Day 148: Riding in a Convoy

Today as my convoy was driving through downtown Herat, I realized what a unique experience this is and that I should share what it is like to be a part of a convoy. It is not the leisurely ride down the road you might think of as you glance through the pictures I post. I will walk you through the process.

Prior to leaving on any mission, all vehicles are prepped. This includes checking fluids, filling the gas tank, checking the tires, etc. Then all radio equipment is turned on and checked. We have to make sure we can communicate with the other vehicles on our convoy and then back to our home base. After commo checks, we assure that our weapon system is mounted on the truck and in good working order.

After the vehicle preparation we all meet for a conop brief. We discuss the mission and how it will be accomplished. We discuss current threats and how we will deal with them if encountered. We assure that small details such as convoy speed and order of the vehicles are sorted out.

We then throw on our body armor, to include ear protection, eye protection, gloves, etc., and then get into the trucks. Once inside we lock our doors, put on our seatbelts and then each of us puts on a headset. The headset allows us to communicate among ourselves and the other trucks.

Each of us in the truck has a different job. At times I am asked to drive or be the radio guy. Sometimes I sit in the back seat and function as a medic. We always have a gunner who sits up in the turret. This is a job I luckily will never have. No matter what your individual responsibility in the truck, once we roll off the FOB, we share the job of staying alert and watching for threats that may be around us.

As we drive down the road, every person, vehicle, pile of garbage, or rock, is analyzed and viewed as a potential threat. We usually drive down the middle of the road and force other vehicles to pull to the side while we pass. We never let a vehicle pass us from the rear, no matter how slow we are going. Inside the vehicle, we are constantly talking among ourselves. A Humvee is a rather crowded vehicle and your field of vision is blocked by radios and other equipment. Consequently, we all have to describe what we are able to each individually see to the rest of the group. Any suspicious activity is reported.

Often we drive long stretches through the desert. Typically there is less to worry about on this kind of drive. There are many camels or sheep grazing in the distance. We pass through small villages that are placed just off the road. Occasionally we pass vehicles or people on the side of the road.

When we are in the city, it a completely different experience. Crowds are all around. Cars, motorcycles, bikes, donkeys, and kids are coming from all directions. Not only do you have to watch for threats that may approach the convoy, you equally must fear the child who isn’t paying attention and walks out in front of your oncoming vehicle.

Once we arrive to our destination, we unload and go about our business. Several people always stay with the vehicle to provide security and assure that our equipment isn’t tampered with. After business is done, we hop back in the vehicle and do it again.

It is definitely not a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive. However, it is somewhat adventurous and there is always something interesting to see. Here are some pictures from today’s outing...I know they probably are starting to look all alike. How many times can you look at sand, mudhuts, and donkeys? Hopefully you will find them interesting.