Couldn't help but notice your IAVA links, am a member. They have photos from my 1st Afghan tour on the site. Also an Associates member of VVA, out of respect for Dad & the rest of you 'Nam vets. Take care.
Jim Downen
This is Jim with a beautiful bird rented from a local for $2.00
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This is Master Sergeant Bethel who humped an M-60 for Delta 4/3 The other 'Nam vet on the left is SFC Caldwell. He was in B 2/502 in 'Nam
in 69/70. Notice the Americal patch on his right shoulder.
These were from a trip to Nurestan, which is unlike the rest of this dust bowl country. Nurestan is cool, gets a lot of precipitation & heavily forested. I am an augmentee to the South Carolina 218th BCT, not an "organic" member, I'm actually from Michigan. My favorite past times involve going afield in the Michigan woods with my Lab Stella, or grabbing my .410 & unleashing Archie, our rabbit seeking missile of a Beagle, so I really enjoyed Nurestan.
Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device, think land based kamikaze, load up an automobile, truck, or bus with stuff that goes BOOM, be it arty rounds or home made explosives and have a triggering device of some sort.
<<Up armored 6.jpg>> <<Up armored VBIED hit.jpg>> <<VBIED Car remains.jpg>>
The jihadiot blew himself up, damaged the up-armored, but no Americans were killed, thank God. Happened near our Camp.
Meet Schatzee… Yes, she has "the demon weed" , like in 'Nam, marijuana grows freely around here. She got the munchies after chewing on the pot, asked us for some doggy biscuits, but we didn't have any…. She was a little bummed out, but went back to her doggy hooch & we heard "Purple Haze" blaring from her dog house, so I guess she got over it!
Crazy Russian Journalist
And a very good writer.
Bethel attends promotion ceramony for Master Sgt. Caldwell