by Kayti Komisarek
Camp Keating is located in an Afghan Valley, just ten miles from the Pakistan boarder. Camp Keating is a US base, soldiers sent there don’t ask questions why they are there, or what they are doing there. Since they are in a valley they are attacked randomly all the time, stuck firing back blindly. Soldiers refer to Camp Keating as Ambush Alley, they find themselves vulnerable, like sitting ducks.
The other day Sgt. Vernon Martin was killed while being the over night look out, he leaves behind a wife and three kids. Martin’s uncle questions why he was even there in the first place. Attacks happen at all times of the day and happen with all kinds of weapons, in 2006 an American Blackhawk helicopter that was bringing food and supplies was almost taken down, since then helicopters were ordered to land no closer then a three hour walk. These soldiers were sent to secure the roads and connect the central government in Kabul and Nuristan.
Neighboring villages are left scared, hearing gun fire all day and all night. Some airstrick attacks have injured innocent civilians and villages on the other side of the valley.
