*Occasionally, Air Force Live puts the spotlight on individual blogs written by Airmen or their family members. These blogs provide an unofficial glimpse into the various aspects of Air Force life. Opinions expressed are those of the bloggers and are not endorsed by the US Air Force.
Senior Airman Nathanael Callon, a photographer, has been tasked to go on his second deployment with less than three years of service. While he will miss his one-year anniversary to his wife, he is able to keep in touch with family, friends and readers through his blog. With a father who is a Chief Master Sergeant, Airman Callon is an ambitious Below-The-Zone Airman and is already a Staff Sergeant select with only 28 months in service.
In his fairly new blog, Airman Callon shows us his day to day life as a photographer on a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. He explains the tough duties a photographer has in a deployed environment and shares his personal experiences being part of the team.
If you don’t know much about what provincial life is like in Afghanistan, Airman Callon offers some glimpses through his photography and personal narrative. He takes readers through the monochromatic desert (which is surprisingly beautiful in its own way, I might add), a lovely sunset, and the story of his tired looking boots and shuras.
“July 13th was the first shura I was able to go to. After multiple attempts to get on a mission, I had finally succeeded. It was the perfect day: the sun was covered by dust, it was only moderately hot and I only had two cameras, three lenses, two weapons and my body armor to carry! Like I said, the perfect day.”
Since then, Airman Callon has been trying to update his blog as much as possible but there are times when he can’t because of the places to which he is sent.
“We try to get out as early as possible to keep from hiking this area in the heat of the day. By 9a.m., it is already getting pretty hot. Not to mention all the gear you have to carry. Our radio guy, Pfc. Cobbs, carries an extra 110 pounds of gear every mission. I’m sure you can imagine how hiking this area can be.”
To follow more of Airman Callon’s experiences and blog, please visit Nathanael the Photog.
PHOTO: COMBAT OUTPOST MIZAN, Afghanistan — Soldiers assigned to 3rd Platoon, Fox Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment and Afghan National Security Forces walk beside a village during a dismounted patrol near Combat Outpost Mizan, Mizan District, Zabul Province, Aug. 26, 2010. Members of 3rd Platoon, Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul and Afghan National Security Forces patrolled the area to meet with local elders and ensure security in the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Nathanael Callon/Released)







