pass that is on the boarder of Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

A Special Forces Soldier playing the game of buzkashi

The Afghanies were known to be expert Horse people, and Alexander the Great used them in his army.
In the beginning of the initial assault into Afghanistan, ODA teams, aka American Special Forces (Green Berets) used horses to travel the rough terrain, and in some cases, before even being deployed to Afghanistan, some of these Special Operation  soldiers were trained in ridding horses. 
You have to learn and understand the people of these lands to really get a grasp on how to communicate with them. 

A group of girls at a local school.

The way of life the Afghanistan people live my seem hard and very rough, but over here its just another day to them.  The women are slowly but surely able to not live in fear of what the Al Qaeda and  Taliban organizations have done to them and what rules were put down to them. It still breaks my heart that the equal rights that the woman have over here are none.  Yes there are some in the politcs and that are police and army, but its still a long way to go before you will see a progress.
With this I will close, but you can sure bet I'll talk about this topic again.  

New things

I'm About to catch me some Much needed sleep. Been a long day.  But fist I'd like to thank my first follower, She popped my cherry on this.

This Post is gonna be totally random. When I use to do training in the military and be in an area for a long long time, and not able to move. I would play a little game in my head. Actually many games.  its always better if you had a partner, but sometimes the circumstances would not allow it.  For time restraints I'll just do one of the mind games.
Ok  I would normally say the first thing that pops in my mind and try to find a reason behind why it popped in my mind.  Mostly it would be from a past memory.  Here goes:

Banana- Having my first banana split at Dairy Queen.

Fireworks- my friends and I almost blew each other up. not on purpose. and this was even when I had demo training.  Guess boys will be boys.

Monster Trucks- Love Grave Digger.

Coffee-  Caramel Frappe, totally from Starbucks or GreenBeans

Water- Use to tube down a river back at home drinking beer. 
 
Well thats about enough,  its like counting sheep.  

First Post

The past few years, its been awhile since I've done a blog. My friend finally convinced me.  But they do not know.   :)
So I started This whole outlook on the two things that are, in my opinion, a black and white topic.  I've seen my share of war, but I have not seen to much peace.  We all desire peace, but peace is something that many people hardly see.  So why is it that we want war also?   Many as you may think are saying to yourself.  War, no I do not want war.  Well let me clarify, Humans in nature are a conflict species, We desire things subconsciously. This can be something as small as arguing with a significant other, or as big as actually wanting to harm someone physically.  Violence is in all of us.
  With that being, said.  Let me introduce myself.  My name is Jason Kelly.  Is that a real name or made up?  well who knows, but in my line of work I cannot identify myself. But I want to still express my feelings and thoughts on the things that come to me.  I've seen my share of combat and decay.
I grew up in small town USA. I had a typical childhood, and was brought up in a very christian home environment. I attended church and did bible study, and pretty much kept a good deal of my faith in check to the end of High School.   After high school, I joined the military.  I always had a desire to serve my country and all that Patriotic stuff.  Don't get me wrong I love my country. I quickly learned that after my first deployment, that serving your country is not really serving it. Its more like serving the politicians. It was more about the men to your right and left.  I find comfort in God, and I know through out each day he was protecting me.  So through my years, I question myself......Why?  Why fight on distant lands and to bleed your blood and to cry your tears upon the dirt your brothers died on.  Is it for "Peace?" 
The Romans established an empire that was based off of war, and through it brought together different cultures and a since I stabilization to the regions.
I will leave this as my Closing statement, it is one of my most favorite quotes:

Si vis pacem, para bellum-- "If you wish for peace, prepare for war"