The Prodigy paradox

CHAPTER 3

Throwing on his armored vest, he slung his rucksack on his back, and scooped up his rifle and helmet. Unclipping his custom rifle sling, he stowed the sling in his cargo pocket and clipped the rifle to his vest. Shoving his helmet under his arm he backed out of his small room and into the hallway he shared with four other junior officers and one NCO.

"You ready Kenny?"

First Lieutenant David "Kenny" Kennisham turned to see First Lieutenant Mark "Mother" Hilliard looking at him questioningly.

"Almost Mother. I'm all packed, but I gotta run past the TOC and do a commo check before I'm ready to roll," David replied.

Mark nodded in confirmation, "Alright, once you're finished head over to the office and check in. Patrol brief is in the Dog House in an hour, but the Major wants to do a quick team only brief first."

"Yes Mom," David replied sarcastically, grinning.

"Alright smart ass, you're wasting the Almighty Army's time sassing me when you should be moving out."

"Sir, yes sir. Moving sir," David faux shouted, quick stepping to the door. As he exited the hallway he heard a sleepy voice grumbling from one of the closed rooms "shut the fuck up Carl."

As he walked to the Tactical Operations Center (TOC), David went over the mission plan in his head. His team (the local Security Force Advising and Assistance Team - SFAAT) was sending six advisors along with a security squad from the local infantry company. They were traveling by vehicle with a platoon of Afghan soldiers approximately ten kilometers to an Afghan Observation Post (OP) at the mouth of the Korengal Valley. From there they would separate, and the six members of his team and two interpreters would trek another four kilometers up the side of the valley wall to the overwatch position. Travelling with them would be four Afghan Artillery observers that David had trained, and the Afghan company commander, Captain Massood, that was in charge of the clearance operation. Naturally the Afghan commander had to travel with his four-man personal security detail (PSD), and his support staff, an additional two enlisted soldiers. So it looked like his team was taking eleven Afghans with his six-man team four clicks (kilometers) into Indian country for a nature hike. This mission was so FUBAR. No wonder the Major opted out of it.

David shook his head at that thought. Knock that shit off asshole. David admonished himself. The Major was an exceptional leader, and a damn fine trigger-puller to boot. If he could have gone on this mission he would have.

After checking in with the Fires Desk at the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) and completing a communications check David walked to his team's office. Entering the office he realized he was the last to arrive, the other five team members of the patrol and MAJ Deanore were all waiting on him.

"Commo check done?" inquired MAJ Deanore when he noticed David enter.

"Yes sir, we're golden. And I packed enough spare batteries we don't need to be stingy with it either."

"Good man. Now drop your ruck and pull up a chair, I got some last minute intel before you head out," the major replied.

David stowed his rucksack in the corner of the office and sat in the only empty chair left. Looking up he noticed that someone had set up one of the laptops and linked it to a TV to show the mission briefing PowerPoint slides. He began praying this wasn't another briefing before the briefing situation. That had happened more times than he could count, but he was sure that Captain Epps had finally convinced the major that the a two hour operations briefing the week before, and the single patrol brief later this morning was enough.

Clearing his throat Major Deanore checked something he had in a file, and then looked at the men scattered about the table. "Gentlemen, this is a fairly simple op. But, getting the Afghans to leave their bases and OPs to do any form of patrolling has been such a pain that we are going to continue to hold their hands as long as we have to, so long as they are actually doing what we ask.

"This clearance mission is small potatoes for us, but the ANA don't do them very often; and there are a lot of brass up at Brigade hoping this will be the start of a trend. So if Captain Massood asks for Fire Support while he is up there with you, give it to him. Kenny, make sure you pay close attention to his observers. I know you trained them, but they don't have as much experience with live rounds as we do.

"Last item before we wander over for the patrol brief. This is the first mission since we found out about the bounties, and I'm glad none of you are wearing your ranks. Just be careful out there, and pay close attention to the ANA. Green-on-blue is rare, but it does happen. Captain Massood came to us highly recommended, but he is still new here. If something feels off, call it out. And Captain Epps, if it feels even the least bit unsafe up there, pull out and come back to base. Victory or Death."

At Major Deanore's last words all the team members at the table stood and sounded off in reply "Victory or Death." It was the motto of 1-32 Cavalry Regiment; the parent unit for all of the SFAAT members on COP Able-Main, and most of the SFAAT officers, NCOs, and soldiers throughout Kunar Province. When the 101st Airborne Division was tasked with supporting ISAF operations in Kunar, two infantry battalions got the security and COP defense jobs. 1-32 Cavalry Regiment "Bandit" Squadron got fucking babysitting. But like every other mission Bandit Squadron got, they would do this one to the absolute best of their abilities. So they got separated, broken up piecemeal into small 10 to 16 man advising teams, and were sent to every corner of Kunar where the Afghan Security Forces were trying to establish control of the country.

David grabbed his rucksack, and followed the other six occupants from the room. Major Deanore would walk with them until they exited the front gate, then he would keep an ear glued to his radio the entire two days they were away. He was a merciless taskmaster at times, but he really did care about his team. After the major wrenched his knee coming off the helicopter on that last mission, the COP doctor told him no more missions till he was healed. David noticed his limp was finally improving. Knowing the major, he was probably already trying to figure out a way to sneak out for a mission anyway.

After they arrived at the Dog House (the nickname for the COP's mission briefing room), David scanned the room, and saw that the entire security squad from First Platoon, Alpha "Gator" Company was already there. Checking his watch he realized the mission briefing was supposed to start in five minutes, and his team was technically late, since by Army logic they weren't there ten minutes early. Good thing we walked over with the major, David thought to himself. I guess that's one of the perks of being the highest ranking US Army officer in the region, everybody waits on you. As the Gator platoon leader began the briefing, David focused on the team he was going to spend the next two days with.

Captain Vance "Hollywood" Epps was a West Point graduate. He was also built like a soccer player, and was movie star handsome. The man was so well known among the female officer corps that the whole team nicknamed him Captain Hollywood. Fortunately, he was also Ranger qualified, combat experienced, laid back, and a common sense leader. He could sit around and joke with senior officers, junior officers, NCOs and enlisted alike. He made everyone feel important and included.

To Be Continued.....