Update from Afghanistan

BEYOND FERNDALE: Update from Afghanistan

(Crystal A. Proxmire, 5/16/2011)

When I met Navy Petty Officer Todd Caswell at The Hangin’ With the Heroes Sendoff in March (https://oaklandcounty115.com/2011/03/23/hangin%E2%80%99-with-the-heroes/), I didn’t realize that I had already done a story honoring him for his service back in November when the Ferndale Rotary presented Quilts of Valor to servicemen (https://oaklandcounty115.com/2011/03/23/hangin%E2%80%99-with-the-heroes/). An alert reader noticed the connection, and suggested that we continue to follow Petty Officer Caswell and his experiences as he travels the world.

We asked Caswell some questions to get started, but we would like to know what things you would like to know from someone who is serving overseas. Join the discussion on our Facebook Page or email your questions for Todd to editor@ferndale115.com and they could be used in a future interview.

1. Where are you at? Air Base in Bahrain [Afghanistan].
2. What kind of work do you do while you’re there? Mobile Tactical Operations Center, recon and intelligence.
3. Who have you met that is interesting there? Have two Detroiters with me, and an old friend from Washington State who was my boss in the late 90’s, who I haven’t seen since then till now, LCDR Fredrickson.

4. What do you miss about being home? My wife and boys.
5. What do you like about where you are? What don’t you like? It’s rough living as you can tell from the pics, but my job is great.
6. Are you in danger? Danger, very little for the time being.
7. How have things changed since the announcement of Osama Bin Laden’s death? None, OPTEMPO remains high. [OPTEMPO is a Naval term meaning Operations Tempo].
8. How do you feel about his death? Glad the killer and pain in the ass is gone. But…how many and who my try and prove they are the new number one of Al Queda?
9. Why do you think the Navy might be a good choice for young people? What benefits have you gotten from it? Maybe Navy is for some young people, not all. You get a High Tech education shoved at you fast, then you take it out of the school environment and never stop updating it. You will see the world, one half at a time, as I told you before. Pretty much the whole world. Mainland Spain was great on the way over too. Had been to Palma in 87. One last thing, we don’t sleep much, and that’s all branches[of the service].