Celebrating # 1000 with pics from Kosovo and Afghanistan

[Ichhabe]

Since this is my posting # 1000, I thought it was about time to post some more pictures.
So here they are. Enjoy :D

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081773_ichhabe.jpg

First a up-close picture of me, for those of you who ever wondered how my neck look like.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081095_detblefunnet30000demibilen.jpg

In a Mobile Check Point we searched a car and found 30 000 Deutche Mark. The man who had them could not give a reasonable story on why he had it. So we called for UNMIK. Here the American police man has entered the scene.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081056_ivan.jpg

Russian soldier.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081027_skyting.jpg

Every now and then we had a "If you try my gun, I try your gun-day".
Here we try out Russian weaponry.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082080866_img00024.jpg

Here we clear a possible mass grave site.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082080828_img00028.jpg

After finnishing clearing the site, ICTY moves in and check the area. There were no sign of the reported mass grave there.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082080751_img00150.jpg

Searching for weapons take you to places you never dreamed of ever going to. Here it is a well being searched.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082080651_polakkermedevacsko.jpg

Polish sappers in Afghanistan.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082080534_robertmedevacsko.jpg

Another Polish sapper. This guy was crazy AND cool.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082080182_p5250037.jpg

American EOD Sgt trying out Norwegian equipment.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082080013_p1010033.jpg

On patrole with the British. And yes, for those of you that see that sun glassed bearded fellow. He's a US SF.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082079917_sweepingmednysjerrigeafghanere2.jpg

Afghanis seems to take no care of personal safety. We gave up getting the curious spectators away from us. Some of them even thought that we were not able to lift up even the smallest object that we found, so they entered the mine field to help us pick it up.
Later, when the flail drove over that area, it destroyed about 500 AP-mines.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082079819_punkteringikabul.jpg

Kabul ain't the best place in the world to have a flat tire. Specially when you're dressed in desert BDU. But luckily these guys was more interested in earning American dollars. They took of the tire, fixed it and put that back on. And it only took'em about 10 minutes. We payed $ 1.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082077364_tyskhjelm3.jpg

This German steel helmet was found during a sweep. No it rest in the safety of my home. Oh Joy!

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082076253_3nestenoppe.jpg

Prodding our way on top of a berm to get a good position for smudding on UXO's. (Un-exploded ordnances)

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082076102_10smudding1.jpg

Safe behind the shield.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082075890_18smudding6.jpg

Same as above.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082084236_dsc00002.jpg

Smudding isn't always safe. That was what the US EOD-guy that got this "We are so sorry-gift" experienced after reciving a shrappnel in his knee from such an UXO that we got silvered and plaqued for him. He was very greatful for that.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082076977_comejoinus.jpg

A friend of mine in the US was crazy about US. Marines. So I got this Captain to pose with a sign as a special gift for him. Later I got a mail from him where he told me that he hade made a poster of that photo.

[memphiz]

Awsome 1000th woot , thanks man

[NcDeuce]

Great pics!

[Ratamacue]

Great photos Ichhabe.

[xjym2002]

Awesome pics!

I'll copy;) your #1000 invention when mine #1000 comes.

BTW, be careful with photoshoppers!


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082076977_comejoinus.jpg

A friend of mine in the US was crazy about US. Marines. So I got this Captain to pose with a sign as a special gift for him. Later I got a mail from him where he told me that he hade made a poster of that photo.

[usa320]

yeah, keep that one private. I can imagine what some people here would do with that pic and photoshop.

:roll:

[Ichhabe]

yeah, keep that one private. I can imagine what some people here would do with that pic and photoshop.

:roll:

That was why I edited the picture. :D

And the two boys had to step away. I would not allow them to be in the picture. ;)

[Russian Texan]

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081095_detblefunnet30000demibilen.jpg

You have said that you found 30 000 deutch marks in this guy's car, don't get me wrong or take it as an insult - I just want to know: why is any of your business how much money does the guy have and why would you question him?

What authority did you have and why did you decide to search his car?

What if the guy said that he found it or it is his grandma's inheritance?

How does the story end?

[Midav]

Awesome pics!!

woot woot

[Ballistic]

Great pictures Ichhabe ! woot

Thanks for sharing them with us. :)

[Ichhabe]

Russian Texan asked:


why is any of your business how much money does the guy have and why would you question him?

You know very well that anarchy is the order of the day in Kosovo. Many criminals are having their time of their lives down there.

Therefore KFOR try as best as they can to help the UNMIK-police.
But you were actually right, It was not our business in knowing how much money that guy had. We who were there as soldiers therefor never actually touched the money.
We did not question him either. That was why we called for the UNMIK-police. They have the autorithy to question him about the money.


What authority did you have and why did you decide to search his car?

Our autorithy was given to us by NATO, and that is good enough for me.
The reason for the search of the car was because that is was a very special day. It was the 28. of June. And as you already may know, that was the day for the battle of Kosovo in 1389. For some crazy reason they actually still remember it down there as if it just happend yesterday. Because of that, KFOR had security cranked up.

And for the searching of cars: We could do that whenever, wherever to whomever we wanted. Cause KFOR is the authority down there.


What if the guy said that he found it or it is his grandma's inheritance?

That was not KFOR-business. We just held him back untill UNMIK-police could come over and handle the case from there.


How does the story end?

According to the Police officer, if he was the legitime owner of the money, and if it could not be proven that the money was earned through criminal activity, he then would get his money back.


Hope that my reply was to your satisfaction.

[Skaman]

Great pics man.

[Haiw]

Nice pics. :D

[Falco]

Good pics woot

[army cadet_ngcsu]

great pics and its great to have you on the forum

[mack pl]

Cool pics :)

[Herrmannek]

woot

[CannibalSquirel]

Great pic´s! ;)

[MKtexan]

Hey great pics, thanks!!! woot

[Rantanplan]

Great Pics Pal.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082077364_tyskhjelm3.jpg

You found this in A-Stan? :D

[Undo]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

[usa320]

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081095_detblefunnet30000demibilen.jpg

Is that a nuclear power plant cooling tower in the background?

[ibstolidude]

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081095_detblefunnet30000demibilen.jpg

You have said that you found 30 000 deutch marks in this guy's car, don't get me wrong or take it as an insult - I just want to know: why is any of your business how much money does the guy have and why would you question him?

What authority did you have and why did you decide to search his car?

What if the guy said that he found it or it is his grandma's inheritance?

How does the story end?

What am minute what aurthority did a NATO peacekeeper have in Kosovo to conduct random searhces of vehicles?

Bwaaaaa???
he didn't keep the money he turned the situtation over to the cops...

[ibstolidude]

PS is that photos just NW of Pristina at the power plant?

[Ichhabe]

PS is that photos just NW of Pristina at the power plant?

Yes it is. Just outside of Obilic.


Bwaaaaa???
he didn't keep the money he turned the situtation over to the cops...

Maybe he had a wet dream about that we actually would have stole it? But it seems like he was happy with my reply.

usa320 said:


Is that a nuclear power plant cooling tower in the background?

Actually I would wish that it was. But it is a Power plant that is "fueled" with brown coal. They could have used tires. It would have polluted less.

[Mike 1-3]

I believe that is a cooling tower from Obilic coal power plant - isn't that actually a bit SW from Pristina or am I totally wrong?

Anyway, that's the place where smoking is supposedly healthier than breathing the air...

Ichabe, nice to "see" another peacekeeper and especially a Norwegian one! Always had great time with your guys...and congrat's for your 1000th posting!

I hope you don't mind if I post some pic's from the same neighbourhood, when we are at the subject?

http://www.hut.fi/~jmkorhon/Kuvia/Kopio%20sniperteam.jpg

Sniper team training near Camp Victoria. Range to target 683 meters.

http://www.hut.fi/~jmkorhon/Kuvia/Kopio%20platoonwaits.jpg

Platoon waits for a go code

http://www.hut.fi/~jmkorhon/Kuvia/Kopio%20Varustuseroja.jpg

Two soldiers, two Scandinavian countries, one patrol - and a bit of difference in "standard patrol equipment"! The left one is Finnish, the other guy is Swedish.

There's a bit more if anyone is interested - I'm sorry for the black marks on the faces but believe me, those guys ain't so pretty to start with ;).

[Pille1234]

Thanks Ichhabe! This forum lives on people like you, who share their experience with us. And their pictures of course. :P

[Chris1]

nope mike, definately north west

[Ichhabe]

Great Pics Pal.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082077364_tyskhjelm3.jpg

You found this in A-Stan? :D

Yeah!!! Can you belive it??? :D W e were out on a sweeping mission to clear for a new garbage pit that the Americans wanted to make. So there we was snooping around down in this old fish pond that was dryed out.

As I was making my sweep, I first noticed the object from about 40 meters. A German helmet!!! Naaaah! Can't be a German helmet. Actually started to laugh a little about my sillyness. Sp I started doing my job. But when I was 10 meters away from it, I again had a look. And it was a German helmet. I could just not belive it. I workeded me towards it. and after prodding around it and double checking and then checking again I piced it up.
To my stunning amazement it turned out to be a Stahlhelm mod. 1917. Oh wow, oh Jesus :D

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139383_pit1.jpg

Dry as dry can be.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139435_pit2.jpg

To the left of the guy down in the ex-pond, you can see where I found the helmet :D You can see that little hole from it.

[Rantanplan]

Maybe its a relict of the Hentig/Niedermayer-Expedition 1914/15. It could be that we equipped the Afghans/exile Indians with our stuff during or after the war.

[Ichhabe]

Some more pictures from Kosovo.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082140194_thkoso85.jpg

Some wanted some more pictures of the flail. It is called the Hydrema. It is of Danish origin.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082140118_sjekkavpersonellivcp.jpg

Here is another picture from this day when we operated that Mobile Check Point. And remember. We don't do them just for the heck of it cause we are bored. It is for the security of civilians.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139871_obilic,veiskilt.jpg

That power plant just has one chimney. The other power plant has 4 operating chimneys spewing out smoke.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082140026_russere.jpg

Same Russian as earlier, but now with the whole APC and friend. :D


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139919_opleathermaniiidenblirbaresintere.jpg

Not all did agree on our policy in Kosovo. This dog seemed to have some disagreement with our just cause. ;)

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139777_housesearchwithdog.jpg

During a house search with a dog special trained for finding explosives, weapons and ammunition.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139835_temporarilydentainee.jpg

This dog wasn't so happy about that another dog came in on his turf. Two British soldiers from the 2. Fusilers had to secure him and have him under controle. He was some sort of a temporairily detainee.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139571_tempstop,abouttosendoutpatrolonfoot.jpg

Here we are out on a recce. To find any driveable routes over that mountain.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082139475_pointofnoreturn.jpg

Here we are on the other side. Yeah. We did find a "driveable" route. To bad that we had to use explosives further down so we could get down from that frigging mountain.


http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082140071_sisu,medcoca-colaparasoll,opjoyride.jpg

Coca Cola-Sisu used by the Finns. One of my favourite pictures. :D

[Ichhabe]

Maybe its a relict of the Hentig/Niedermayer-Expedition 1914/15. It could be that we equipped the Afghans/exile Indians with our stuff during or after the war.

Here is the beauty of the Internet: Just after I returned to the base, I weant online. Logged me on to feldgrau.net and submitted a picture and a question. 15 minutes later I learned that the Germans had military advisors down there in the 20's. They also equipped the Afghan army with weapons and helmets, and the whole shabang.

[Herrmannek]

Do you have more Polish pics? We have very poor coverage here about our soldiers abroad...

[Obergefreiter]

Great Pics Pal.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082077364_tyskhjelm3.jpg

You found this in A-Stan? :D

Either Austrian 1917 style or German 1918 style. WWII vintage either way. Worth big $ in the USA.

[IDFM203]

Nice pics.

I always understood that perhaps you were in Lebanon and in Kosova, but I never knew that you were also in Afghanistan

Out of curiosity, when were you there?

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082140071_sisu,medcoca-colaparasoll,opjoyride.jpg

Cool pic, kinda reminded me a bit of this IDF pic (http://community.webshots.com/photo/49184628/49338353lTRllG) ;) :D

Shalom :D

[Ichhabe]

Nice pics.

I always understood that perhaps you were in Lebanon and in Kosova, but I never knew that you were also in Afghanistan

Out of curiosity, when were you there?

Shalom :D

Was down there in 2002. We was under American chain of command as part of Oeration Enduring Freedom.

Or as the brief where they told us about the situation down there before we weant down: During the brief that they had made on power point they had a gruesom typo. Instead of "Enduring Freedom", it was misspelled to "Endring Freedom". Endring is a Norwegian word that means Changing

So we had a good laugh when we saw that. But said that they better change it before any left side political parties saw it and totally misunderstood the presentation. :D

[Steve Railsback]

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081027_skyting.jpg

Every now and then we had a "If you try my gun, I try your gun-day".
Here we try out Russian weaponry.

Hey Ichhabe, did you serve in KFOR 2? because the two guys in front shooting, was in my platoon (jeger troppen).

Great pictuers woot

[Ichhabe]

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/385_1082081027_skyting.jpg

Every now and then we had a "If you try my gun, I try your gun-day".
Here we try out Russian weaponry.

Hey Ichhabe, did you serve in KFOR 2? because the two guys in front shooting, was in my platoon (jeger troppen).

Great pictuers woot

Yes, I was in STING.

[gilgoul]

BIG woot