It Came Without Warning

By Tech. Sgt. Brian Christiansen, USAF (Ret.)

April 27, 2011 鈥� Kabul, Afghanistan

It鈥檚 our job to document everything of importance here at the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing. Ask people what 鈥渋mportance鈥� is, and you鈥檒l get 300 different answers. Importance is defined in this office is as, what will turn heads? Grip and Grins鈥� not so much. Some random general making a visit to get his picture taken, to prove he was here? 鈥� Not if I can help it. A box of nomax hoods that arrives from North Carolina, donated by funds raised by volunteer firefighters? 鈥� I鈥檓 on it.

Getting back to it, our office of 4 鈥� it鈥檚 our responsibility to train an office of 8 people. We really didn鈥檛 have a plan we I arrived here. After finding indirectly that it was an additional duty, we just knew we needed to start going over to their headquarters building every couple days and talk about photography, video or something to do with public affairs.

No Set Schedule

鈥淔or now, Christiansen, I want you to go over there once a week and just talk about photography鈥�, my supervisor delegated to me, without giving me any set details. Um鈥�. ok. I know the Afghans in the PA office. Other than speaking Dari, and not really knowing what they are saying, they鈥檙e pretty cool. They always offer me chai tea when I go over. Normally, I always have Yama, our Afghan civilian who鈥檚 our translator. Good kid. 20-something.

It was my turn to teach. It was my day. I woke up in the most foul mood. I didn鈥檛 want to help them鈥� I walked to work late. I knew I was going to tell my boss I wasn鈥檛 ready to teach them. I鈥檇 lied. I was in the foulest of moods and couldn鈥檛 figure out why鈥� and didn鈥檛 care.

I left my dorm around 8:30am. We have to be at work by 7:30am. Ooops. The first time I slept late. Generally, if you are running late to your own office, you might think about bringing doughnuts. There鈥檚 not a Krispy Kreme for 8000 miles.

The Foulest of Moods

My boss had made his point a few weeks earlier. If you need a morning that you want to sleep inn, go ahead and take a couple hours.鈥� Since we work 7 days/12 hours a day, we need a breather. This morning happened to be mine. I slept past my alarm. I was in a foul mood. I mean鈥� no coffee, out of coffee, and there isn鈥檛 any coffee for miles 鈥� type of mood.

My boss had made his point a few weeks earlier. If you need a morning that you want to sleep inn, go ahead and take a couple hours.鈥� Since we work 7 days/12 hours a day, we need a breather. This morning happened to be mine. I slept past my alarm. I was in a foul mood. I mean鈥� no coffee, out of coffee, and there isn鈥檛 any coffee for miles 鈥� type of mood.

The Long Walk

We have to walk a mile to work. Then we have a mile to walk back to the dorms. Then we walk to lunch, about 3 blocks, and then 3 blocks back. And then another mile back to work. And then a mile back to the dorms at the end of the day. Now that you have all that in your head, there鈥檚 a turn style about 1/4 of the way to work. It鈥檚 like a turn style made for Oopma Loompas. Seriously 鈥� if you have any gear on like a backpack, you have to take it off and have it in front of you, as if it鈥檚 another person, in order for you to get thru.

So, it鈥檚 8:30am. I鈥檓 walking to work by myself with my leather holster and wearing my 9mm pistol. We wear them every day 鈥� it just goes with the territory. I鈥檓 walking under this cloud in my mind that was bringing me down. I was pissed at the cloud. I still don鈥檛 know why I was mad. I remember bumping my head against one of the railings going thru the turn style, and that pissed me off even more.

Afghan Army Soldier

My long walk became even longer when an Afghan Army soldier walked out onto the street, he was about 20 yards in front of me. He was going in the same direction I was. He kept turning around, looking at me. My eyes were hidden by $10 Target plastic sunglasses. Again, and again, and again, he kept turning around while we were walking that 3/4 of a mile scanning me to see what I was doing, to see my reaction.

While he had turned back in the direction he was walking, I unsnapped my holster, more from anger, and less from cautious observation. He finally turned to his right. I kept thinking about it. What would I do? Could that have been something real, or was that guy just paranoid? My mood returned to me as I got closer to my building, and I could swear it was Monday, I wanted nothing to do with work.

Not Ready to Teach

鈥淪orry鈥�, I softly and carefully said to my boss; and in the same breath I said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 ready to teach this class鈥�. I didn鈥檛 want him to know that I was in a foul mood. In the same breath I remember saying to him. 鈥淚 just really want to give them the best presentation possible.鈥� I was lying thru my teeth. 鈥淣o problem. We can work on it tomorrow or the next day. Right now I have to go over and see their public affairs officer.鈥� And there went my boss. I was standing there with my backpack still on, and my head still ringing from hitting the turn style and he ran out the door. I thought it was absolutely perfect 鈥� I didn鈥檛 have to deal with him for the next hour. I could just unwind.

That鈥檚 what I did. 2 cups of coffee later, I sat at my desk checking to see what news was happening back home online. We have this young 22 year old Navy kid. He鈥檚 an OK photographer. Not great, but decent, that works with us. He sat in his corner of the room, and I sat in mine. We sat there for a little over an hour.

Tech. Sgt. Brian Christiansen standing in front of the last three Afghanistan fighter jets left at the Kabul airport.听

Yelling.

Screaming.

Confusion.

鈥� Action.

Then we heard it. I鈥檝e heard it before, but I just couldn鈥檛 believe what I was hearing. Shots fired in the distance. Yelling. Lots of yelling just outside our door. Boots on gravel running. Our office sits on the second floor overlooking the gravel parking lot鈥� except that we don鈥檛 have an overlook. 鈥淲HAT WAS THAT!!? I鈥檓 gonna go find out!!鈥� I was alone. What I had wished for in the beginning. I suddenly changed my mind. I wanted everyone near me. My photographer came back up the stairs. 鈥淪HOTS FIRED! WE鈥橰E UNDER ATTACK! IM GONNA GO HELP WITH SECURITY!!!鈥� 鈥淭ake your camera!鈥�, I jabbed as he was running out the door. He stopped. He turned around. I鈥檒l never forget what he did next.

Under Attack!听

Someone else came into my office and told me to put my helmet and body armor on. 鈥淗oly Shit.鈥� Is all I could even say or think. My boss was out of the office, my photographer was somewhere playing security, and here I am, trying to wrestle my vest on, and I鈥檓 thinking鈥� 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 supposed to happen.鈥� Five minutes later I was downstairs where the WOC (Wing Operations Center) was. A room with the sign 鈥淪ecret鈥�, was above the door, and the door was wide open. About 5 officers were huddled inside the room, talking on radios, cell phones, and one on a dry erase board.

I had my camera. Someone told me to go to 鈥淏lack鈥�. Black is where you arm your weapon, there鈥檚 a chamber in the round, and it鈥檚 not on safety. In other words, expect the worse. I stood there listening to the intel that was coming over the phones, and the airman writing down information, and verbally repeating what he was hearing. He said something that will forever change my view of a military exercise to a military operation.

鈥淐onfirmed 5 American casualties鈥�.. understood鈥� fatalities鈥�

The worst feeling in the world took over the room, and two men exited without making a word and immediately got down on their knees, and prayed.

Less than a minute later, they stood, shook off everything they could, and returned to their office to do their job 鈥� monitor the radios and receive any information to help us. To us, we were at war鈥� and alone.

We were in lockdown mode. No one left. No one came inside. Everyone who had body armor wore it. All personnel had their weapons ready to fire 鈥� we were all defenders that day, and there was no way in hell anyone who didn鈥檛 belong was going to get inside.

The Fog of War

鈥淭here鈥檚 got to be a mistake. There鈥檚 no way that something like this could happen.鈥� I heard several people quietly asked others. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know.鈥� The information wasn鈥檛 coming in fast enough. It was hardly coming in at all. Only a radio inside the WOC (Wing Operations Center) kept coming to life with that hissing tone right before someone would begin their transmission.

Several of us took key positions around the building, creating a security perimeter. We didn鈥檛 know what we were up against. Information wasn鈥檛 coming in. Imaginations were louder than voices.

One man?

Two men?

Suicide bomber?

A truck full of Taliban?

For the next 6 hours we were pinned inside of our building. 鈥淗ow long are we going to stay here?鈥� was the common question. As the day went on, more and more personnel who worked in different buildings were allowed to enter. We were the only safe refuge on our side of the base. They brought their Afghanistan translators. 鈥淣o cell phones, no calls, no texts!鈥� The order was given to the translators, just in case鈥�

There鈥檚 a phrase that is said by everyone, everywhere. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see you.鈥� That phrase will always mean something to me from now on. When at first we didn鈥檛 know who the 9 were every time another person that you knew came thru the front door, you heard yourself say, 鈥淭hank God.鈥� You instinctively ran over to them and hugged them, and spoke to their heart, 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see you.鈥�

The Names

What?

I鈥檓 trying to make sense of something that I just can鈥檛 fathom. That鈥檚 where I was supposed to teach a photography class that morning鈥�. in that building. My mind did one of those weird flashbacks鈥� I was in a foul mood and I didn鈥檛 want to go鈥� I later found out that it was in the room next door. My mind was busy wrapping itself around that I almost missed the announcement. 鈥淲e鈥檙e moving out now!!鈥�

We were told to collect anything we needed to take with us. Needed鈥� not wanted. We were leaving our compound, and going back to the NATO side of the base. We hadn鈥檛 left the building all day, except for a small few of us, who tried to find any cover of protection, and provide security, even if it was a 5 inch wide support pole for an awning, it was cover for the time being. Others had left much earlier in the day, but were given the worst possible duty known to anyone 鈥� recovering the fallen, and their belongings. God bless those people and the medics on scene. God bless those families.

Evacuate

Our compound sits right next to an entrance of the runway. Once our driver cleared the gate, he floored it. I鈥檝e never ridden in the back of a truck that was going so fast on an open flight line. I felt like we were going to fall out. They drove past the blades of several helicopters with inches to spare from the tops of trucks. I looked to my left to the back of the truck. Beyond exhaustion was everyone鈥檚 faces.

Debriefings

We arrived at the NATO side of the base. The drive couldn鈥檛 have taken more than 30 seconds. After the trucks parked, we all got out, and walked in single file lines. Military walked on as every translator was searched again.

They had us go into a huge tent to await debriefings. We were agitated, exhausted, irritable, and patience was the last thing on our minds. So was the food. That was our next stop. We took turns clearing our weapons before we all went into the dining hall where we would all synchronously play with our food for the next hour as the realization set in鈥� 9 of us were gone.

Military members pay their final respects during a memorial service for eight Airmen and one retired Army civilian contractor killed on April 27, 2011 when a gunman opened fire during a meeting. The event is the deadliest single attack on Air Force members since the 1996 attack by terrorists on Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Brian Christiansen)

We Will Never Forget Them

Helmets, rifles, dog tags, boots. Nine of them. The striking and eerie memorial you see at most every American hero who is laid to rest. But never had anyone ever seen Nine. 5 had the helmet of a pilot, complete with the dark visor pulled down and oxygen mask and hose. The other 4 were mounted with the basic soldiers鈥� helmet. 4 of them. Nothing basic about it.

It was Sunday afternoon. It felt like 3 weeks had gone by 鈥� not 3 days. People began lining up close to an hour and a half before the service started, to say goodbye to these makeshift statues. As the line slowly moved, every person reached out and held the dog tags of each of the fallen. People were leaving coins, patches, cigars, and even a set of glow in the dark neon glasses on the base of each figure.

The program finally started. It was silent. You could hear the sniffles of so many people trying to keep it together for the next hour. They performed a roll call. It hurt even more when they got to silence. Those stating they were there were deafened by the silence.

鈥淢ajor Brodeur鈥�. Silence.

Each name was read 3 times each. People were balling by the end of the end of the service.

It was finally beginning to hit me. The service was over, and I stood there with my camera at my side, towards the front, and knew that I needed to observe with my eyes and heart instead of my lens. People were saying their final goodbyes while they slowly shifted from one statue to the next. It was getting stronger. The knot that starts in your throat and begins to take over your heart. I almost had control over it, except someone touched my shoulder, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get thru this鈥�. I was useless at that point.

We returned in force a few days later. No one ever let their guard down. We continued where we left off. Advising the Afghan Air Force. Everyone watched the backs of everyone else. We would not let something like this ever happen again.

Kabul, Afghanistan. Airmen of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing join in prayer before the dignified transfer of remains begins at the Kabul International Airport. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Brian Christiansen)

The sight was overwhelming. It took your breath away to see that many flags in a row. Many tried to push their emotions aside, and carry the fallen. I was asked to take pictures for the families. In all my years as a photographer, and all the military funerals I鈥檝e covered, including one at Arlington, this was overwhelming. It seemed like thousands of military personnel, from every branch, from every country stood there at attention, saluting our fallen friends as they were being carried to a C-130 cargo plane.

In Honor and Memory of

Editors Note: Brian is a photojournalist for the North Carolina Air National Guard during 鈥淕uard鈥� weekends, and during the week, he works for the N.C. Army Guard 鈥� doing the same thing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my job to capture life 鈥� unscripted. Everyone has a story, it鈥檚 my job to help tell it in pictures.鈥�

David Tyson will give a firsthand account of the deployment of CIA鈥檚 Team Alpha (8 men) into Afghanistan immediately after September 11, 2001. The team was inserted behind enemy lines to link up with Afghan warlords and prosecute the war against Taliban and al-Qaida forces.

The team also brought in a U.S. Army Special Forces detachment and together with the Green Berets and Afghan allies, Team Alpha moved and fought on horseback from the mountains to liberate the city of Mazar-i Sharif. Later, team members helped put down the al-Qaida prisoner uprising at Qalai-i Jangi.

Tyson’s presentation includes detailed accounts regarding individual Afghan warlords, combat cavalry operations, and other daily activities in Afghanistan. It is accompanied by photographs and video footage.

David Tyson retired from CIA鈥檚 Clandestine Service

David Tyson retired from CIA鈥檚 Clandestine Service in 2020 after a 25-year career. The majority of his service was overseas; most of his postings and deployments were to Central Asia, the Caucasus region, and South Asia where he was a Chief of Station twice. He led/took part in paramilitary and counterterrorist operations in war zones, often working closely with U.S. Special Forces and foreign intelligence services.

Tyson began his intelligence career as a linguist and interpreter, achieving fluency in Russian, Uzbek, Turkmen, Turkish, and Farsi/Dari. He is a recipient of CIA鈥檚 Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Agency鈥檚 equivalent to the Medal of Honor, and the Agency’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.

Prior to working for the Agency, David Tyson served in the U.S. Army, both enlisted and as an officer. He has a BA in International Relations and Russian Language from West Chester State University, and two master’s degrees from Indiana University; one in Central Asian Studies and the other in Russian Studies. He taught Uzbek and Turkmen languages while at IU and authored several articles and books on language and culture.

听CIA Senior Intelligence Officer David Tyson, Guest Speaker

On Monday, May 15, retired CIA Senior Intelligence Officer David Tyson will share his experiences leading the CIA response to the 9/11 attacks.

He will speak at 7:00 PM in the Rogow Room at Transylvania County Library at 212 South Gaston Street in Brevard, NC. Admission is free, presented by the 久久精品.

You may purchase the book First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 at , 36 West Main Street in Brevard. You are invited to bring your copy of the book on May 15 for Tyson鈥檚 signature.

听

Marjorie Eastman standing in front of convoy in Afganistan

Marjorie Eastman presentation

Marjorie K. Eastman, author and Guest Speaker April 29, 2023

Marjorie K. Eastman, author of The Frontline Generation: How We Served Post 9/11, will speak on April 29 at the Transylvania County Library, 212 South Gaston St., Brevard, presented by the 久久精品. Eastman鈥檚 talk is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the library鈥檚 Rogow Room, is free to attend, and will include a question-and-answer period.

You may purchase Eastman鈥檚 book at , 36 West Main Street in Brevard. She will be glad to sign your book on April 29.

Photo by Gregory Ehr

Col. Jeschonnek鈥檚 program on July 14 will analyze Russia鈥檚 ambition to reestablish the old Russian Empire, the will of the Ukrainian people to remain independent, and the role of the Western world in the resulting conflict.

This crisis in 2022 mirrors the clashing of deep-seated national wills, intentions, and ambitions that date back centuries. Col. Jeschonnek鈥檚 presentation will explore how Ukraine (which means 鈥渂orderland鈥�) has served over the years as a battleground for competing powers that included Russians, Poles, Turks, Cossacks, Austrians, French, and Germans.

Col. Jeschonnek will review Ukraine鈥檚 geographic, economic, ethnic, and cultural characteristics, and will explain how international political and military factors surrounding Ukraine have influenced the Ukrainian people鈥檚 historical struggles for sovereignty and independence. He will also comment on new aspects of warfare emerging in the current conflict as well as on the mentality of today鈥檚 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers and citizens. His observations on the Ukraine situation will be current as of July 14 when he speaks.

Col. Jeschonnek was born in the U.S. sector of West Berlin following WWII. In addition to his military education and qualifications, he holds a Master鈥檚 degree in economics and business. In retirement, Col. Jeschonnek directs seminars on behalf of the German Reservist Association and leads international reservist exchanges with Eastern European countries. He currently is conducting research into formerly secret war plans of both the East and the West during the Cold War.

Col. Jeschonnek is the father of two grown children, and he lives with his wife in Cologne, Germany. His involvement with the 久久精品 has been facilitated by Rich Donoghue, Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Army, of Lake Toxaway, NC.

This program is offered by the 久久精品 as part of our history series of Guest Speakers. We invite you to join us for this free program. For more information, please call 828-884-2141 or visit www.theveteransmuseum.org.

Top photo: Col. F.K. Jeschonnek serving with NATO forces in Afghanistan.