"Basically, We're The Bullet Sponge."

A small force of US military, including Army, Navy and Marine Corps personnel, man a small base on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, serving as "bait" to draw Taliban and Al Qaeda attacks.

For now, the soldiers of Apache Troop absorb and repel attack after attack. Sgt. Michael S. Ayres, a squad leader, summarized the practical mentality: standing watch behind heavy machine guns, the soldiers are waiting for reinforcements so they can change the nature of their fight.

“We need all the help we can get out here, so we can push out patrols and get out of the defensive,” he said.

Many also find they are managing their frustration at taking harassment fire from the heights overhead and ambushes from opposite ridges.

Because of the severity of the terrain, and the insurgents’ quickness, there is little ability to fight at close range.

“I’m just so tired of seeing muzzle flashes at 800 yards,” said Gunnery Sgt. Daniel McKernan, who trains and advises the Afghan Army here. “This is like Vietnam. Hike around these mountains and you never see them. But they are always out there. And they always attack you.”