The sound of gunfire and explosions fill the air, summer has come, and once more war has come to Helmand Province. In one of the largest military operations seen in Afghanistan since the start of the war, Marines from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade have launched a wide ranging operation deep into the Helmand River Valley, a major poppy producing region, and a hotbed of Taliban activity.

Operation Khanjar

The operation has been dubbed, “Khanjar,” and commanders are calling it the largest Marine action since the 2006′s battle of Fallujah, and the largest Marine airlift since Vietnam.…

We joined the circle of soldiers, doing our best to remain unnoticed as we slipped between the gravel-colored men, trying our best to find a spot we could hear the platoon sergeant from. We settled for spots near the front of the crowd, listening carefully, the steady rumble of nearby engines filling the air with a dull bass pulse. We were in luck: the mission briefing had just begun, and I settled myself, laying my bags on the dusty earth, tucking my helmet under my arm, trying my best to not look like I just fell off the turnip truck.…

I woke up thoroughly disoriented, the basement was still pitch-black, and it took me a handful of seconds to get a bearing on where I was, which is a disconcerting experience when you realize you have woken up somewhere in Baghdad.  There is nothing quite like gaining consciousness in the bowels of a base in Baghdad to throw the day into rather unique  perspective.

My father’s bed was empty, he was already out and about, and I got dressed, intent on finding him before the day got any older.…

Most of our time in Iraq has been spent at small bases called Combat Outposts or COPs.  COP Apache in the Adamiyah district of Baghdad is one COP we visited often.  Once, one of Baghdad’s toughest neighborhoods, Adamiyah is experiencing a time of fragile peace.  

Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division based at COP Apache, especially the members of Attack Company, conducted multiple daily patrols to keep the lid on potential sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites who reside in their area of operations.…

We arrived at Apache late at night, and as with War Eagle, our view of the COP was obscured by darkness. I couldn’t see clearly out the window because of the backpack in my lap, but I caught a glimpse of an enormous building, and remembered that Apache was next door to a palace once occupied by one of Saddam’s wives. I hoped to get a better look at it in daylight, looking at the palaces was always an interesting experience; some of the decor was so gaudy it would have made Liberace blush, but there was no discounting the impressive scale to which he built his homes.…

That night we departed from War Eagle, finally making the last leg of our journey to Apache. We were due to arrive via the Silver Lion Express, a convoy that traveled between the various COPs in Aadamiyah, its primary purpose shuttling people around, getting personnel and supplies where they needed to go. They met us outside Brigade HQ, a train of four Humvees, their headlights cutting through the dark  Baghdad night.

We managed to get all of our gear into the trucks, which was no easy affair; the humvees were already full with supplies, and it looked like we would have to carry much of the gear on our legs.…