Photoshop attempt...

Jolly Green, part II...

Coming back from another mission. Almost back on the platform.











Servicing the 50.











PJ's organising their gear, getting everything ready for the next rescue flight.












































Gear stays in the helicopter and can be put on in a matter of seconds.










































The office...











You don't wanna get hit by these...











Thanks to these guys, many lives were saved in Iraq and Afghanistan..

Spending some time with the Jolly Green 41st Rescue Squadron...

After having lunch last Saturday I went over to the Jolly Green compound. In the morning I talked to their commander and I was given permission to take some photos during one of their launches. A really nice opportunity to get some interesting shots. I was lucky, because on arrival the pilots, PJ's and gunners were just being briefed about a mission. Two teams were in a hurry, finishing their plates with pasta, while working on the computer trying to locate the troops in the field which they had to help out. I was being told they would be out on the flightline within minutes, so I already went there to get ready. Unfortunately the sun wasn't in the best position for my photos, but hey, war doesn't wait for that perfect sunlight to take a few pictures...... And I had to be quick. These helicopters and their crews are gone before you know it.

Green feet. The Jolly Green compound can easily be located from the main road here at KAF.















Getting ready for take off...











On the taxi way. Adrenaline pumping, never knowing what you're gonna run into on the scene..











Airborne. From the moment of running over to the helicopter platform to taking off takes only a couple minutes.



Here's a video which I found on Youtube, shot only a couple months ago. Part two of the photos, coming soon.

My mate Dennis...

Shot when I was trying out my Pocket Wizards for the first time...

Everyone should be listening to some Dr. Dooom every now and then..

Bad motherf*ckers...

Overhere in the sandbox, I'm finding out with my very own eyes, that war can be, or is, a very sad and ugly thing. The guys you see in the pic below are specialized in combat search & rescue flights, during day or night, right into the hostile environments. They also do insertion and recovery of special operations peronnel and stuff like aeromedical evacuation. Unfortunately they fly out way too often for this kinda stuff. Bad mofo's with big balls.. Good to have these guys here.
I'm invited for a little tour this afternoon, so I'm hoping to have some more shots later.

I just checked out part II of...

Max Schaaf's episode on Epicly Later'd. Go have a look at it, you can almost feel the Oaktown vibe...

Sorry for all the military shots lately...

But this is all I'm seeing for 4,5 months.. I took some other stuff to post with me, but I don't want to go through it all at once. So here's some shots from around the base, which kinda give an impression of what I'm seeing and workin' on all day... I know that some of you don't like this crap at all, but on the other hand, some of you really dig it too.. Click pics to enlarge.

Damon York's Pre Unit...

The 405 freeway..

Shot from Sunset Blvd. where it crosses..

A-10...

for Chopper Dave.

Some stuff which keeps me busy...

..............

2 Afghans ran into my car the other day...

at pretty high speed.. I found out that our little Benz 4x4 is extremely strong. Luckily they hit me above/against the rear wheel, otherwise the story would've had a whole different ending...

The Chinook gets some rest....

while the Warthog goes on another mission...

Ace footjam..

This was taken a couple weeks ago during a little roadtrip.

It's extremely dusty here...

but it's still California weather too. Around 90 fahrenheit every day! Pretty nice to take some photographs here and there.

Just a quick snapshot, with the point & shoot..

I haven't been able to update a lot in the last couple days.. Hope to be back at it soon.
Flying over the Pakistan coastline, on our way to Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. C-130, last week.

An older shot I took of Cole's Blue bike...

One of my all time favourites.

Chris Kovarik..

Germany, summer '09..

The golden boy.....

Chillin' at the beach.

Early mornings...

Last February...

we visited Rene Astengo, and I took some shots of his beautiful Ironhead. Featured in this month's Bigtwin Magazine.

















By the way, Rene owns a bitchin' '55 Nomad too, which really reminded me of Lee Pratt's, seen here.

Shot some film last week...

6 year old Ilford which I still had.. The results came out pretty nice. One of three pools in The Hague, near the Dutch coastline... More shots soon.

Rode bikes today with the homies..... Good times.