In 2004 I was deployed to Afghanistan on the Combined Forces Command- Afghanistan (CFC-A), J-5 Staff. Myself, a Marine Lt Col with the J-5, and a Marine Major from JTF-180 at Bagram were informed we would be going to the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan to work with them on a plan, and we would be flying commercially from Kabul to Islamabad.

I get picked to procure transportation, so I do what any good GI would do and contact the nearest SATO office, which was in the Netherlands or some such crap, and get three tickets on Arianna (Scarianna) Airways and am told that the tickets will be at the ticket counter at Kabul International.

Travel day arrives and we depart Kabul Compound in full battle rattle, but in civvies. Once we get to the airport it’s like an episode of Naked and Afraid—dump everything you have that might help you in a jam, and head on into the airport, it sucked. Inside the airport was like a zoo, a million people moving around like cattle, and none of them look like us.

We try, and try, and try to find the Arianna ticket counter and after a while of us talking and searching in vain, a gentleman approached us to see if he could help. We tell our story and he states there is no such thing at the airport, you get your tickets off airport and bring them with you. Uh, yeah that’s not good now that our rides have bailed out. Turns out he is a Pakistani businessman (making a shit ton of $$ in good ole Afghanistan) heading home for his wedding and he offers to help.

We’re royally screwed, so except his offer. He makes a phone call and about ten minutes later this huge (round) sweaty Afghani dude comes up and says he needs our passports and like $600. We are traveling on our official passports (the red ones), and we have about $150 between us, so our man from Pakistan ponies up the cash! An hour later, no fat guy, no cash, and worst of all, no passports and we are starting to sweat like he was thinking how fucked we really were now.

Finally the guy shows up, passports and tickets in hand. Now, this place is like the stockyards in Ft Worth in the 1800’s in terms of layout and mass of people moving around and we are looking at having to go down a wide corridor then make a U-turn and come up on the other side of a wall to a glass pill box full of customs guys with a sea of locals. Big fella says ‘follow me”, and proceeds to take us around a back way and through a door and we pop out behind the pill box.

He passes our stuff to the customs guys and they start looking at our passports, and looking, and looking. The more they look the more animated they get. Finally it dawns on us we do not have entry visas or stamps as we all came in on milair via orders, not passports, so I held up my Kabul Compound ID and they all started saying “ISAF”. “ISAF”. At that point we didn’t care if they were calling us UN, we just wanted to get going and not toward a prison.

Finally we get on the plane and it is packed with dudes in man-jammies and smells like feet and chickens, but we made it into Islamabad and were picked up by the Embassy folks and take to the five star Serena Hotel for our stay. That was fucking awesome for a deployment!

Anyway, it was a successful trip and the Embassy flew us back on their C-12, so we didn’t have to do that shit again.
Two weeks after we got back I received a call from the front gate stating I had a visitor, so I went out figuring I knew who it was, and there stood our man from Pakistan to get his $600 back. It was great to see him and thank him for his help.

So the picture. Me with the beer, Lt Col “Lucky” far left, and one of the mil staff of the Embassy in the Embassy lounge after a visit to the class 6!

Please include me. I served in the Marine Corps from 1983 to 2004 and mason served 5 years in the Marine Corps and is now wrapping up a term as a contractor in Afghanistan.

Please include me. My father was in the USMC during the Korean war (didnt see action). It would go to him.

Thanks for the chance

I just completed 31 years of service in the US Army Reserves, out of 31 years 13 where on active duty. I started my career as a private in the PA Natl Guard, stayed 3 years, went back to college, graduated and received my commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Engineer branch. I did 6 months in desert shield/storm, did 6 months in Kosovo, spent time at the Jungle School in Panama, participated in two exercises in Korea but my best tour was in Mississippi supporting Katrina recovery operations for 7 months. It was the only tour I had where I was actually helping Americans. I spent my last 3 years on active duty working in DC and retired as a lieutenant colonel. I'm now enjoying retirement and all the times I volunteered for active duty tours, extra annual training and extra drill days is paying off for me. I accumulated enough retirement points that my pension is equivalent to what I would get if I spent 20 years on active duty. I'm thankful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for allowing me to make it to retirement and be in good health and in my right mind.

Please enter me in. Thank you. The following picture is of my grandfather who was both a WW2 and a Korean War veteran. The picture of the ship is the one his unit, the 204 FAB UTNG, arrived on in Pusan, South Korean early on in the Korean War. In one year the 204th, which used self-propelled 155mm guns, fired 100,000 rounds. It was a big enough deal that a general with HQ came up to pull the lanyard for 100,000 round. The third picture is a memorial that was placed in South Korea to commemorate the unit and the shot. You will need to click on each picture to enlarge them.

Thanks again!

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Very generous. Thank you for the chance.

I was in the USAF 1977 - 1992. My father was Army (WWII), 3 uncles and a brother USAF and 2 brothers USMC (Viet Nam).

I live in the People's Republik of CA, so no need to put my hat in the ring. But the various pics have thoughts running through my mind.

I am looking at a pic of my dad, Navy outfit, assigned to the Japan Occupational Forces at the end of WWII, he is on a hill overlooking the remains of Hiroshima. On high school grad night, most were partying, I went to put my name on the wait list for the Army Reserves (draft lottery for Vietnam war). Three months later I swore into the Army Reserves, trained as a combat medic.

A cousin had two tours in Vietnam, my brother retired from the Air Force.

All of our Basic training was with the M-16, the reservists also had to qualify with the M-14 (which to me was more fun).

I would like to enter this most excellent Karma.

My dad fought in WWII, exiting the US Army sometime after 1952 as a 1SG.

I entered the US Army in 1964 and retired as a 1SG in 1985.

My son entered the US Army in 1996 and is presently a LTC on active duty.

USAF 1977-1981. Weather Specialist. I'd be honored to win such a fabulous rifle. Many thanks for the chance. And thanks to all that have served.

Please enter me in your most generous karma. I'm a 3rd generation USAF veteran to include my grandfather & uncle on my mom's side & me (also my brother as well.)

Amazingly generous offer!

US Air Force active duty 1993-2003


USAF Reserve 2006-2007

Thank you!

Finally uploaded photos on my post on page 5.

What an incredible karma sir. If I could win this for my dad who taught boots their M1s at Paris Island, I would. Dad's no longer with us though, so I'll let it go to someone other who did serve. Just wanted to say thank you.

WOW. I’m definitely in and thank you!

Here’s my ribbon rack from my Army and Air Guard Service:

Grandfather served in the USAF during the Korean War. Thank you for the chance, and thanks to all of you veterans for what you do.

12131, you have given some very generous karmas.
I would like to be included for this one.
I'm retired US Army.
Thank you.

Please enter me in this very generous karma. Former NJ Army National Guard. OIF II 2004 - 2005.

Thanks.

This would be an awesome addition to the family
Thank you

Please enter me as well in this very generous karma!
U.S. Army 2009-current, one deployment to the Horn of Africa.

I'll post a pic when I get home this afternoon!

Please enter me in this very generous karma.
USAF 1980-1989.