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Stuff like this...

By The Armorer on February 20, 2009 | | Comments (12)
...is one of the reasons I liked being a soldier.

02/19/2009 - U.S. Army 1st Lt. Larry Baca, from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, monitors the weather as a storm moves in outside of Forward Operating Base Lane, Afghanistan, Feb. 19, 2009. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Mancini, U.S. Army/Released)
02/19/2009 - U.S. Army 1st Lt. Larry Baca, from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, monitors the weather as a storm moves in outside of Forward Operating Base Lane, Afghanistan, Feb. 19, 2009. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Mancini, U.S. Army/Released)

This cubicle is just hella better than the one I'm working in these days.  I just loved being out, even in the weather.

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12 Comments

By Josh on February 20, 2009 2:12 PM
Cool picture!
 
By Justthisguy on February 20, 2009 9:38 PM
There's a reason they're called "Field Manuals" and not "City Manuals." Fighting in built-up areas has always been most maximally icky-poo, for all concerned. Lessee: Stalingrad [shudder], last days in Berlin [shudder], Hue [shudder], Fallujah [shudder] and etcetera and so forth. There's a good reason why the mayor of Atlanta met the Yankee general and surrendered the city; to avoid that kind of thing.
 
By Justthisguy on February 20, 2009 9:46 PM
P.s. Oh yeah that's a cool pic and reminds me of some of my hiking trips in the mountains, away from large numbers of other humans, just getting the full sensory experience of the environment, and all.
 
By BillT on February 20, 2009 11:02 PM
Heh. In the LOH, we always got a full sensory appreciation of the environment -- we flew with the doors off.

That's LOH as in OH-6A, *not* the OH-5-point-8A...
 
By Justthisguy on February 20, 2009 11:23 PM
Bill, was that the Hughes thing with the teardrop-shaped fuselage, as seen in Magnum, P.I.? I always thought that was one of the coolest-looking helicopters ever built. Of course I have no idea what it was like to fly the thing, or work on it. Very cool-lookin, though.
   
By Old Blue on February 21, 2009 12:51 AM
You have got to love the February weather in Afghanistan. 


 
By Adam Mancini on February 21, 2009 2:43 AM
Hey guys,

Glad you like the photo.  I took about 30 pics walking back to the truck, and this was the best one.  I got pretty lucky with the light hitting the trucks just right, the storm in the back, the purple rocks in front, and the trucks and LT Baca positioned the way they were.  As soon as I saw it, I realized that I probably just took the best photo of my Combat Camera career.

I'm glad you like the photo, these Soldiers certainly deserve it.

Take care,
SSG Mancini
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 21, 2009 7:59 AM
Glad you took the pic, Adam.  And don't sell yourself short - you haven't necessarily peaked...!

But yes, the chiaroscuro effect of the sun on the gun trucks and troops against the storm clouds is evocative... but it was your *eye* that saw there was a picture there.

Me, I'm pretty good at Photoshop because I don't have the natural eye!
 
By Aw1 Tim on February 21, 2009 10:50 AM
John,

  I always loved being out of doors. There's a certain freshness to the air when that first whiff of ozone flits by and the cool air just makes you seem more alive.  Funny, but I also got a small rush when i was on the flightline and you could hear the turbines running and get a scent of JP mixed with salt air  (Both Jax and Brunswick are close by the ocean). 

  But one of my fondest memories is camping out in Yellowstone and having this tremendous thunderstorm roll through. Sitting in the tent with the front flap raised and secured, and watching the rain fall, hearing the thunder roll and echo off the hillsides, and smell the freshness of it all. It still is with me today.

  Besides that, even when caught out in it, you can deal with it because you can only get so wet, you know? Once you and everyone else with you is soaked, it really doesn't matter much anymore :)

  SSG Mancini : That's a GREAT image you took, and you should be justifiably proud of your talents. I have no doubt the Army scored well in finding you and you'll do even better in the future.
 
By Justthisguy on February 22, 2009 5:18 AM
Many thanks, Adam! You did a good thing, there, capturing that image. Quite romantic, it is. It evokes all kindsa emotions.
 
By Adam Mancini on February 22, 2009 11:09 AM
You guys are too nice.  Thanks for the comments.  This past week or so has been my first time submitting photos and I'm shocked to see them used at different websites.  It's a great feeling for myself and all the guys at FOB Lane.  Thanks again, and more are on the way!