Another Man's Treasure

I have been scouring Kandahar Air Field for medical supplies.  Not that I don't have my own.  I ordered thousands of dollars of medical and trauma equipment before leaving Alaska planning to sustain the medical needs of 800-900 soldiers for three to four months.  A great plan, with high-speed, cool gadgets and the best field equipment tax money can buy.

Unfortunately it is still sitting in shipping containers in Karachi, Pakistan.  Now, you don't need to be an expert in geography to know that it does not help me deliver meds and supplies in Kandahar province.

So I have been on a Fool's Gold style treasure hunt for the past week begging, borrowing and stealing in order to provide equipment to the 200 plus soldiers currently on the ground, and the other 600 plus due in over the course of the next week.

I have managed to order some supplies through legitimate channels, borrow some from the unit that is preparing to go home, and on more than one occasion been told in no uncertain terms that I would not be getting any help from a certain country that shares a common northern border with most of the United States. (Turns out that 'F*ck Off' translates pretty well from French to English)

I think my biggest score was a set of reasonably used golf clubs in a dumpster behind the Air Force hospital.  Not that these are the nicest, but I also managed to get some gently used medical storage containers from the same spot.

So after a great deal of wheeling and dealing, along with a touch of dumpster diving, I have four fully functioning aid stations worth of medical equipment and medications that are on their way to the little FOBs and COPs(Combat Outpost) that we will begin occupying this week. 

Bleep - that one was for you Baby Dico