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dsittler · 07-21-2009, 05:07 PM

Just a few pics (not a Pentax camera..sorry!) from my job at the Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. I do the technical support and repairs for the airport crash trucks and fire fighting structure trucks for KAF.It's my job to make sure that the fire equipment and the fire fighters can do their job protecting the young men and women who risk it all every day. I am home for the summer with an injured knee and will be returning in the fall. I am there for 3 months at a time and this has been the greatest adventure I have ever been on!

When I stand in line waiting for a coffee at Tim Hortons (the Canadians will know what thats about) I get to talk to the soldiers from different countries alot and to them they are "just doing their job" and nothing more. I'm glad when they are "just doing their job" when I have to do mine and I am close to the "wire" servicing water pumps and a Humvee pulls up and make sure no one takes a pot shot at me.
No matter what you hear in the media these people are doing some good over there as I have seen it with my own eyes.

We should be all proud of our soldiers.

Attached Images

esman7 · 07-23-2009, 02:36 PM

That's awesome - thanks for sharing!

Leaf Fan · 07-23-2009, 03:01 PM

Awesome.

I was at a dinner and the guest speaker was a Canadian MP (Military Police) who served 2 tours in AStan and was going back for a 3rd, he had some POWERFUL photos with him. After his presentation he got a standing ovation for at least 7min and a group of about 80 grown men stood in honour of all our troops and what they are doing and sacrificing over there.

lithos · 07-24-2009, 04:07 AM

See any Diggers lining up for Tim Horton's?

k100d · 07-24-2009, 07:59 AM

thanks for the post, good to see another side of the war

Blue · 07-24-2009, 09:12 AM

How is the coffee?

deejjjaaaa · 07-24-2009, 03:48 PM

and this is the place 30 years ago

Last edited by deejjjaaaa; 07-24-2009 at 04:00 PM.

Electric Eye · 07-25-2009, 01:40 PM

...Loved the series,the old pics just have this quality to them that I can't quite finger!

dsittler · 07-26-2009, 07:47 PM

Those pics were awesome, I don't have good ones like that however here are a few more. I cannot post alot of the pictures I have due to security reasons.

Derek

Hey Elwood · 07-26-2009, 09:28 PM

This is an awesome thread. I've done a lot of photos for a group here in Michigan called the VMW and everytime I see the soldiers I'm so proud of the sacrifice every one of them decided to make to protect Freedom and Liberty. If and/or when you see them again (I know how hard a busted knee can be to mend) please mention that we are praying for them and their safe return.

PS, I hope your knee heals well and thank you for taking care of the fire fighting units out there. Everyone does their part you deserve just as much credit. My wife and I will be praying for you.

dsittler · 07-27-2009, 04:53 PM

Thanks for your kind words, I have been married for 26 years and in that time my wife and I have never been apart for more then 5 days. Needless to say this was a "leap of faith" for me as I have also have never been of the continent. This has been the best experience of my life and I have a great support team at home!

If you think Humvee's are tough have a look at this truck, these are everywhere now and becoming another military work horse.

The second picture: Behold the "Jingle truck", this is the Afghan interpretation of chrome. We will all give thanks that this is NOT on the road here in North America. The more the truck is decorated they believe it will bring them luck and good fortune. It is not unusual to see jingle trucks riddled with bullet holes and the truck drivers here think they have it tough...

Deejjjaaa, could you tell me the story behind the pictures they are fantastic! The armoured wheeled vehicle in the third picture is still in use in Afghanistan and I'm sure the roads have not changed at all. I would bet that some of those pics were taken at the Kandahar Airfield.

Derek

**Mallee Boy** · 07-28-2009, 02:21 PM

G'day Derek,
Thanks for sharing the photos, it helps to add some perspective to it all.

And Thank YOU and all your fellow soldiers for the great job you are all doing. I know someone who has a son over there in the RAAF, so we get to hear bits & pieces.
Cheers
Grant

deejjjaaaa · 07-28-2009, 02:32 PM

07-21-2009, 05:07 PM	#1
dsittler Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 25	Kandahar, Afghanistan,,,my job. Just a few pics (not a Pentax camera..sorry!) from my job at the Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. I do the technical support and repairs for the airport crash trucks and fire fighting structure trucks for KAF.It's my job to make sure that the fire equipment and the fire fighters can do their job protecting the young men and women who risk it all every day. I am home for the summer with an injured knee and will be returning in the fall. I am there for 3 months at a time and this has been the greatest adventure I have ever been on! When I stand in line waiting for a coffee at Tim Hortons (the Canadians will know what thats about) I get to talk to the soldiers from different countries alot and to them they are "just doing their job" and nothing more. I'm glad when they are "just doing their job" when I have to do mine and I am close to the "wire" servicing water pumps and a Humvee pulls up and make sure no one takes a pot shot at me. No matter what you hear in the media these people are doing some good over there as I have seen it with my own eyes. We should be all proud of our soldiers. Attached Images

07-25-2009, 01:40 PM	#8
Electric Eye Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 238	awesome! ...Loved the series,the old pics just have this quality to them that I can't quite finger!

07-26-2009, 07:47 PM	#9
dsittler Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 25 Original Poster	Those pics were awesome, I don't have good ones like that however here are a few more. I cannot post alot of the pictures I have due to security reasons. Derek Attached Images

07-27-2009, 04:53 PM	#11
dsittler Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 25 Original Poster	Thanks for your kind words, I have been married for 26 years and in that time my wife and I have never been apart for more then 5 days. Needless to say this was a "leap of faith" for me as I have also have never been of the continent. This has been the best experience of my life and I have a great support team at home! If you think Humvee's are tough have a look at this truck, these are everywhere now and becoming another military work horse. The second picture: Behold the "Jingle truck", this is the Afghan interpretation of chrome. We will all give thanks that this is NOT on the road here in North America. The more the truck is decorated they believe it will bring them luck and good fortune. It is not unusual to see jingle trucks riddled with bullet holes and the truck drivers here think they have it tough... Deejjjaaa, could you tell me the story behind the pictures they are fantastic! The armoured wheeled vehicle in the third picture is still in use in Afghanistan and I'm sure the roads have not changed at all. I would bet that some of those pics were taken at the Kandahar Airfield. Derek Attached Images

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07-23-2009, 02:36 PM	#2
esman7 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 322	That's awesome - thanks for sharing!

07-23-2009, 03:01 PM	#3
Leaf Fan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canada eh! Photos: Gallery Posts: 673	Awesome. I was at a dinner and the guest speaker was a Canadian MP (Military Police) who served 2 tours in AStan and was going back for a 3rd, he had some POWERFUL photos with him. After his presentation he got a standing ovation for at least 7min and a group of about 80 grown men stood in honour of all our troops and what they are doing and sacrificing over there.

07-24-2009, 04:07 AM	#4
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	See any Diggers lining up for Tim Horton's?

07-24-2009, 07:59 AM	#5
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	thanks for the post, good to see another side of the war

07-24-2009, 09:12 AM	#6
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	How is the coffee?

07-24-2009, 03:48 PM	#7
deejjjaaaa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043	and this is the place 30 years ago Last edited by deejjjaaaa; 07-24-2009 at 04:00 PM.

07-26-2009, 09:28 PM	#10
Hey Elwood Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Highland, MI Posts: 336	This is an awesome thread. I've done a lot of photos for a group here in Michigan called the VMW and everytime I see the soldiers I'm so proud of the sacrifice every one of them decided to make to protect Freedom and Liberty. If and/or when you see them again (I know how hard a busted knee can be to mend) please mention that we are praying for them and their safe return. PS, I hope your knee heals well and thank you for taking care of the fire fighting units out there. Everyone does their part you deserve just as much credit. My wife and I will be praying for you.

07-28-2009, 02:21 PM	#12
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904	G'day Derek, Thanks for sharing the photos, it helps to add some perspective to it all. And Thank YOU and all your fellow soldiers for the great job you are all doing. I know someone who has a son over there in the RAAF, so we get to hear bits & pieces. Cheers Grant

07-28-2009, 02:32 PM	#13
deejjjaaaa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043

Kandahar, Afghanistan,,,my job.

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