Pararescue

Each branch of the Military has its special brand of bad assess.  The Air Force is no different we have the most elite of elite in combat search and rescue, Pararescue, the pinnacle of Air Force battlefield medicine and personnel recovery Units, whose sole purpose in life is combat search and rescue, and their motto pays true homage to their life and their life choices, and really explains them to the core "These things we do so that other's can live." really explains them to the core.

It is not an easy task to become a rescueman, many have tried, but only the best of the best make it through their qualifying courses, and that is before they get into the medical portion of their school. 

Once fully graduated from the program, they willingly take on the position as battle field doctor, although they do not have a Doctorial in Medicine degree, even the on ground physician yields to their knowledge and instructions.   

When they perform a task, whether it is for personnel recovery, combat rescue of hostage rescue,  rest assured they have practiced it for months before the mission and they are always ready.    To the Men and Women of Luke Air Force Base Pararescue Squadron, I salute you.

This is a simulated patient care exercise, no actual patients were used for this training mission.  The military member playing the part of the patient was not actually injured. 

Faces

They say that eyes are the windows to the soul, with this being true, then faces are it's window dressing.  here are some of my favorite window dressings.

Spending time in South Korea is great, all the shopping, all the hand tailored clothes and shoes, it is a shopper's "wet dream", so to speak. But for the Men and Women stationed at the DMZ, that's the De-Militarized Zone, for you non-military types or the 38th parallel for us older guys, all the perks that come with living in South Korea are fleeting thoughts as these soldiers train for the unthinkable ... another war with North Korea.

North and South Korea have not known peace since June 25, 1950, the beginning of the Korean War, where North Korea dreamt of a unified Korea and decided to place that dream in to motion, the Korean War has been in armistice since November 1954.  Notice I said nothing about the war being over, they simply decided, after the United States pushed the communist Korean forces back to the 38 parallel. 

Each year since, there have been scheduled and unscheduled tests of the South Korean’s resolve and military might along side their American counterparts.  These exercises are extremely intense.  Having played both sides of the exercises, as a participant, sleeping in a General Purpose (gp) tent with a heater in the middle of a blizzard, and then as a photojournalist living in the same conditions (yea love those conditions), it is with them men and women, two countries, one goal, Freedom. 

It's A dog's life

Ahhh there is nothing better than taking a nap in the warmth of the sun.  This is truly a dog's life, play, eat and when you are tired, take a nap.  Those were the days of the kindergarden class, with nap time in the middle of the day, right after snack time.  Then up to play, no worries, no bills, no mortgage, just let your imagination reign.

This is Bozlee, he is a boggle, a cross between a Boston Terrier and a Beagle.  After a round of "chase the ball" he finds a place where the sun shines through the window and spends the next few hours chasing the light, in a series of short naps.

This is Roxi, or Boo boo as I call her and she is full Boston Terrier.  Rather than finding the warm space of the sun, she prefers the soft pillowing cushions of the back of the couch, usually behind my head.  And when that is not available, she will force herself between the small of your back and the back of the couch. Not sure what she dreams of but you can watch her eyes as they move in REM sleep and her feet twitch as if she is running.  What ever she is dreaming, I know it is a great deal of fun for her, because whe she immediately comes awake, she bolts for my face to lick.

 Most of us dream of a simple life, where we can just do what we enjoy doing with no worries ...  when you have such a life, like bozlee and boo boo, I just have to wonder what they dream of?

Sweet Dreams .....

Gotta love Vegas

Las Vegas is one of the most diverse cities in the universe, or at least that is what I believe.  Just tell me any other city in the world that would have a micro city, New York, surrounded by a rollercoaster?!   Yes, I said rollercoaster.

This shot was taken while on "photosafari" with a great friend and even better photographer, Tracy Ford Perry, at about 9 am. 

Did I mention the rollercoaster.