Afghanistan - Jalalabad

While the US was celebrating the death of Bin Laden, the soldiers who had just begun their year  in Nangarhar and Kunar Provinces were bracing themselves for the retaliation.

News from Afghanistan tells me that the Afghanistan Taliban is using this opportunity to retaliate while the world is looking at them.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes-At Ease

Not being a combat photographer or really a photographer at all I saw the war in a different way. The Army and Military strives to have everyone be the same. You dress the same, look the same, act the same...it's about being a team. On the mission you must be a unit, the unit of a platoon going out and accomplishing a task or goal to the big mission which you are a small part of the whole.

Life on the FOB is generally status quo...from one day to the next...if you survive, but your chance of survival increases if you're a synchronised team; think like a team and react like a team.

These photos were taken on FOB Joyce during the TOA (Transfer Of Authority) from the 101st division to the 25th division.

I was grateful to see moments when even in a simplistic way one could be an individual.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes-Montoya, NY Yankee Fan, Trapani & Sankbeil

On our C-17 from Manus into Bagram Senior Airman Bryan Montoya from NY out on the flight line caught my attention wearing a NY Yankee hat. Nice to see the yankee representation so far from home.

SRA Gna Trapani of Skaneateles, NY was also part of the fight crew, she's studying to be a pilot.

Tyler Sankbeil from Stoughton, Wisconsin was having a lucky day. He got to sit up with the pilot on the flight deck for the trip.

Afghanistan Through My Eyes-airplanes

There are many different kinds of airplanes in Afghanistan. When deploying from Hawaii, the 25th Division flew on a regular commercial charter DC-10. The service was nice and the crew changed everyplace we landed. The absolute best part of the trip was the hot towel service. It was almost as good as first class except of course the seating was too cramped even for me at 5'3" and 110 lbs.

When we got to Kyrgystan I took a few photos secretly.

I'm not sure what airline this is, but glad I wasn't flying it.

Then of course there is the country's airline: Kyrgystan Air. Little known fact...we are pouring millions of dollars in aide into Kyrgystan.

This is more like it. Our C-17 from Manus into Bagram...one fabulous place to another.

Afghanistan - FOB Joyce

While the FOB I was at was on Delta Alert, Joyce FOB was hit hard. I met a lot of great people there who make a difference everyday and hope that none of them were wounded or worse.

PFC Monqueze McKinney – a smiling face you see when checking into the DEFAC

Manning the Gunline with a Howitzer named “Cherry Popper” Left to Right: Cpl Jeffrey Furr, Tennessee, PV2 Matthew Rutter, New Jersey, Cpl Michael Box, Texas and Sgt Adolph Lemos, California 

Stuckey: Always moving Suckey who along with her crew in the DEFAC bought the TV and managed to get a Christmas tree sent to Afghanistan

PFC Corry McGriff – possibly the Army’s best story teller