Reserve Airmen Establish Combat Camera Operations in Southern Afghanistan

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rodolfo "Rudy" Castro a videographer with 4th Combat Camera...... read more read more

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rodolfo "Rudy" Castro a videographer with 4th Combat Camera Squadron March ARB, Calif. Working with 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment Charlie Company Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Lewis, Wash., documents the local surroundings outside the wire, Nov. 5, 2009. Castro is deployed to Company Operating Post Sangar, Zabul province, Shajoy District, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom documenting counter-insurgency operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez/Released)  see less | View Image Page

02.08.2010

Courtesy Story

4th Combat Camera Squadron

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By Senior Master Sgt. Keith Baxter
Combat Camera Afghanistan

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The calls were placed on Easter Sunday, nine of them. The Fourth Combat Camera Squadron from March Air Reserve Base, Riverside, Calif., had received a tasking to Afghanistan and the team members were alerted. Although they were each given some advanced notice, the phone calls removed all doubt that the squadron would soon have a firm foot print in southern Afghanistan.

The team's mission was a first for a reserve Combat Camera Squadron.

"This was a new tasking, we were not replacing an outgoing team," said Maj. Paul Smedegaard, a Phoenix, Ariz., resident and the officer in charge of the team. "We had to establish a brand new team and build the infrastructure at the management level from the ground up."

Upon arrival in Kandahar, Oct. 20, 2009, the squadron members, self-titled the "A-Team," received several days of briefings, vehicle roll over training and a class in counter-improvised explosive device recognition. However, before being forward deployed, members received the specialized training they would need to effectively support the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. For the 179 day deployment the combat camera team had to learn infantry tactics, small unit drills and become familiar with the special equipment from which the brigade gets its name.

It didn't take long for the teams to get a real taste of combat. On their inaugural mission Master Sgt. Juan Valdes and Tech Sgt. Francisco Govea II encountered their first Improvised Explosive Device. The Stryker in front of theirs hit a large IED, resulting in a catastrophic kill with several casualties. Relying on their training, instinct and prior combat experience the two combat photographers immediately began to document the recovery, which lasted well into the night. The video and still pictures were promptly sent up the chain of command to the brigade. The imagery gave key leaders a visual representation of the events on the ground.

"We routinely use combat camera imagery to explain our operations to other units and agencies so they can visualize the complexities of the terrain in which our Soldiers operate," said Maj. Cory Delger the brigade's fire support officer.

The Combat Camera team generally transmits images to the brigade within 4 - 12 hours of mission completion. The quick turn around provides leadership with a near-real time snapshot of the battle space. Once the images are posted on the brigade's shared portal, the images are given a classification and forwarded to the Pentagon where they are distributed to decision makers within the Department of Defense. The pictures and videos that are cleared for release are made available to the public on the web. See www.defenseimagery.mil.

Despite the inherent danger, the teams still document much of the same types of events they would on any other deployment.

"The fundamentals of photography do not change from one mission to another," said Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez a combat photographer forward deployed with the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment. "The body armor and my M-16 makes shooting more difficult, but the photographic opportunities make the added stressors worth it. The people and landscape of Afghanistan are amazing subjects." Lopez is a reservist and a full time commercial photographer in Phoenix, Ariz. When he was initially chosen for the mission he saw a unique opportunity to build his military portfolio.

Although the Fourth Combat Camera Squadron members were activated for this deployment, the commander was able to fill the tasking with an all volunteer force. For Staff Sgt. Dayton Mitchell, a photographer from Las Vegas, Nev., getting on the initial team was not an option. He volunteered even before the tasking was official. He believed he could make a difference and embraced the opportunity to set the standard for future teams. The squadron has been tasked with at least one more rotation.

Mitchell said the opportunity to work with and learn from the Army has enriched his military career. He has learned about documenting combat operations from one of the most active units in southern Afghanistan. In exchange, he has passed along several photographic tips to the Soldiers, such as how to properly pose people for group photos and the benefits of using natural light instead of a flash.

The group is now past the halfway point of their deployment and despite the many hardships, the team remains focused. They overcame many of the initial challenges and are now fully integrated into operations.

This deployment is the first time a Combat Camera squadron from the Air Force Reserve Command has been tasked with establishing initial operations and Smedegaard could not be more pleased with the job his team is doing. For him, the images his team is producing are among the best photographs that have come out of Afghanistan since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001.

"Our imagery gives the American public, the international community and the people of Afghanistan the opportunity to view first-hand the counterinsurgency operations here in Afghanistan," said Smedegaard.

Although the team has less than 60 days left on their deployment, they still face a long road ahead. The constant threat of IEDs, austere conditions and an impending troop buildup leave little doubt that the next two months will continue to bring tremendous challenges.