CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – I wasn’t looking for a soundtrack when arriving at this sprawling forward operating base, but it appears I’ve found one. Traveling to get security badges here this morning in a van, we were treated to the confident crooning of Right Said Fred and his 1990s classic, “I’m Too Sexy.” The song was playing on a British-run radio station aboard Camp Bastion, which is part of this base. “Forces Radio,” as the DJ called it, is broadcasted to improve morale and keep people informed. It appears to do both of those things – as long as you…
Browsing: Dan Lamothe
KABUL, Afghanistan — Good evening, friends. After a long odyssey that included two long commercial flights and a stop in Turkey, photographer James Lee and I have made it to Afghanistan. That’s step one. At some point in coming days, we will make the move to Camp Leatherneck, the sprawling forward operating base in Helmand province that is home to thousands of Marines and the headquarters of I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). Then it’s on to infantry units in the northern districts of the province. Early impressions? The military side of Kabul International Airport — KAIA, as the troops call it — is…
Two years ago, this blog was launched as I headed downrange to cover Marine operations in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. It’s about time I got back to it. Beginning next week, Marine Corps Times photographer James Lee and I will be embedding with several battalions in northern Helmand. We’ll transit through the Corps’ main hub of operations in the country, Camp Leatherneck, with plans to spend time in Sangin and Kajaki districts. I’m not bringing this up beforehand for bragging rights. No, I thought the best way to do this was to start a conversation early, as any good blog should.…
