Nevada Soldier Reminded of Home Running in Afghanistan

Nevada soldier finds reminders of home in Afghanistan
Reno Gazette Journal
Guy Clifton
November 7, 2014

Once a week, Fred Dummar gathers with a group of fellow runners for a six-mile jaunt in the high desert.

They run a challenging loop with an elevation gain of 2,000 feet on top of the nearly 6,000 feet starting point and, at the end, every new runner gets a T-shirt and lifetime membership in the local running club.

The view is scenic, especially for a desert rat like Dummar, a native Nevadan, Gabbs High School and University of Nevada, Reno graduate.

"The landscape here is all Northern Nevada," he said via e-mail this week. "The melons look – and taste – like the Heart o' Gold cantaloupe from Fallon, and the same Indian paintbrush flowers that bloom in Gabbs Valley bloom on the hillsides (here)."

But Dummar is a long, long way from the Gabbs Valley -- roughly 7,000 miles, give or take a mountain range or two.

A colonel and career U.S. Army officer, Dummar carries the official title of "Commander, Special Operations Advisory Group for Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (Higher Headquarters) - NATO Special Operations Component Command – Afghanistan.
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Last month I went to this area and it is stunning but never would have thought it would be like Afghanistan. Learn something new everyday,

Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park, dedicated in 1935. Ancient trees and early man are represented throughout the park by areas of petrified wood and 3,000 year-old Indian petroglyphs. Popular activities include camping, hiking, picnicking and photography. The park offers a full-scale visitor center with extensive interpretive displays. Several group use areas are also available. The park is open all year. Valley of Fire State Park is six miles from Lake Mead and 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas via Interstate 15 and on exit 75.