So This is Shangri La?

Herat, Afghanistan.  Many people have looked for it.  Maybe they have just looked in the wrong place.  To be honest, along side the Afghan National Police Headquarters in Herat, Guzara Province, Afghanistan would not have been my first choice either.  But here it is. Well . . . sort of.

It is a two story condemned building.  Well, building may be a stretch.  Really, it is a concrete skeleton of a building with no roof, no walls, six massive wholes in the middle that allow snow, rain, and mud into the center of the building.  These men call it The Atrium.  But to the men of 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company 2nd/508th Parachute Infantry, this place truly is Shangri La. 

They have taken this condemned building andmade it their own.  They've had to.  They had two tents along side it but they needed more, better facilities.  So, with a lot of work, horse trading and ingenuity, they have created this place.  They have scooped out all of the crap from the floors, laid down concrete, sealed up some of the rooms, added electricity, an infirmary, an entertainment system, and more.  And, as if by magic, Shangri La.

To tell you the truth, it almost seemed like a bunch of twelve years olds playing fort, but with real guns.  I don't mean this in a negative way but rather in the best sense ever.  They simply created this out of will.  And, how do I say this, the place is fun.  It has a cool kinda vibe.  And it is home. 

Sometimes, you never know what you are going to find.  But to Sgt. First Class Clint Mack and his band of brothers, this place really is Shangri La!