Cpl Ariana Finch, Afghanistan. (WN 08-0040-01tn)
17 December 2008
By Corporal Ariana Finch
Touching down in Bagram Air Force base (BAF) after a period of tactical flying was just one of many the experiences I've had as part of the New Zealand National Support Element (NZ NSE) in Afghanistan . After numerous deployment nominations, then acceptance for the current NZ PRT rotation, sitting on that Herc, it was all becoming very real. Finally, an opportunity to do what I joined the army for! Pre Deployment Training (PDT) wasn’t what I thought it would be – it was a lot more. I'd never had to work with personnel from all three services before. This took a while to get used to, as their procedures are a lot different to the Army’s. Also, administrators rarely get the opportunity to practice and utilise basic soldier skills, so it was great to refresh and improve these skills, learn new weapon systems and tactical procedures, and conduct live firing to a level I hadn’t reached before.
In Bagram I’m the NSE Administrator. The NSE provides logistics and movements support to missions. My job is to provide general administrative support for the NSE team in BAF, the PRT in Bamyan, and other NZ missions operating in Afghanistan. My daily routine here differs dramatically from what I did back in NZ. About 5% of my day is the same work. Here, I am also responsible for money, the payment of all invoices, pay cards, the cashbook, and my biggest and most important job; the control of all mail in and out of theatre. These tasks are not only conducted in Bagram, but also require me to travel occasionally to Kabul and Bamyan.
Bagram Airbase, or BAF as it is commonly called, is a massive ex-Russian airbase north of Kabul . It has a perimeter of approximately 16kms, and up to 20,000 international military and civilian personnel work there. While it is primarily a military installation, some comforts from home can be found, including a Burger King and Pizza Hut! On Saturday evenings we often have a BBQ; a good opportunity to meet people of different nationalities and from different units here at BAF. Outside work hours we participate in camp activities such as step aerobics, movies, concerts and sometimes early morning fun runs.
Outside the wire, Afghanistan is not what I had expected. Driving to Kabul is chaos, with everyone driving at high speeds, virtually non existent road-rules, dodging Jingle trucks, and being mindful of the small children playing on the side of the main road with no adults in sight.
Flying over Afghanistan gave me a completely different perspective of the country. Families live in large mountain valleys, their houses built on the side and at the bottom of the mountains. With snow starting to get lower into the valleys, I can only imagine how hard a life it would be, unable to get access in or out during the winter, with no electricity, and possibly little food and warmth.
The Afghani reaction to females working in positions of authority is an interesting experience. The locals who work in Bagram are easy to get along with, however some workers are harder to communicate with and appear unsure what to do when directed by me. Having said that, I’m enjoying my first operational deployment, and have a lot more to learn and see in Afghanistan in the months ahead. I thoroughly recommend that all administrators take the same opportunity I did and ask to deploy on this mission.
Ends