Blackhawk Mission

Today I got the opportunity to go on a mission outside the base.  I flew on a black hawk helicopter with the Brigadier General over Combined Joint Task Force.  We departed Bagram at about 1330 hours and flew for about 45 minutes to a Combat Out Post (COP) south of Kabul, called COP Lightning.  We met with several key leaders at the 203rd Afghan National Army Corps Headquarters.  The purpose of the mission was to determine Afghan contracting capabilities.  Overall, the mission was a success. 

The Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk is one mean machine!  The same helicopter was used in the night raid mission to kill Osama Bin Laden.  The Black Hawk is highly versatile, and can perform a wide variety of missions.  Our variant had capability for carrying 11 combat troops.  It also was equipped for terrain-following radar, GPS weather maps, and a mid-air refueling probe.  Riding on this machine was one of the coolest experiences of my life!

The first black-hawk you see approaching in this picture is the one I rode in.  As soon as we sat down, the choppers lifted off.  Talk about a bumpy ride!  We bounced up and down the whole way.

I sat nearest the window which provided great opportunity for pictures.  If you look closely at this one, you’ll notice the other black-hawk with us.  The General had the lead chopper, we were on the back-up to provide fire support if necessary.

Eastern Afghanistan is known for its rugged terrain, making mountain passes by vehicle very dangerous.  We rode closely to the ground on our mission. 

Here’s a nice valley we approached.  You’ll notice the M60D machine gun on the right.  I sat right behind the gunner.  Many of the peaks here are still covered in snow.

Back at Bagram Air Field.  Home sweet home, at least for the next 30 days or so!

Mission Success!