Combat Geocaching In Afghanistan

[+3 War Vet]

To the military, civilian contractors and relief aid workers who find themselves heading for The Stans, bring your GPS. Yes, during Operation Enduring Freedom there is time to Geocache. "Combat is endless hours of mind-numbing boredom interspersed with seconds of exhilarating terror." Afghanistan has 8-9 caches. Tajikistan, Kryzakstan, and Uzbekistan all have geocaches tucked away. Afghanistan is the one area you must be concerned with. Yes there are still killers wandering around the eastern border and occasionally some guy gets paid by the Taliban to shoot a rocket at Kabul. Overall though, its a lot safer in the SW and NW majority of the country than it is in any large city in the US. What the media doesn't say. The people are truly friendly and welcome the US presense to help bring them into the 21st century. The safety factor for geocaching there is due to the caches being on the bases. Currently there is 2 bases that have Caches hidden. Bagram AB and Camp Phoenix near Kabul. There are also some caches going in at a bases near Khost and Kandahar.

Remember some important rules about Geocaching on these bases. When placing caches. Never use anything that resembles a bomb of any sort i.e.metal cylindrical containers or unmarked containers with Persian writing on them. Ammo cans are fine and plentiful. Never place caches around entry points or near airfields. Avoid minefields at all times and caches placed off base will be muggled (swiped) so quick you'll wonder if you even placed it there at all. The caches have some great items in them. Lots of Afghan souvenirs. So bring your GPS and hunt or place caches somewhere that very few have before. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

[+15Tango]

I'm headed to OEF myself shortly--glad to see I'll have a few caches to look for while I'm there.

[+Dgwphotos]

To all of the soldiers on this forum: THANK YOU!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!! AND THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!. STAY SAFE! Have fun geocaching!

[+3 War Vet]

To the military, civilian contractors and relief aid workers who find themselves heading for The Stans, bring your GPS. Yes, during Operation Enduring Freedom there is time to Geocache. "Combat is endless hours of mind-numbing boredom interspersed with seconds of exhilarating terror." Afghanistan has 8-9 caches. Tajikistan, Kryzakstan, and Uzbekistan all have geocaches tucked away. Afghanistan is the one area you must be concerned with. Yes there are still killers wandering around the eastern border and occasionally some guy gets paid by the Taliban to shoot a rocket at Kabul. Overall though, its a lot safer in the SW and NW majority of the country than it is in any large city in the US. What the media doesn't say. The people are truly friendly and welcome the US presense to help bring them into the 21st century. The safety factor for geocaching there is due to the caches being on the bases. Currently there is 2 bases that have Caches hidden. Bagram AB and Camp Phoenix near Kabul. There are also some caches going in at a bases near Khost and Kandahar.

Remember some important rules about Geocaching on these bases. When placing caches. Never use anything that resembles a bomb of any sort i.e.metal cylindrical containers or unmarked containers with Persian writing on them. Ammo cans are fine and plentiful. Never place caches around entry points or near airfields. Avoid minefields at all times and caches placed off base will be muggled (swiped) so quick you'll wonder if you even placed it there at all. The caches have some great items in them. Lots of Afghan souvenirs. So bring your GPS and hunt or place caches somewhere that very few have before. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. UPDATE: THERE ARE 14 GEOCACHES IN AFGHANISTAN.....the day I departed Good Huntin'

[+combatnurse2003]

Great adivice 3 war vet. My $.02...

First, the posting rules say do not post a cache on or near a military base. Since that has gone out the window...

Don't do anything stupid. Caches should be, "Look for the coordinates on the back of the D-fac sign" or "Stage 2 is 210 meters on an azimuth of 270 degrees from the building you are now in front of". Basically, caches should be more of letter box and less N 49 36.123, E 35 45.789. I saw a picture on www.geocaching.com of a USAF pilot who had turned on his Garmin on the taxi way and had the lat/ long right there for all to see . Don't do anything knuckleheadish and we'll all be fine.

[+nicjordanvet]

To the military, civilian contractors and relief aid workers who find themselves heading for The Stans, bring your GPS. Yes, during Operation Enduring Freedom there is time to Geocache. "Combat is endless hours of mind-numbing boredom interspersed with seconds of exhilarating terror." Afghanistan has 8-9 caches. Tajikistan, Kryzakstan, and Uzbekistan all have geocaches tucked away. Afghanistan is the one area you must be concerned with. Yes there are still killers wandering around the eastern border and occasionally some guy gets paid by the Taliban to shoot a rocket at Kabul. Overall though, its a lot safer in the SW and NW majority of the country than it is in any large city in the US. What the media doesn't say. The people are truly friendly and welcome the US presense to help bring them into the 21st century. The safety factor for geocaching there is due to the caches being on the bases. Currently there is 2 bases that have Caches hidden. Bagram AB and Camp Phoenix near Kabul. There are also some caches going in at a bases near Khost and Kandahar.

Remember some important rules about Geocaching on these bases. When placing caches. Never use anything that resembles a bomb of any sort i.e.metal cylindrical containers or unmarked containers with Persian writing on them. Ammo cans are fine and plentiful. Never place caches around entry points or near airfields. Avoid minefields at all times and caches placed off base will be muggled (swiped) so quick you'll wonder if you even placed it there at all. The caches have some great items in them. Lots of Afghan souvenirs. So bring your GPS and hunt or place caches somewhere that very few have before. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

 

I was in OEF 1, hitting the ground in september/october of 2001.... i've been in the army for about 9 years now, and i've only been geocaching for about a year- but has anyone thought of the idea of ragheads using geocaches as IED's????? call me crazy but if i prayed to allah, and had the mindset those people do, i wouldn't hesitate to put some c4 in a well hidden cache. I'm not detouring anyone from caching... but unless the cache is hidden in a FOB or other WELL secured area (not an american held town/ or something like that)... i would be most careful. and to those of you over there now, and on their way- god bless and best of luck coming home safe and in one piece!

 

SGT Jordan 96R/19D SCOUTS OUT!

 

p.s. if anyone would like to talk further about this, or anything, i'm all ears, feel free to contact me at nicjordanvet@hotmail.com

[+cyne]

Anyone has some calibrated maps of afghanistan, or just of area around Kabul? friend of mine is going there for a mission and going to take his palm and GPS with him and it would be nice to suply him with some map for better orientation(I do not think he will be loking for caches there ). It can be any calibrted map, vector or raster, I have no problem with converting it to right format

thanks in advance

Edited December 9, 2007 by cyne

[majormajor42]

Into the Valley... an article by Sebastian Junger (of The Perfect Storm fame) taking place in the proximity of this cache...

 

GC178MM Phoenix

 

"Don't want to come back here any time again"

[+scuba dude]

I was in OEF 1, hitting the ground in september/october of 2001.... i've been in the army for about 9 years now, and i've only been geocaching for about a year- but has anyone thought of the idea of ragheads using geocaches as IED's????? call me crazy but if i prayed to allah, and had the mindset those people do, i wouldn't hesitate to put some c4 in a well hidden cache. I'm not detouring anyone from caching... but unless the cache is hidden in a FOB or other WELL secured area (not an american held town/ or something like that)... i would be most careful. and to those of you over there now, and on their way- god bless and best of luck coming home safe and in one piece!

 

SGT Jordan 96R/19D SCOUTS OUT!

 

p.s. if anyone would like to talk further about this, or anything, i'm all ears, feel free to contact me at nicjordanvet@hotmail.com

 

If you research any of the combat area caches, all of them are located on FOBs and bases. I don't think anyone is dumb enough to start messing with crap outside the gate.

[+EvilTwin1974]

Fly out soon, hoping to find a few caches

[Thomas Homilius]

Meine deutsche Rentenversicherungsnummer: 50190972H006

Meine PKZ der DDR: 190972428217 - Dipl.-Kfm. Thomas Homilius

Fly out soon, hoping to find a few caches

[+she_wolf]

I am hoping someone can help me. My brother is part of OEF, and recently shipped out. I got into GC this last spring, and have talked it up. He would like to try it while he is over there .... but I need some help in pulling it together. I do know generally where he is.

Will someone that has been over there, please email me and help me.

Thanks!

sunshine999299@hotmail.com

[+UnknownRHOADS]

Im in Afghanistan right now, and several people are placing caches around some of the US bases. So far, i have 2 found in Afghanistan, and 1 from my last tour in Iraq.

So far, all of the cache hiders have not used the letterbox method, but actually putting the on base coordinates online for people to see.

It is still a fun game, and a good way to get some "international" caches, as well as some caches not many other people can get to.

[+Buffalo Lake Rays]

It appears to me that some of the bases are getting rid of the geocaches. Does anyone know why, I know at one time there were geocaches here but now they seem to have dissappeared not even showing up historically. Anyone have any insight, I may just start my own one here, I have a geocoin to get rid of.