March Update

Well it has been awhile since my last post.  I have been side tracked at work leaving me little time to update the Blog.  Let me fill you in on developments since I last wrote on the Blog.  First, Jason is no longer at COP Khiligay, he is at his Squadron's headquarters in Kunduz.  He is now the public affairs officer and doing a great job taking pictures and dealing with his new job responsibilities.  Recently he has been helping an author, Mike Walling, who is writing a book about the US military's role in Afghanistan.  The book won't be out until next summer, but should be great.  Jason's new address is:

1LT John Bonds
S3 HHT, 3-7 CAV
FOB Kunduz
APO AE 09368

Here are some recent pictures:

Here is the Facebook address of Mike Walling if you have any interest:

https://www.facebook.com/mike.walling.33

The New Year Begins

The New Year has come to the Hindu Kush along with cold weather and sense of isolation.  On the other hand the isolation brings with it a modicum of safety that only a parent can truly appreciate.  Jason is stuck in the day to day routine of being in an outpost that is both frigid and small.  However even in the frozen north of Afghanistan, life goes on.  Below is a picture of Jason and a member of his platoon who is re-enlisting on New Years Day.

The New Year also brings some of Jason's friends from West Point to Afghanistan.  His buddy Tim is now in southern Afghanistan and in February his best friend from West Point, Steve Convery, will begin a deployment as a helicopter pilot at a fairly nearby post and will actually make some flights to COP Khiligay.  Seeing Steve will at least be something that Jason can look forward to in the short term.  Here is a picture of Jason and Steve from their West Point graduation.

For now, Jason says he is doing fine and anxiously awaiting mail from home.  So if you have a second and are not to busy, drop him a line at fwfc6@msn.com.  He will appreciate hearing from home!