It's late on Monday night, 8 September, as I write this note -- and I need to hit the sack as it has been a long trip -- but I wanted to respond to those of you who have taken the time to mention my trip to Afghanistan on Gearboxity and especially those who I have had the great honor to meet here in Afghanistan.
Colonel (Ret.) John Antal in Afghanistan gets off a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter on his way to visit the troops.
As a retired Soldier, I am very proud that Gearbox cares about our troops. In this respect, actions speak louder than words. When I asked Randy Pitchford to allow me the time to get away from the office to visit the troops in Afghanistan, he was all for it and said "Go!"
So here I am: Typing this note to you late at night on my laptop in a conex room in a US camp fortified by walls, barbed wire and machine guns, located near Kabul, Afghanistan.
Since 2 September I have been visiting Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines involved in Operation Enduring Freedom or OEF. OEF is the coalition effort by many free nations, including our European Allies in NATO, to defend Afghanistan from attacks by the Taliban and other terrorists.
I can tell you that the troops here are absolutely superb. They are focused and dedicated, and morale is high. Not one of them whined or complained to me about anything. We are lucky to have such people in our ranks and I am extremely proud to be with them.
In the first leg of my trip (by C-17 & C-12 aircraft, then by UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter and then in armored cars) I had the honor to talk to large groups of Soldiers from the 101st Air Assault Division – which is the modern designation of the heroic 101st Airborne Division which fought in the WWII battles of Normandy (D-Day), Hell's Highway (Operation Market Garden) and the Battle of the Bulge. I've talked with their Commanding General, their Assistant Division Commander (who is a good friend of mine from my old days as a tank battalion commander in Korea) and many other great Americans of all ranks and MOS (Military Occupation Specialties).
Many of these Soldiers have recently been in active combat operations against the enemy. All of them, regardless of your political views, deserve our respect. I simply am here in Afghanistan to tell them that WE care and that they are in our thoughts and prayers.
Of course, as soon as they learn that I help make video games at Gearbox, the gamers press to the front. Those who are fans of Brothers in Arms can't wait to get their hands on Hell's Highway. It is personally rewarding for me to hear from these warriors how much they anticipate the game. Many have told me how Brothers in Arms is one of the few games that really gets it right with regards to realism, authenticity and tactics.
I know from past experience that many of our troops are also gamers. This gives them a chance to forget about their important and dangerous duties for a moment.
Colonel (Ret.) John Antal links up with Captain Baker at a camp near Kabul, Afghanistan. Could Captain Baker be the grandson of Matt Baker from the Brothers in Arms games?
I told many of our warriors about our upcoming Aliens: Colonial Marines and then about the M41 Pulse rifle that I had made from a real-firing Thompson submachine gun and a shotgun. You can imagine, as I talk to soldiers who are wearing armored vests, helmets and armed to the teeth with weapons that this conversation created some interest.
I promised them that I would work with our game publishers to send some games to the troop morale and recreation centers here in the war zone.
The most poignant moment, however, was when I visited the hospital and talked with a young 101st Air Assault Division Soldier who had been wounded in a firefight the other day. We talked for quite a while. When I left him, he said: "Thanks for coming all the way to the edge of the world to spend time with me. It means a lot."
This is a moment that I will never forget.
I'll send a more detailed report after my ten day trip is complete and I am back in the USA.
Colonel John Antal , US Army (Ret.)
Gearbox Software
