"Though far from the front lines, KAF residents endure frequent rocket attacks that rarely cause casualties but force everyone — including patrons of T.G.I. Friday's — to hit the ground whenever the alarm sounds."
"For the most part, though, base life is monotonous."
These words reminded me of my last 5 months in Vietnam. The seemingly daily (nightly) rocket attacks very seldom caused casualties. They were mostly a kind of psychological harassment, coming in the middle of the night, just to disturb those of us who were trying to sleep?
I remember how we were monitoring radio communications of the VC, and being called to formations during the day where the Sergeant Major would announce "expect Incoming at 2am". Sure enough, the sirens would wake us up around 2am, and we would go through our ritual of putting on our flak jackets, grabbing our weapons, and running to the bunkers.
Hearing the sirens was better than hearing the sound of a "whump!" (a rocket hitting close by.) Even the the whistling sounds of rockets flying by overhead were ok, better than the "whump!" sound.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012827485_afghanbase07.html
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