KABUL, Afghanistan –
Capt. Cliff Bayne
Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
What do you do? Mentor for the Afghan Ministry of Defense on logistics policy development
What's a day in the life like ... while in Kabul? Work out, eat, work and sleep
What will you remember about your deployment 20 years from now? The natural beauty of Afghanistan. The mountains surrounding Kabul are amazing!
What's the most useful item you packed? Hand sanitizer
When did you realize you "weren't in Kansas anymore;" aka your "Dorothy" moment? Two days before Memorial Day, we lost two members from our camp to an improvised explosive device
What has been the highlight of your tour? Traveling to a base up in the mountains outside Kabul previously held by the Soviets. The view of Kabul was incredible!
What's the best part of the deployment? Working with my North Atlantic Treaty Organization teammates (Romanian and French)
The worst part? The bureaucracy (both Afghan and Coalition)
What new survival skill have you learned? Knowing who to trust and when
What do you do during down time? Read
What is the first thing you will do when you return? Sleep
What is the first thing you will eat when you return? Spinach salad
What insight/experience will you take away from your time over there? All the stories of Afghanistan my interpreters have told me; they really helped me to learn and understand the country, its history and culture.
What do you miss the most? Spending time with my family
How is your job that you are doing now different from the job back stateside? Very different. My role at home station is to "do"; my role here is to mentor others to do.
Have you tried the local cuisine? Yes ... love it!
What do you think about what you hear on the news from what is going on stateside? The news is very important and closely followed. The decisions that are made by our leaders in the states have a great impact on the mission here.
Do you have plans for any extra money that you might be making from this deployment? Save it!
About when are you to return? Nov. 2009