Waiting to hear

Paul flies the Apaches.  When I read these reports I wonder if he is one of the responding helicopters.  I know he is not stationed at the camp that was attacked.  But I also know he's flown out to hunt for the attackers in the past.   I also know that this means it will be a few days before I hear from him.  UGH!  the waiting and not knowing is so frustrating. 

I feel for the families of the soldiers involved. It is never easy.  Waiting to hear the news if your soldier was involved, waiting to hear from your soldier if he/she wasn't.  Communications are limited until the next of kin are contacted.  Now, I have another 2-3 day wait til I hear from him.

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 8) - Rebel rockets struck U.S. troops unloading supplies from a helicopter in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing two and wounding eight in one of the bloodiest assaults on American forces since insurgent violence picked up in March.

The killings came a day after the Afghan government warned that Taliban and al-Qaida fighters are waging a campaign of violence in hopes of undermining legislative elections in September, although the rebels failed to disrupt last fall's presidential vote.

After the explosions at the base in Shkin, 4 miles from the border with Pakistan, U.S. warplanes and attack helicopters rushed to the scene to search for the attackers, but found no trace of them, Lt. Col. Jerry O'Hara said.

The U.S. spokesman said four rockets hit the base.

''This was a serious attack against coalition forces,'' O'Hara said. ''Security is not as good as it should be. But when you look at it over the course of months, incidents are on the decline. But that doesn't appear to be the case today.''

O'Hara said the Shkin base is part of an operation along the border to prevent ''foreign fighters from entering into this country to derail the peace process.''