I found out that I'm leaving for IA in Afghanistan in Early April 2011. Anyone here gone before? What's it like? What should I expect? I'll be with AFN as a broadcast journalist. What are the living conditions like? What can I expect for weather?

Hello? Anyone out there? lol.

Well, I haven't been to Afghan....yet, but I'd have to say it's mountains and hot.

Living conditions will depend where u are. but for the most part, such as Kabul, Camp Leatherneck, Camp Dwyer, and Kandahar AB will have containers or big tents to sleep in. Chowhalls are good with with a few cross-dressing workers...serious...laundry, shower containers, PX/BX, post offices.

You go to FOBs, Patrol Bases, Control Points, dont expect to much.

April time frame is pleasent near Kandahar. Farther south u go the hotter it gets.

i don't know where IA is, but I am in the eastern part and it gets chilly at night, and still pretty warm during the day, and its still sept. We'll get a few feet of snow this winter and it'll get hot again in summer. Living conditions will vary fob to fob and even company to company, just depends on the luck of the draw.

IA = individual augment

Living conditions on FOB are not great they have the basics. Oberservation Bases have NOTHING you make due with what you got. But other than those the big bases have nice living conditions. Going from a FOB to Bagram is like living in a 1 satr hotel to a 5 star hotel

I never been to afghan, got a "warning order" but nothing definite for kandahar. I've been in Iraq when it was still Operation Enduring Freedom and then it turned to OIF. I "endured" everything from sleeping in "ranger graves", eating MREs for 3.5mths (before I discovered hajii chicken and kabobs, yum) and not showering for over 3 mths to living in a container (last 3 weeks in babylon, lol), eating in a haji tent chow hall and showering at least 3 Xs a weeks (whenever the damn lister bag got filled, lol). If you get a container you are set! God speed my brother, be safe.