U.S. Army Capt. Max Hanlin, commander of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Stryker Brigade, says his good-byes to children as he leaves a village gathering, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. Julie Jacobson/AP

AP Photo/May

United States Army Lt. Gibbons, right, and Capt. Max Hanlin, both of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Stryker Brigade, talk with Afghan men during a patrol to their rural village, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Afghanistan's Kandahar province.

Max is the one sitting to the Afghan elder's left looking straight ahead.

Pentagon complains of 'negative' picture of Afghan war
By Dan De Luce (AFP)
6/18/10

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Thursday said US-led forces are making headway against the Taliban, despite what it called an overly gloomy portrayal of the war shaped by media coverage.

US and NATO troops have taken back territory from insurgents over the past year and bolstered security across the country, but the progress has often been "overshadowed" by violence in southern provinces, press secretary Geoff Morrell said.

"Now, we're far from perfect. We've got a long way to go in each of those places," Morrell told reporters.

"But this notion that there has not been progress made I think is an erroneous one."

His comments reflected a worry in the Pentagon and NATO about losing control of the "narrative" of the war amid mounting casualties, with media coverage and commentary possibly undermining public confidence that the campaign can be won.

US officials and military commanders this week faced tough questioning from members of Congress, as lawmakers on the left and right cast doubt on the administration's claims of slow but steady progress in the war.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week in Brussels said he was "impatient" with media coverage that sometimes failed to convey overall progress while focusing on difficulties in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand.

Gates told lawmakers on Wednesday it was too early to reach conclusions about the war effort, as a surge of 30,000 troops was still underway and a new strategy introduced only months ago.

The Pentagon on Thursday questioned whether reports from journalists accompanying US units ended up providing an incomplete view of how the war was going.

"If the unit you're with, embedded with, is having a good day, the war is going well," Morrell said. "If the unit you're with is having a (bad) day, the war is going badly."

"I have mused aloud about how can we find ways to expose people to the broader picture in Afghanistan, so that we're able to put Helmand and Kandahar in a broader perspective."

Morrell said there were numerous encouraging signs in Afghanistan, with more progress in areas where US forces deployed earlier, including parts of Helmand where Marine units moved about a year ago.

"The areas where our strategy has been employed the longest have improved the most," he said, citing the districts of Nawa and Now Zad.

"I think we are beginning to see... a proof of concept in some areas."

In Marjah in central Helmand, the scene of a much-touted US-led offensive in February, commanders say military and political progress has been slower than expected with the Taliban still exerting influence.

But Morrell said the outcome in Marjah has been positive generally, saying the Taliban lost control of an area they once completely dominated.

"Six months ago, Marjah was the stronghold -- the Taliban stronghold in the Helmand River valley. They owned it. They no longer own it," he said.

U.S. Army Soldier shakes hands with a small Afghan boy during Task Force Iron Grey’s visit to the refugee camp out side Mehtar Lam City, Laghman Province, Afghanistan. The goal of the visit is to distribute 1,000 radios among local refugees in an attempt to bring them closer to the Afghan government. June 2, 2010.(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Victor Egorov/ Released)(100502-A-5983E-128)

A memory from the Ranger Rendezvous celebration at Ft. Benning (Columbus, GA, 2007):

Ranger Rendezvous is a unit tradition, an event held every other year when the Regiment welcomes a new Colonel and farewells the outgoing Colonel. It’s always held at Ft. Benning in Columbus, GA where the Regimental Headquarters and 3rd Ranger Battalion are located. The event is kicked-off by a mass tactical airborne operation (parachuting) and followed by days of demonstrations, events and between-Battalion athletic competitions (think soccer, wrestling, tug-of-war).

That August in Columbus, the temperature was off the charts. I learned to accept it; something didn’t seem quite right about complaining about the weather to a bunch of Rangers, so I pushed through and pretended it was fun to be in direct sunlight on a field all day. Eventually, the 1st Ranger Battalion’s S-5 shop set up and in no time, swarms of people began showing up, awaiting the parachuting Rangers.

I noticed a bunch of men with leather jackets, jeans, motorcycle boots and long hair.

“Max,” I interrupted him talking to Sergeant Langston about whether or not to hang a few tee-shirts from the tent, “Who are all of those guys? Are they a motorcycle club?”

He glanced in the direction to face the men to which I was referring and began laughing, “those guys are probably some vets...I'd guess Vietnam.”

“Oh, of course,” I nodded, feeling stupid. Motorcycle club?

When it was time for the Rangers to land via parachutes, everyone gathered to huddle on the field. Soon enough, the C-130 airplanes were first heard and then quickly seen, followed by popping parachutes, one after another, plane after plane. It was quite a sight. Since one of the Ranger Battalions was deployed (they are on a constant rotation schedule), the two remaining Battalions were the show.

I overheard a wife who was standing with her friend next to me say, “I hope there aren’t too many injuries.”

That, of course, reminded me of the time when a parachute jump of Max’s didn’t land the way he had hoped and consequently landed him on crutches.

“Max,” I said, turning to him, “Are there always a few jumpers who get injured?”

“There usually are a couple of them,” he explained, “Sometimes, it’s just a twisted ankle and sometimes it’s a concussion, like the one I got from my jump.”

Right. I had forgotten he had a concussion from another jump the year prior. The Rangers had to complete a certain number of jumps each year to maintain their airborne status.

“Well, they all appear to have landed just fine,” I asserted, confidently.

“Okay then, subject matter expert,” Max laughed back at me.

Once the jumpers had all landed, the Rendezvous officially began.

A picture from my wedding, four years ago today. Since this photo was taken, Max has many more medals on his uniform and I have have many more wrinkles on my face. I think in four years, we've spent one anniversary together...but I can't even remember which it was...the life of an Army wife!

When uniforms blend together

My best teacher friend from Savannah and I spoke on the phone tonight and we laughed about this memory (she came with me to the awards ceremony at which Max received his Bronze Star):

It was announced that the wives of the soldiers whose names were called could go to their husbands and pin on their award. There were hundreds of soldiers in the auditorium; I didn't even know where to begin to look for Max.

Frantically, I leaned over to my right, “so where did you say he is, Karla?”

“Oh gosh, I have no idea where he is now,” she whispered with her soothing southern accent, “I just saw him talking to someone when we first arrived.”

“Well, they are lined up by company. I just don't know where his is." I declared.

Sure enough, the S1 began reading the names of the Bronze Star recipients and of course, wives began popping up one by one.

“Captain Maxwell Hanlin begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting,” he announced.

“Karla, what should I do? I can’t just wander around in search of him in front of all of these people.”

This is where Max’s and my personality differ. He claims I care way too much what other people think of me. He is right. I have actually not done things that I have later regretted for fear of looking like an idiot. This time was a perfect example. I just stayed next to Karla, sinking in my seat. There was plenty of commotion going on as people were walking to their husbands. I really doubt anyone would have noticed me weaving through the soldiers in hopes of finding mine.

So, as the S1 kept on announcing names, Karla taps my knee and says, “here comes Max right now."

Max was walking right toward me with his hands up in a “where were you” sort of gesture.

“I am so sorry, I had no idea where you were,” I explained, before he said anything. Curious, I asked him where he had been standing.

“Right over there,” he pointed, “with my company.”

“I thought your company was over there, but I didn’t see you. It’s not exactly a small company (HHC was the largest),” I confessed.

“Don’t worry about it,” Max told me lightheartedly.

“Did you have to pin your Bronze Star on yourself?

“No,” Max laughed, “a Major did it, thank you very much.”