Sports Byline USA Goes to Germany and Afghanistan

The First Time We Thought You Were Nuts, Now We Know You Are

I remember when I told my wife, family, friends and colleagues that I was taking Sports Byline USA to Iraq to broadcast. The unanimous response was, “Are you nuts?” And, the unanimous answer was, “Yes he is.” Let me put to rest thoughts that some may have. I don’t have a death wish and I’m not out to replace the late Bob Hope as a military, globe hopping, entertainment troubadour. My reason for going again to a combat area is fairly simple and reflects my general philosophy on life. I remember being in the Miami airport.  I had just finished broadcasting a football game. I had rushed from the broadcast booth at the Orange Bowl to the airport and was still in that “twilight fog zone” that always happens after being in the four hour “mental surgery” of calling a game. For the first 30 minutes after you say, “and the final score is” you’re still hyper and revved up. Then the slow coming down process begins. I was near the bottom of that coming down process as I waited to board my plane. It’s a mellow and reflective time. As I watched my fellow passengers, I thought, if you take away all the buildings and material things, you’d still have the people. But, if you take away all the people, you wouldn’t have anything. The point being, that people are what make life interesting. Material things are just objects, people are ever changing, interactive, and the human dynamic is what makes life interesting and purposeful. With that as a part of my personal philosophy, my going to Germany and Afghanistan to visit the troops is my way of giving back, and through my broadcasts, bringing some degree of happiness to our servicemen and women who are far away from home. One of the lasting memories I have of my “life enhancing” trip and broadcasts in Iraq is a young soldier thanking me for coming and broadcasting Sports Byline. He simple said, “For a couple hours a day you made me feel like I was back home again.” For me, no matter how much the danger or difficulty, that comment made the trip all worthwhile.

This trip is going to be different and in some ways more difficult. My first stop and broadcasts will be at the military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. This is where the wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are brought. I’ve already been told to be prepared emotionally and mentally for what I’ll see and find. This is the start, for some of our young men and women, of a long recovery journey. I specifically asked to come to Landstuhl to meet these true heroes. There’s a correlation and similarity between soldiers and athletes, sports and the military. Athletes and soldiers are both highly trained and skilled, and sports and the military both require teamwork and intense discipline. They share a commonality that needs no explanation. I hope through our broadcasts to let the soldiers connect and talk with the sports heroes they share a common commitment and passion with. And, I hope our broadcasts bring them happiness and comfort. Just being there and doing so will be enough for me.

After Landstuhl, it’s off to Afghanistan. First, I go to London and meet former San Francisco 49er offensive lineman, Randy Cross, now a NFL broadcaster for CBS Sports. Together, along with producer and trip coordinator Jon Bullock (J.B.) we make the long trek to Afghanistan. J.B. is no stranger to this kind of trip or the area. He was “Da Man” for me on our first broadcast, combat adventure to Iraq. Here is J.B. on an Iraq undercover assignment.

Kyrgystan is where we go from civilian control to military control. We’ll hookup with U.S. armed forces and catch our military flight to Afghanistan. We’ll fly either on a C-17 or a C-130. I’m rooting for the C-17. It’s a jet and the military’s version of a cargo/passenger plane, minus flight attendants asking if we’d like stale peanuts and a soft drink. The C-130 is the military’s turbo prop workhorse, with cargo bay seats and a barely private standup toilet that makes you pray you don’t hit turbulence when you use it. As a pilot, either way, I will request cockpit jump seat privileges. Here I am in the C-130 on the way to Mosul last year.

During our stay in Afghanistan we’ll be jumping around to different FOBs (forward operating bases) and meeting the troops. I’ll be doing three Sports Byline USA shows while we’re in Afghanistan. The most meaningful one will be on May 29th,

Memorial Day. I asked our Afghanistan contact how we’re getting around the country, and he said, “We’ve rented four camels for you.” My response was, “Oh, we’re humping it.” I’m sure he said to himself, “Gee, I haven’t heard that one before.” Yeah right. Like Iraq, I’ve been told what to bring and not to bring. It was recommended that I bring a flashlight, but only with red, blue or green gels, not white light. I asked why? They said snipers fire at the white lights. No white light it is! Which makes me wonder, since we’ll be sleeping in tents, does this mean that when I walk to the toilets I should zig zag?

Afghanistan has become known as “the forgotten war.” But ask those who are over there and fighting it, it’s anything but “forgotten” to them. Just this week, 10 American servicemen were killed in a combat helicopter crash. It may not be Iraq, but it’s still hostile and dangerous.

This trip has a personal meaning to me. Pat Tillman, who was a San Francisco bay area high school football star, and went on to star at Arizona State, before playing with Arizona in the NFL, was killed in Afghanistan while on a combat mission. His death was from friendly fire and is still clouded in controversy from the way the military handled it. His death and subsequent controversy was tragic and unnecessary. I knew Pat from my days as a San Francisco television sports anchor and did some of his football games on television and radio. He gave up a successful and lucrative pro football career because of his patriotism and higher ideals. He paid the ultimate price for his beliefs, and I want, in a very small way, to honor his commitment and ideals by being with his fellow soldiers, and hopefully bring them several moments of normalcy and a feeling of home by broadcasting Sports Byline USA from Afghanistan.

Day One

Next Stop Germany

As I take off from San Francisco International, I think about what lies ahead. About the unknown and what I think will be a more difficult trip than my visit and broadcasts from Iraq. Things I can’t control always bother me, but I’m wise and philosophical enough to not worry about things I have no control over. So, with that in mind I sit back as Lufthansa flight 455 heads over the polar route to Frankfurt.

Two meals, two drinks, two movies, maybe two hours of sleep and nearly 11 hours after takeoff, we touch down in Frankfurt, Germany. Even though I’m a seasoned traveler, I still have an awe and appreciation that in such a short period of time I can be more than a third of the way around the world. On final approach I see a garden laid out saying, “Welcome to Germany, Home of the 2006 World Cup.” For a month, starting in June, Germany will be the sports center of the world. And where else would you find the nose cone of your Lufthansa 747 painted as a soccer ball?

After finally gathering my luggage, I hookup with the brains of this effort, Jon Bullock, also known as J.B. Dwayne Ulloa, who owns AKA Productions, and is a good friend, surprises me at the airport as well. AKA makes all this possible with their organization and contacts. They bring bands, comedians and Sports Byline to military servicemen and woman worldwide. The final member of the group is our bus driver Rudy, and soon to become our most valuable member. We drop Dwayne off at his hotel, as he’s headed back to Los Angeles later that day. Then it’s off to Baumholder, population 6,000, about 2 hours outside of Frankfurt. I say population 6,000, that doesn’t count the 13,000 Americans, in which 7,000 are soldiers of the 1st Armored Division. Now though there’s just 2,000 soldiers, plus their dependents in Baumholder. The other 5,000 troops are deployed now. That leaves a lot of lonely, worried families behind.

Europe is different than the United States. Germany looks practically like the countryside of any American state, but there are subtle differences and a feel. For one, the bus we’re on is like being in a living room with lounge chairs, tables and comfortable accommodations. There’s no such bus travel like it in the United States. And, Rudy is Da Man when it comes to cruising along the autobahn to Baumholder. Other European differences are a landscape dotted with small, picturesque little villages. I keep expecting to hear the “Sound of Music” and I swear I saw Julie Andrews in one of the fields of yellow, mustard colored flowers. The countryside is peaceful and mesmerizing, that is until a BMW blows by our bus at near supersonic speed. Of course the driver has no fear of being pulled over since much of the autobahn has no speed limit. Gentlemen, start your engines.

NATO (North American Treaty Organization) is in town for meetings and a joint military exercise. This means we get the last room in Baumholder at the Hotel Berghof. My room has a kitchen, 4 beds, a TV with no English speaking programs, is quaint, and has thin walls. It’s spartan by American standards, but quite nice in the quaint German village of Baumholder. I’m told the Hotel Berghof has the best German restaurant in the village. It feels nice and I’m glad to be here. Baumholder is windy and wet when we arrive and I understand it’s almost always windy. I should have guessed that since the town is ringed by wind driven, big propeller electric producing turbines. The locals refer to the village affectionately as “The Rock.” I have no idea why. The only “Rock” I know is Alcatraz and no one who was there, either by choice or chance, ever thought of it in any affectionate way.

After a few hours of rest and a shower, J.B. and I head out to base commander, Lt. Colonel Larsen’s house for a reception/party. It’s for a charity effort that raised money for the base high school. Now, I have to be honest here. I can’t tell you the last time I went to a party in which the women outnumbered the men 3 to 1, but that’s what this party was. It also provided a wonderful surprise and insight. The reason it was 3 to 1, women to men, is because many of the women are the wives of those 5,000 men who are serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places. And, to make things spicier, the party theme is “Margaritaville.” Any mental pictures you might have are pretty close to reality. Fun and friendship is the order of the night.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea about the party, let me set the record straight. Beside every great soldier IS a great woman. As much as we honor the soldiers who are in uniform and fight our battles, the women who are left behind to keep the family together, work and worry are just as heroic in my mind. What I witnessed in talking to these women was a quiet strength, a commitment and maturity far beyond their young ages. Many are far away from home and family, in a different country and culture, and experiencing and enduring challenges many never expected or prepared for. Lt. Colonel Larsen’s wife, Liz, is the mother of an “extended” family. That family includes the other wives and children of the families that are left behind when their husbands, dads and moms go off to war. I’m told a sad reality is that the divorce rate among military families is 76%. Quite understandable when you consider that many of the military’s husbands and wives are young, just starting out their relationships, and become separated for long periods of time. The stress that puts on a marriage is immeasurable. I had one wife at the party tell me, “I’m a third generation military wife, but no one told me it was going to be this hard.” The best that can be said is that the military takes care of its own, and the women and wives I met at the reception/party are among the best and bravest we have to offer. I hope they’re recognized and appreciated for their efforts, commitment and courage. I was honored to be in their presence and watch them grab a few moments of fun and camaraderie. Thank you for inviting me.

Tomorrow is an off day before we get ready for a number of “meet and greets” with the troops. Also, I’ll be speaking before the communications class at the base high school. I understand the teacher is a “big fan” of mine. No pressure there. And, then a challenging task as I spend some private time in the Landstuhl hospital wards with our wounded servicemen and women. I’m already mentally and emotionally steeling myself for that encounter. Then it’s our first of two broadcasts from the hospital. I’m sure it’ll be a day to remember.

Day Two

There’s Another Mosel

Today is an off day before things get hectic and we start broadcasting from Germany. It has been a long time since I was in Germany and today I got reacquainted. Living in the United States, we forget how old Europe is, especially in comparison to our country. The United States is 230 years old while Germany and Europe are many thousands of years old. Europe’s age gives it a charm and uniqueness one doesn’t find at home. If one accepts things as they are here, instead of comparing them to what we have in the United States, then a whole new sense of appreciation and enjoyment can be had. With that in mind, I immersed myself in the total German experience for the day.

Rudy is our bus driver. He transports us around in a beautiful touring bus. To give you some idea of our driving luxury, think John Madden’s cruiser. Rudy’s passengers are only producer Jon Bullock and me. Our cruiser has a fully stocked bar, working areas with tables, a bed, a lounge area with sofas and a television to watch either TV or movies. This is not roughing it. As I mentioned before, Rudy is Da Man. It seems like he knows every road in Europe. Rudy is experienced in driving celebrities and bands on tour, and maneuvers his bus like he’s a fighter pilot. To make the picture of Rudy complete, he is “Road Rage Rudy”, and he’s proud of it. He even has a long sign in the front window of the bus that reads, “Road Rage Rudy.” To be honest, it’s a misnomer. Rudy is a distinguished looking, 50 something gentleman who I’ve yet to hear him use his horn. However, I don’t understand German, so I’m not sure what some of his utterances, at seemingly nothing, might be. Let’s just say that Rudy and his “Madden Cruiser” is not to be trifled with.

Our “day off” exploration of the German countryside with Rudy takes us to Trier. The drive was scenic and mellow. Of course, several German beers and the luxury of the driving accommodations made mellow easy. Trier is a German city with a strong Italian influence. We walked around and saw some of the older Italian structures that are still standing. Sunday is a “gathering time” for Germans. Most stores are closed, unlike in America where Sunday is just another day to shop at the mall. Our walking tour of Trier took us to what is the center of almost every city in Europe and Germany, the church. The Trier Cathedral is a marvelous structure and the inside is inspiring. I was overwhelmed by its serenity. As I quietly soaked in the spiritual beauty of it all, the experience was enhanced by the soft sound of a male choir filtering through the cavernous structure. Whether one is religious, or not, it’s a moment that impresses and touches you deeply.

I returned to the real world as I walked through the platz, or plaza as we call it, in the heart of Trier. With stores closed, the setting was completely social. Parents with scampering children, elderly couples walking arm in arm, and young people joined in a way only young love can. Ice cream is a popular treat on a social Sunday, and the line was long for flavors I couldn’t pronounce, but looked wonderful in the glass enclosed freezer. The irony of the day was provided by a McDonalds sign in a second story window of a building overlooking the platz. The Americanization of Europe has come to this small German town. However, a good sign is there were no Starbucks in sight.

Rudy brought us back to Baumholder with a “busman’s” tour of the German countryside. This is the other Mosel that I referred to. The Mosel River runs down the middle of the Mosel Valley. The valley is one of several German wine regions. It’s as picturesque as California’s Napa Valley, but it has one very unique distinction. The vineyards are almost all on high climbing, very steep, hillsides. I was blown away at seeing mile after mile of vineyards climbing hundreds of feet up the steep hillsides. It posed the obvious questions. Why did they do it this way? And, how and the hell do they tend the vineyards and harvest them without rolling down the hill? Nothing in my realm of understanding allowed me to find the answers. Rudy was no help. He only said, “German engineering,” when I asked him for the answers. I’m still puzzled by it and probably always will be. Puzzlement aside, our drive through the Mosel Valley was as breathtaking as stepping inside the Trier Cathedral. One little village after another more picturesque then the other. It added to a day that was already sensually and educationally fulfilling.

Our last stop before returning to our hotel in Baumholder was at Gary and Bonnie Phelps’ house. We were invited to stop and meet some of the single servicemen, part of a group called B.O.S.S. That stands for Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers. They were having a cookout. Also, invited is several local German women. Gary and Bonnie are Americans who work on the base in support services. Gary is a throwback to the Grateful Dead and Bonnie is a smart, articulate, forward thinking woman who has her act together. What they have in common, is caring for our servicemen and women. A long, wonderful day ended with a good steak, good conversation, a sharing of cultures and lots of good laughs. I couldn’t have asked for a better “day off.”

Day Three

Brave and Wounded

It’s a busy day, but a fulfilling day. First stop was the Baumholder military base high school and a talk to the students of the communications class. As I move further into my career, mentoring young people, is more and more important to me. Kids certainly have changed since I was in school, but I can tell when I’m reaching them. Several guests and adults are among the class of twenty five. We start the discussion with my asking if they think athletes are paid too much. I already know the response I’ll get. The kids generally say ‘no’ and the adults say ‘yes.’ The debate, discussion and fun begin. From there we cover Barry Bonds, steroids, sports careers, fun moments in my career and life in general. J.B., my producer, is giving me the wrap up signal since we’re behind schedule and have to move on. By the end of the session, I can tell from the looks on their faces they want to talk more, and the questions come faster and more insightful. J.B. is now cranking his arm likes it’s a windmill, and has a panicked look on his face. I sign autographs, thank the students, adults, the communications teacher, principal and other teachers, and head to the bus where Road Rage Rudy is waiting to drive us the hour to the Landstuhl Medical center.

On the bus ride I reflect on the hour plus talk with the students. It’s like doing play-by-play in that ‘you’re on’ for a concentrated period of time, and then when it’s over, you mentally and emotionally come down. Also, I start thinking about what I’m going to find at the hospital, and how to handle it. There has to be sensitivity, but also a positive connection with the wounded troops and the staff. And, most important, it has to be sincere. I decide to just be myself and adjust as need be.

When we arrive at the Landstuhl Medical Center, the administrative staff is a bit wary of us. No one has done a live broadcast from the hospital and a sportscaster doing a talk show makes them even more wary. The big thing I have going for me is that many people here have listened to me for years on the local American Forces Radio outlet and like my work. That awareness has lowered some barriers and skepticism about why I’m here and what I want to do. When I agreed to go to Afghanistan to broadcast to the troops, I did so with one stipulation, that I also broadcast Sports Byline from the hospital in Germany where they bring the wounded soldiers. For awhile I didn’t think it was going to happen, and it took a lot of wrangling, but persistence paid off and we finally got the okay. But, our appearance at the hospital still had an air of apprehension. The hospital staff’s job is too take care of the wounded and protect them from anymore emotional stress and trauma. I understood that, so I was low keyed and warm when I met the staff and assured them this would be positive, and I appreciated their efforts in making the visit and broadcast possible.

I didn’t go into this visit unarmed. Through the support of EA SPORTS, Nike, the National Football League and Blue Goo, I had many gifts to give out. I’ve always found sports to be a great icebreaker and bridge to conversations. Defenses drop and a connection is made when anything in sports is talked about. Add gifts to the mix, and attitudes and the atmosphere become more accepting and congenial. It worked again. Joined by the hospital chaplain, an AFN television crew and staff members, we begin our tour of the wards. While there’s no doubt the wounded patients are brave and heroic, I quickly find there are many other heroes here. The staff is highly professional and extremely thoughtful and caring of their patients. The military may be cold and single minded in many things, but when it comes to the physical, mental and emotional health of these soldier patients, they care only about giving them the best care in the short time they have them. Landstuhl Medical Center is a stopping off point and the first place the wounded get major care for what will be for many a long road to recovery. The staff welcomed me with open arms and I sensed it was because they knew I was there for only one purpose, and that was to bring a few moments of happiness and a change of thought from the pain and situation these brave men and women now faced. The gifts were a big hit and as one staff member said to me, ‘EA SPORTS video games, NFL hats and Nike shirts and clothes, these guys will love it.’ I made sure the staff also got goodies and I could see in their faces and with their “thanks” they deeply appreciated being recognized for their efforts.

The biggest challenge for me came in addressing the wounded soldiers. The staff asked their permission for me to visit and most were glad to have the company. There’s a lot of pain and destruction in the intensive care unit and wards I visited. But, there’s also a lot healing.  I was struck with how accepting the patients were of their condition. I sensed no anger, but that could be because they were still grappling with their condition emotionally and it hadn’t sunk in yet. For me it all came graphically and powerfully clear when a young 20 year old soldier showed me a piece of shrapnel, from a IED (improvised explosive device), that had been taken from his body. I held it in my hand. It was HEAVY and LARGE. I thought of what it’s like to have this and other pieces of metal, just as heavy and big, ripping through and into your body. It was a deep and difficult moment for me.

As I visited patient after patient I encountered something I encountered in my visit to Iraq last year. Each said ‘thank you’ for coming and they appreciated what I was doing. That still surprises me and left me unprepared as to how to respond. What I’m doing is little in comparison to what they, and others like them, were and continue doing on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Another poignant moment came in a visit to a wounded soldier from Massachusetts. His wife and two children were with him. The visit with him, and his family, showed me that more then just the soldier hurts and suffers. The pain, agony, and fear of what’s ahead is a shared experience. The wounding of a soldier is also the wounding of wives, children, family members and friends. As they dressed his wounds, I could see the pain, concern and probably fear of the future on the face of his wife. The children played in a carefree manner around his bed.  At some point, the pain of war will touch them too as they see their father heal and deal with his rehabilitation.

Anytime we do a remote broadcast it’s a challenge and a broadcast thousands of miles away from our home base in San Francisco is even more challenging. Having said that, through the determined efforts of my producer J.B., and our San Francisco staff, our first broadcast from the hospital came together nicely. Word spread around the hospital that a national sports talk show was going to take place in room 4-D and we had a standing room only crowd. One thing I enjoy doing is having a fan co-host the show and seeing what it’s like to be on my side of the microphone. I think they come away with a better appreciation for what it takes to do Sports Byline. My first guest co-host was Sgt. Michael Taylor and our athlete guest was Jim Brown, one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. Jim of course was great and deeply appreciative of being on with the troops. As he talked, I could see in the faces of our soldier audience the connection they were making with his comments. The hour went by quickly and I have to say that Sgt. Taylor was so good he could have his own sports talk show. I think he was secretly thinking, “If Barr goes down, I’m the man.”

During the first hour I got a surprise. One of the patients I had met earlier, Air Force Lt. Derek Martin, from Ohio, walked in with several of the staff personal caring for him. Martin had been severely injured while fighting in Afghanistan. As he said, “We threw two grenades at the enemy, and one came back.” His face and eye had been severely injured. I asked him to co-host the second hour of the show and he agreed. Midway through his hour, the medical staff administered pain-killing drops in his injured eye. Together we shared a wonderful hour with the Atlanta Brave Brian Jordan and Hall of Fame quarterbacks Steve Young and Roger Staubach, himself a Vietnam war veteran. The supportive words of all three athletes touched everyone in the room.

After the broadcast and we headed to our hotel, I thought about Derek Martin and all the other patients I had met. Hopefully they’ll recover well and move ahead with their lives. It was a physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting day, but as I reflected on all that had happened, I came away appreciative for the experience and energized from meeting the patients and the men and women who care for them. I thank each of them for making my day so fulfilling and positive.

P.S. I was so jazzed I’m writing this at 3 a.m. in the lobby of our hotel.

Day Four

Time to Get Down Range

Our second day at Landstuhl Medical Center was like the first, at times difficult to absorb, but inspiring. I made a point to get back to the ICU and the wards to visit more wounded soldiers and staff. There are flights coming round the clock to Landstuhl with the wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan. I spent time with a seriously wounded from soldier from one of the coalition countries fighting with the United States in Afghanistan. It was a conversation that touched me deeply as he told me how his leg was shattered. His English was halting and broken at times, but he worked very hard to tell me what had happened. The details are unimportant.  Let's just say it was not a pretty incident. As I looked into his eyes and saw how hard he was working at getting the words out, it was evident to me he wanted to talk about it. He was grappling with his emotions and trying to understand what had happened and was happy to share his experience with someone.  I showed great interest and I hope I gave him at least a little support and comfort. When I said goodbye, he grabbed my hand with both of his hands and shook it warmly. Doing so with two hands was his way of showing me his deep appreciation for listening to him.

We wrapped up our second show with great guests again. Phil Mickelson, Eli Manning and Coach Pete Carroll hit home runs with our audience. Also, we had patients attending this show as word spread around the hospital about the good time that was had at our first show. The audience and patients smiles said it all.

Time to get down range. That's what they call it in the military when you go to Iraq, Afghanistan or Kuwait. We've been told it may be hard getting into Afghanistan. No reason is given, but it has been suggested things are heating up there as NATO is taking over some of the peacekeeping duties this summer and they're testing everyone's resolve, as well as sending a signal they're still active. It should be interesting. 

Next stop Afghanistan.

Day Five or Day Six or......

The trek to Afghanistan takes me from Germany to London where I meet Randy Cross. Cross is the former San Francisco 49ers All Pro lineman who now is a NFL analyst for CBS. I invited Cross to come to Afghanistan with me because I knew he'd be interested in the assignment and he was never the "dumb jock" type that some associate with sports, particularly football. When Cross was playing, he was a media favorite because of his ability to communicate and do so in twenty-second sound bites that radio and television sports media like. Also, I knew he'd connect with the troops because he came from a military family himself. His dad was a Marine, and it was that drive and discipline that helped drive Randy to success on the football field and in his various post-playing career. I was pleasantly surprised that Randy had prepared for the trip as he would have for one of his 49er games. He knew everything about Afghanistan, how we were getting there and the history of the region and the people. It was like he was studying game film of the 9ers next opponent. For Randy, his getting on the plane in Atlanta was the first step in what would turn out to be more than 48 hours without sleep.

Producer Jon Bullock and I found Randy looking lost at the British Airways gate for our flight to Bishkek Krygyzistan. I say lost because he had this look of, "What the hell do I do if these guys don't show up?" Needless to say, there was great relief when I called out his name. The flight was long and had a stop in some city I can't pronounce in Armenia. There were no planes at the airport and very few people, even though it wasn't that late in the evening when we landed there. And, I could tell we were getting further and further away from the civilization Randy and I were used to. Forty-five minutes later we were off for another nearly 4 hour flight to our ultimate destination of Bishkek Krygyzistan. Randy was quickly moving to the "running on fumes" stage, while I was at the very bored stage, and also getting tired from beginning my part of this trek in Germany nearly 24 hours earlier.

Landing at Bishkek, Krygyzistan was like living a Twilight Zone episode. No matter what I write here, it won't do justice to how truly strange it is. Krygyzistan is a former Soviet satellite country. Therefore, it's broken and behind the times. Being financially broke made it a good target for the U.S. government when they went looking for staging places for our invasion of Afghanistan. The airport is a former Soviet military airbase that had been turned into a civilian airport. The problem is there's little, if any, business here. The only airplanes on the ground are U.S. military planes and needless to say, we were cleared for an immediate landing. After deplaning, looking back at our new, sleek and modern British Airlines’ Airbus 320, I had one of those "What's wrong with this picture" moments. Yes, it might have been 5:30 in the morning, but it was obvious this might be the busiest time and highlight of the day at this airport. We had to get a visa to get into the country. While there were only a handful of people doing the same thing, the "one" person they had working the visa desk was-- how should I say this-"slow." Even though we were just transiting Bishkek on our way to Afghanistan, the visa official wanted to charge us double because we were coming back to catch our return flight next week. It was 35 dollars a person for the visa and he wanted to help the Krygyzistan National Treasury by making us pay twice. However, wily and wise J.B. kept telling him "No, we are only going to be here one time." The language barrier was a great help in our each only paying the 35 dollars once. One upside to landing at this International airport is there’s no waiting for our luggage. Actually, thanks to the lack of speed from our visa man, our military handlers had our luggage in the truck by the time we cleared customs. I use the word "customs" loosely and laughingly.

Then it was on to Manus U.S. Air Base. Actually, it's just another part of the Bishkek Krygyzistan International Airport, so our ride time was five minutes. We were tired and a day's rest would have been nice, but we hoped to catch our C-130 flight to Bagram Air Base, in Afghanistan, as soon as we could. Now let me explain something. There's real time and there's military time. It doesn't matter who you are, you go when the military tells you it's time to go. However, the waiting is tedious and tiring. We had a chance to eat, shower and wait. And wait. And wait. There had been some troops waiting five days to get a flight to Bagram. It wasn't bad weather or a broken airplane. It was just priorities, and the military determines who has them and when you go. Since we have a Sports Byline broadcast at Bagram, we hoped we could get out today, but there was no guarantee on that. They told us we were a go for a 1:30 p.m. flight. Randy, J.B. and I are going to Afghanistan with about 70 of our closest, gun carrying military friends. Suffice it to say, our flight took on the look of any American airline flight as it didn't leave until 5:30 p.m. Riding in the back of a noisy C-130 is akin to peasants traveling in steerage class in the bowels of a ship. I'm not complaining, I'm just trying to give you a realistic idea of what it’s like. In this case, we were all in the same boat. No one complained.  That’s the most impressive thing I've encountered in both my trip to Iraq and here. During the two hour and fifteen minute flight, I witnessed new ways for people to sleep. Some bent over, head on their knees. Others with their heads back, resting against the harness netting behind them. It's not pretty, and it's definitely not comfortable, but if you're lucky you'll get a catnap in. Two young soldiers spent the entire flight balancing a chessboard on their laps and playing. Others tried to stay warm and drown out the noisy engines by listening to their IPODS.

As a pilot I have a sensitivity for the feeling of flight and planes. I can tell when a plane is coming in too fast and the landing might be hard, or that something isn't normal and the pilot is taking corrective action. Training and my intuitiveness makes me look at flying different then most people. On this flight that training and intuitiveness told me on landing the cockpit was dealing with some challenging and unusual circumstances, and that they were doing a fine piece of flying. I could read the concern on the faces of my fellow passengers. Because of the mountains and winds, landing at Bagram takes a steady and professional hand.  Let me put it this way: it was a good thing the C-130 doesn't have many windows. The bouncing, speed acceleration and rush toward the ground was unusual and very disconcerting. Part of it was from using what is called a "diversion maneuver" on the approach to the airport. It’s used so you can't be tracked by hostile fire. We were coming down between high peaks, which are good points for the enemy to fire hand held missiles and rockets at aircraft. During their occupation of Afghanistan, the Soviets lost many helicopters and planes to enemy fire this way. Ironically, U.S. provided Stinger missiles downed many of those aircraft. Finally, we emerged from this frantic time and made a safe landing. However, an aircraft behind us on approach declared an emergency and that got them a full response on their landing. For us, that meant another hour we sat in our C-130 while ground personnel helped them. Fortunately, it didn't turn out to be a terrible emergency for our sister C-130.

We finally cleared our aircraft and many of the soldiers were glad to have their feet on the ground again, even if it was on the ground in Afghanistan. We got settled in our quarters, which is bunk beds in a bland, windowless building.  And, after getting something to eat, our long travel day came to an end. Falling asleep was not hard.

Memorial Day Weekend

War Knows No Holiday

One thing is perfectly clear, the enemy has no sense of timing or awareness of American holidays. The last couple of nights we've taken rocket fire on the base. This is Memorial Day, not the 4th of July. Shortly after the sound of explosions came the screaming sounds of a fighter plane. These are the sounds of a war zone.

Our first full day at Bagram Airfield is spent getting settled and a feel for where we are. Afghanistan is starkly beautiful. Snow covered high mountains surround the valley and airfield. The visual of snow covered mountains belies the dry, dusty, very hot conditions on the valley floor where we are. The most valuable commodity here is water and everyone drinks lots of it. I've decided I'm going to start a new business, getting the military water concession. After lunch we get a tour of the base. Bagram was the main base for the Russians during their occupation of Afghanistan. When they were forced out by the freedom fighters, they either destroyed what they didn't want, or took what they wanted with them. One thing they left behind as punishment for their defeat and embarrassment is land mines. Thousands of them. Mines are miserable pieces of military killing hardware. Yes, guns, mortar shells and other military hardware kill too, but usually not indiscriminately, and never after the conflict is over. The thousands of mines the Russians left behind at Bagram are everywhere. Everywhere you look you see wired off areas and signs saying "Mines." When the U.S. came into Afghanistan, the Russians provided them with maps of where the mines had been laid, but the accuracy of those maps is highly questionable. That meant finding and clearing them yourself. The mine clearing at Bagram is an ongoing process. We saw complicated and sophisticated machinery that unearths and explodes them. Less sophisticated efforts include mine sniffing dogs and a heavily fortified bulldozer. There's one job in the military no one wants, driving the mine-plowing bulldozer. And, even less sophisticated is the "man with a stick" approach where you walk along poking the ground, trying to find the mines. I understand, but not confirmed, that some of the coalition forces get the "stick" assignment. The locals, the Afghan people around the base, seem oblivious to the mines and the dangers. They graze their live stock in known mine fields, and they sometimes pay the price with a lost limb or even their lives. And, children play their games and soccer in the mine field areas. It's almost too much to comprehend.

Further on our tour, we see destroyed Russian tanks and discarded, damaged Russian Mig fighter planes. A still standing silo has a very large rocket shell hole in it and pit marks from shrapnel. All signs of the scourge of war. The tutorial of the history of the base and what proceeded the Americans is fascinating, but it also makes me think how little things have changed. War is war. We drive down what is called "Disney Drive.”  I have no idea why it's named that and our host can't tell us. It's the main drag of the airfield and every morning it's closed for two hours so the troops can get a weekly mandatory run in. At one end of Disney Drive is a bazaar area. This is where locals come and sell their goods at what I understand to be very, very good prices. I say I understand, because the bazaar has been closed for several weeks because of the rocket attacks on Bagram. The military command feels that by removing a source of revenue from the locals it will persuade them to "turn in" those who are rocketing the base. Refer to my opening paragraph to see if it's working.

"Meet and greets" are a big part of any entertainers visit to military bases. Our first full day at Bagram ends with Randy Cross and I meeting and greeting a group of soldiers at the MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) "clamshell." This is a cloth-covered structure that looks exactly like a clamshell and where entertainers put on their shows for the troops, and where Sports Byline USA will originate. Randy is a hit with the troops and regales them with stories about the 49ers, Joe Montana and his other experiences with pro football and those who play it. I'm across the clamshell talking with other soldiers, but I hear a lot of laughter from Randy's group. The soldiers know Randy from his playing days and his current work CBS. He's a big hit with them. Of course, I'm a big hit too, but for a different reason. Many know me from having listened to me back in the states, but their "love" for me is because I’m giving them EA SPORTS video games, Blue Goo product and NFL hats and shirts. Ironically, Blue Goo, which is an ointment for sore muscles, is highly desired and runs out quickly. Our first full day here ends with a walk back to our sleeping quarters and a feeling that I'm glad I'm here. However, our wish and hope for a good night's sleep is badly interrupted by the snoring of one of the comedian entertainers who is sharing our sleeping bunkhouse. Now, there's snoring and then there's SNORING. This guy may be funny on stage, but he wasn't very funny or popular with us. Being a man of action, I shook his bunk several times to wake him up. That worked for a couple of minutes, but then back he went to sawing down a forest. I finally got his attention by waking him up and telling him that he needed to roll on his side and stop snoring, or we were going to take his bed, with him in it, out and leave it near a mine field. His getting up in the middle of the night, and walking to the latrine would have a lasting effect. He got the message and sleep peace was achieved.

Our second day at Bagram was full of other "meet and greets." Our "JOC meet and greet”, that stands for something military not sports related, was cancelled with a "it's not a good time" response. However, we did meet the MWR staff and the Colonel who heads up the group. I don't have enough time to tell you all the good things the MWR people do for the servicemen and women, but trust me when I tell you they're as important as any other supporting effort our soldiers have or need. The Colonel is a woman and I like her right away. She has a firm handshake and looks you in the eye, but I also feel she has compassion.  I sense she’s very good at not only this job, but at any job she’d have in the military. One of the things I wanted to do here was go and meet the troops at a FOB (Forward Operating Base). These are the soldiers who are away from the main base and don't get as many, or any, of the conveniences of the base soldiers. They are truly the front line of this war. There are FOBs along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and the soldiers there are the "in the trenches" troops. I was told on arrival that I wouldn't be able to take a chopper flight to any of the FOBs because of this reason or that reason. I know the military well enough to know that anything is possible if you know the right person who can pull the right strings. I sensed this MWR Colonel was the right person who could get it done. I told her of my desires and she said, "Let's get him on a chopper to a FOB." The staff understood immediately her desire and my visit to a FOB became a done deal. Another indication that my visit to a FOB was meant to be is the FOB I was going to is FOB Tillman. I get chills just writing it as this FOB is named after the late NFL player Pat Tillman, who was killed by "friendly fire" on a Ranger mission in the area where this FOB is located. The karma Gods are with me on this trip.

Tillman was a part of the Army's most exclusive fighting force, the Rangers. They’re the Army's "best of the best." They take on the toughest assignments, do it with quiet professionalism, and seek no reward other then the knowledge they were part of a team that accomplished their assignment. Like most things in life, and the military, the talented and rank have the privileges. That's the case with the Ranger's camp, Camp Vance, here at Bagram. Various camps make up Bagram, but Camp Vance is THE camp here. It has it's own security, the mess hall food is a cut above other mess halls, and these Ranger soldiers work and play hard. I immediately felt a different atmosphere when I stepped inside the gates of Camp Vance. One thing different with some of the soldiers Randy and I met is some had long beards.  Normally beards are not allowed or seen anywhere else in the Army. This allows them to blend in with the local populace easily, and in this culture, a beard is something respected and trusted. A group of bearded Rangers we met are young, but already veterans. They’ve served elsewhere, particularly in South America, and speak Spanish. One thing Randy and I heard that is the essence of practically every soldier we have met, but particularly impressive with these Rangers is, "We do this because it's important to us and to be part of a team. We certainly don't do it for the money or the glory. We have a job to do." The comment left a deep impression on us. Later, I talked with a chief Sergeant who had been in the military 25 plus years. He gave us a tutorial on the military, the Rangers and the history of combat. Over his 25 plus year career, he had been in many of America's military conflicts. We both found it fascinating. He also said he was coming up on his 25th wedding anniversary. I asked him how much time over those years he had been able to spend with his wife and family? He paused, and in a somewhat sad way said, "Not much." That comment stuck with me as we ended another day in Afghanistan.

For tour coordinator and show producer Jon Bullock (J.B.) Sunday was an early wake up call. The MWR Colonel got us on a Chinook helicopter to FOB Tillman that was supposed to leave at 6:30 a.m. We knew that probably meant 8:30, and we were right. After we got breakfast, it gave me a chance to watch them pre-flight helicopter 644. The Chinook has been a workhorse helicopter for the military since Vietnam, and maybe ever earlier. It can carry troops and equipment. It's a twin bladed aircraft that looks like a sausage. I'm a fixed wing pilot, but I have  a lot of respect and admiration for those who fly helicopters. I doubt I could "pat my head and rub my tummy" as they say about those who fly helicopters. One thing I noticed about the Chinooks here is they have three gun positions, one on each side and one on the loading ramp of the Chinook. That tells you these helicopters see serious action and go where things can get nasty. Going with us are 15 soldiers and other civilian personnel bringing PX supplies to FOB Tillman. The 644 crew chief got my attention when he asked how many people were flying the Chinook for the first time. Two others and I raised their hand. He then told us what to do in case we were shot down (follow the skid marks behind the helicopter because that will tell you there aren't any land mines). If we're on fire which exits to kick out the windows and to evacuate, and what to do if we're hit by enemy fire (get out if we crash any way you can). With that in mind, we "mount up." I grabbed the seat next to the right side open window and machine gunner. This mystery man machine gunner looked like Darth Vader in his flight and combat gear and darken face shield. At no time, coming or returning, did I ever see his face. But, I could tell his was young and very professional. The other two gunners, a man on the left side and woman in the rear were the same. Our two pilots were a man and woman. Professionalism makes no distinction between the sexes.  A professional is a professional.

As we left Bagram, I got my first surprise. I thought everything would be desert. That it would be nothing but brown and dirt. Yes, there was plenty of brown and dirt, but flying low over the ground I saw many lush green fields. The valley between the high surrounding mountains has farms and I didn't expect to see as many little towns as I was seeing. The Afghans have carved out life from a barren landscape. It is impressive. Almost every home is in enclosed in a walled compound. Even where there are no homes, there are walled areas where I can only assume they did so to mark their property, keep their livestock and grow their crops. Another surprise is in the middle of the desert, where there's a lot of brown and dirt and no one for as far as one can see, there will be a walled off area and a house. How and why came to mind? Even though I'm only seeing a small part of Afghanistan on this flight, I can see life is very sustainable. I understand in the Southern part of Afghanistan there are many valleys of lush green fields. The problem is those fields are opium poppy fields.

Our flight finally leaves the inhabited valleys and heads to the mountains that separate Afghanistan and Pakistan. I watch as the gunner beside me moves his finger to the trigger of his 50-caliber machine gun. Behind his darkened facemask his eyes are looking for any hint of trouble. We fly close to the ground and below the mountain peaks on each side of us. I could almost reach out and touch them. The strategy of flying low doesn't give the enemy as good a chance to lock on to us with missile or ground fire. A big challenge for pilots is dealing with difficult wind currents, deadly wind shear and what is called ground effect. Ground effect is caused by the up drafts and down drafts created by the mountains. A couple of weeks ago, the Army lost 10 men from a helicopter crash that was caused by these conditions. Feeling the buffeting of the wind and the crosscurrent of wind gave me a deep appreciation for the skill of the man and woman flying Chinook 644. They have my respect and appreciation.

After a quick refueling stop at a FOB for us and the Apache attack helicopter that is with us for protection, we make the quick 15 minute last leg flight to FOB Tillman. The 90-minute flight from Bagram has been insightful, but also physically straining from having to wear 50 pounds of personal protective gear. I think about how the crew and soldiers have to do it all the time. FOB Tillman is less then 5 kilometers from Pakistan. It's a hot spot and it's one of many FOBs that are the first combat points against Taliban infiltrators. Out of a pile of rocks, some 200 soldiers live here and fight from here. On the peaks surrounding FOB Tillman are observation posts that pinpoint enemy activity and call for artillery. The first thing that strikes me about FOB Tillman is "How and hell did they build it?" It has some air conditioning, a minimal mess hall, four showers that barely work, a very limited motor pool to fix the combat humvees that go out on patrol every day and cramped sleeping quarters. It's Spartan living and I'm being generous in that description. Discipline is important in the military and that discipline comes from the command structure, especially the senior sergeants. They are the real power in the military. At FOB Tillman is a senior sergeant who is a Dallas Cowboy fan, and takes a lot of grief for being so. For some reason there seems to be a lot of Redskin fans on the FOB. The unit here is from the 10th Mountain Division, from Fort Drum in upstate New York.  There's also a strong New England sports fan base here as well. Let me say, in lieu of female company at this isolated fighting outpost, sports trashing talking relieves some of the tension. It's not the best solution, but it helps. The troops here are surprised and glad to see me. Usually no one (entertainer) comes up here to spend time with them, but that's exactly why I came. I have lunch with them and give out more EA SPORTS video games. They're appreciative, but I sense they have little time to spend playing video games. What they do is real life, and important.

FOB Tillman is a joint military effort with the Afghanistan military. The Afghanistan commanding officer is a striking looking man with dark features. I can't tell his age, but I’d guess he's in his late 20's. His soldiers appear to be even younger. He speaks passable English and we talk briefly. No spit and polish here. If you didn't see the commander's men carry automatic weapons, you would have thought they were just average Afghan citizens. They wear no uniforms and there appears to be no rank among them. They’re men fighting for the future of their country. It may sound strange, but I was touched with their softness. They speak in a quiet voice and have dark, handsome features. I’m told they’re trusted, hard fighting soldiers. This is unlike what I found among the Iraqi soldiers. I came away with the impression the American soldiers appreciated the Afghan soldiers desire to fight for their country, and the Afghan soldiers appreciated the Americans helping them do so.

After four hours at FOB Tillman, and their pile of rocks home, Chinook 644 returned with our Apache attack helicopter protection, to take us home. As we lifted off, I thought of Pat Tillman and the many other soldiers who have come here. Some giving their lives, as Pat had done, others coming, serving and going home. But, all had done so selflessly, and to that one can only say "thank you."

On our 90-minute flight home we came back partially a different way. More mountains, more tough flying. For the first time I saw Bedouin people camped out in tents in the of the baron desert. A life I couldn't imagine. As we passed over, the camels and livestock would momentarily scatter, but I knew they would return to their owners and the one source all living life needs, water.

The last half-hour of the flight was hard. Fatigue was setting in from the long day and early wake up. We returned safely to the Bagram Airfield flight line. Before I left Chinook 644 I said "thank you" to my mysterious gunner. I don't know whether he was smiling behind his darken mask, but I sensed he appreciated my saying so. He gave me a thumbs up sign. Unlike when we showed up on the flight line at 6:30 a.m., and it was eerily quiet, now the flight line is a beehive of activity. Chinook, Blackhawk and Apache helicopters coming and going, and A-10 Warthog attack fighter planes taking off on missions. For me as a pilot, this was an adrenaline rush. I took it all in for a couple of minutes, and then walked down the flight line carrying my body protection gear and helmet. It was a walk I could relate to and have taken many times. Tired, I looked forward to a shower and a good night's sleep, but also thought of the 200 men and their Afghan comrades getting ready for a night of combat action at FOB Tillman.

Memorial Day

A Day to Remember

Across America families and friends gather to mark the start of summer with Memorial Day cookouts and picnics. In Afghanistan, it’s just another day in a war zone, with minor adjustments. The day started with a 6 a.m. 5 K run down Disney Blvd. No thank you, just tell me who won and who looked good doing it. Randy Cross, the forever athlete, was a trooper. Half asleep, I told him “good luck” as he went out our bunkhouse door. Some time later he returned looking like he had been “ridden hard and hung up wet.” I asked him how he did, and without missing a beat he said, “I finished first in the over weight, over age, broadcasters’ division.” Of course, it’s hard to finish second in a division of one.

Being in a war zone colors one’s thoughts on a day like this. These servicemen and women approach their job the same way race drivers approach their profession. They know it could all end in the blink of an eye, but don’t think about it. To do so would make you question every decision you make and probably open the door to tragedy. The troops at Bagram honor their dead by lining the long Disney Blvd., at attention and saluting, as the fallen soldiers’ caskets slowly move down the road. Just a couple of weeks ago, this ceremony honored 10 fallen heroes who were killed in helicopter crash. It’s a crushing reminder of where the troops are and how they have to stay alert at all times.

Randy and I spent the day connecting with as many troops as we could. One thing we continuously hear from the troops is “Thank you for coming and caring.” It embarrasses both of us since we’re here to say “thank you” to them for their service and commitment.

It’s special that Sports Byline’s first broadcast from Afghanistan comes on Memorial Day. Doing a remote broadcast from this environment, and such a distance from our home base, is a challenge. However, another challenge, even before we started broadcasting the show erupted. First, you should understand the Afghanistan war effort is a coalition of countries, with the U.S. as the lead country. Walk around Bagram and you see the flags of many countries, and you hear many different languages. Poland, Egypt, France, Australia and Korea are among the coalition of countries. As best as I can tell, the other coalition countries are only in support positions, with the U.S. the only major combat force seeing action in Afghanistan. The challenge that erupted before our broadcast involved the South Koreans. On Sunday, they were to hold their weekly Tae Kwon Do class, but a very high level meeting of generals, meeting at the MWR “Clamshell” class site, cancelled the class. On Monday, they showed up in mass to hold their Sunday cancelled class. The problem this time is Sports Byline USA is broadcasting. Again, there’s no room for the Koreans to practice. This did not set well with them and voices were spoken in an agitated way between the MWR reps and a Korean officer. I’m not sure everyone understood each other’s position since English was at best a second language for the Koreans, and Korean was not even an understandable language for the Americans. Watching all this, I could see the story headline now, BARR AND SPORTS BYLINE CAUSE INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT. I needed to return peace and friendly relations between coalition partners. I sprang into action and as best I could I asked all the Koreans to follow me. Hesitantly they did so, not sure of what I had in mind. In the Asian culture, style and sincerity is important. I nodded my head slightly, as a sign of respect, and told them I appreciated their understanding about our show taking precedent over their Tae Kwon Do class. Then the move that closed the deal, I offered them all EA SPORTS video games or NFL hats. Free stuff is the international language. Their faces lit up and the mood changed quickly. As they rummaged through the video games, a couple of the Koreans decided they preferred a NFL hat instead. After that, most of the Koreans asked for the hats as well. I’m not sure whether they really knew what the NFL is, but I think they felt that a hat, given to them by an American, gave them stature. And, stature is very important in the Asian culture. My MWR reps laughingly gave me high fives for defusing the situation. Also, I learned something interesting about the Koreans. If a Korean soldier steals something, or does anything of equivalent disrespect, their fellow soldiers mete out their punishment and it’s not pretty. The offending soldier is put in the center of a circle, and his fellow soldiers kick and knock the snot out of him. Disgracing himself disgraces all Koreans and the punishment is swift and harsh.

An international incident averted, Sports Byline’s first broadcast came off with an appreciative crowd watching. As has become customary, a serviceman or woman is a co-host. Because of satellite problems, we had to adjust our format, but with everyone pulling together, we pulled off the first sports talk show to originate from Afghanistan. It was a great way to end what will forever be a memorable Memorial Day for me.

Time to Go Home

The last day at Bagram Airfield was spent with more “meet and greets.”  One was with an Air Force Major who headed up a security and special intelligence investigation division and had approached us the night before asking if we would come over and meet his men and women. Needless to say, their job is top secret, but he gave Randy and me a good insight into the challenges, efforts and progress in Afghanistan. While he revealed no secrets, what he did share with us was brutally frank about how difficult the assignment is and the dangers and challenges of getting intelligence. On his squad is a young woman from New Hampshire who had a badly bruised arm. Without giving details, she simply said it was from the job. You could tell from her demeanor that she is tough, professional, and very good at her at her job. I asked her when was the last time she had had a date. Laughing, she said, “I can’t remember.” More sacrifices and more unseen heroes of what some call the “Forgotten War.”

The next stop was the Bagram Airfield hospital. The comparisons between the Landstuhl Medical Center, in Germany, and this hospital are night and day. The one similarity is the professionalism and compassion toward the wounded and injured by both staffs. The Bagram hospital is a make shift, plywood structure. The staff does the best with what they have. There’s an ebb and flow here depending on battlefield activity. One word we were told that never gets said is “slow.” It’s a jinx. Their job here is to treat the wounded and injured soldier and stabilize them until they can be moved as quickly as possible to Landstuhl. The day of our visit there’s only one soldier in the ward and he’s there with an infection from a non-combat injury. However, that doesn’t mean everyone is sitting around playing cards. One of the non-reported contributions of the U.S. effort in Afghanistan is providing medial care and attention to civilian Afghans. Two times a week, Afghans come to the front gate of Bagram seeking medical help. Many times that help is sought for injured children, and too many times it’s help for badly injured children who have been blown up by land mines while playing. I saw one very small child who had been seriously hurt, though not by a mine, and it brought tears to my eyes. Other children were in hospital beds with their parents nearby. The pain and fear on the faces of the children and parents tells the story of what life is like in Afghanistan for them. The waiting room was full. I learned that the average life expectancy of an Afghan male is forty-three years. As I left, I quietly gave a teenage boy an EA SPORTS FIFA World Cup soccer video game. Soccer is “big” in Afghanistan. His eyes got big and he broke into an ear to ear smile. No words were exchanged; one look said it all. Again, sport is the international language.

Our flight out of Afghanistan was scheduled for that night. Two things are painfully clear; there is no schedule for the war here or Air Force flights. We showed up at the flight line at 11 p.m. only to be told our flight back to Manis, in Krygyzistan, had been cancelled. So, we headed back to our bunkhouse home and tried to get some sleep before having to show up at 7 a.m. the next morning. Our 7 a.m. check-in finally got us a 1 p.m. ride on a C-130. The highlight of our “hang around and wait time” was the arrival of one of the Air Forces’ biggest bombers, the B-1. As it screamed to a halt in front of us, I learned it was here because it had a bomb stuck in it. My hope was that in coming to that screaming halt it didn’t loosen the hung up bomb. I’m still here, so you know it didn’t.

I’m “at home” anytime I can ride in the cockpit of a plane. My flying career spans many years and many different aircraft. In Iraq last year I got my first cockpit time in a C-130. My second cockpit time in a C-130 came on our return trip to Manis. Some cockpit crews are comfortable with having a jump seat rider, others aren’t. I can respect that. Our crew this time was from the Texas Air National Guard and they were flying an Alaska Air National Guard plane. I felt I had a good chance of getting a “Yes Sir” on my jump seat request when I saw the crew captain clenching a cigar firmly in his mouth and with a Texas size smile. My assumption was correct after the crew captain assured the navigator that he didn’t think any security cockpit technology was in jeopardy from my being up front. It didn’t take long for the crew and me to warm up to each other, especially after I fished some NFL hats out of my bag and spread them around to the cockpit crew and the two loadmasters in the back. We were instant friends after that. Later, I gave them NFL shirts and EA SPORTS video games, hoping that might get me an invitation to fly the plane. No such luck.

The takeoff from Bagram was impressive. The mountains around Bagram are so high that unless you’re a jet, you have to circle around until you can get enough altitude to get over the mountains. Add to this blowing wind and sand, and you have anything but a normal takeoff and flying conditions. Being on headset, I heard a pre-takeoff instrument problem found and corrected. After takeoff, and on climb out, we all got our first startling moment. No pilot wants to hear the “aircraft avoidance” warning go off. That means we’re heading in a dangerous direction toward another aircraft. The tower also warned us and all eyes, including mine, were scanning the dust-covered sky for what we thought was a DC-8 in bound to Bagram. The crew captain made correction changes while we continued to look for the unseen aircraft. We never did see it, but it pointed up again the challenges of flying in this part of the world, in this war, and it emphasized just how good these military flight crews are.

The rest of the flight was uneventful and after reaching our cruising altitude I talked on headset with the crew and marveled at the towering peaks around us. Some of the peaks reaching as high as 24,000 feet.

I wanted to share the exhilaration of the view and camaraderie of the crew with Randy Cross, so I invited him up front. The crew was pleased to have a former All Pro NFL player, who had won 3 Super Bowls, up front and flying with them. They bonded quickly with Randy and from the laughter I could hear, off headset, I knew Randy was sharing some of his NFL stories with them. I went to back end of the plane to spend time with the loadmasters, who work just as hard as the cockpit crew, but don’t get as much glory. This team of six, cockpit and loadmasters, is as good as any team you’ll find in any sport. I let Randy enjoy the cockpit experience of landing at Manis. After we landed, Randy came out of the cockpit smiling and simply said, “Wow.” After landing we got together with the crew for a “team” picture. Let me express my appreciation for this C-130 crew’s kindness and courtesy. Your stories and secrets are safe with me.

Our return to Manis Air Base in Bishkek Krygyzistan brought one of the best lines of the trip from Randy. Upon landing, he said, “Welcome to 1957.” I laugh every time I think of it. We were glad to get back here, for it meant we were headed for the final leg of our trip home. It also meant dinner and an early bedtime since we had to get up at 3:45 a.m. to catch our flights back to San Francisco.

Settling into our seats on our very comfortable British Airways flight from Bishkek to London started the reflection process. One can’t have the personal experience of seeing the war effort first hand without such reflection. I came to Afghanistan, but I also knew I’d be leaving in a short period of time. The men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are here for the duration of their tours, and many are here for their second and third tours. My first reaction is not one of guilt about being able to leave, but more of an appreciation that I can leave when I choose to. In reflection, Randy and I were struck by the incredible dedication of all those who are serving. They do so for personal reasons, certainly not the money, and probably not for the glory. Whatever their reason for doing so, they’re special people.

On the nearly 22 hour flight from Bishkek to San Francisco, I think of the many memories of the two week trip. Wounded soldiers, nurses, doctors, airmen, pilots, combat troops, children, the Afghan people, and the many others who have all left me with memories. They’re memories never to be forgotten, just as my Iraq memories are still with me. I hope I, along with Randy Cross and producer/trip coordinator Jon Bullock, were able to bring a few moments of joy to all we came in contact with. The response we got from all we met is appreciation enough for our efforts. “Thank you” seems to be the most appropriate thing for me to say.

If you have any comments for Ron on his Diary, you can email him at rbarr@sportsbyline.com.

Related Links and News Stories

-Armed Forces Network Reports on Ron's Visit to Germany [Windows Media Video]

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