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Editor's note: The broadcast aired a story Friday night by Jim Maceda about his week embedded with the Army's 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan. Click here to read or watch it. After getting that story on air, Jim called to offer his additional thoughts on what was obviously an exhausting assignment.
Afghanistan is an intriguing assignment -- here is the world’s superpower, trying to win over the people of one of the world’s poorest, almost medieval countries, because they both share a common enemy: al-Qaida and its Taliban surrogates. American soldiers are dying here -- now more than 220. Billions of dollars ($12B to date) have been spent on reconstruction.
Covering this war has never been easy. And it’s only getting harder. Nowhere else is a reporter’s strength quite as sapped by the elements -- the almost impenetrable mountains and valleys, and the stalking presence of disease or infection. You spend as much time cleaning yourself and everything you touch as you do reporting the story.
I’ve been embedding with U.S. forces since long before it was called embedding. Since 1983, with U.S. Marines in Beirut, many of whom were killed in a truck bomb by a group called Hezbollah few had even heard of. On a scale of 1 to 10, the Afghanistan embed rates little more than a 2. Coming in at a 1, my embed with Chechen rebels outside Grozny, where my cameraman Kyle Eppler, and I literally “embedded” -- sleeping on the living room floor next to the local Chechen commander’s terror cell.
Covering Operation Mountain Lion, embedded with the 10th Mountain Division in eastern Afghanistan, was no exception. I knew we were in for an unforgettable journey when our Chinook helicopter almost tipped over as we landed, in the dead of night, on the edge of a 7,000-foot precipice. This was to be our perch overlooking the most ambitious offensive by U.S. forces in Afghanistan since the beginning of the war.
My cameraman (once again Kyle Eppler) and I decided it was best to be with the Headquarters Company, which would command and control the operation. For good measure, Col. John Nicholson, the 10th Mountain commander, brought along a platoon of Marines to watch his back. It was a smart move. We came under attack only hours after our arrival on the mountaintop. Just as soldiers -- and the NBC team -- were settling into their sleeping bags, bursts of automatic weapons fire cut through our camp, with bullets zinging past our unprotected heads. As calmly as if he were talking to his wife about dinner plans, Nicholson called his troops into action. Soldiers jumped out of their bags and into their pants and flak jackets, grabbed their weapons and responded with overwhelming firepower. This was just a probe. Maybe two or three insurgents, testing the U.S. forces’ resolve. One of the intel scouts picked up radio chatter before the attack. “Just shoot and try to injure the Americans. And God be with you.” The Marines wounded at least two insurgents as they fled back into the mountains.
Kyle and I spent the night wide awake, wondering when a large group of Taliban with revenge on their minds would counterattack. The temperature dropped from the 70s to the 20s. I couldn’t tell if my shivering was from the cold or my fear.
At dawn we were packing for the 4,000-foot descent down to a lumberyard in the Korungal Valley that had been a Taliban safe house but was soon to be the 10th Mountain’s new headquarters. I expected the descent to be much easier than a climb. I don’t remember ever being so wrong. With 50 pounds on my back (Kyle was lugging more than 100 pounds, including a car battery we would use for power) we accompanied 26 soldiers, and a platoon of Afghan Army scouts – slowly -- down the mountain, which got steeper as the signs of Taliban movement grew more evident. Two soldiers went down with dehydration. Another soldier tore a ligament. Eleven and a half hours later, we made it to the bottom, our route actually ending with an 800-meter climb up to a road above a river which we had to cross by foot.
The lumberyard did become Nicholson's new base camp. But it was the camp from hell. One standing structure with no window glass meant that every time a chopper landed with supplies or took off with the general, tons of dust flew into our “hooch” and shut down the computers we used to feed our stories to New York.
Through it all, despite the dusty, dangerous environment, the soldiers and Marines with us took it all in stride. I marveled at how the 48-year-old Nicholson could spend the same amount of time as I humping gear, eating dirt, taking incoming and punishing his body, and still find the energy to plot out the next phase of the offensive in a province neither U.S. forces nor the Afghan government had ever been to before.
It takes a long, grueling day-by-day effort to win this war... and, it seems, it’s just as hard to cover it.
Read more from Jim Maceda
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In the news this Saturday
How about some recent news on Afghanistan. Every article, map, etc that I find is at a miminum over a year old. My son is there in the Korungal Valley and I am scared to death. Any news is better than nothing.
C. Carducci, Las Vegas, Nevada (Sent Jun 21, 2007 7:52:30 PM)
Dear Jim and Kyle,
An amazing story. With the emergence of Iraq, and the advent of Iran, the Afghan front has for, too many in the U.S. faded. Best regards to you Jim, and Kyle, I try to keep up with you as you appear in stories like Jim's (high school was a life ago). God bless you and the troops.
Kerry Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Sent May 14, 2006 12:41:55 AM)
Dear Jim and Kyle,
Thank you so much for your coverage in Afghanistan. Yours is the only coverage we have seen. Our son is serving in the 10th Mountain 2-4 Infantry as a medic. Our phone calls are very few and far between (most are taken up with requests for things to mail to him) so we really appreciate your coverage. Keeping you both in our prayers for your protection and opportunity to bring this story home. God Bless you!
Steve & Lynette Bonanni, Galloway, N.J. (Sent May 5, 2006 9:01:49 PM)
My son is in the 188th ADA (SECFOR) attached to the 10th Mountain Division. Afghanistan news doesn't seem to be as important as Iraq on most news broadcasts, so I thank you for your effort in getting news of our troops in Afghanistan out to us at home. I have not had contact with my son for a while so any information I can get from there means a great deal to me. Stay safe and keep reporting.
SMeiers, Grand Forks, ND (Sent Apr 27, 2006 1:33:10 PM)
Dear Jim and NBC,
Please keep up the great coverage of the Afghanistan Operation Mountain Lion. Our nephew is in the 10th Mountain. No one has any contact with their soldier for months at a time. Many have not received mail for many weeks, our news about them is our only news - please keep up the good work!!! Thank you!! God bless.
gayle simpson, thousand oaks, ca (Sent Apr 24, 2006 7:13:25 PM)
Dear Jim and Kyle,
We too, thank you for embedding with the 10th Mtn Div, 1-32 Inf. Our son is over there with you and you are now our source of news! He was in Iraq for a year and there was always news coming from there. You are the only news we receive, so we find ourselves glued to the TV at 5:30pm nightly for your few minutes of coverage. It makes us feel connected to Jess, so thank you and we know that our great soldiers will protect you while you are there! Keep the news coming!
Big hugs to you and Kyle for being so brave!
Candy Brucker, Acampo, CA (Sent Apr 23, 2006 11:07:05 AM)
Jim, Thank You for your reporting. A very close friend is in the 10th Mt Div 1-32. You are doing a good job of recording events over there. As we all know Freedom is not "Free". Stay safe
Grace Malson Galt Ca (Sent Apr 23, 2006 4:20:37 AM)
Jim, Thank-you for your bravery in providing us with the reports from the "forgotten war". Rest assured, this war is not forgotten. My son is a Medic with the 3-71 CAV, 10th Mtn Div and I live each day with the stories I read, and the pictures you (and others like you) take everyday. Please be safe and vigilant in our cause. Remember 9-11-01 like it was yesterday. Our service men and women are true heroes in my heart!
Jim Rose, Colorado Springs, CO (Sent Apr 21, 2006 11:50:13 PM)
Jim, Thank you so much for your and Kyle's brave duty of embedding with the 10th Mountain Division. My son is with the 10th Mt. Div. 1-32 infantry and the only news we get is from you. All they are allowed to tell us is that they are on a mission and they cannot communicate with us during this mission. After a year of worry by my daughter-in-law and I while my son was in Iraq now we are dealing with him in Afghanistan with virtually no information. Thanks to you we at least now know he is engaged with Operation Mountain Line and that through you we can know that maybe we will learn how the troops are doing and what is going on. Please be safe, surround yourself with a white light of safety and thank you again. We look forward to any news you have.
Linda Montaigne, San Diego, CA (Sent Apr 19, 2006 3:54:09 PM)
Jim, Thank you so much for the grueling effort you had to put into this story. My son is a Marine with the 1/3 in Afghanistan and it's always a good thing for us worried moms to get more info about where they are and what they are doing. Kudos to you and your staff. Stay Safe!!!
(Sent Apr 17, 2006 10:03:13 AM)
On this Easter weekend, we should all pause to thank GOD for the brave men and women who are serving and have served our great country. Christ suffered and sacrificed for the sins of man. Our soldiers have suffered and sacrificed for the freedoms we all enjoy in America today. We should never forget the horrors of 9/11/01 or the fact that "freedom isn't free."
Paul Sullivan, Oklahoma City, OK (Sent Apr 16, 2006 10:24:13 PM)
Sounds like a good goal, Laura.
Q: What should we (i.e.: YOU) do if confronted by bad guys whose idea of 'peace' involves YOUR death or subjugation? Never mind the fact that they live across an ocean from you; that doesn't bother them at all. To them, you're evil and must be destroyed.
What then?
PSGInfinity, Washington, DC (Sent Apr 16, 2006 9:49:03 PM)
My message to all is: "Blessed Are The Peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God"; Learn to accept the 10th Mountain Division is on a mission. Jim, "Climb To Glory"
Chris Mickles, Bagram, AFG (Sent Apr 16, 2006 1:25:56 PM)
Jim please know your efforts and your sacrifice are not unnoticed. As you know we all are starving for the real stories, you are out there putting it all on the line to get the story and get it out where it needs to be an in doing so you are making a difference. Keep those energy bars stocked and roll the film you are part of history. Kyle can handle 125 pds and you could take another twenty five, it is DOWNHILL. : ) Peace guys, keep up the excellent work and we will keep pressing the crew back here to give you as much air as you can use. Please blog often as you guys can from the field.
C. Hunt NY. N.Y. (Sent Apr 16, 2006 1:18:37 PM)
Jim,
Thanks for your hard work. You must know this type of reporting is extremely invaluable and worth the risks you are taking with our great soldiers.
All the best,
Shawn
Shawn in Tokyo (Sent Apr 16, 2006 3:39:41 AM)
Those that put down journalists need to read this report. It is important that events be reported so that history can sort out the politics and spin of this time period. Journalists like Maceda and his cameraman provide the inside information that will give perspective on the war in Afganastan. My prayers are with him and others that are doing their jobs in harms way. That includes our troops. Be safe.
(Sent Apr 15, 2006 2:21:52 PM)
Thank you for the story on the unforgotten war. Unfortunately those with military members serving in Afghanistan, it is not the unforgotten war. It is on our minds constantly and news from there is very minimal. Any bit of news is read and reread. All coverage seems to be from Iraq and we have service members who are in harms way in other places. I am sure that it is not realized what obstacals the terrain of that country presents to our soldiers and marines. Thank you Jim Maceda for this story.I hope this is not the last of your reports from that country.
Kathy Larrabee, Scarborough, Maine (Sent Apr 15, 2006 8:36:58 AM)
My message to all is: "Peace". We all live in the same world and must learn to get along with one another or their will be no future for anyone. Learn to accept all religions and races. We need to respect one another. I don't hate you and you shouldn't hate me. How could you hate someone you have never met.
God help all of us!!!
Laura Corrubia Saddle Brook, NJ (Sent Apr 14, 2006 11:30:08 PM)
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