9 July 2009 Update

I lucked out being assigned to this particular FET team (facility engineering team), we have meshed well. FET teams by their very nature are comprised of seven individuals; five officers and two senior enlisted. The goal is to have team members who can cover all of the potential engineering requirements that may crop up during the deployment.


A FET is tailored to provide construction project design and then management of the designed, approved and funded project. Our team is considered heavy on rank as we brought an actual Colonel and then me as a Chief Master Sergeant. The challenges with having two senior ranking individuals meant that we had the potential of being dragged into every conceivable meeting as our opinions are typically valued. If we were to be dragged into a lot of meetings then there would be a good chance that we would never get accomplished what we were intended to do which of course was design projects and manage those same projects or others after they were contracted. We also brought with us two Lt Colonels, two Majors and a Senior Master Sergeant. Our team of seven is considered good at what we do.

The five officers can simply produce projects fast as they are brilliant. In Sharana we produced so much that after just five weeks we were requested and of course approved to be transferred to Kandahar. The number of projects our team got ready in Sharana will take 18 months to complete so I guess it was the right decision for us to move to Kandahar. Our engineers have designed and sent forward for approval over 350 projects which is considered unheard of. It is simply fun to work with such professionals on a daily basis. Our Senior Master Sergeant is simply a logistics wizard and can get things moving so well it is almost scary. I have seldom been around an individual who never stops striving to improve the area in which he resides and exudes such an infectious positive attitude.

We heard that the team before us seldom ate meals together; we eat most of ours as a group. If we have any down time we tend to sit and talk or watch a movie as a group. It will be fun continuing to engage with these six individuals long after the deployment is over as they say that the friendship one creates and builds in a war zone will stay with you the rest of your life. I would have no problem remaining friends with the team members from this deployment as I have enjoyed their company, knowledge and professional attitudes and abilities.

I hope all of you have a good day. I love you all, Lincoln