Those Who Serve
Ask most who serve and they will explain that war is never black and white; there are many shades of gray.
Look past those many shades, often caused by politics and extreme emotions and you see only the black and white truth; those who serve are rare breeds of Americans.
Thank you to those no longer in uniform, those who still serve faraway from home, those who will never return and those service members’ families.
Gary and Karen Huffman mourn the loss of their son, Army Spec. Jason Huffman, 22, Thursday Dec. 7, 2006 in Conover, N.C., hours after being notified by the Army of his death. Huffman was killed in Iraq Weds. Dec. 6.
Iwo Jima veteran, Keith Wood, 82, holds his U.S. Marine Corps identification card in his Hickory, NC home. Woods was wounded during the early stages of the beach landing and was left as one of the many fallen during the battle until a fellow Marine notice he was still breathing. As Wood’s was being evacuated off the volcanic island he says he could still hear the battle raging.
Fort Carson chaplain Col. James Ellison reaches out to touch the names of the soldiers who he presided over the funerals and memorial services. The names are inscribed on the The Mountain Post Global War On Terrorism Fallen Soldier Memorial at Fort Carson located in Colorado Springs, CO.
Family salutes the flag draped coffin of Dane Balcon, 19, killed Sept. 5, 2007 by a roadside bomb in Balad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
The flag draped casket of Specialist Dane R. Balcon, 19, is placed into a waiting hearse outside the U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel Sept. 14, 2007.
Students in Pueblo, CO wave flags in support of the family of Army Sgt. Blake Harris as Harris’ funeral procession passes by the school March 16, 2007. Harris was killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb March 5.
Sgt. Blake Harris’ father, John Harris, walks away from the casket of his son – after saluting – as Harris’ mother, Deborah Harris, reaches out and touches her son’s coffin March 16, 2007 in Pueblo, CO.
Family and friends of Army Sgt. Blake Harris pay their last respects March 16 in Pueblo, CO. Harris was killed by a roadside bomb March 5, 2007 while serving in Iraq with the 1st Calvary.
A solider stands guard during urban warfare training at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site. Members of the media where invited to a training session of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site February 15, 2008. The training session reflects the door-to-door urban warfare and villages that soldiers encounter in Iraq.
The Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, or PCMS, uses mock villages to reflect the population of Iraq.
An American soldier, dressed as an Iraqi police officer and who wished to not be identified, takes a smoke break during an exercise at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site.
Swimmer Melissa Stockwell, trains at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, qualified to compete in the Paralympic Games in China. Stockwell lost her left leg to a roadside bomb while on patrol in Iraq.
A solider runs along a ridgeline at Fort Carson during a training exercise.
Cheers,
Nathan W. Armes
Denver Photographer and Photojournalist