Here is a great note from Brad! It is most informative and the pictures are great too!
Howdy Folks, 15AUG09
Greetings, here from the other side of the world. Things here are rolling along without too much to complain about. It’s now mid August, which means I am 10 months into this thing, and that much closer to being done and coming home to enjoy a state with already established democratic statutes…..and running water. Not that I would mind drinking bottled water the rest of my life…. (Actually I would, but I hate to sound pessimistic about these things). But seriously, I am doing fine and becoming ever more cognizant of my soon approaching leave date. I have decided that today – I am closer than I have ever been to coming home, which is exactly the truth, and I am looking forward to seeing my sweet little wife and all my family and friends when I get to leave. Of course I will have to come back, but only for a short time to finish out the rest of the year.
It is still hot over here. I always thought that TX had the most variance in temperature and weather. After being here for about 8 months I have seen temperatures go from 15 degrees F to 115 degrees F. “Freezer burn to blow torch” is about how I like to describe it. Good news is that in a few months, well be back to freezer burn!
It’s election season here in the wonderful soon to be democratic state of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (or whatever it is exactly that the very important people in charge of this whole thing want it to be..) That means that my job in agriculture is taking a short break for politics. That’s good news for me, cause I could use a quick break. We should know by the end of the month whether the republicans or democrats won….. (that was an ill attempt at a joke…)
I recently took some more trips up into the mountains for a while to visit some villages and check out some of our projects there. As always I had the opportunity to expand my culinary palate, swim with the local kids in the river, and of course, actually get some work done. I can now add homemade goat’s buttermilk and fresh picked mulberries to my repertoire (I had to look up that last word on spell check).
Anyway, just wanted to say hello and let yall know that I’m still doing okay. We even managed to get a satellite hookup to pick up two channels – both government censored and sponsored, but the good news is that one of them runs ESPN and Sports Center every morning. So, as always, don’t feel too bad for me, as long as the satellite holds out, I can keep up with football season.
There’s always someone, somewhere who wishes they had it as good as I do, so I can be thankful for what I do have, and most importantly, I can thank God for what I have waiting for me at home one of these days…….
Take Care,
Bradley 
An example of where we live when we go on long missions, this happened to be inside a local high school.
Enjoying some fresh mulberries and discussing the local wheat harvest with a local.
Me and one of my SGT's and some local law enforcement...I gave this guy the name Miami Vice.
Meeting with a local Governor to talk about his area's agriculture.
Picture of me with a local kid while taking a strol through a local market.
Thanks so much for your support for Brad! Please continue to keep our men and women in harms way in your thoughts and prayers!
Enjoying some fresh mulberries and discussing the local wheat harvest with a local.
Me and one of my SGT's and some local law enforcement...I gave this guy the name Miami Vice.
Meeting with a local Governor to talk about his area's agriculture.
