Battlefield Tourist

Finally made it to the base at Salerno. Doesn't hardly get any closer to Pakistan than this. Unfortunately, I'm supposed to be hooking up with the Marines down south, but who knows. Things are so whacked here.
The plan was to get to Salerno, do some patrols, then head back to Kabul for a day or so before going to Kandahar. That's the plan at least. I have learned much about patience and fluidity.
My in-country nemesis is a one Major Moon. He runs the press assignments out of Kabul and as big as a pain the ass as can be. He's quickly come to know me, and unfortunately, seems not to care much for me at all. Maybe it isn't me and it is IHA... who knows. I have given him no grief, at least not too much. A type of grief that shouldn't hinder me in getting to the field. Unfortunately that isn't the case.
After waiting a month to get to this place, Moon tells me that "I'm lucky" to have gotten here. I realize there's a huge line to do so, but the problem is much deeper.
I have made it as easy as possible to be deployed: I work alone, have little gear, and am former military. On the other hand: The people I came here with came with two tons of gear and was a huge logistical nightmare. For some reason, the logistical nightmare doesn't create a problem like me asking for assignments. To me this proves that the guy that has me by the balls, simply doesn't like. Me. Unheard of.
I've come to the conclusion that people in power to do not like people who are strong and independent. We're not talking about not following the rules, we're talking about simply being easy to deal with. I am convinced that because I am easy to please, I receive the shit assignments. Then the double edge of the sword comes when I say something to stick up for myself, I'm told to stop complaining and that "I'm lucky".
Reminds me of a time in the Marines. Back around 1986 at Camp Pendleton, a Corporal Bowden would always have me doing the crappy jobs. One day I finally said, "Corporal Bowden, why do you always ask me to do these jobs?". He replied: "Because you don't complain when I ask." At that point I explained to him that in effect, he was punishing me because I did my job properly. I feel the same way here with Major Moon.
When I first got here, I told him that I would take whatever he had while I waited for the "plum" assignments. Unfortunately, that has opened the door for him to accuse me of complaining, when I realize I'm being screwed around.

Back to Bagram:

So I make it to Bagram at the usual time, actually, I got there 30 minutes early. I waited at the front gate for someone to pick me up for an hour and a half. At this point realize, that I'm being done a "favor" and that "I'm lucky" and I do not get to bring my cameraman, Ahmed. No problem.
90 minutes later and I'm still waiting. All of a sudden, two cars pull up, and it's FOX News. Greg P-something is the correspondent, cameraman is Pierre. Nice guys. Funny thing though, they unload literally two SUV's worth of equipment. I'm in near shock. Five minutes after they get there (an hour late), we get picked up. Sound coincidental?
Once at the barracks, I meet up with an Englishman working for Sky News. He is an editor, also with a ton of equipment. He's slated to meet TWO colleagues at Salerno just to edit. He's been in country less than a week. I know because we met earlier at the Thai restaurant.
There's also two guys from a London newspaper who have been in the country for a week, and they're going as well.

Does anyone see a pattern? If it isn't obvious there's a problem....

So we don't get our choppers to Salerno because the FOX equipment is so much(I'm told later). We're told we won't have a flight for nearly a week. I am ready to pull up stakes and head back to Kabul because I can't wait that long. I'm expecting to hook up with the Marines in Kandahar. My current fear is that I'll miss both. Decisions, decisions.
A few hours later, a new set of choppers are lined up (I have heard that it was to help FOX) and we have to wait until 7:00 pm to get the flight. The flight was my first on a Blackhawk which I thought was cool. Unfortunately, it was cold a can be. Took us an hour and a half, including a refuel spot in Gardez.

Salerno

We got here and it was dark, so there wasn't much to do and we hit the sack. Morning came and the sun produced a firebase that is a mix between World War II, Vietnam, and the 21st century. Nothing but mud, sandbags and tents filled with high tech stuff.
We met this morning with the commanding officer who informed us we were leaving on Sunday, which was when the next patrol was to leave. So here I sit, enjoying my vacation to the Afghan/Pakistani border, "lucky to be here" and have nothing to do.
I told the captain that I would like to stay if Moon once again screwed me and my trip with the Marines was a pipedream. Of course I am told there are others waiting to come and that probably wouldn't be possible. So I'm expecting to hear not only that I can't stay, but that I'm not going with the Marines either. Any predictions?

In the meantime....

Man this is a good album, by Helmet if you don't know. In a literal sense, however, things are as up and down as it gets. Captain Dunigan, our main contact at Salerno, is trying hard to work with me. Still don't know how it's going to happen, but something will. Even if nothing does, I don't care, really, I get paid anyway, just not as much.
So I'm sitting in the internet area waiting to write this blog, and a sergeant comes in and turns tells the specialists to cut phones and computers. Evryone leave. Nobody questions.
An hour later the Captain comes to talk with us about the developments and I ask why the computers are down . He explains that a guy, about a miile from here, walked up to a convoy and blew himself up with a grenade, wounding two soldiers. Of course FOX was grabbed up by the response team, and you're probably watching the report as you read this. I have no luck. Luck isn't something I really believe in, but I'm starting to wonder if my old Red Wings hat is the root of all this misfortune?
So my options are:

A.) Acccording to Major Moon to Major Dunnigan, I am going with the Marines next week, May 5th or so.
B.) Captain Dunnigan has offered to keep me until Thursday so I can do a 3-4 day patrol along the Afghan/Pak border. If lucky, I can be in Kandahar by 5/6 and do both.
C.) Go to Kabul Sunday with nothing from Salerno, but ensure that I make it on time to Kandahar for the Marines.

Decisions... decisions.