One Night in Zhari

And lands.

The rotors swirl in the dust creating the Kopp-Etchells Effect.

We move to our helicopter and numerous people fall over obstacles on the way.

The camera makes art when I fall in the swirling dark. The dust is blinding under the violently loud helicopter rotors.

We approach the back of the CH-47 (Chinook helicopter). The powerful engines create much heat, and the smell of hot fuel remind me of IED strikes that have blown up Strykers and Humvees in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The crewmen will be closely watching for enemy who may have slipped in among the ranks.  They count us as we board making sure we have exactly the number reported.

We sit down with no effort to buckle.  Some troopers sit on the floor until the helicopter is full.

As the helicopter pulls up out of the dust, another helicopter cuts past the open tail ramp.  The machine gunner on the tail is ready to suppress ground fire.  
Soon we are back on base and go to sleep in the tents.