Line of Sight

No time to stop and eat

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SPC Jonathan Luke chokes down a turkey sandwich in the back of a blackhawk helicopter at Ft. Carson, Colo., during HAMETS (High Altitude Mountain Environmental Training Strategy) with the 10th CAB, 10th Mountain Division. The CAB was in Colorado Springs for the training before their deployment to Iraq.

SPC Jonathan Luke chokes down a turkey sandwich in the back of a blackhawk helicopter at Ft. Carson, Colo., during HAMETS (High Altitude Mountain Environmental Training Strategy) with the 10th CAB, 10th Mountain Division. The CAB was in Colorado Springs for the training before their deployment to Iraq.

Launch at Dusk

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A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Division-Center, swiftly departs the flight line Jan. 11 at Camp Taji, Iraq, as day turns to night. The 1st ACB conducts aviation operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in support of U.S. and Iraqi forces. (Army photo)

Flying Over Kandahar

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Near KAF via Blackhawk – this is pretty dense by Afghanistan standards.

Dab Pass

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A tricky section of road in Shinkay district – a mountain pass that is a recent convoy ambush spot.

The Refueler

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Pfc. Andrew Petrossian, 20, from Los Angeles, Ca., a refueler with 282nd Aviation Company at FOB Lagman, watches two medical evac Blackhawks take off at sunset. “It’s awesome,” he said. “This is my first month of twelve, and sometimes it’s even kinda beautiful and peaceful out here. Sure, it’s tiring to work in the sun all day, but you have a real sense of accomplishment – and it’s cool to be able to work in aviation.”

Flying Over Zabul

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View from Blackhawk heading south towards FOB Lagman.

Limited Resources

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Helicopters are seriously needed out this way – break-downs, rerouting, and general lack of numbers complicate getting anything done, sometimes for days – which is a big problem when you factor in that not every base can be supplied from the ground, or if you are trying to get medical attention. So don’t drop the milk, or get shot.

Armed Escorts

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Sgt. Randy Dedeugd, a crew chief on a Blackhawk helicopter, loads ammo boxes for his door gun position. They are providing an armed escort for the medical evacs here -and they’ve been rather busy in the last few days – there have many IEDs going off in Zabul recently.