September is Here!

I hope that everyone is having a great September! Below is a new letter from Brad as well as a few pictures of what he has been up to lately:

Howdy,
Greetings again from Afghanistan. Not a whole lot has changed around here since my last update, were just about half a month closer to being done with all of this, and that’s something worth mentioning! I have actually been pretty busy these past few weeks since the elections wrapped up. Those elections sure shook things up over here, as I am sure yall heard about all over the news. But, just as predicted, things are almost back to normal, at least until they announce a winner, and we are back trying to improve the agricultural productivity of this area any way we can.

Weve had about 20 brand new projects that we recently got approved and are trying to get started before the winter hits here in another few months. That has pretty much occupied a colossal amount of my time and brain cells, and of course the government’s fiscal year is coming to a close, so we are under a deadline like every other government agency this time of year. All that does is add to an ever growing stack of paperwork, meetings with local contractors and officials, and briefings that I am a part of. On top of all of this, we still have to go out and visit the farms and government officials we work with on a regular basis. Add all of this up, and you have a Brad Clark, who is genuinely ready to come home for a little break and spend some time with the wife and family.

But don’t let me paint too bad of a picture. We have recently gotten a new shipment of food in the chow hall, which means that we have had Dr. Pepper for the first time in about 3 months for the last couple of weeks…..that’s enough to get this red blooded Texan’s heart pumpin! And I have been keeping up with the American League Wild Card Race ( Which the rangers are gonna blow ) and the preseason football games.

Anyway, I just wanted to say hello again and I hope that everything is going really well for everyone back home. I thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers and can’t wait to see everyone again in a few short months….

Take Care
Bradley

Brad looking at some range grass up in the mountains of Nawur

Finishing a Range Survey in Jaghori
Brad with a Puppy that Straggled into the Area One Morning

Thank you for your continued support! Please remember to keep our men and women in harms way in your thoughts and prayers!

Mid-August Note from Brad!

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!

Visitor to Post

Greetings!




It is finally August and currently Brad is on another adventure. He is somewhere in the mountains of Afghanistan consulting with farmers and saving the world "One Tomato Plant at a Time." He always looks forward to his consulting work because it gets him out of the FOB and out and about with the local people. He is doing wonderful and great things while he is in Afghanistan. I know he is looking forward to the day when he can bring his experiences back to his work in Texas.


Recently ADT TX02, as his unit is called (I believe) recieved a visit from Govenor Rick Perry. Here Gov. Perry is pictured with Brad and some of Brad's fellow Aggie graduates.

Please continue to keep our men and women in harms way in your thoughts and prayers!

Pictures from the Mountains!

Hello! Brad is still doing well and is currently on his base in Gahzni. Here are some wonderful pictures that Brad took while he was on his last field trip into the mountains-it looks like it was a beautiful place to visit!

A Pensive 1LT Clark...

Man with Donkey....and Mountains too...

Brad with Lake...

Brad with Man and Chicken...

Thanks for your support for Brad! Please continue to keep our military and civilians in harms way in your thoughts and prayers!

A Note from Brad...

Howdy,
Ive been informed it’s again time for an update. So here goes: I am still in Afghanistan.

I could expand on that a little I guess……I had a pretty good Fourth of July yesterday, considering. We actually had the day off and I didn’t do a lick of work. Slept in, read a book, played baseball, watched movies and listened to Willie Nelson with all the guys. All in all, a pretty all American celebration – we even had cheese dip and summer sausage. The only thing that could have made it more like a TX 4th of July would be some ice cold beverages, and of course…..being in TX would be nice. One thing that is nice about being in a combat zone on the 4th of July, is that there is no shortage of fireworks.....We didn’t have any roman candles but parachute and signal flares are plentiful around here!
The last few weeks I have been pretty busy to say the least, which is good – it keeps my mind focused on the job and time flies. I know that Molly is happy when I sit in the office most of the time, but lately we’ve been taking lots of trips up into the mountains working on some projects with a tribe of Afghans called “Hazarans”. They are not the Afghans you read about on CNN. They have resisted the Taliban and are more than ready and willing to work with whoever wants to help them. In this case it is us. They take good care of us when we go to visit. I’ve seen some pretty amazing sights over the last few weeks. Trekking and sleeping on 11,000 ft. mountain passes, playing soccer with the kids, and swimming in mountain streams and hot springs – it really takes it out of you! Don’t get me wrong, we do a lot of actual “work” to, but that’s all pretty boring to talk about.
My culinary pallet has been greatly expanded as well. When were on our long missions, we live and eat off the local economy. Homemade goat milk yogurt, lamb and goat kabob, long grain rice, flat bread, and various parts and pieces of multiple types of animals (don’t ask for specifics, cause I don’t know) are all staples of our diet. No major intestinal problems, for the most part, but everyone get a case of “Mohammed’s Revenge” every now and then.
Other than that, its life as usual around here. Every day is different than the day before, and I spend most of my free time dreaming of what I am going to do with my time when I get home for good…again. When I talk to Molly and everyone back home, sounds like things are going well there. If you see Molly, please tell her that she is the most awesome wife in the whole world, and while you’re there, remind her that one of these days I WILL be home for our anniversary. Yep, that’s right, Molly and I have been the perfect married couple for 4 years, the best of my life…. I don’t like spending 3 of 4 anniversaries in a warzone, but because I’m married to the sweetest girl on earth, there’s not a happier man on earth on 9 JULY every year! Love ya Darlin!
So, I guess I ought to keep it short. I miss everyone back home, and congratulations to Rusty and Mindy on having a baby girl! Hold on Clark family, we’re now in uncharted territory! Anyway, I’m always thinking of yall, can’t wait to get home.
Take Care,

Bradley

How far is home?!?

With some time on their hands, the guys followed a Major's example and made signs to show where they are from and how far they are from home. You can see some of Brad's great handi-work on the Lake Whitney sign!
Brad is doing very well and is enjoying using his consulting skills/farming skills this time around. We hope that all of you are doing well and please remember to keep our men and women who are serving our country in your thoughts and prayers!

Happy June!

Happy June to everyone! Below is a letter from Brad as well as a couple of pictures he sent:

Howdy,

Well, I guess you could say that life is clipping right along lately. We are now in June, and the heat is here, the rain has stopped, and the wind is blowing like crazy. No more snow on the slopes and the rivers are back down since there is no snowmelt. Supposedly it will stay just like this until late September time frame. The winter wheat is headed out and almost finished, with spring wheat right behind it. Plums, apricots, peaches, almonds, and apples are coming on as well, slowly but surely. Everything is a little bit slower around here.

Our various gardens back on the base are doing well and occupying our time. All of our potatoes are showing their faces through the sand, and we have 4 rows of corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, melons, and cantaloupe each, all doing okay. Since our drip irrigation has not been delivered, we have been watering the Afghan way….with flood irrigation, which I will mention is probably the most labor intensive method on the earth, aside from hauling a water bucket everywhere, but at least we can keep things wet….

I am still doing just fine. I feel like I have been here forever, while at the same time I feel like I just got here. Some days are great days, others leave things to be desired, but overall, each day has enough surprises and excitement so that each one is different. I have been spending lots of time working on our farm trying to keep our plants alive on the barren piece of land we have to work with. The rest of my time is spent planning operations or actually doing operations. I recently had a memorable visit to wine country…..by that I mean a small village in Ghazni where most of the grape production occurs. My tour was very “enjoyable”; although I am sure it differs greatly from the tour I would get back at home….especially the wine part. The Afghan’s we work with are pretty excited about things this year since they had more spring rain than they have in the last 15 years. That doesn’t offset the fact that they still live in a warzone, but hey, they are used to that….they’re just glad they got some rain.

Anyway, don’t want to be too long winded, just wanted to say hello, and that I miss everyone back home. No need to worry about me, I am doing well. Anytime I feel a little homesick I just go through the mental list of things I want to build around the house, the lakes and rivers I want to fish, and the great food that people are going to cook for me when I get home!!! Just kidding….but not really, I am excited about all the food people are going to cook for me!
Miss yall, love yall, and hope everything is going well for ya back home.
Bradley

Here is a picture of Brad on the job...

Thanks for stopping by and taking time out of your day to read about Brad! Please remember to keep our military men and women and their families in your thoughts and prayers! LYPOY!