Today, as part of keeping up with what is going on in our Defense Department, I could post some dazzling photos of U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta visiting with Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz as he arrives to attend the 31st Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkish Relations dinner in Washington, D.C., or of the Secretary welcoming Israeli President Shimon Peres to the Pentagon, etc.
Instead, here are some nice photos of what some of our troops way down the ladder are doing in the “defense department.”
Army Pfc. Daniel Baetson, deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, serves as a mentor with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa to help African partners build niche capabilities such as logistics, legal affairs and medicine. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly Ontiveros)
Musician 3rd Class Steve Lamonica lets local Indonesian children strum his guitar during a Pacific Partnership 2012 community service project. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Laurie Dexter)
Sailors assigned to the Japan-based Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) pick up trash during a community service event in Yokosuka, Japan. The Sailors are from George Washington’s Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions chapter, which participate in numerous community service events to both help their community and to give Sailors a constructive way to spend their time off duty. George Washington is pier side in Yokosuka, Japan, and making preparations to return to sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class William Pittman)
A U.S. paratrooper pulls security during a combat operation Afghanistan’s Ghazni province. The soldier is assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team. Helicopters delivered fellow paratroopers and Afghan soldiers into the rugged mountain terrain.
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Elliott participates in a key leader engagement in Cin Farsi Village in Afghanistan’s Farah province, June 9, 2012. Oswald is assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah.
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.