Journal 081009_081609

Shank 29 Aug 09

Weekly journal entries, also known as Jeff's Eating Diary...

It may seem like i am eating alot, since that's what I mostly write about. Oddly, I have actually lost about 30 pounds since getting in country 1 July. Admittedly, about a third of that weight is dysentery related... butt, it's weight loss nonetheless.

10 August 2009

Breakfast: oatmeal/strawberry yogurt, 2 x OJ, Protein Shake, Coffee

Bible Reading: Numbers 5-7

Lunch: Grilled chicken, green beans, cottage cheese, fruit salad, 2 x V-8, water

Dinner: Taco salad, 2 x V-8, water

11 August 2009

Breakfast: oatmeal w strawberry yogurt; 2 x GJ, Protein Shake

Bible Reading: Numbers 8-10

Lunch: Tuna wrap w lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, relish, olives, fruit salad, 2 x V-8

Supper: beef fajita meat, peas, sauted cabbage, water, strawberry smoothie (made at dining facility!) Out of V-8 until resupply.

Today, I decided only to go to specialized focus meetings since most of the rest don’t help me do my job any better (Staff Sync, CUB, BUB).

12 August 2009

Breakfast: oatmeal w strawberry yogurt; OJ, AJ, Protein Shake

Bible Reading: Numbers 11-13

Lunch: chicken breast, tossed salad, fruit salad, diet coke

Supper: beef stew w noodles, potatoes au gratin (wanted some starch for the stomach.) Diet Pepsi

13 August 2009

Breakfast: oatmeal w mixed berry yogurt, Protein Shake

Bible Reading: Numbers 14-16

Lunch: Turkey and swiss wrap w lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, fruit salad, diet coke

Supper: Rotisserie chicken / jambalaya, steamed pumpkin, V-8, Diet Pepsi

Bible Study: The Purpose Driven Life, Chapter 27: Defeating Temptation. I need to refocus my attention on other things when the wrong thoughts start percolating. I also should have someone to whom I am accountable with my deep darkies. I am not invulnerable. Finally, I need to remember to resist the devil – God always provides a way out.

14 August 2009

Breakfast: oatmeal w mixed berry yogurt; Protein Shake

Bible Reading: Numbers 17-19

Lunch: chicken wrap w lettuce, tomato, onion, ranch dressing, fruit salad, diet pepsi, pecan pie

Supper: Fried scallops, pickles, tossed salad, ice cream w strawberry drizzle

15 August 2009

Breakfast: Protein Shake

MASSAGE!!

Bible Reading: Numbers 20-22

Lunch: chicken adobo and rice, puto

Supper: Lasagna, Carrots, Succotash, Strawberries

Had a good day: finished the July 09 CIED Summary and Analysis. S2, Maj Violand really likes the product and wants me to include and brief in future CIED WGs.

Other projects I am working on:

- Threat Financing (following the money) - this is a huge effort country-wide. Task Force Spartan is leading the way across Afghanistan at the brigade level to institute a Threat Finance Cell. SSgt Tia Williams is a very smart young NCO who will do well in her role as NCOIC with CWO4 David Slyman as OIC. Slyman, by the way, wants to run for Mayor of San Antonio some day. I wrote a draft organizational charter for Tia and got her pointed in the right direction. One of the things I like about being a contractor/consultant is that I am not "in-charge", but only advise those who make the final decisions.

- Mine proliferation. When the Soviets were here, they left behind millions of land mines which affect nearly every family in the country. These mines are still here. Talibanistas are using those mines against the coalition and local national civilians and security forces. I am trying to isolate who is using them and where.

- We are seeing a rise in the use of home made explosives (HME) in IEDs. Each HME batch has a chemical fingerprint. With the help of explosive forensics labs, I am trying to isolate where these HMEs are manufactured and by whom.

- On a more positive note, I am analyzing survey data from the Afghanistan Perceptions and Attitudes data collection effort. Military patrols are going village to village anyway, so we loaded them with a bunch of 11 question surveys and having them ask the village people to fill them out. Interesting results and breakouts by age/gender.

- Through Ramadan, and I expect ad infinitum, I am working up daily and cumulative significant activity numbers for the Task Force AOR (area of responsibility.)

That's a nutshell view of some of the work I am doing here...

16 August 2009

Breakfast: Ham, cheddar, onion, salsa, sour cream omelet (half), biscuit w sausage gravy, OJ, coffee

Bible Reading: Numbers 23-25

Chapel service: A Request God Grants: The prayer of Jabez (1 Chron. 4:9-10)

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past.
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

The Code of Chaplain Brad West:

1. I will be a man of integrity
2. I will not allow myself to become comfortable, I will take risks and push the envelope
3. I will be self-disciplined
4. I will seek wisdom
5. I will seek simplicity, limit clutter and complexity
6. I will be a compassionate man
7. I will be humble
8. I will be a leader
9. I will be a man of faith
10. I will be a man of honor

Bruce Wilkinson Book: Walk Through the Bible study courses plus the Prayer of Jabez
Bless me Indeed! Ask – Expect – Watch – Give Thanks. (James: Ye have not, because ye ask not.)

Enlarge my territory (what is my impact for God?)

Your hand be with me (Ps 16:11) in strength and companionship

Keep me from evil: Uninterrupted fellowship and usefulness

I need to maintain the desire to make an impact for God.

Lunch: Chicken wrap w lettuce, tomato, onion, ranch dressing, fruit salad, V-8, diet pepsi

Supper: Beef cardonala, chicken pancit, rice, puto (Filipino birthday celebration for MSgt Gonzalez - I gave him a MORS - Military Operations Research Society coin and a copy of Imperial Grunts by Robert Kaplan.)