Some Christmas Thoughts......

Christmas is over, and in many ways, we're glad. Christmas without Seth left a lot to be desired. As the four of us sat and opened presents, there was a hole that couldn't be filled. We talked to Seth on Christmas morning when he called about 10 AM. It was 7:30 PM his time and he was planning to watch a movie and go to bed. He had the entire day off as the officers manned the towers allowing the enlisted men to have the day free. Seth opened presents in the morning, watched some movies, ate a decent meal of turkey, lobster and shrimp and generally did not much of anything. Talking to Seth is a double-edged sword. It's good to hear his voice, but leaves you feeling so empty. The pictures below are from a disposable camera he sent home this week. When we picked up the pictures at Walmart, Jan couldn't look at them because she started crying. She waited until we were in the car to take a look and cryed the whole way home. Upon arriving home we had a Christmas Card from Seth that I'll put on the Blog soon. As I read it to Jan we both cryed. In both our conversation with Seth and in the card he continues to sound good and seems to be keeping a positive outlook.......We know though that he just wants to come home and we also know that that day will arrive soon. Enjoy the pics.

All things considered.....I'd rather be in Virginia for Christmas

Armed and Dangerous

Seth on Patrol in Afghanistan

Most recent family letter

Here's the latest family letter:

Dear TF Normandy Family Members,

I apologize for this being delayed. It seems I say that too often. I hope everything finds you all well for the holidays. I know your loved ones are missing you very much this holiday season.

There was such a great response to the letter from the soldiers at Bagram, I have again included a letter from them. In the future, we are looking at possibly including letters from the individual companies or platoons. These “soldier letters” are created by the companies or platoons together and are specifically for you back home.

Everything continues to go well at BAF and at Ghazni. Thanksgiving was a big success with all the trimmings, both at BAF and in Ghazni. In fact, in Ghazni some local officials even brought us some turkeys to help us celebrate. The only problem is they were still alive so we didn’t have time to prepare them for dinner. There are plans now to use them for Christmas. At Bagram the officers and senior NCOs stood guard duty for the day. This allowed us to give some of the lower ranking enlisted the day off. We plan to do the same thing on Christmas day.

On December 7^th, the Afghans had a historic day. The first democratically elected president was inaugurated to office. And more importantly, there was virtually no violence to mar the inauguration. Several of our units supported security for the inauguration by helping local police with Traffic Checkpoints along the main roads to Kabul. At Bagram we conducted surge patrols near the base as part of the extra security required by the presence of Vice President Cheney and Secretay of Defense Rumsfeld at the inauguration. Two days before the inauguration our patrols helped to discover rockets that were aimed at Bagram. They were safely disarmed. This incident serves as another example of the contribution that our Soldiers are making to the security of Bagram. Several of our Soldiers even had the opportunity to have breakfast with the Vice President. All in all the inauguration was a great success.

We have been receiving additional heavy weapons and vehicles to better support our missions at Bagram and Ghazni. New armored vehicles have been provided for the Soldiers patrolling at BAF. The heavy weapons will be divided between Ghazni and BAF. We have also received some additional protective items to help us against IED’s and new body armor gives greater protection to the arms and sides. This was issued to us at the same time it was issued to all the active duty units.

In Ghazni we have started to get more and more rain. On occasion, it has turned to snow. One of our patrols had to return to base because they could not get through the mountain passes because of the snow. We are actually tracking the rainfall to compare it to previous years to see if the drought might be lessening. Ghazni Province needs water almost more than anything else.

The weather in Bagram is getting colder but we still have some nice days. A new system for manning towers and conducting roving patrols is providing a little relief from pure tower duty. Some of our Soldiers rotate between towers and roving patrols during their shift, providing them with some variety during the day.

Rotations of units between Ghazni and BAF are almost complete. There will be one more rotation after Christmas, and then we should be stabilized for a couple months.

As we prepare for the holidays, I want to thank you all for the support you have been giving your loved ones over here in Afghanistan. There has been such a great outpouring of support from you all, it reminds us all of how great America is.

Take care, may God bless you and your family and God Bless America.

LTC Blake C. Ortner

Battalion Commander

From the Soldiers at Bagram

Dear Family Members:

At Bagram Air Field, we have been very busy since the last letter. Various dignitaries here for the inauguration of President Karzai, including Vice President Cheney and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, recently visited us. Their visit necessitated increased patrolling in the area as we searched for rocket sites and any anti-coalition activity. Thankfully, the visits and the inauguration went off without a hitch. The local villagers are starting to be more helpful, and we have been finding weapons caches and rockets before they have a chance to use them on us.

When not guarding the perimeter, we have been taking advantage of the time to conduct training at the Urban Warfare (MOUT) site, which allows us to practice searching buildings and taking hostiles into custody. The training is very realistic thanks to the use of simunitions, which are like paintballs specially made to work with our rifles. The site has sound effects, as well as cameras and microphones to record our training so we can review it later. This training is both valuable and quite enjoyable to the troops who need a break from the monotony of guard towers.

Several platoons have rotated up from Ghazni and everyone is adjusting to life here. The amenities are certainly nicer here, and the schedule is far more challenging, but we make do as best we can with the mission we are given. The new MWR building is now complete, thanks to the efforts of several of our soldiers who volunteered their limited time to construct the phone and computer areas. We are now waiting for the base contractors to install the computer and phone lines for it to become operational.

With the holiday season upon us, the number of letters and packages rolling into BAF for our soldiers is astonishing. We are all very grateful, and it makes missing our families during the holiday season slightly more bearable. Know that we miss you all, and wish you all a very happy holiday season.

Sincerely and respectfully yours,

The 3-116^th at Bagram Air Field

Mountain view through the scope

The local Walmart for all your shopping needs.

On patrol

Dressed for success

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!

Recent article in local on-line paper

A Lovell was coaching the freshman boys' basketball team at Wilson Memorial High School last night when the Hornets opened their season.

It just wasn't the same Lovell that accepted the job in August.

Seth Lovell took the job as head coach for the freshman squad. It was the first step toward accomplishing one of the dreams of the 19-year-old Fishersville man.

"He always had it in his head he was going to be a basketball coach," said Seth's twin brother, Eli, last week.

But when Stuarts Draft came to town last night, it was Eli, not Seth, calling out the plays and huddling his players during timeouts.

And while Eli was trying to figure out how to defend the Cougars, Seth was busy defending something a little more important - his country.

Seth is a member of the Virginia Army National Guard. In May, 2003, as a high-school senior, he signed up. So did Eli. The brothers looked at their decision as a way to help pay for college.

But Seth had another reason. In September he was asked why he enlisted in the National Guard.

"I was a mediocre student. Mediocre athlete. I wanted to challenge myself at least a little bit. Do something worthwhile," said Seth, who is a member of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 116th Infantry based in Lexington.

Following a semester in college - Seth at James Madison, Eli at Bridgewater - the two headed for basic training in early 2004. This past summer, Seth got word he was being deployed to the Middle East. In early September, he boarded a bus at Staunton's Thomas D. Howie National Guard Armory and was off to Fort Bragg, N.C.

A month later he was on a plane to Germany and, from there, Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, where he's currently stationed. He'll be there for a year.

One of his first jobs after arriving in Afghanistan was to help secure election sites in the country. Recently, Seth's family received an American flag that the soldier carried with him during one of those missions.

That caused a few tears to flow in the Lovell household. As did the absence of Seth at the Lovells' Thanksgiving dinner and the annual cutting of the Christmas tree last week.

Said Eli, "The holidays are always tough."

And that goes both ways.

"He has his ups and downs," Eli said of his twin. "But he keeps a real positive attitude."

Before college, the two hadn't been apart for longer than two nights. Even that first semester, they made sure to see each other at least once a week. And they talked on the telephone every day.

While Eli misses Seth, he knows that it could just as easily be him in the Middle East. Eli is a member of a medical unit based in Charlottesville. Gov. Mark Warner has declared that the unit, as a whole, can't be deployed overseas. They're needed stateside to assist with emergencies, like hurricanes or other natural disasters.

Still, individual members of the unit can be drawn out for deployment. While Eli doesn't think he’ll find himself in the Middle East, he knows it could happen.

For the time being, Eli remains in the Valley. After all, he has a job to do.

Seth's deployment created an opening for a freshman basketball coach. Even though he was taking 18 credit hours at Bridgewater College, Eli asked for, and got, the job.

"I kind of thought this would be a way to keep me connected to my brother," said Eli, who spends his spare time watching his girlfriend, Katy Herr, play basketball at Bridgewater and sitting in for Seth when his brother's girlfriend, Brittany Campbell, takes the court for her senior season at Wilson Memorial.

Eli knows his coaching gig is temporary, calling himself a long-term substitute. He's merely holding a spot for his brother. When Seth gets back to the United States next fall, he will be in charge of the Xs and Os for the Hornets' freshman team.

While Eli can't wait for that day, for now, he's enjoying the role of coach.

Said Eli, "I'm having a ball."

Almost a puppy!

It's been awhile since I posted......lots going on and nothing going on at the same time. Seth continues in the towers and patrolling when needed. He's currently doing five days of patrols in the area around Bagram. When that finishes he has four more night towers and then goes back on days. He's been complaining of sleep problems and problems with his stomach. Mayber a combination of crazy hours and stress? I'm hopeful that a return to a more normal(?) schedule will make him feel better. We spoke to him Saturday afternoon (late Saturday night his time) and he told us that for 10 minutes today he was a happy guy. While on patrol his squad purchased a puppy from an Afghan national for $1.00. Seth sat in the Humvee for about 10 minutes holding the puppy before the LT told him that he couldn't turn a blind eye to the dog....it was against regulations and Seth had to return the dog. Holding a puppy.......what a wonderful feeling for 10 minutes in a crazy world!

The Christmas Treee is decorated. Wish Seth were here!

We spent time in the Poconos recently with our dear friends.

Family letters

Here's a copy of the latest family letter and a bonus letter from Bagram Air

Field. The Battalion Commander's letters seem to be more about Ghazni than

Bagram, so this time he attached a letter specifically about Bagram. We

continue to hear from Seth on a fairly routine basis (although Brittany

hears from him more than Jan and I - go figure) and depending on the day he

s either tired and grumpy or tired and sounding pretty good. The constant

seems to be tired. Night towers have caused a little biological time clock

confusion and he says he's averaging about four hours sleep per day. On his

day off (yeah right) earlier this week he was out on patrol, however today

it sounds like he had a real day off and spent the time hanging out with

some other soldiers watching movies all day. With the rotations back from

Ghazni he's managed to run into some people he knows from around home and

some guys he was at Fort Bragg with. I think that's lifted his spirits a

little. As mentioned in the letter that follows, he now has a combat patch

to wear on his uniform signifying that he's been in combat - a patch he

could happily through his life without. He continues to express sincere

appreciation for all the wonderful support he's received from family and

friends and he's trying to get cards out to as many people as he can. Even

if you don't hear from Seth, please know that he thanks God each day for the

wonderful people who have surrounded him with an incredible amount of love

from an incredible distance.

Here are the family letters we received today:

21 November 2004

Dear TF Normany Family Members,

Operations continue successfully here in Afghanistan. We have

begun to move into some areas that have not had a lot of US or Coalition

presence. It is very interesting to go to these areas. When we arrive the

population is very suspicious. There are no waving or smiling children and

the people stare at us. It is a great feeling that by the time we leave,

people are waving and smiling and asking us to come back soon. As I have

said so often, we truly are making a difference… in people’s attitudes if

nothing else.

We are also making a difference at Bagram. The work our

Soldiers are doing at Bagram is vitally important and they are doing it

extremely well. I have attached a letter from our Soldiers at Bagram that

describes their accomplishments. I could not be more proud of their

professionalism and dedication to duty.

This has been a big week for the troops at BAF. We had a visit

from a virtual constellation of generals. LTG Blum, the Chief of National

Guard Bureau, MG Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia and MG Wyman,

the Commanding General of the 29th Infantry Division. Though they had only

a short stay, they took the opportunity to talk to several members of the

security force at BAF. They were able to speak to two sets of guards

preparing for duty (both the day and the night shifts) as well as most of

the leaders.

Both LTG Blum and MG Williams said they had received great

comments about the work all our Soldiers were doing. In addition, they said

we were just as capable in our abilities as any other active duty unit.

This is possibly the highest praise that can be given to a reserve forces

unit working with regular Army units.

Though LTG Blum had to leave early the next morning, MG Williams

and MG Wyman were able to remain to participate in two important ceremonies…

the dedication of Camp Cherry-Beasley and the Combat Patch/CIB ceremony.

The dedication of the camp was to name it in honor of SSG Cherry and SGT

Beasley, two of our soldiers who died in an IED attack in August.

For the “Combat Patch” ceremony, the generals, as well as COL Simpson, the

Stonewall Brigade commander and COL Cheek, TF Thunder commander, awarded our

unit patch for our right shoulder to indicate that we have been in combat.

We had conducted the ceremony for Ghazni soldiers on November 2. The

generals also awarded Combat Infantry Badges and Combat Medical Badges to

about 30 soldiers.

The rotation of troops between Bagram and Ghazni continues. By

December, we should have completed this round of rotations and will be set

for the next few months.

In Ghazni, we have added additional water heaters so that we

should now have more hot water. In addition, the new well is almost

complete so we should have a generous supply of water soon. We have also

completed all the Tier 3 tents, so the living conditions should be set for

the winter. We are adding new generators which should give us more power as

well as more reliable power.

My last letter talked about Christmas mail. To be sure we get

it before Christmas, you will need to get it in the mail in the next two

weeks. Remember, it must be mailed no later than 6 December and we

recommend mailing by 28 November for Soldiers in Ghazni.

I also wanted to thank so many of you for the words of

encouragement you have been sending to the Soldiers… not just your own loved

ones. We receive a lot of letters from schools and churches and some who

just want to write and tell us how important what we are doing is. It is

always a good reminder of how great our nation is and why it is so critical

for us to be here.

Thank you all.

Take care, may God bless you and your family and God Bless America.

LTC Blake C. Ortner

Battalion Commander

Letter from the Soldiers at Bagram

Dear Family Members:

We (the soldiers of B Company, 3-116th INF, and attached platoons from A, C

and HHC Companies) are writing this in response to the number of growing

questions and concerns about the soldiers posted at Bagram Air Field (BAF).

It has been brought to our attention recently that very little is mentioned

about us in the monthly e-mail updates and that you wish to hear more about

our activities here. It is our wish that this letter will shed some light

on our missions here at BAF and also list some of our achievements, of which

you can be proud.

First and foremost, please accept our gratitude for the support you have

shown us. The care package drive has been a huge success and has provided

many necessary supplies to the soldiers here at BAF. We also thank you for

your contributions to our coat and clothing drive, supporting our effort to

provide humanitarian aide to the local population in the villages

surrounding BAF. These people are very poor and their common complaint is

that there are not enough jobs to sustain them in this area of the country.

The over-all mission at BAF is perimeter security. This mission

consists of several parts – all of which are equally important to the safety

and security of this installation and the military and civilian personnel

stationed here.

The first part consists of manning the guard towers that

overlook the fence surrounding this post. This is the hardest task that we

have to accomplish here at BAF because it’s the one that requires the most

manpower. The towers have to be manned 24/7, two soldiers per tower. To

accomplish this, we have four platoons on the towers at all times, two

during the day and two during the night. Each shift is twelve hours long.

The soldiers on tower duty have a rough schedule. In addition to a twelve

hour shift, posting the soldiers to the towers takes an additional hour, and

reciprocally it takes an hour for a soldier to be relieved from his post.

So by the time a soldier is done for the day, he’s already worked 14 hours.

Add to that time to unwind or do PT, eat and conduct personal hygiene and

the soldier has now had a 17 to 18 hour day.

The perimeter security company also provides a Ready Reaction Force squad to

the post commander of BAF. This usually consists of a squad and an attached

machine gun team to respond to any emergencies here on BAF – usually in

support of a security breach along the fence line. The platoon on RRF duty

is on call 24/7.

About two months ago, we were tasked with conducting patrols through the

surrounding villages. These patrols were in response to rocket attacks on

BAF and were a means of deterring insurgents from setting up launch sites.

The squads met with leaders and spokesmen from the villages and the local

Afghan Militia Forces (AMF). Even in light of their poverty, the locals

we’ve visited have been very hospitable and have opened their homes –

inviting soldiers in for tea. The squads on patrol have been responsible

for marking the positions of numerous pieces of unexploded ordinance and

mines (mostly left over from the Soviets) – which greatly assisted the Air

Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal teams in their efforts to make the

surrounding countryside safer for everyone. Several weapons and munitions

caches have also been discovered, seized and disposed of.

The patrols also identify problems in the villages and pass these concerns

on to Civil Affairs. School supplies and candy are passed out in large

amounts to the local children. To date, the soldiers on patrol have

identified two villages that are requesting visits from the Afghan National

Army recruiting teams. During the elections, patrols were conducted to

prevent anyone from disrupting the polling sites.

As you can see, we here at BAF have been, and continue to be, very busy. We

still find time for important things like phone calls, e-mails and letters

home. We will try and get letters like this out to you more often so that

you may stay informed of the day to day of the soldiers at BAF. Again,

thank you for your support. Thank you for all the letters and packages from

home.

Sincerely and respectfully yours,

The 3-116th at Bagram Air Field

Happy Thanksgiving to all and as always, thanks for listening.

Ed

Night time towers

We talked to Seth on Saturday and Jan talked to him today (Monday.) He continues to do well and maintains a positive attitude. He is finishing his first round of night tower duty and finding that there is something more boring than standing towers during the day. He is looking forward to a December move to the forward operating base at Ghazni and apparently this will be a good move for everybody involved. When the 116th was sent to Afghanistan their mission was base security at Bagram. The original plan involved the 550+ soldiers working at Bagram. Apparently the Battalion Commander volunteered the 116th for additional duties. Seth notes that most folks think he did this because it would look good for him and the Guard. Motivation aside, this split the 116th with approximately half the troops heading to Ghazni and Camp Tiger. Instead of 550 men for perimeter security at Bagram, we now have half the number needed. That has meant longer and more shifts in the tower and less time off. Of course the conditions at Camp Tiger were so primitive that all the men eventually ended up at Ghazni. Conditions at Ghazni are not quite as good as at Bagram (although that is changing). Those troops spend more time on patrol, but don't have to do the endless hours of tower standing so there is a trade-off on both sides. They have begun rotating troops from Bagram to Ghazni and the other way around. Seth is scheduled to head to Ghazni sometime in December and is actually looking forward to that move. Once the move is made, I don't think we'll hear from him as regularly. Here is the latest family letter from the Battilion Commander:

Nov. 4, 2004

Dear 3-116 Infantry Family Members:

I would like to welcome our newest Task Force members from the 229th Engineers out of Fredericksburg and augmentees from around the state.

The engineers have made an immediate impact by helping with construction on Camp Ghazni and by conducting operations. The new maintenance team was put straight to work fixing vehicles. The new staff members have jumped right into operations. All of our soldiers are benefiting from the skills and hard work of our new team members. They are very welcome arrivals.

Winter has arrived in Afghanistan. The weather is turning cold, especially up here in the mountains of Ghazni.

However, some areas are heating up.

In a province where we recently began operations, we have had some direct fire engagements with the enemy. There were no casualties on either side. When our soldiers were fired at, they responded with overwhelming firepower including mortars. We also called in A-10 attack aircraft and B-1 bombers and the engagements ended quickly. Our soldiers performed exceptionally well.

At Bagram [Air Base], our soldiers continue to perform the perimeter security mission. Their efforts will soon be enhanced by surveillance technology that will improve security. They continue to patrol in the vicinity of Bagram.

The rotation of troops from Bagram to Ghazni has begun. This will benefit every soldier. One of the greatest dangers we face is the potential for complacency when we do the same things in the same place day after day. Putting soldiers in a new environment keeps them alert. Changes throw off the enemy who looks for patterns of behavior in patrol areas and at Bagram. New soldiers seeing things for the first time, notice things people who have been in a place for a long time stop seeing. It is tough to pick up and move, but it is something we expected and are trained to do.

Yesterday was an important day for our battalion. We conducted our "combat patch" ceremony. We placed our unit patch on our right shoulder to indicate that we have been in combat.

This was a very proud moment because the 29th Division patch has not been awarded for combat since World War II. Even more profound, there will only be about 650 soldiers in the entire Army who will wear our combat patch.

In addition, we awarded Combat Infantry Badges and Combat Medical Badges to those who have been approved. The division commander made a very important point. He said that awarding the 29th patch was a historical moment, but we were taking part in even a more historical event. Last month, for the first time in its 5000 year history, the people of Afghanistan elected their leader.

I have received questions about Christmas mail. To ensure that mail is received in time for Christmas, it must be mailed no later than 6 December.

But if your loved one is in Ghazni, it takes about an extra week to get it from Bagram to Ghazni. You should mail gifts for soldiers in Ghazni by Nov. 28.

We are making plans to get all the mail that we expect to see down here. It will be a challenge, but we face challenges every day and never fail to meet them.

Living conditions in Ghazni are improving. We have placed heaters in all the permanent buildings and about 75 percent of Tier 3 tents. Within the next few days, every soldier will have heat. Additional water heaters are coming, which should give us more hot water, and so is a new shower facility. They are also going to start enlarging the dining facility and gym. Plans for more internet computers and phones are moving forward.

I know there has been a great deal of concern about vehicles. We just received five more up-armored HMMWVs [Humvees]. Other equipment is coming as well.

We are about three months into our 12 month deployment. I have talked to many soldiers and some say it has gone quickly, others say it is dragging on forever. All I can say is that we are one-quarter of the way through with a long way still to go.

The holidays are often lonely times for deployed soldiers, so the more you can write and keep in touch, the better it will be for them.

We all wish we could be home, but we will be home soon. Please know that our shared sacrifice is making a huge difference in the lives of the Afghan people and for the security of our country. Your loved ones are doing an amazing job.

Take care, may God bless you and your family and God Bless America.

As always, Thanks for reading. Ed.

Brittany trying her first bite of Ham Loaf.....ummm, ummm good!

Ham Loaf!

A family favorite for years, Ham Loaf disappeared from our plates when our source in Johnstown, Pennsylvania closed down. Yesterday we introduced Brittany to Ham Loaf when we found a recipe and borrowed a meat grinder from Jan's parents. For the uninitiated, Ham Loaf is ground ham, ground pork, crackers, milk and eggs shaped into a loaf. Its meat loaf with ham and pork instead of beef. We told Brittany that Seth could never be with a woman who didn't love ham loaf as much as he did......Brittany claims she loves the ham loaf. Seth is back on towers for four more days before moving to nighttime towers.....He's hoping to get pictures to me soon and as soon as I get them I'll get them out to everyone.

Another day, another phone call

I got to talk to Seth today. Normally he calls Jan in the middle of the day, so I always get the secondhand information. Today, I got the phone call. The big news is he has four more days in the tower before his shift changes and he goes on nights. He'll be in the tower from 6:30 PM to 6:30 AM. He's not sure how that will impact phone calls, plus the time change this weekend puts us 9 and 1/2 hours behind him. Which brings up an interesting question.....where does the 1/2 hour come from? I thought all time zones were in hour differences. No wonder they have problems in Afghanistan. Yesterday I put over 3,500 packs of gum and life savers in the mail to Seth. This represents a collection at our school for the soldiers. Seth said they will probably use this stash to hand out to kids when they are on patrol.
Seth experienced the open air market at Bagram yesterday. Once a week civilians set up a market at the airbase and according to Seth sell an amazing variety of things. He said there is a lot of Russian stuff from their invasion of the country. He bought two DVD's - a complete season of Law and Order and a complete season of Family Man. I've never heard of Family Man, but he assures me that it is very inappropriate humor, but just right for relaxing in the barracks. The dvd's cost Seth $18.....a good buy and the best news, is they actually seem to work.

The Boring and the questionable

Life has settled into some type of routine for Seth.....there's four days in the tower, two days off, four days in the tower, one day off, four days in the tower two days off, four days in the tower, one day off....you get the idea....Understand that those days off are in name only. Talk about being "off" and most people think about putting their feet up, relaxing, watching a little TV, cutting the grass if you can't figure a way out of it. At Bagram, a day off really only means a day away from the tower - which as far as I can tell, means alot! It's hard to stay hooah motivated when you do little but stand and stare for 12 hours a day. On Seth's days off he is usually on call for patrols, attending training or cleaning weapons. Anything is better than the tower however.
Ah....but there was some excitement this week. Monday, Seth and his pals were called to formation early and marched to the clinic where they proceeded to give the soldiers shots. Most soldiers have that military mind-set of accept the shot and move on. Not my dear son. When it was his turn, he asked what he was receiving and was told it was an Anthrax Vaccine. Seth politely said "No Thank You" and moved on. In case you're not up on the news about the Anthrax Vaccine (and why would you be) it's been a little controversial (which is like saying the coming election has been a little nasty) with pending lawsuits and legislation and all that good stuff. The nutshell version is this:
Concern about bioterrorism has led to the mass vaccination of our military for anthrax. In theory, this sounds like a good idea, except the vaccine is old, has not been adequately tested and may actually be unsafe. The program has moved forward in fits and starts for the last couple of years. Good information on the concerns about the vaccine can be viewed at www.milvacs.org if your really interested. Anyway, to make a very long story short Seth's refusal meant he had to attend an education class about the vaccine and if he still refused he would receive "counseling." My idea of counseling involves a large officer telling Seth "we're going to punish you boy if you don't get with the program!"
Luckily for Seth, a federal judge halted the anthrax vaccination program yesterday. The Department of Defense has temporarily stopped giving the vaccine to soldiers until the legal problems can be worked out. There are many people working to stop this program. You can help by writing you senators and congressmen and urging them to support House Bill 5166. Basically this bill gives soldiers the right to informed consent meaning that they can decide based on the risks and benefits of the vaccine to take it or leave it. It's a right that all citizens have. It also stipulates that experimental drugs may not be used on soldiers (like we should have to have a law to keep that from happening.)
That's about all for now. Thanks for reading.

More from the Towers

Time for another addition to the Seth Chronicles.......

One of the wonderful parts of Seth being in the towers (other than he's safer than when he's on patrol) is the regular telephone contact with him. A typical day in the towers begins around 4:30 AM. As our evening is winding down, Seth is getting up and getting going. He must be in a meeting for briefing and tower assignments by 5:30. After briefing they travel to their tower and some can be a little distance. He's in the tower from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM (or in Army talk, from 0630 to 1830) After twelve hours in the tower there is another hour spent on returning from the tower and briefing. All told, about a fourteen hour day. Seth then grabs supper in the chow hall and heads for the phones for a couple of quick (and not so quick) calls to family and girlfriend. He usually calls Jan at school each day around noon. He's been able to talk to Eli on a regular basis and since I was off school yesterday I got the pleasure of a half hour phone call! After phone calls he's off to his hooch for a little personal time, watching a DVD, reading or just plain relaxing before bed.

The towers in a word - BORING! Seth said that he can't begin to describe how boring it is sitting in a tower for twelve hours looking at rocks and sand. Luckily he's in the tower with another person and they can spell each other, but you can't leave the tower. Lunch consists of an MRE in the tower (and he's already tired of them) and the bathroom is a portapotty at the base of the tower. He notes that he gets about one good meal a day. The rest of the time he's just snacking on goodies sent to him from home. He has reached the conclusion that life on patrol is better than life in the tower although we keep trying to convince him that we prefer the tower. He did have a day off on Monday which helped a little. He was able to sleep in, clean equipment, and organize his many packages from home. They are trying to rotate more soldiers into Bagram so the tower shifts won't be so long. They have also begun rotating soldiers to Ghazni and Seth is hopeful that he will head there soon. In Ghazni there are more patrols, but no long boring shifts in the tower. He will be heading there in the middle of the winter months but don't worry - we were able to send him an electric blanket. This apparently isn't your daddy's war.....electric blankets and daily phone calls home! It's still war though, with soldiers dying and spending a long time, a long way from home.

Sunday morning Jan and I heard that two soldiers had died in the area around Bagram. We knew that Seth had been on patrol that day and while rational thinking would have us believe that Seth was fine, we spent several anxious hours until we found more information on the internet that identified the company......we breathed a huge sigh of relief that it wasn't Seth's company but out relief is tempered by the realization that as we were learning that our son was okay, some other family was learning that their child was dead.

Mail and packages have begun arriving for Seth and he says that his nickname is now "Package." He is hungry for mail - just letters and pictures from home to fill him in on our normal everyday lives. Also anything consumable......he has a hot pot now and can make soup and hot drinks. He said he can't get too much, because there are people who don't get any mail from home and he can share with others. Seth will have two days off the tower this weekend. One day will be a training day - They're going to the shooting range to qualify on their M4's and the other day will be more of a day off. On days off you are on RRF or Ready Reserve Force. If needed you can be called out to respond to emergencies. Sometime in December he will spend a period of time on QRF - Quick Reaction Force. He's not particularly looking forward to this. The soldiers live in a large hanger 24 hours a day. They must be ready to move out quickly to respond to different situations.

Another cow bit the dust today. It brings a little excitement to the towers. Seth told Jan that he didn't see the exploding cow, but did hear it.

Here's a copy of an email I just sent to my Senators and Congressman. Our soldiers are being ordered to take an Anthrax Vaccine. My letter:

My son, PFC Seth Lovell, serves with the Virginia National Guard and is currently stationed in Afghanistan with the 3-116th Infantry. These soldiers are currently being told that they must take the Anthrax Vaccine. My research into the Anthrax Vaccine gives me grave doubts about the wisdom this action. It appears that the vaccine is untested, unproven and possibly dangerous. The FDA's new label (2002) on the anthrax vaccine admits to a systemic averse reaction rate of between 5% and 35% - whereas previously, the DoD claimed it was a mere .02%. Since then, the GAO has come out with a new report estimating the systemic adverse reaction rate is probably as high as 85%. Congressional hearings on the Anthrax Vaccine seriously questioned the wisdom of the program.

My son is seeking my advice on whether to accept this vaccine. He reports that a number of soldiers are considering refusing the vaccine and accepting the consequences. The problem with this approach is that the punishments have varied widely. Punishments for refusing the vaccine have ranged from nothing - with a troop member being deployed anyway, without vaccination - to a court-martial, fines, time in the brig, docked pay, reduction in rank, and/or a less-than-honorable discharge. Some refusers end up being convicted felons for life after serving jail time, while others face non-judicial punishments so that the armed forces can exclude them from punishment statistics reserved for judicial proceedings (i.e., courts-martial). Others are allowed to leave quietly and get on with their lives. Still others are allowed to continue to serve. Needless to say, there is no standard of discipline, simply because the anthrax mandate is known to be a bad order.

I am very concerned that during this time of war and great national need, we are subjecting our soldiers to a needless and possibly harmful vaccine that could impair their ability to serve their country and force them to make a decision that could jeopardize their military career and their health. On a more personal level, my primary concern at this time is how to advise my son. My son made a decision to serve his country. His education at James Madison University has been interrupted by deployment to Afghanistan. I am proud that he has made a choice that too few young people feel compelled to make. We should not be subjecting our soldiers to this situation.

Day off....then back to the tower

Seth had his first "day off" since arriving in Afghanistan. He got to sleep in a little, clean and organize his equipment and unpack all his boxes that he's received so far. Life is good!

Two Soldiers Killed

Sunday morning our paper carried a brief article stating that two American Soldiers had been killed in Afghanistan. That's it - two American Soldiers killed. No date, time, Division, Company - nothing. Of course we knew that Seth had been out on patrol. I remember feeling this way when the doctor told us that Jan had cancer. My world is turned upside down. Rationally I could think of all the reasons why this couldn't be Seth, but rational thinking is not something that carries a lot of weight at a time like this. I went to church this morning with a heavy heart, prayed with Jason and went through the 8:30 service without really focusing on the service. I met Jan outside when she arrived at 9:30 and she told me that she had found some more information on the internet that told her that Seth's Company was not involved in this action. My relief became some other family's sorrow. I've thought about that all day today. As I was learning that my son was safe, some other family was learning that their son had died. I know we need to be in Afghanistan....I trust that it's right. I just want it to end.
Seth called right as Church ended. What a wonderful sound, to hear his voice.

Brittany was named Homecoming Queen Friday night...."One more thing I'm missing" Seth said. Brittany is holding flowers Seth got for her. He called the florist from Afghanistan and told them what he wanted. Jan and I got to give them to Brittany as she was named Queen. Seth's note said...."To my Queen!"

The end of patrols.....Maybe not!

Seth is back on patrol tomorrow after spending a week in the tower. I asked him which he preferred and he said that he would pick patrol! Towers are twelve hours of monotony. He said that at least the patrols involve moving around and seeing some interesting things. He did relate that he was doing an OP/LP exercise the other week. That's Observing Post/Listening Post to those of us not in tune with the military lingo. OP/LP involves sitting in the gun turret of the humvee at night with your night vision goggles watching a village for suspicious activity. As he sat there turning from side to side with his gun watching a small village in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan he had plenty of opportunity to ponder the question: "What in the world was I thinking when I joined the National Guard?"

Seth's home away from home at Bragg.

Seth's lodging at Fort Bragg before leaving for Afghanistan. I'm hoping for pictures from Bagram soon!

October 12......The end of patrols for now?

Seth called this morning to report he was back from his last patrol. It's back to the tower. Two thoughts on that:
1. Nothing is ever definite in the Army until it's over and done with....meaning he could go out on patrol tomorrow!
2. While I'm happy with him fighting boredom in the tower, he might begin to long for the excitement of patrol.

Here's an article about the Boredom of Bagram from the August 23 issue of the Roanoke, Virginia newspaper:

The soldiers stood in the watchtower and looked over the desert.

And looked.

And looked.

"Well, that's about it. That's what we do. Nothing much happens," said Spc. Adam Watson, 20, a Virginia Tech student from Blacksburg. "About the most exciting thing that's happened so far was when a goat stepped on a land mine."

More than a month after being stationed at this large U.S. military base - one of the most secure sites in this war-torn nation - a group of Southwest Virginia soldiers is finding that its toughest opponent in the war on terrorism is boredom.

"It's really monotonous," said Cpl. Michael Hughes, 28, a Liberty University student and former Marine from Lynchburg. Islamic extremists "would be crazy to try anything here, so there's just not much to do."

The Virginia Army National Guard's Winchester-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division, which includes more than 200 soldiers from Southwest Virginia, has been assigned duties in two places in Afghanistan.

Most of the battalion is "down range" in a southeast province where Virginia's citizen soldiers are patrolling against extremists trying to disrupt upcoming elections and reconstruction.

But the battalion's Company B, along with Company C's 3rd Platoon from Southwest Virginia, stayed at Bagram, where they're responsible for the base's perimeter security.

That means long shifts standing in the watchtowers encircling the base and being on call to respond to suspicious activity outside the base.

Insurgents occasionally fire rockets and rifles at Bagram, and land mines are still being cleared from the base, but this large military facility and the nearby capital of Kabul are considered among the safest areas in the nation.

Life on the base is so uneventful the soldiers even sleep through the occasional badly fired rocket, small earthquakes and other mild interruptions in the tedium.

The 3rd Platoon's soldiers are still upset about being split from their brethren in Company C.

And they're further annoyed about having the unglamorous task of around-the-clock base security rather than patrolling for extremists like the Bedford boys and other soldiers of Company C.

Many 3rd Platoon soldiers said they would gladly trade the plentiful amenities at Bagram - including hot running water, telephones, Internet access, air-conditioned barracks, well-stocked post exchanges, better food and more - for the Spartan conditions of Company C's Camp Tiger and a chance to patrol for the enemy.

Staff Sgt. Dwight Hodges, 34, of Rocky Mount and Staff Sgt. Timothy Bradley, 33, of Roanoke said they hope they and their 3rd Platoon soldiers will at least be allowed to patrol more outside the base.

Meanwhile, the 3rd Platoon continues to man the watchtowers, which are two-story reinforced aluminum sheds.

On the "light side," which overlooks some abandoned villages and former Soviet barracks, the soldiers at least have something to look at - occasional villagers walking by, a passing truck, a few grazing cows and goats.

On the "dark side," which overlooks desert, there's nothing but sand and more sand.

On a recent day in a "light side" tower, Watson and Spc. Bill Kuhlman, a Virginia Tech student from New Jersey, kept an eye on two Afghan boys hanging around outside the fence below the tower.

The boys might have been the ones who broke a tower window the day before with a rock from their slingshots.

To keep troublesome Afghans away from the base's perimeters, the soldiers sometimes have to fire their police-type paintball gun.

But the boys were more interested in using their limited, often profane English - which they picked up from Marines and soldiers previously stationed here - to try to sell bootleg pornography, alcohol, cigarettes and knives.

"Do you smoke Jack Daniel's?" yelled one boy.

At another tower, Hughes and Spc. Bradley Hockman, 21, a Virginia Tech student from West Virginia, looked out the windows.

The sun was setting.

Dust blew on the wind.

Two boys played marbles in the dirt, trash and razor wire below.

A few cows grazed in the ruins of a village.

"That's the highlight of our day - cows walking by," Hughes said. "But it's better than the dark side. Then it's a mouse walking by."

He plopped down in a big wooden chair covered in graffiti, including "Afghanistan Blows" and "I can't wait to go home!"

Hockman sighed.

"It's going to be a long year," he said.

They say that the biggest enemy at Bagram is boredom. We had a letter from the company commander that asked all family members to encourage their soldiers, reminding them that they are doing something of importance. I wrote to Seth today and share a part of that letter:

. I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are a lot of people thinking about you and missing you. You should draw strength from that. Always remember how proud we are of you……I know that there will be some tough times – times when you may be tempted to get discouraged and think that you’re just wasting time in a foreign country doing things of little consequence…..nothing could be further from the truth. You have a very small view of something that is very large. When we see small pieces of things we tend to underestimate their importance. You are blessed to be part of something that is vitally important….a free and democratic Afghanistan. As you work in that small part – in that small way – remember, it’s larger than you know. Stay positive about your job and be positive that this is time well spent. These experiences will shape you – it is up to you whether they shape you for the good or for the bad……I’m betting that you’re the kind of person to make this be good! I am proud of you!

Eli, Katy and Brittany - keeping things hopping on the homefront!

The day Seth left for Afghanistan, Josh got a tatoo.........it's Hebrew for "PEACE"

Seth found out how to order things over the internet.....Flowers for Mom

After the Election

It's time for another update to the Seth Chronicles...................

We've been able to talk to Seth on a fairly routine basis - he called last

night at 1:30 AM (9:00 AM his time). Saturday was a busy and important day

in the life of Afghanistan and Seth was in the middle of this historic event

Seth's company patrolled for 14 hours north of Kabul. Seth is being used

as an assistant gunner meaning he is in an armored humvee. He had the

company sergeant and an interpreter with him in the humvee so he had a

front seat to discussions when they stopped in villages and met with village

leaders. Seth has been on patrol almost daily for the last week but things

will now slow down, post-election, and it's back to the guard tower for him.

He says that he will be in Bagram until December then he will head to

Ghazni which according to Seth is a good thing. Ghazni is another 3,000

feet higher in elevation than Bagram. Winter months in cold and snow will

mean fewer patrols. The company in Ghazni is providing a presence in the

areas South of Kabul.

A couple of things Seth has said:

His first patrol was a nervous ordeal for him. He said that when they enter

villages, you drive or walk between huge mud and stones walls. He said it

feels pretty claustrophobic and a little scary. As he has patrolled more,

he has gotten used to it and says that it often feels like you are in a

parade. Whenever they approach a village children and grown men crowd the

road to watch them go by and they will yell some of their American phrases

at them - "how you", "what you doing" and others. It has been cold (lows in

the 20's and daytime in the 50's) but Seth said that the children run around

with long robes and sandals on their feet. He said men often wear shoes,

but usually their toes are sticking out. The poverty is overwhelming - he

said they have absolutely nothing.

He has seen nothing but pro-American feelings. There may be people in

Afghanistan who don't want American help, but that is not evident to Seth.

Bagram airfield has provided a huge economic lift to people living around

the base. Many Afghans work on the base and many earn money selling to

soldiers. Seth hasn't experienced the open air market yet, but he's been

told that once a week Afghans set up a market on the base selling rugs,

jewelry, CD's and DVD's (all bootlegged of course.) Seth said the market

has been shut down for the weeks prior to the election but will start again.

Seth's living quarters are less than glamorous. He is a member of Bravo

Company which has 7 platoons. Each platoon has four squads. One of the

four squads is the headquarters squad which has a medic, communications

person and two gun teams. He's an assistant gunner. Squads usually live

together, but for some reason at Bagram the headquarters squad bunks with

other squads, so he's with people that are not part of his squad. He lives

in a hooch with wooden walls. He has little room for personal items and

basically has a cot with a foam mattress and keeps all his duffels under the

bed. He basically lives out of his duffel bags and there are cots with

other soldiers within 6 inches of his cot (maybe he's exaggerating a little

on that one.) He said that the living spaces in Ghazni are better and he'll

reside with his squad so another reason to look forward to December. He

has to walk to everything - chow, showers, bathroom, mail......and he said

the chow is decent. Definitely not home cooking, but okay.

Not to offend anyone, but Seth has been nicknamed "cherry" because he's the

virgin of the bunch (and we're not talking sex......Seth is by far the youngest in his platoon and a newby at everything they've been doing since last March.)

Mail has started to arrive for Seth and he had a couple of requests.....

consumables.....things like crackers, nuts, jolly ranchers. We're sending

him a hot pot to heat things in because he wants soups, hot chocolate and

stuff like that. He wants things he can stuff in his pocket for patrols and

tower standing. He also just wants letters with pictures.

Here's some interesting information about Ghazni........the next stop on the

Seth Chronicles:

Ghazni, as it now exists, is a place in decay, and probably does not

contain more than 4000 inhabitants. It stands at the base of the terminal

spur of a ridge of hills, an offshoot from the Gul-Koh, which forms the

watershed between the Arghandflb, and Tarnak rivers. The castle stands at

the northern angle of the town next the hills, and is about 150 ft. above

the plain. The town walls stand on an elevation, partly artificial, and form

an irregular square, close on a mile in circuit (including the castle), the

walls being partly of stone or brick laid in mud, and partly of clay built

in courses. They are flanked by numerous towers. There are three gates. The

town consists of dirty and very irregular streets of houses several stories

high, but with two straighter streets of more pretension, crossing near the

middle of the town. Of the strategical importance of Ghazni there can hardly

be a question. The view to the south is extensive, and the plain in the

direction of Kandahar stretches to the horizon. It is bare except in the

vicinity of the river, where villages and gardens are tolerably numerous.

Abundant crops of wheat and barley are grown, as well as of madder, besides

minor products. The climate is notoriously cold, snow lying 2 or 3 ft. deep

for about three months, and tradition speaks of the city as having been more

than once overwhelmed by snowdrift. Fuel is scarce, consisting chiefly of

prickly shrubs. In summer the heat is not like that of Kandahar or Kabul,

but the radiation from the bare heights renders the nights oppressive, and

constant dust-storms occur.

I particularly like the information about winter weather.....Seth did ask us

to send an electric blanket after talking to somebody who has been at Ghazni

Seth is in the process of trying to work out his email. He's sent two

emails to me, but I have yet to receive one. As soon as I know he's up and

running I'll get his email address out. As always....thanks for listening.

Ed

Dealing with Stress

How do you deal with the stress of your son serving in a war zone.....I never imagined this would be my life. Seth and Eli joined the National Guard out of a sincere desire to help - I believe that. They also joined to earn money for college and for that I will never forgive myself. It's easy to beat yourself up over this kind of stuff and I'm a master at it. If I were a better provider for my family they wouldn't be scrambling trying to find money for college. This is an issue I need to deal with and perhaps this blog will help me think this through.....more later.

Goodbye...........

Leaving for Fort Bragg from the Staunton Armory.

Seth and Brittany....the day Seth left for Fort Bragg.

The Seth Chronicles

Seth is in Afghanistan with the 3-116th VA. Army National Guard.....This is his story and the story of the family that loves him.

We learned very quickly with the Army that nothing is definite until it's

done.......regardless of learning that lesson, we were heartened when Seth

called over the weekend to report that he would be in Bagram at least until

March before being rotated to another posting. We assumed that the only

enemy he would be fighting would be boredom while he stood 12 hour shifts in

a guard tower. Seth called yesterday to report that he would be out of

touch for a while. He was leaving Bagram on some mission that he couldn't

disclose. Afghanistan has their election this Saturday - the first election

of any kind since sometime in the 1960's. Our mission in Afghanistan is to

secure that election. We don't know where Seth is or what he is doing - the

only thing we do know is that he is more in harm's way today than he was

yesterday. Please pray for the people of Afghanistan and our soldiers as

Saturday draws near.

I have included an article from CNN that you might find interesting. Jan

and I have very different ways of dealing with our stress. Jan prefers not

to think about things or read.....I, on the other hand, crave information.

This article is the result of my web surfing since the local papers carry

very little about Afghanistan - Our forgotten War.

Thanks for listening and continuing to keep Seth in your thoughts.

Ed

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A convoy carrying the running mate to Afghan President

Hamid Karzai came under attack in the northeastern part of the country, just

days before landmark elections.

Ahmad Zia Masood escaped unhurt Wednesday from a roadside explosion that hit

the convoy in northeastern Badakhshan province, a government official said.

Masood was in Faizabad for a campaign rally ahead of Saturday's election,

the first time the war-shattered country has directly voted for its

president.

The governor of northern Badakhshan province was injured in the blast,

Khalik Ahmed, a spokesman at the palace told the Associated Press.

But Mutaleb Beg, a local police official, told AP one person was killed and

four others injured in the attack.

Millions of Afghans are set to go to the polls to vote on Saturday in the

first election to take place since the hardline Taliban regime was ousted in

2001.

The vote is seen as a key step in the post-September 11 U.S. campaign to

bring democracy to the region.

Afghanistan has not held any form of election since the late 1960s.

The vote was delayed twice as violence wracked the nation and now tens of

thousands of national and international troops are trying to keep order so

Afghans can cast their vote in peace.

The president on Tuesday campaigned for the first time since an attack on

him last month, where he told supporters that the vote was a turning point

for the nation.

"This vote is not just to choose a president, but for peace and stability in

Afghanistan," said Karzai, a close ally of U.S. President George W. Bush.

"Instead of fighting, we are campaigning for our elections. We should be

proud that we have freedom at last." (Full story)

Officials hope the Taliban and its allies will be thwarted by a security

effort involving a national army of more than 17,000, about 25,000 police,

18,000 U.S.-led coalition troops and a NATO-led International Security

Assistance Force of over 8,000.

The campaign, which has been lacklustre so far mainly because of security

concerns, has picked up in the last few days ahead of its scheduled close on

Wednesday.

Eighteen candidates are running for the office of president, with the pack

led by Karzai.

Only two other candidates are considered big names nationwide: the Uzbek

general, Abdul Rashid Dostum, and Yunus Qanuni, the former education

minister.