I run a couple of contracts here in support of the Dutch and the Australians but, I am not loyal. I'll work for anyone with a chequebook.

My company is an Australian subsidiary of a much larger global company, we are one of the bigger organisations in this place, and a place further to the West but, it does not rhyme with Blackwater or KBR. I had not heard of them before I accepted the job but, on investigation I was happy enough to come to work for a civilian company that packs more firepower than much of the military here....we supply, maintain, and operate 12 Iroquois gunships..mounted with mini-guns.

Came over in Jan 06 to upgrade the airstrip at Tarin Kowt and provide logistic support to the ADF elements here. Since the Dutch took over command of Uruzgan Province, they have been the lead element and they have become our customers.

The two contracts I currently manage are the Airfield Maintenance for the Tarin Kowt Airfield and the provision of a Russian Mi26 to Task Force Uruzgan.

Airfield



The base here was built around an ex-Russian dirt strip, which when I arrived was becoming marginal, to say the least, to C130s. We lengthened it and upgraded the surface and have been maintaining it ever since.

It is still a dirt strip, so with the numbers (and the dimension) of the aircraft utilising it, it needs daily maintenance. Despite it being dirt, we are able to keep it pretty well compacted (these are C130 skid marks from a landing)



It is maintained to such a good standard that it supports up to 28 aircraft a day. It is also famous with the USAF Strategic Lift Command for being the only operational dirt strip in the world that they use for landing their C17s



We have had up to 5 of these 'Big Mothers' land in one day, we have a bit of work after they have been but we can get the strip operational again pretty quickly.

The climate here brings it's own stresses. In the first summer we had 6 weeks where the temperature rose above 46C....every bloody day! Then, in winter, it snows and will go below -20C.

We are doing alright because the Dutch are due to extend our contract into 2010. We will also be here competing for the eventual upgrade of the strip to whatever the contributing nations want it to be.

Mi26

The other contract I won and continue to manage is helicopter services via a Russian Mi26. In Apr 06 I was chatting with a newly arrived Dutch Officer. The day before they had had to demolish an Armoured Command vehicle which had gone over the side of a steep bit of road...and they could not recover it...after much rumination and many signals flying between Holland and Afghanistan they made a decsion to blow it. On talking with this Dutch Officer I gave my commiserations for what was then, their first casualty, and asked why he had not contacted me....I could have recovered it for him...he looked at me incredulously and laughed..." Ha ha...and what do you have Sir?"

We had two of these working for us:



and they can do stuff like this,



and this,





We had a contract secured within the month, and it will continue until at least the end of 2010. Good$$$$

Under ideal conditions it can lift 20t, and can internally load more than a C130. In fact, we are the only asset within theatre that can recover a CH47 Chinook. Chinooks can no longer lift themselves because of being up-armoured, especially at the altitudes and temperatures we are dealing with. We will be recovering the ASLAV that Tpr Pearce was killed in from here to a place it can be put into a bigger plane for return to Australia.

Other than the two contracts I have done consultancy work for building 5 x Bailey Bridges up in Bamiyan province, part of the Hindu Kush. Consultancy work on demining...and other stuff.

There are not many provinces in the place I have not been too at least once. Lived in Kabul for much of 06, seen car bombs go off. Stay in Kandahar and experience rocketing on many nights. TK is pretty safe now (yes...the boys are doing their job) and I can get into town dressed as a local and eat meals with my local employees.

Started of lving with the SAS here and I have seen each and every RTF rotation come and go. Yet, despite my years in the military, most that come here are experts and can't be told anything...they have to learn....You know what military can be like...I am only a 'dumb' contractor.

Just about had enough of Afghanistan though, and I am currently considering a job which will have me Pan-African...maybe before the end of the year.

Any you blokes looking for work?