Friday, October 17, 2008

Enjoying the Ride

Day 17 - Photo 17. Senior Master Sgt Thomas H. Coffin is enjoying the view. I call him Tommy. Tommy and I are flying a military training mission aboard a C-17A Globemaster over the Arizona desert. It was a little over a year ago when I walked into an Army hospital in Baghdad and found Tommy laying in a hospital bed. He had been serving his second tour as an Air Force Combat Photographer when he was shot and wounded during a fire fight with "insurgents." If you've been reading the blog you know I believe in fate, as I did the day I met up with my friend hours after he'd been wounded. I've tried often to assign a meaning to the experience. I've given up. I don't really want to know the answer. Sometimes it's enough just to accept the experience for what it is and enjoy the ride.

Tommy's since recovered from his wounds. There's a lot of young men and women who were not so lucky. Thousands who've paid the ultimate sacrifice. Still thousands more who will carry the scars of war for the rest of their lives. For Tommy though he back doing what he believes and all he's ever wanted to do. He's serving his country. For right now and in this moment, he's enjoying the ride. And knowing everything will be all right.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it's too bad more people don't realize that Air Force personnel are frequently in danger in a war zone and especially the true meaning of "Combat Camera". This picture and narrative should be distributed world-wide to everyone.

Keep up the good work.

Cheryl

Anonymous said...

I like this, it's strange.

Anonymous said...

Rick,

Your doing a great job with your photo's keep up the good work.

George