Michael Fumento

From 1st Lt. Kevin Stofan, commander, FOB Mizan, Zabul Province, Afghanistan

I have not been able to contact you since I have been away. I was up at FOB Baylough with some of my platoon to help reinforce our brothers up there. It is real rough up there. Daily rocket, mortar, recoilless rifle, and small arms attacks. We did some great missions up there and really took a toll on the Taliban up there. Cpt. Edwards the B Co company commander has definitely been presented with a serious challenge up there given the lack of forces needed to properly do the job, but he is doing a great job with what he has. I had to come back to Mizan prematurely however due to the fact that we started to get attacked (twice while I was away). It looks like the Spring offensive is actually the summer offensive here in Zabul. Most likely due to the ending of the poppy season and availability of funds for weapons and fighters.

Meanwhile, Jonas Dovydenas met Pfc. Aaron Murray (below right) and Spc.Marcel Green at Landstuhl Medical Center receiving out-patient treatment. You'll recall from the "Firefight in Mizan" sidebar to my "The Other War" piece in The Weekly Standard that both were injured by RPGs in combat against the Taliban.

Finally, below are a couple of my video clips from the 120 mm blasting away at FOB Mizan, one during the day and the other at night.

I'll be posting my entire set from the trip soon.