FREAKZILLAo69’s BodyBlog

KHOST, Afghanistan – U.S. forces in eastern Afghanistan are conducting an intense search for a soldier who wandered off his post and is now presumed captured by the Taliban, a spokeswoman for U.S. Forces Afghanistan confirmed Thursday.

For reasons not disclosed, the soldier walked away from his unit on Tuesday, and the military has information from local Afghans that he was captured, said Capt. Elizabeth Mathias.

“We have basically been trying to find him in every way possible,” Mathias told Stars and Stripes.

Col. Greg Julian, the chief spokesman for U.S. Forces Afghanistan, said the soldier was captured in the Paktika province, where he was deployed in a small outpost. He said an investigation was under way to determine what led to the soldier’s disappearance on Tuesday.

Julian said there has not yet been any direct communication with the kidnappers, but U.S. forces had reason to believe the soldier was still alive. He would not elaborate.

The Department of Defense has yet to release the soldier’s identity, but his family has already been notified and his identity was likely to be released later on Thursday, Julian said.

Among the units deployed to help search for the missing soldier was a unit from Camp Clark in Khost province, just north of Paktika, where the search is under way.

U.S. forces from the region have been diverted to the area where the soldier went missing. The region borders the South Waziristan tribal areas , where the Pakistani military has launched an offensive to capture top Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud.

Maj. Jose Aymat, the executive officer at Camp Clark, said reports from Paktika indicate that the soldier was captured by two individuals in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. He said battalions deployed across eastern Afghanistan have each committed one or two platoons to join the search effort and they have cordoned off the area where they think the soldier is being held.

“All the roads (in and out of the area) are pretty much under the control of U.S. forces and the ANA (Afghan National Army),” Aymat said. “All activities in the region other than force protection have ceased because the effort now is to find our soldier.”

Information heard over radio communciations indicate that the Taliban is considering whether to negotiate a deal or ransom in exchange for the soldier’s release, Aymat said.

At Clark, there was a sense of frustration at the situation created by the soldier’s capture. Troops wondered not only why a soldier would take such a risk, if his disappearance happened as reported, but also whether he’d indicated to his fellow soldiers his plans. Many questioned why the soldier’s leadership was not aware that he was in distress.

Other soldiers said they were concerned that the concerted effort to find the soldier was putting so many forces at risk, while leaving other areas with less forces to carry out their own missions. Several missions were canceled because so much air power was diverted to Paktika.

By midday Thursday, CBS News posted a story on its Web site saying a Taliban commander had called one of their reporters to claim they were holding the soldier, along with three Afghans, near the Pakistani border.

The Taliban commander, who spoke to CBS by satellite telephone, said the soldier’s fate would be decided by Taliban leaders, but that the militant group “would not mind an exchange of prisoners in this case,” CBS reported.

The last high-profile incidence of a servicemember going missing in Afghanistan was under much different circumstances.

In June 2005, a SEAL team tracking a high-ranking Taliban commander was ambushed in eastern Afghanistan.

Three of the team members were killed in the initial battle, but a fourth, Marcus Luttrell, was able to walk and crawl seven miles after being badly wounded to avoid capture. He was given shelter in a village and was eventually rescued by U.S. forces six days after the original battle.

At the time, the U.S. military for several days listed all four members of the SEAL team as missing, until details of the fight and confirmation of the deaths were later released.

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) — A truck rigged with explosives detonated near Afghanistan’s capital, killing 25 people Thursday morning, local officials said.

The attack near Kabul seemed to be targeted at NATO troops in the area, but there were no reports of casualties or injuries to coalition troops, said Deen Mohammed Darwesh, a spokesman for the governor of Logar province.

Twenty-one civilians and four policemen were killed in the attack, said Zamarai Bashari, spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Ten other people were wounded in the attack. Many of the wounded were students going to school, the Interior Ministry spokesman said.

I’ve just noticed that A LOT of people are filling out what supplements they are taking…. but very very few people are filling out the SUPPLEMENT REVIEWS.  This is just a request for whoever happens to read this, fill out your supplement reviews- help a fellow BODYSPACER out.  I’m always curious and interested in what other people have to say about various supplements and how their reviews vary based on their specific goals. 

On 17 May 2008 I was "KILLED" by indirect fire.  I was down on the HLZ waiting to launch for 45 minutes.  The OC never gave me the green light.  As I was sitting there waiting, a fire marker 4 wheeler drove by (right in front of me).  About 30 seconds later the "incoming fire" alarm started sounding.  A few seconds after that 3 impacts right on the HLZ where I was at.  I overheard the OC’s saying that they wanted a MASCAS, "go kill 10 people".  They yelled out to us, "you guys are dead!"  So not only did I not get to fly, but they acted as if I was dead…. until we got up to the Motor Pool, then the OC’s brought me back to life so they could see how the medics responded.  So my new injury was shot in the chest and neck from "indirect fire"?  I was put on a litter and carried into the Aidstation.  Poked and prodded on.  The Chappy’s assistanst attempted to start an IV on me.  Missed me twice.  After the first time he missed he broke out into this crazy nervous sweat, sweating all over my arm.  After the medics got done with me, they transported me and my "co-pilot" down to the HLZ for MedEvac.  After the Blackhawks transported us to the CAS they attempted two more sticks on my arms before the doc could get the IV going.  My "Co" had two IV bags, apparently they wouldn’t let him go take a leak and he decided against the cathater, he says he pissed his pants a little.  Once they finished poking at us they wheeled us to a staging point where they simulated us being transported to Germany.  Then they took us to what seemed like a POW camp while they waited for our units to get us back.  No showers, no hygene, pretty dirty.  About 30 guys laying around an open tent with about 15 cots.  Not the best expirence in the world, but I’m home and alive again. 

Still down in Ft. Polk, LA at JRTC.  We are way out on a FOB with NO GYM OR ANY TYPE OF WEIGHTS.  We are working 18+ hour days/ nights.  The FOOD sucks.  MRE’s are crappy.  This sucks.  A whole month with out lifting.  I was doing so good.  10 more days!!!

Two more days of this FOBEX (training exercise) left.  Locked down pulling 24 operations as if we were actually deployed.  Tonight after the BUB I found out that we were replacing a different brigade, sending us to a more active area of Iraq.  About 3 or 4 months earlier than we had expected.  But on the bright side, they tell us that we should only be deployed for 12 months THIS time, instead of our 15/16 month deployment with extension.  Last time in Afghanistan I was 9 days from coming home when they broke the news.  Last time they told us it would only be a 12 month deployment too.  I heard Iraq SUCKS this time of year.  Or pretty much everytime of year- especially when you are isolated from family, friends and FREEDOM!  Never take YOUR FREEDOM FOR GRANTED!!! It sucks so bad being away from the states. 

Another bright side.  The ARMY is sending me back to beautiful Columbus GEORGIA for that 2 week course.  3 other soldiers and I out of the original 7 got the nod for the course again.  Our slots should be RESERVED this time.  31 March to 14(ish) of April.  Although the course is reserved…. our Schools NCOIC didn’t have an ending date.  I even elaminated my VISITORS PASS to GOLDS GYM!  I can’t wait to get out of New York. 

When we found out that our class didn’t exist the first time we kind of hung around a bit, while our chain of command figured out what had happened and how to go about fixing things.  When we got the "hey get your asses back here", Dr. Dees and I began the long drive back to Ft. Drum.  Along the way we had the chance to stop by his home state of North Carolina- RIGHT OFF THE FRIGGN’ BEACH!!!  This guy is from "paradise" and he ran off and joined the Army…. that dummy!  He took me to the beach… which was actually my second time.. but only my FIRST time in the OCEAN!!!  Yeah, PARADISE!!!  After the beach we went to HOOTERS for lunch (and boobies/motivation).  I do have to say (strangly) the HOOTERS GIRLS IN NC were much more friendly than the HOOTERS GIRLS in GEORGIA!!!  What happened to Southern Hospitality???  I LOVE THEM ALL anyway.  As we were leaving one waitress stopped us and told us "don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back!"  Yes ma’am I answered back as my mind raced trying to figure out why she would want us to stick around for another minute… after all, we had already paid for our meal.  She came back with the owner/manager and he gave us FREE HOOTERS CALANDERS- to say thanks for serving.  "WOW, THANK YOU" I said.  I was smiling from ear to ear.  The HOOTERS calander pretty much "saved my life" (so to speak) when I was in Afghanistan.  They would DEFINATLY make the locker.

The locker was my source of motivation and morale.  One day, I just started cutting out pictures of BEAUTIFUL girls out of magazines, calanders, birthday cards, or what ever I had.  Anything that motivated me and boosted my morale.  My locker became FAMOUS on the FOB.  At least I’ll have a head start on my locker for Iraq…. now I just need a locker……. 

The Army sent me to a school at Ft. Benning, GA that didn’t even exist.  I went to report with the other 6 soldiers that were suppose to take the same class, on the 10th of March.  Once that whole mess was ironed out a bit, my work out partner (mikedees2468) and I went looking for a gym that we could work out in.  We obviously had the Army gym at Ft. Benning at our disposal, free of charge.  But I mentioned trying to find a Gold’s Gym in the area.  Sure enough we found one.  Gold’s Gym in Columbus Georgia was only 10 minutes away from our hotel. 

We drove on over to check it out and see what the rates would be for 1 day, 1 week or 1 month.  The cute little counter girl was very helpful and frendly!  After we had asked about rates and such we began taking a tour of the gym (we both had already made up our mind that we Wanted to work out there).  Finally lil’ miss cutie said that if we can come back by the time she get’s off at 4:00pm she would just let us work out for free.  So with that we rushed out the door determined to get back to the hotel, change, take the pre work out supps, and return to GOLD’S before 4.  Once we left the building good ol’ Dr. Dees decided he was going to "Mr. Perfect" his gum right there in the GOLD’s parking lot.  Just as he finished his swat of the gum, the owner or manager "Buddy" yelled out for us as he was trying to catch up.  Buddy signed a visitors pass for us to work out for free for the whole month.  We explained before hand that we didn’t know how long we would be in town and that the Army was planning on sending us back down 31 March for the intended course.  

Not only was the gym awesome.  Not only was the owner awesome.  Not only was the cute lil’ counter girl ("I get off at 4") awesome.  Not only was the smoothie girl as awesome as her shorts were short (Dr. Dees about walked away with 3 or 4 numbers that day).  Not only was there AMPLE motivation through out the gym!  Georgia and our GOLD’s Gym experience was AWESOME!!!  Did I mention… that was Dr. Dees first trip to a Gold’s Gym.  Yeah, he loved it.

Just when I get back into the swing of things, something always goes wrong.  Not only am I facing my "Gettin Ripped Suicide"  tomorrow, but now the ARMY is trying to KILL it as well! 

With persistance I was able to avoid my "Getting HUGE suicide" by actually… gettin’ a bit "huger"- not actually as HUGE as I’d like.  But I did gain lean muscle mass while dropping a bit of body fat along the way.  I revamped my diet and it is going very well!  I’m trying to make my self do cardio, which is turning into quite the challenge.  So far I have been pretty consistan with my diet and work out.

My Gettin’ Huge Suicide started at the early part of FEB, when I decided I should try to go back to school and finish my associates degree.  So 3 hours a day from 1600 to 1800 (which by the way was my Gettin’ Huge time in the Gym) after a full day of work with the Army starting at around 0530 or just whenever they say to come in.   But again I was able to Get Huge at 1800-2300ish most nights (at least getting in every body once or twice a week).

Monday I was told that I was going to Ft. Benning, GA for training- that would be 2 WEEKS!  Ouch!  So not only does that interfer with my Gettin’ Huge/Ripped time now but I have finals and papers DUE next week.  I’ve already missed a couple of days this week in the gym.  I’m going to try to go right now and get in some LEGS (I hate leg day). 

Today was my first day back on cardio.  I returned to work after "missing" 10 days for paternal "leave".  I went to Pines Planes Gym and did 60 minutes of Cardio on the eliptical machine, buring 800 calories.  I plan to do at least that on Monday-Fridays from 0700ish to 0800ish and hit the weights in the evenings. 

However the parents, Uncle and Aunt are coming up to visit me and the new baby.  I’ve heard threats about A LOT of HOME COOKIN’!!!  Wish me luck… oh yeah, the wife made brownies last night at 2200!  I can’t catch a break here.  Although I’ve avoided them so far… I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.

 From Cambridge University;

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

The biran tinhg is czary huh?  I wndoer if a tahecr wulod mrak off pitons if you wotre a pepar on tihs bairn tnihg for casls?