Reservist faces the realities of war while stationed in Afghanistan with combined joint task force Published Sept. 21, 2006 By Capt. Ted Janicki 716th Communications Flight Afghanistan -- Commentary-Transition from everyday American life to that of a deployed troop in Afghanistan can be a difficult road to travel. There are many twists and turns along the way. You must be able to follow the rules and trust that others will do the same. Awareness is very important as well, for every now and then there is the wreckless driver or unsafe road conditions. Thus, the road traveled to Afghanistan may not have included a 6,000 pound metal vehicle, but the same principles apply. The road began as 26 Airmen from all over the world embarked on training at Camp Shelby, Miss. There were 25 active duty Airmen and myself. We were subject to meeting certain criteria before deployment, immersed in a variety of tasks geared to mirror conditions in Afghanistan. The training included day and night firing, familiarization with foreign weapons systems, language and cultural training, driver's training, close combat training and close air support including individual movements training, among other tasks. Once in country, the 26 were divided into smaller Embedded Training Teams to live, eat and work with soldiers from the Afghanistan National Army. Our primary mission is to mentor our ANA counterparts whose jobs, in most cases, mirror our own military occupational specialties. As the lone Air Force Reservist, I am now deployed into Afghanistan as part of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix-5. The task force includes members of the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps Reserves, as well as active duty representatives from the Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine Corps. In addition to U.S. military personnel, there are soldiers assigned from France, Germany, Romania, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. "Our goal is to help create an (self-sustaining) army and a country that can protect itself from becoming a launching pad for terrorism," said Brig. Gen. Douglas Pritt, commander of CJTF-V. I, along with thirteen of my fellow Airman, was assigned to the Central Corps Assistance Group. The CCAG directly mentors the ANA Central Corps staff. The ANA Central Corps commander is a two-star general and the CCAG covers G1 (Administration), G2 (Intelligence), G3 (Operations), G4 (Logistics), G6 (Communications) and G7 (Facilities). There is a ton of Air Force experience - one major, 10 captains and two master sergeants - to join the many Army and Marine troops already in place here. This maturity will not only allow the team members to bring years of military and civilian experience to the mission, but will also make us better able to remain calm and focused while the ANA goes through its inevitable growing pains. We are all slowly settling into the rhythm at our new camp...located east of Kabul. The reality of danger is never far from our minds. A trip outside the garrison boundaries in the company of veteran troops here, and that reality becomes ever more present, as locations are noted of past Improvised Explosive Devices' and Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher attacks. The lines of friends and foes are blurry at best. You never know which side local nationals, or even ANA for that matter, fall. At Camp Shelby we learned about the Afghan culture. I even went a step further and took an Afghan culture class online with Leader Development & Education for Sustained Peace. If you are being deployed I recommend you sit down and take the course pertaining to your location. However, culture shock is a reality. I witness troops around me reacting to aspects of this culture that, from the framework of American daily life, is outside the limits of all our experiences. Perhaps it is the mud huts and dust laden roads; the distance from home and families; or, the reality that training is over and everything is now a life or death situation. In our short time, we have witnessed the meat hanging in the butcher's room at the ANA kitchen where flies roamed freely and where the butchers slept on the same tables that were used to quarter the meat. There are different religious beliefs along with the remoteness and vast landscapes of seemingly nothing. Perhaps it is the dust from the wind that blows while temperatures rise to the low 100s; where colors are limited to no more than seeing shades of gray and tan. Just under these few differences, the challenge to fulfill the objectives of the mission, to assist a developing culture, is a frustrating task. There is nothing easy about being here. Beliefs in country, friends, family and spirit bridge the gaps of loneliness and isolation. Bonds between fellow troops grow stronger, as the surrogate family of the military becomes part of everyone's lives. There is a seemingly simple realization that the mission requires that every person take risks that might result in injury, or death. It is the road of becoming a war fighter; the civilian life is now in the rear view.