The military has very talented photographers in the ranks, and they’re always capturing what life as a service member is like during training and at war. Here are the best military photos of the week:
Air Force:
U.S. Air Force Col. David Mineau, the 354th Fighter Wing commander, sits in the cockpit of an F-35A Lightning II while Norwegian Major “Taz” Amdal, Project Test Pilot for F-35 Drag Chute Program, tells him about controls Oct. 12, 2017, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The F-35A is here to conduct cold weather testing to ensure the fifth generation multi-role fighter aircraft runs at peak performance for its scheduled 2020 arrival.
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alexander Sinclair, a member of the 101st Air Refueling Wing (101 ARW) Communications Flight, installs phone connections at the 101 ARW, Bangor, ME, Oct 10, 2017. Cyber Transport Systems Specialists deploy, sustain, troubleshoot, and repair standard voice, data and video network infrastructure systems, IP detection systems, and cryptographic equipment.
Army:
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Randall Ledoux of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) 173rd Airborne Brigade transmits his position while conducting defensive operations during exercise Swift Response 17 at the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 12, 2017. Swift Response 17, Phase II is an annual, U.S. Army Europe-led exercise focused on allied airborne forces’ ability to quickly and effectively respond to crisis situations as an interoperable multi-national team. The exercise takes place at the JMRC in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 2-20, 2017 and includes approximately 7,000 participants from 10 NATO nations.
Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, return greetings to the residents in the sector of Las Palmas in San Juan, Puerto Rico, October 12, 2017. The Soldiers distributed water and Meals, Ready-To-Eat, to the residents. The full force of the federal government continues to make progress towards recovery, working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico officials, municipalities, businesses, and voluntary agencies on the islands.
Navy:
Happy Birthday, Navy!
Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Thomas Rodriguez, from Los Angeles, prepares for flight quarters aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95), Oct. 12, 2017. James E. Williams, homeported in Norfolk, is on a routine deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.
The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN 727) (Gold) pulls into the pier of Republic of Korea’s Busan Naval Base as part of a routine port visit. The visit is to strengthen the already strong relationship between the U.S. Navy and the people of the Republic of Korea.
Marine Corps:
U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), disembark the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) via MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft also with VMM 162 (REIN), in the Caribbean Sea, Oct. 12, 2017. The 26th MEU is supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, in helping those affected by Hurricane Maria to minimize suffering and is one component of the overall whole-of-government response effort.
Cpl. Caleb Bastille, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267, assists in landing a UH-1Y Huey during a simulated tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) mission at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 11. TRAP missions allow pilots and crew chiefs to directly integrate with ground troops, simulating potential scenarios that could take place when forward deployed.
Coast Guard:
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, a 270 foot, medium endurance cutter, arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to deliver supplies, Oct. 9, 2017. The supplies included donations collected by Customs and Border Patrol members.
A Coast Guard Station Ketchikan 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew assists in mooring the 34-foot fishing vessel Nata Ella in Refuge Cove, Ketchikan, Alaska Oct. 7, 2017. The Nata Ella crew reported they were taking on water on the southwest side of Bold Island, and the Station Ketchikan RB-M crew provided a dewatering pump and towed the fishing vessel to Ketchikan.
