Rockets and Small Arms Fire

Wow.  We got hit by our first complex attack since I've been here.  That when the enemy uses more than one method.  I'll tell you a bit about it, but I can't go into some details for security reasons. I'll tell you what I can.  Early in the morning, I was alerted that there had been a rocket attack.  We usually take cover when that happens.  The hospital goes straight to work in case we get casualties. As we were getting our stuff on to go out the door someone heard machine gun fire, so we sat tight.  I was in my room when I heard it and got down on the floor to put my vest and helmet on.  It sounded like it was right outside my room on the street!  Turns out it was a helicopter right overhead firing at some bad guys and the news reports say they got about 5 of them.  That's the first time my heart rate has really gotten up since I got here.  All I kept thinking was "Get 'em, guys!"   You can read in the paper that about 7-10 insurgents were killed (I can't tell you which number is right), some of them with suicide vests and that 7-9 good guys were hurt (can't confirm which of those numbers might be right either), and one contractor was killed (that's right).  And one building that was pretty close to the hospital got hit by a rocket.  The spokeswoman said it was not of strategic importance- that's definitely true!   After the shooting stopped, we went next door to the hospital and got everything ready to accept casualties. 

I was so proud of all my people.  I have brand new docs in the ER and new surgeons.  I got to watch my new guys in action in the ER and they were outstanding.  Very calm, very collected.  Then I followed several patients to the OR where I watched my surgeons calmly go to work.  One guy had 3 specialists working on him at the same time.  When one of the ortho docs had to go, I offered to take his place (he was doing some minor debriding- that's cleaning out a wound) and he said OK!  So I got to do a bit of surgery and interact with my new surgeons on their own turf.  I like surgeons.  it's like herding feral cats, but they don;t do anything just because someone says so.  You've got to have a good reason.  And even then they don;t always want to get with the program.  They remind me of myself, except that now I sort of have to get with the program.  but I digress...

My airmen were thinking for themselves- problem solving quickly and coming up with solutions to issues. No one felt like they had to run everything past me before they could make a decision.  I love that they know their jobs so well that they just do them and problem solve creative solutions along the way without my input.  

I was also very glad that the bad guys let us sleep last night!  I'm sure they have more planned as things have been relatively quiet here for awhile and I think maybe they were saving their stuff up.  Security is tighter of course, and there are some things we can;t do that we did before.  My running will be a bit inhibited for awhile since my route ran past the past the perimeter fence.  Maybe not a good idea for a little while.

This is one of the most accurate news articles:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100519/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan