Members of 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1/26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, perform a security halt during a mounted patrol on 9 November, 2008. The security halt allowed soldiers to interact with Afghani locals running a voting office for local elections. The mounted patrol was part of a Humanitarian Assistance mission in the local village. The soldiers on this patrol were stationed at FOB (Forward Operation Base) Blessing located in the north east part of Afghanistan near the Pakistan Border. Photographs taken by MSG Martin J. Cervantez on his deployment to Afghanistan were used as reference material for the painting.

SPC Billings, a member of 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1/26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, collects iris, fingerprint, and photo data using a HIIDE (Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment) biometric system. Whenever a camera is pulled out, a crowd is drawn! Afghanis love to have their pictures taken which assists in the data collection process. Data is collected from all military age males in each village to help identify both current and future hostiles and insurgent forces. The data collection was part of a Humanitarian Assistance mission in a local village near FOB (Forward Operation Base) Blessing, Northeast Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. Photographs taken by MSG Martin J. Cervantez on his deployment to Afghanistan were used as reference material for the painting.

SGT Espejo II, and SGT Mendez from the California National Guard sit on the tailgate of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and watch out over a valley in Northeastern Afghanistan while on a personnel delivery mission. Smoke from evasive flares can be seen trailing the aircraft reminding everyone on board that no flight is routine and that they are still in hostile territory. Photographs taken by MSG Martin J. Cervantez on his deployment to Afghanistan were used as reference material for the painting.

11 November, 2008, 2nd Lieutenant Patrick Farrell of The American Provincial Police Mentor Team (PMT-P), 1st BN/203rd Corps, Regional Police Advisory Command – East (RPAC-E) and his interpreter are meeting with the ANP (Afghan National Police) Chief in the town of Khost in Southeastern Afghanistan to review local situations and provides mentorship on several issues. The two work out logistical and tactical problems and ensure that they are working with coordinated efforts toward common strategic goals. The interpreter is covering his face so that he can’t be identified by anyone that may have ties with the Taliban or Al-Qaida. PMTs are training the ANP for combat (infantry and basic training) as well as police missions.

Photographs taken by MSG Martin J. Cervantez on his deployment to Afghanistan were used as reference material for the painting.

Members of 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1/26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, negotiate a turn on a narrow road along the cliffs of a small village while a mounted patrol on 9 November, 2008. This type of road is very dangerous and leaves the patrol with nowhere to go if ambushed by the enemy. The soldiers on this patrol were stationed at FOB (Forward Operation Base) Blessing located in the north east part of Afghanistan near the Pakistan Border. Photographs taken by MSG Martin J. Cervantez on his deployment to Afghanistan were used as reference material for the painting.

A mounted patrol convoy returns to FOB Salerno on November 14, 2008. The vehicle on the left is the Afghan National Police escorting mine-resistant vehicles from the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, Guns of Glory, 101st Airborne Division.

A squad of 101st Airborne Division soldiers are heading out of the wire on a dismounted patrol near FOB Gardez in Northeastern Afghanistan.

A U.S. soldier from the 101st Airborne Division’s Aviation Regiment is painting Jersey Barriers while performing his extra duty at FOB Salerno.

A U.S. soldier conducts individual hygiene on Bagram Air Field in Northeastern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army and Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicles travel through rolling terrain between villages during a Humanitarian Assistance Mission.

A soldier keeps watch from his turret during a security halt while on a mounted combat patrol near the city of Khowst, Northeastern Afghanistan.

SPC Amanda Erskine from the 4th Psychological Operations Group practices her I.V. administering skills during a Special Operations Combat Lifesaver training event conducted during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM near Camp Slayer outside of Baghdad.