Work

My father yesterday asked me about my work. He said that I don't speak much about it anymore and wanted to know how things were going. Today I will update you all on this.

What I said to him and the best way to describe it is that it is just moving along normally and consistantly. Back before the December move there was a lot of activity for my Department. Everything needed moved and to move things you need MHE. Everyday was packed full of things to do and opportunities and challenges. It was fun and exciting to say the least.

Once we got to the East side it remianed pretty busy each day. The Camp was not ready for us to move but we had to so there was still a tremendous amount of building going on here. This kept us moving, trucking, lifting, etc. I was actually loving, yes loving, what I was doing. I had split up the department a bit so that I could focus on the MHE and trucking and let the Supervisor focus on the Buses. With that I was in the people development role. Nothing will enhace the working ability of work then developing good people. These guys took to it well.

Towards the end of December into January it was probably the highlight of my time here. My guys were on autopiolet and could work through issues without a problem. Each guy knew what they needed to do, had responsibility and accountability and they were moving. The Supervisor David was on R&R so there was no opposing force to the things that I was trying to do and the hole Department including the buses was smooth and confident.

The Camp at that time was winding down on the construction and therefore more sustainment comes into play. The main role of the Contractors is the upkeep and daily operations of the Camp. When costruction settles the my Departments work slowed a bit. Not as much heavy moving and such. There is consistant work but not tremndous amounts of it. This will change at the end of My when again construction will begin on the next expansion "The Far East" unfortunately that will be the time when I should be transitioning my replacement.

At the end of February I went on R&R for eighteen days. Now this is when things changed in the Department again. Without me here then the Supervisor takes over and his ideas of how to operate are drastically different. What I can say is that he shoots from the hip and does not think of the workers as anything more then just hands. I have been told by the workers that he is to negative and he makes them all feel bad. Unfortuanately I can only do so much about that due to various factors here. It is better and I can keep him in check when I am here.

So I returned from R&R and the Department was back to the way it was when I first got here in many respectes. It was disappointing to see how far it could fall in such a short time. To add to this my Boss inssted that the Supervisor be the primary day to day supervisor and that I was to let him oversee all the operations. That I was only to be involved in the bigger things, as needed.

So moy direct involvement was hindered a bit and being able to watch over the work so consistantly was not there.

So now I can influence what is going on and interject as needed, keeping at least a good standard and hopefully uplifting the Department but there is a constant negative aspect that I can not watch all the time. So the Department runs, does what it has to do and is still pretty self sustaining but the fun and excitment of seeing men be happy and feel as if the are doing good stuff is gone. I think even in me that spark was extinguished a bit.

The blessings of this place now for me is that I am able to continue to work for the Lord however I can and nobody can change that. The Units have switched out and I am making new friends and building new working relationships. I am slowly transitioning the Department back into the control of the others and hopefully instilling back some of what was lost. The unfortunate thing is that when I leave there will be no telling what the leadership will be.

So, I stand on the fact that I have done my best and still have the opportunity to do good things here. I still have the ability to influence peoples lives. That what I am doing will make a difference and that for my work I will have spent a year in Afghanistan helping build an American Military Bases that is to remain here for many years, despite what the Poloticians say. I stand more heavily on the fact that I have tried to Glorify God in all that I do, no perfectly, by to the best of my ability and be the best subordinate and boss that I could be. In this it is very rewarding opportunity.

Lord, may my hands be your hands and my mouth be yor mouth. In all that I do may I find a way to honor and glorify your name. Amen.