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The Outpost---A Review
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with some trepidation i will tread upon Slowguy's purview

So, "The Outpost." Available on Amazon Prime. At face value it's about the Battle of Kamdesh. Directed by Rod Lurie (who was my brother's company mate in B-3 at West Point). It's got Orlando Bloom (who forgoes any shield surfing antics); Milo Gibson; Scott Eastwood and some other new generation talent. Also within the movie are several Soldiers who play themselves---to much better effect than the SEALs in "Act of Valor" IMO. No nudity, some cursing, lots of very realistic depiction of violence.

The first part of the movie is some slow going. As one critic I read put it---tedium and monotony. Wellllllll. If you want to know what it's like to be in combat in Afghan (or Iraq). There you go. Shit tons of tedium and monotony and 'bro talk.' And a few moments of terror.

This story is not about steely eyed elite killers like the guys i currently work with. This is a story about a bunch of regular Soldiers (Cavalry scouts by training) who were put in a impossible situation and--when push came to shove--responded heroically. The movie is based off a CNN reporter's story but really the better book to read on this if you're so inclined is Clinton Romesha's "RED PLATOON" Romesha was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during this engagement--one of two MOHs to living recipients from one action. Pretty unheard of. So I'll give you just a few of his own words....

"If we qualified as heroes, then the heroism we displayed that day in the autumn of 2009 was cut from a more ragged grade of cloth--a fabric whose fold concealed the shortcomings and failings of exceptionally ordinary men who were put to an extraordinary test."

It does a good enough job of portraying actual combat that it made me cringe and I don't like going to sleep these past few days for the dreams i've had---again. Drinking helps.

Why was FOB Keating placed in such a shitty position in such a shitty place? Well Nuristan is a pustule on the eastern ass end of Afghanistan. But it is a known resupply route for the Talib's. If you want to interact with the people, search vehicles, donkey trains, etc then you've got to be down there in that valley where the road runs thru. You can build your FOB way way up there on the mountain top but you're not going to do much from up there. In fact, there was a auxiliary base up on the mountain top above Keating---it doesn't come out well in this movie but that base's purpose (OP Fritsche) was to provide fire support to FOB Keating if Keating came under attack. That there were problems providing that fire support during this big fight (portrayed in the movie) speaks to a lack of preparation and coordination at the small unit level by the leaders involved (captains, fire support lieutenants, etc).

Way way back then I'd just retired from the Army and was working as a contractor guy for the USG on a job that had me stationed down in Kabul at a place called NKC (New Kabul Compound). One trip I'd made down to Qatar to meet some people and I'd flown back into Afghan and landed at BAF (Bagram Airfield). I was looking to hitch a helo ride down to Kabul back to my place of work. After two fruitless days I finally struck pay dirt talking to a crew chief of a National Guard CH-47. He told me they were going on a resupply run along the AF-PAK border with a team of two CH-47s. If I would come along and help them with cargo shit---at the end of the day---if the weather and combat situation allowed--they would drop me off at NKC on their way back to BAF. So I spent an entire day in the back of a CH-47 landing at every little shitty FOB along the AF/PAK border helping throw out: food, mail, ammo, water, etc. We didn't land at Keating--we were the CH-47 circling above while our partner Chinook went down there to that little shit hole. At the end of the day--they dropped me off in Kabul at NKC.

'It doesn't get better'

Steve
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks
I will check it out.
Oh ya a whole lotta hurry up and wait.....

For non land lovers Greyhound comes out on Apple +
Looks good tin cans bouncing around the North Atlantic casing U- Boats.
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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Steve Hawley wrote:
Shit tons of tedium and monotony and 'bro talk.' And a few moments of terror.




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Re: The Outpost---A Review [trail] [ In reply to ]
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This is why i prefer Witcher3

Team yennefer!

*edited for speeeling

Steve
Last edited by: Steve Hawley: Jul 10, 20 8:24
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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Back then i was working a gig that was sortta on the down low. Had to fly from Afghan down to Qatar and back often. This meant 'hitching' rides. Nothing official. One trip from Qatar back up to Afghan I got a ride w a electronic warfare EA-6B Prowler group of guys and gals. Again. Manual labor. First I had to help them change some shit out on one of their Prowlers--lifted the whole aircraft up on jacks to do it



Last squadron to fly the Playboy symbol i gather---Nose art is a lost art


I got a ride in their C-17 support plane. Mucho faster than flying up to Afghan in the back of a C130



Once on the ground at BAF I'd spend hours/days hanging around helo fight operations looking to hitch a ride down to Kabul




Eventually I'd hitch a ride on some helo headed down to Kabul that would get me back to my workplace at NKC



Flying into Kabul




Back home at NKC!



These are the vehicles we'd take to meetings outside when we were on the up and up. Down low meetings were in other vehicles



good times. Not so much for the guys down at FOB Keating.

Steve
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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I watched a series, on Netflix I think, about MOH winners.
Both guys at Keating were in the series
It was interesting to watch.
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Bumble Bee] [ In reply to ]
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Still Romesha's book?

powerful statement against the machine


/r

Steve
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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Just watched it this week. IMO, it should be must-watch for all Americans.

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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I saw the trailer for that. Will check it out, but my very first question when I saw it was who thought that location was a good idea......
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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I’ll watch it too.
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [trail] [ In reply to ]
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trail wrote:
Steve Hawley wrote:
Shit tons of tedium and monotony and 'bro talk.' And a few moments of terror.




They left out the "jerking off in the porta-potty while it's 120 degrees" part.
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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I have just seen this. It was not available on amazon prime. I rented it on apple .

I can't speak to its accuracy, it is, however, sort of distressing to watch - in the sense that you know that they knew they weren't in a good spot from the off. . I find the older I get, whilst I can gloss over the artistic licence (the second take at your rifle as a mountain self destruct....... There were a couple of others..... All of which IMO were completely unnecessary)

These film moments seem to be completely secondary to the chaos / madness / insanity of being in the moment. Completely superfluous.
Last edited by: Andrewmc: Aug 30, 20 6:58
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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Thought it was really good. I was in the army for a few years in the 80s after college and could relate to the young soldiers in the movie. It reminded me a lot of Black Hawk Down in that it was very realistic and painful to watch in that you knew some guys were going to die.
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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This kind of movie is what I love. Going to watch tonight. Nice to get some real life experience commentary in advance,
Last edited by: Sanuk: Aug 30, 20 6:00
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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This is now on Netflix, watched it last night.

Production and some of the acting* were a little lacking but overall I thought it was a pretty good portrayal of a situation that seems like it should never have happened with proper planning and better placement/support of the COP.

*During the credits, it was revealed that some of the soldiers played themselves, which might explain some of that. Doesn't excuse some of the other acting, including Scott Eastwood's, and Orlando Bloom's accent.
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Steve Hawley] [ In reply to ]
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“ It does a good enough job of portraying actual combat that it made me cringe and I don't like going to sleep these past few days for the dreams i've had---again. Drinking helps.”

Shit. Sorry to hear it.

Back on the Bavarian Tractor, sir. More fly fishing.

War is god
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Re: The Outpost---A Review [Crank] [ In reply to ]
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I thought it was amazing. To be able to maintain clarity of thought in those circumstances is impressive.
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