Assorted Pictures

Me and a bunch of Kurdish Soldiers (Peshmerga) at the checkpoint i was at for 2 days. these guys were diggin' taking pictures.


This rocket landed 100 meters from where i was standing when i was out on this checkpoint. I was on the outside of the compound helping work on a generator when it came in. It actually sounded like a whiffle ball about 2 seconds before it detonated. This type of rocket does not have a very big blast radius (1/2 meter), luckily. It has to score a direct hit to really do anything. But i heard the whiffle-ball sound and looked up right as it exploded. I don't think i ever ran for my protective gear so fast. This stuff usually happens at night, not in the middle of the day. This is what it looked like after it was pulled out of the ground.

The rocket before it was pulled out of the ground.

This picture was taken after only 15 minutes with my body armor on. It was near 110 degrees when we were out filming for that checkpoint story i posted earlier. I filmed for 15 minutes and then went back into the compound and took my gear off.

This was taken late last week when i was on the market walk with the Brigade Commander and his team of advisors and such. This was a juice stand and they made all kinds of smoothies and fruit drinks. But the whole market area was quite colorful like this. I may get some video of the market walk posted later in the week.

Various Pictures

This picture is a view of part of Baghdad. I flew over there on my way to Cobra 10 days ago.


I am not sure what this building is. But it is a lot bigger than it appears. It is probably a mosque of something of that nature.



This is a view of a trafic circle in downtown Baghdad. I think it is some of the only grass i have seen since i got here.



Me looking cool and waiting for the helicopter to refuel.



The view outside of the gunners window of the helicopter.

Cobra

I was out on this checkpoint when the rocket came in. It landed a ways away, but it was a reminder not to be complacent. I am still in a combat zone.

Arrowhead Luau

I put this video together with footage that someone else shot. I was at another base when it took place. But it was fun to put the piece together.

Warhorse COmbatives Music Video

My base had some combatives matches last night. Some of the fights were pretty good. I probably would not have gone, but i was assigned to produce a music video for our brigade facebook page.

Score One For The Good Guys

http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=85359


This is a link to a video I produced (you probably need to copy and paste it into your address window). I think the video explains it all and is self explanatory. Yes, I was there. Enjoy.

Soldiers Go to School

This is a project that some of the members of the Brigade have been involved in. They have been training Iraqi media officers on how to use "information operations" togain the turst and help of the general public.

Ozzy Osborne and Mortar Fire

The footage for this was shot by one of the videographers from division, but i was asked to make a short music video to put on our Brigade's Facebook page. This is what I came up with.

World Famous (to the military media anyways) SFC JD Phippen

This how that last video appeared on the Pentagon Channel. It was pretty cool, from a broadcaster perspective, to see some of my stuff "out there".

Joint Operation

I went on this operation the other day. It was nothing major, but a few weeks ago some people were kidnapped and executed near here. This was an information gathering patrol as much as anything. I will post some still photgraphs in the next day or so.

The Most Recent Production

The video footage for this was shot while I was home on leave. But I was asked to put this video together. I edited the footage and added the music and voiceover. Enjoy.

Patches

The three of us from Iowa that are here at FOB Warhorse. This pose was after I gave PV2 Zuber and PFC Muehe their "combat patch". I got mine last week before i went to the other FOB. Typically, a soldier will wera only a patch on their left shoulder. But a soldier that has deployed to a combat zone, will also wear one on their right shoulder. The usually wear the patch of the unit that they served with. We are serving with a brigade from the 2nd Infantry Division. The patch is the 2ID patch. It is one of the more recognized patches, also one of the most decorated. From what I read, there have been 24+ recipients of the Medal of Honor from this division.

This is a photo fo the weapons that they found on the air assault mission. I was lucky that the only stuff that was found was in the objective that I was in. That way, I got to include that stuff as part of my video story.



This was just a dwelling that was in the area. Nothing special about it, just a picture to show what some people live in if not in a bigger town.


Just a random donkey hangin' out and looking bored.

Operation Tomahawk Condor

There is 10 seconds of black video before this starts. This is the air assault mission that I went on. It was actually kind of fun to play infantry for a day. We jumped (not literally)off the Chinooks and went to work. Well, the Iraqis did. US forces followed close behind and I videotaped stuff. I had one other interview with an Iraqi company commander, but it was really windy and the audio quality was poor. There were no shots fired at all and everyone returned to base safely. US forces did have mortars trained on targets in the area just in case the "you know what" hit the fan.

Extreme Tomahawk School Makeover

This is the video that the battalion commander wanted done for his youtube post. I spent several days taping and editing. When the commander saw this video, he was impressed and excited to get it posted. I am working on a longer piece that LTC Hodges wants to market to ABC and their Extreme Home Makeover show. His voice is the one you hear under the video. I will post some regular pictures on here sometime later. ENJOY!!!

This is the view from the roof of the school towards a park.

Apparently there are four families living here. usually in this situation, the families area all related.

A few days before i got to the school, some guys fired at the security detail guarding the place at night. Apparently, they fired from an alley and from this gate.

An exterior view of the school with a bunch of beat up old desks outside.

Inside one of the classrooms.

This is the school makeover that i videotaped. I will do more when it gets finished.

Archery Range

This is the latest attempt at making videos. Enjoy it. The combatives video I made, was aired on AFN Europe and seen by thousands in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all of Europe.

Stryker Prototype

This was a fun one to do because I got to lsiten to a .50 cal going off. i really need to get out there and do some more b-roll (raw footage). That way i can show everybody what it looks like outside the wire from the ground.

My Latest Video

This is my latest video production. I am still learning how to use our new software and camera. But the Brigade COmmand Sergeant Major liked this piece, so i figure it must be ok. Posting my products on hear is actually my sister Erin's idea. she put this on her blog. I figured i might as well put my products on my own blog. So I will start doing that from now on. I hope this works.

Yours truly in "full battle rattle", with combat load of ammo (210 rounds). I went to another FOB (by way of Blackhawk helicopter) the other day to pick up some gear. This is how we dress when we go outside of the wire.

My desk at the office. My editing station is on the left and my normal computers and phones are on the right.

The outside of my CHU (containerized housing unit). I have a room to myself. The flowers are fake and were here before I got here. I have to admit, they do add some color.

The sign outside of the brigade's HQ. These are the guys that I am supporting. The Brigade Commander is a stereotypical commander. Actually, at 6'5'' he is the tallest guy on the FOB. He looks very imposing, but I suppose that is a good thing.