Fire Base Wardak
By Spc. Matthew Leary, Task Force Fury Public Affairs
The ground is uneven, a mix of soft dirt and rocks, an unsteady trip for any unsuspecting person making the short walk across the base, a walk that couldn’t last any longer than a minute. The only standing structures are three large, green tents, one building, and a 10-cubic-foot wooden shack. Inside the tents, which are the main living quarters, sections of plywood have been fit together to make another uneven walking surface, although this one is considerably easier to walk on.
This is Fire Base Wardak, a small base occupied by paratroopers from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, during their deployment in Afghanistan. And while some may call it a spartan living arrangement, the soldiers here call it something different: home.
“We love it here,†said Spc. Jose R. Cruz, a grenadier with Company D and resident of Los Angeles.
Part of the reason the paratroopers are so fond of their base, despite its obvious simplicity, is the fact that they took the initiative to improve it when they arrived, said Army Capt. Aaron W. White, company commander. Initially all that was there were a few barriers, one building, and a wall as an outer perimeter, said Spc. Rueben D. Keenan, a gunner with Company D and native of Gulf Shores, Ala.
“Almost everything you see here now we built,†Keenan said. “We built the bathrooms, put up tents to house more guys, built the motor pool, extended the perimeter, and we built a gym. We totally redid it.â€
“They have put a lot of hard work into this place,†White said.
The process of improving the site saw the soldiers work a little each day on their base, something they did not have to do but wanted to, said Spc. Chris A. Cox, a MK-19 grenade launcher gunner.
“Within a matter of a few weeks, it was a more hospitable place to be,†Cox said. “We took personal pride in our place, we made it ours, and we’re continuing to do things every day.â€
The gym here is small, consisting of three cardiovascular workout machines and a handful of weights, all housed in a wooden building the troops made. However, the troops like the small gym, using it frequently for a quick workout, Cruz said. Furthermore, even though FOB Wardak offers limited creature comforts to its inhabitants, the soldiers maintain an upbeat attitude.
“At least it is easy to maintain,†Keenan joked.
With only their company here, the paratroopers are bonding as a unit, concentrating solely on the mission at hand and each other, said White.“Their morale is so high because they’re operating at company level — they’re out here doing their job,†he said.
The soldiers are going out conducting presence patrols, humanitarian aid missions, and coordinating with local government officials, Keenan said.
“This is all we do here, focus on the mission,†he added.
Assisting the local citizens by conducting humanitarian aid missions is a frequent occurrence here, and something the soldiers enjoy doing, Cox said.
“We actually get to go out and talk to the people, see how they feel about their country and us,†Cox said. “A lot of them like us.â€
Cox explained it is common to see little children wave as they pass by, or hear a “thank you†yelled as they leave an area.
“It makes me feel like what we’re doing is appreciated,†he said.
Focusing on the mission is something the troops are taking seriously, said Spc. David E. Witenbarger, a gunner with Company D from Knoxville, Tenn.
“I joined to serve my country, and that’s what we’re doing here,†Witenbarger said.
The paratroopers may not have such luxuries as a clothes dryer, so Army uniforms can be seen hanging from clotheslines throughout the day. Nevertheless, the troopers say they are happy with their FOB. They have a few amenities and extra supplies, plus they are getting a little support from somewhere outside the military chain, Cox said.
“We have plenty of hygiene supplies, and we get plenty of care packages from home,†said Army Sgt. Andrew M. Crenshaw, a squad leader and native of Antioch, Calif. “We have everything we need here.â€
“The families have been really supportive,†Cox added.
So the paratroopers from Company D seem well equipped to maintain a high level of morale as they continue to improve their living conditions and accomplish their mission in Afghanistan, White said.
And the paratroopers have also made sure to leave their mark on the place they call home here in Afghanistan, by giving it a new, although unofficial name.
“We gave it the name Fire Base Delta, for Delta Company, so everyone will know who built it,†said Keenan.
