Comfort at Night
August 10th, 2011 | From the Ranks | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
PUNTARENAS, Costa Rica – (Aug. 7, 2011) USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) is illuminated by lightning in Puntarenas, Costa Rica during Continuing Promise 2011 (CP11). CP11 is a five-month humanitarian assistance mission to the Caribbean, Central and South America. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric C. Tretter/RELEASED)
Undercover Work
December 7th, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
A dog sleeps in a soldier’s cot after he left during the night for a patrol. A brief note about dogs – although command may often try to clamp down on having said mascots on bases, many soldiers sing the praises of having one around. Aside from morale issues, I have heard several accounts from various troops who say that their untrained, locally found dogs have found IEDs, arms caches, and warned them about Afghan ambushes while on patrol.
New FOB #2
December 2nd, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
After scouting some new desolate hills about 1000 yards away from the last compound, Staff Sgt. Matthew Sanders, Charlie Co., 1-17 Infantry, takes in his newly assigned patrol base, an empty hilltop outside of town. Who needed walls or buildings anyway for the winter? C-wire is just as good.
That Was Fast, Yet Again
December 1st, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
So that new FOB that 4th platoon just secured, and built up guard defenses, a proper bathroom with a door (minus some walls), dug up an entrance path for the Strykers, and whatnot for two days? Four hours after he visits the FOB with no official name, the battalion commander decides the site is no good and tells the men they have to move. Back to work, but in reverse… Looks like we’ll get no walls now, either – moving out to some field or hill, it seems.
No Vacancies
November 30th, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
4th Platoon, Charlie Co., 1-17 Infantry’s sleeping arrangements – and the sole building on the compound? Those warm spots are reserved for a few cows that the landlord owns, part of the rental agreement. Now I know where we stand, cheers.
About That Time With The Hot Sauce…
November 25th, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
Sgt. Ryan Sharp, 21, from Brookfield, Wi. (C), shows the rest of 1st Platoon, Bravo Co., 1-17 Infantry, his share of videos and pictures of the unit before turning in for the night – ranging from their training almost 3 years ago in Ft. Lewis, to their current deployment in the Argandab valley in Kandahar, Afghanistan. “A lot of us went to Basic together, and most of us have been together for a long time. It’s stuff from battle drills, classes, and training – us goofing around. It’s probably the first time a group of us together has seen the collection.”
Pack Your Bags
November 4th, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
Soldiers move their bags in the middle of the night from storage to prepare for deployment to another FOB – as one of them put it succinctly, “They don’t tell me where! They just tell me to move.”
Dot dot dot, dash dash
August 30th, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Sheila
While the rest of the ship was celebrating its deployment half-way mark, Command Master Chief Dave Colton signals an Indian Naval ship from the bridge wing of the cruiser Anzio (CG 68) in the Gulf of Aden. Colton began his Navy career as a signalman, but hasn't used his 'flashing lights' skills in a while - the Navy preferrs more modern means of communication like chat. When an Indian Naval ship signaled the Anzio, CMC Colton was happy to engage in conversation.
One star, one cigar
August 27th, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Sheila
Enjoying a cigar after dinner on the Reagan.
Ready
August 25th, 2009 | Photography | Posted by Sheila
Some of these guys were in their racks, a couple were in their whites, but just a few minutes after getting the call that they needed to be suited up and ready for a possible crash on the flight deck, they were on the scene and ready to react. The helo landed safely, there was no crash, and two of them had to put their dress shoes back on.