this is my visual story of what I went through in Afghanistan
through in Afghanistan
through in Afghanistan my job in the military wasn’t to be a
my job in the military wasn’t to be a
my job in the military wasn’t to be a photographer it was the exact opposite I
photographer it was the exact opposite I
photographer it was the exact opposite I came in the military enlisted as 19
came in the military enlisted as 19
came in the military enlisted as 19 Delta which is a Calvary Scout and you
Delta which is a Calvary Scout and you
Delta which is a Calvary Scout and you know I had this passion for photography
know I had this passion for photography
know I had this passion for photography for 10 years and I wasn’t about to quit
for 10 years and I wasn’t about to quit
for 10 years and I wasn’t about to quit taking photos you know just because I
taking photos you know just because I
taking photos you know just because I joined the military it was the first
joined the military it was the first
joined the military it was the first snow of the year that I have ever
snow of the year that I have ever
snow of the year that I have ever experienced in Afghanistan we stopped at
experienced in Afghanistan we stopped at
experienced in Afghanistan we stopped at a village everybody was exhausted from
a village everybody was exhausted from
a village everybody was exhausted from the weight that we had in her back and I
the weight that we had in her back and I
the weight that we had in her back and I saw this Afghan army soldier sitting
saw this Afghan army soldier sitting
saw this Afghan army soldier sitting against this wall we made eye contact
against this wall we made eye contact
against this wall we made eye contact and I always had my camera on my best
and I always had my camera on my best
and I always had my camera on my best and all I had to do was just like set
and all I had to do was just like set
and all I had to do was just like set this composition and in a way you’re
this composition and in a way you’re
this composition and in a way you’re kind of connecting with this person now
kind of connecting with this person now
kind of connecting with this person now you’re both in harm’s way see and you’re
you’re both in harm’s way see and you’re
you’re both in harm’s way see and you’re looking at each other are you doing the
looking at each other are you doing the
looking at each other are you doing the exact same thing working as a team and
exact same thing working as a team and
exact same thing working as a team and your experience in this moment well a
your experience in this moment well a
your experience in this moment well a lot of these photographs came out of
lot of these photographs came out of
lot of these photographs came out of five you know getting close to these
five you know getting close to these
five you know getting close to these people the impression that I got from
people the impression that I got from
people the impression that I got from the local it was just like this uh shy
the local it was just like this uh shy
the local it was just like this uh shy curiosity they you know they were
curiosity they you know they were
curiosity they you know they were wondering what you were doing there and
wondering what you were doing there and
wondering what you were doing there and the photo of the mortar firing those
the photo of the mortar firing those
the photo of the mortar firing those mortars are firing for about 20 minutes
mortars are firing for about 20 minutes
mortars are firing for about 20 minutes you know and the barrel of the mortar
you know and the barrel of the mortar
you know and the barrel of the mortar tube that’s so hot pouring water on
tube that’s so hot pouring water on
tube that’s so hot pouring water on in bottles of water just to cool down
in bottles of water just to cool down
in bottles of water just to cool down that barrel because they kept on firing
that barrel because they kept on firing
that barrel because they kept on firing these rounds and eventually there was a
these rounds and eventually there was a
these rounds and eventually there was a small puddle that formed around the base
small puddle that formed around the base
small puddle that formed around the base the mortar – and started snapping these
the mortar – and started snapping these
the mortar – and started snapping these photos and captured this blob of mud
photos and captured this blob of mud
photos and captured this blob of mud water shooting up in the air it’s hard
water shooting up in the air it’s hard
water shooting up in the air it’s hard to describe a lot of things in the
to describe a lot of things in the
to describe a lot of things in the military and the comment it was just a
military and the comment it was just a
military and the comment it was just a sound to him a sound and a smell and
sound to him a sound and a smell and
sound to him a sound and a smell and these mortar – when it was dropping and
these mortar – when it was dropping and
these mortar – when it was dropping and then the concussion I was one of the
then the concussion I was one of the
then the concussion I was one of the last in my platoon that actually see
last in my platoon that actually see
last in my platoon that actually see combat
combat
combat and that day started with a mission to
and that day started with a mission to
and that day started with a mission to do humanitarian aid and we started
do humanitarian aid and we started
do humanitarian aid and we started seeing women and children running and I
seeing women and children running and I
seeing women and children running and I was pointed pointed this out to my
was pointed pointed this out to my
was pointed pointed this out to my gunner and told them we were gonna we’re
gunner and told them we were gonna we’re
gunner and told them we were gonna we’re gonna get hit we’re gonna get hit you
gonna get hit we’re gonna get hit you
gonna get hit we’re gonna get hit you know and probably ten less than ten
know and probably ten less than ten
know and probably ten less than ten seconds after that front of my truck
seconds after that front of my truck
seconds after that front of my truck exploded we finally came to a stop and
exploded we finally came to a stop and
exploded we finally came to a stop and it came over the radio that uh Westbrook
it came over the radio that uh Westbrook
it came over the radio that uh Westbrook was wounded you know I get out of my
was wounded you know I get out of my
was wounded you know I get out of my vehicle to check into these okay so what
vehicle to check into these okay so what
vehicle to check into these okay so what am i doing I’m all in security for him
am i doing I’m all in security for him
am i doing I’m all in security for him while he’s being bandaged up you know
while he’s being bandaged up you know
while he’s being bandaged up you know I’m still taking these photos we didn’t
I’m still taking these photos we didn’t
I’m still taking these photos we didn’t see him for eight months and then once
see him for eight months and then once
see him for eight months and then once we showed up you know I gave him a copy
we showed up you know I gave him a copy
we showed up you know I gave him a copy the photos and you know he thanked me
the photos and you know he thanked me
the photos and you know he thanked me for taking these photos of them was a
for taking these photos of them was a
for taking these photos of them was a wounded at that moment
wounded at that moment
wounded at that moment these photos that I took they’re not
these photos that I took they’re not
these photos that I took they’re not just mine you know all the people you
just mine you know all the people you
just mine you know all the people you know I served with they have a copy they
know I served with they have a copy they
know I served with they have a copy they have two copies their parents have a
have two copies their parents have a
have two copies their parents have a copy so these photos are gonna outlive
copy so these photos are gonna outlive
copy so these photos are gonna outlive me in a way hopefully I think the best
me in a way hopefully I think the best
me in a way hopefully I think the best thing that I did was not put down that
thing that I did was not put down that
thing that I did was not put down that camera you know like going on this
camera you know like going on this
camera you know like going on this deployment not forgetting about the
deployment not forgetting about the
deployment not forgetting about the whole dream taking photos and you know
whole dream taking photos and you know
whole dream taking photos and you know the enjoyment that came out of it you
the enjoyment that came out of it you
the enjoyment that came out of it you know even as I was in the Army I was
know even as I was in the Army I was
know even as I was in the Army I was still gonna keep that up and it really
still gonna keep that up and it really
still gonna keep that up and it really paid off
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