DAY IN THE LIFE ON OPERATIONS

PADRE ASHLEY MITCHELL

No two days in Afghanistan are ever the same, always a host of opportunities to come your way, each with their own rewards and challenges.

My alarm would often go off at 0645 in the morning, quickly turning it off so as not to wake my room mates too much, wash, dress and off to the ‘Prayer Room’ to say my prayers at the beginning of the day, the Daily Office, a ‘Pray as You Go’ podcast and a time of quiet reflection to prepare for the day ahead.

Breakfast with colleagues old and new and then off for the morning brief, weather, news, ops and events for the next few days. I would then stay in the ops room for a while, chat to those who are around over a coffee, check my emails and arrange things for the day.

I would then walk down the flight line to chat to the engineers at shift changeover, those who had worked through the night heading off for a rest and those arriving, taking over the tasks for the day. Keeping aircraft flying in a hot and dusty climate is always a challenge.

A short service of Holy Communion is followed by lunch with the congregation. I would then usually go to the Gym to keep myself active and fit, sometimes circuits, football or the just the rower and the bike.

Then back to the office, check the emails, deal with any post, see a few people with concerns, worries or questions, before going to the evening brief to see how things have progressed during the day.

After supper I might visit a few sections the MT, the Movers, the Watch-keepers and the RAF Regiment.

Then I might meet with meet with fellow chaplains, Canadian, Dutch and US, for a coffee and donut, putting the world to right under the starry Afghan skies. So ends another day!