Paratrooper on overwatch.

Sky soldiers making it rain.

U.S. Army Pfc. Philip Price, of St. Paul, Minn., prepares to hand an 81mm mortar round to U.S. Army Pfc. Derek Kilbourne of Spokane, Wash., while U.S. Army Pfc. Chris Snyder, a native of Harrisburg, Pa., stands by to fire the round during a fire mission at Combat Outpost Kherwar. All three are mortarmen with Headquarters and headquarters company, 1st Battalion, 503rd infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

Letting God Judge Them.

A U.S. Army soldier from D Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, takes aim with a Barrett .50-calibre rifle, after taking fire at Combat Outpost Kherwar.

Weapon camouflage ingenuity.

Pfc. Vance, assigned to Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, provides security during a joint patrol with Afghan National Army soldiers in a village around Combat Outpost Bande Sardeh, Ghazni province, Afghanistan.

Battle Buddy Huddle.

Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in a huddle at Combat Outpost Lakaray, Afghanistan, moments before going "outside the wire" for a mission during Operation Southern Strike II. The unit is from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

Soldier Stories: The Little Things That Mean So Much

[Photos and article by Staff Sergeant Jason Epperson, 6 January 2012.]

U.S. Army Sgt. Adam M. Hale, an infantryman with B Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade (left), U.S. Army Sgt. Nicholaus A. Hale, a squad leader with C Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division and U.S. Army Capt. Rikki Salyers, of the Indiana National Guard’s 4-19th Agri-Business Development Team share a laugh after being reunited at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan on 7 January. The three siblings reunited after four years with help from Maj. Gen. Daniel Allyn, Regional Command East and Combined Joint Task Force-1 commanding general, who had received a letter from their father.

Though they are step-siblings, Salyers, a native of Oxford, Ind., stationed at FOB Salerno, refers to them as brothers. 

“Technically they’re my step-brothers, but I’ve never considered them [that].” Salyers, who works with the Women’s Outreach Program, explains. “We’ve been together since I was in fourth grade, so they are my brothers.”

The last time the siblings were united was four years ago, according to Salyers.

“Our parents flew us in to Arkansas,” she said. “That was our Christmas present. We actually got to come together for a family Christmas and get some pictures, so it was a really good time.”

Nicholaus, serving at Combat Outpost Mizan, said his father was instrumental in getting the three of them together. 

“I was actually at FOB Lagman in a transient tent, getting ready to head back to COP Mizan from R&R, and I got forwarded an e-mail from my dad that he had sent to General Allyn, and [Brig.] Gen Schwietzer. He said they had planned on getting us back together.”

Adam serves at Combat Outpost Zerok. As the last of the siblings to join the Army, he talked to his brother about going to see him during this deployment. However, no plans were ever actually made. 

“It was a pretty new development.” Adam said. “I feel pretty excited. I haven’t seen my brother or sister for a few years so it’s pretty cool to see them over here.”

After the three reunited, they spent the evening reminiscing about old times and shared a few laughs.

'Cause we don't know how to back down.

Spc. Robert Irwin, an infantryman of 2nd Platoon Dog Company, Task Force Gold Geronimo conducts a security patrol in the Paktya province. TF Gold Geronimo is part of the Spartan Brigade.

First Unmanned Cargo Delivery in a Combat Zone.

A detachment of Marines from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 in Afghanistan completed their first unmanned aerial system cargo delivery in a combat zone. The unmanned helicopter moved about 3,500 pounds of food and supplies from Camp Dwyer to troops at Combat Outpost Payne. The helicopter, an unmanned variant of the K-MAX, completed the delivery in about an hour and a half.

(Photos by Corporal Justin Boling, 15 December 2011.)